Mushroom Model Publications

13.(slow.)/JG 52

by  Jirķ Rajlich, Ph.D

Reviewed By  John Vitkus, IPMS# 30013

MSRP: £12.00 ($23.50) ISBN: 978-83-89450-50-0 Blue Series No 7107 Softcover 112 pages (16 in colour). Mushroom Model Publications (www.mmpbooks.biz/main.html) are available in the US from Amazon and Squadron Mail Order. The somewhat cryptic title refers to the official Luftwaffe designation for the 13th (Slovak, slowakei in German) Staffel of JG 52 on the Eastern Front. From December of 1942 through October of 1943, a small group of 29 Slovak fighter pilots were very successful, gaining 215 confirmed victories over Soviet aircraft at the cost of 4 pilots killed, 2 wounded, and 3 who defected to the Soviets. However, their luck changed after being recalled to Slovakia for home defense duties. Now known as the 13th Squadron of the Slovak Air Arms (letka 13, Vzdusne zbrane), they had only a handful of fighters to counter the American bombers and escort fighters flying from Italy. In one disastrous mission on 26 June, 1944, eight Slovak Bf-109G-6s joined other Axis fighters to challenge 655 B-17 and B-24 bombers escorted by 290 P-38 and P-51 fighters. One B-24 was claimed, but six of the eight defending Bf-109Gs were shot down and another severely damaged, killing three pilots and severely wounding a fourth. On that day the 13th Squadron, which was in effect the entire Slovak fighter force, ceased to exist. Later that summer, 15 pilots from the squadron turned against their former German allies by joining the the Slovak National Uprising, flying worn out Bf-109s, ancient Avia B.534 biplane fighters, and other obsolete training planes. The fighting began in August and ran on for months before it finally failed in December. During the uprising 8 German aircraft were claimed by Slovak pilots Two pilots were killed, and two were taken prisoner. This brief history may sound straightforward, but compiling it was no easy task. In the decades of communist rule over after WWII, the role of the 13th Squadron was minimized and distorted to suit the propaganda needs of the Soviets. Dr. Rajlich, as director of the Historical Documents section of the Military Historical Institute of Prague, performed painstaking original research to obtain an objective account of Slovakia's WWII fighter pilots. He succeeds admirably, delivering a compelling narrative that kept me eager for the next page. Complementing his lively text are three tables listing details for (1) the circumstances of all 215 claims, (2) the victory totals for the 24 pilots who gained at least one combat victory, and (3) the causes of all 53 aircraft lost in operations, whether by accident, bombing, aerial combat, or defection. Mushroom Model Publications has another winner here. The book is in their usual soft cover small-format (9-1/2" X 6-1/2") and contains 112 pages printed on glossy, high-quality paper. Text is in excellent English throughout, complemented by 180 sharp B/W photos. Maciej Noszczak and Krzysztof Wolowski provide 23 excellent color profiles of aircraft, as well as detail artwork showing the evolution of Slovakia's wartime insignia. This is a must-have volume for anyone with an interest in the small air forces of WWII It also provides an intriguing historical background for modelers who are looking for something a little different when building a B.534 or Bf.109. Highly recommended! Thanks to Mushroom Model Publications via IPMS/USA for the review sample.

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