Classic Publications

Luftwaffe Support Units: Units, Aircraft, Emblems and Markings 1933-1945

by  Barry Rosch

Reviewed By  Floyd S. Werner, Jr., IPMS #26266

MSRP: $27.95 ISBN: 978 1 906537 04 3 Website: www.specialtypress.com The latest in the Classic Publications Luftwaffe Colors series is a cornucopia of Luftwaffe aircraft. Typical of the series this soft bound book contains 96 pages with over 250 photos, some color. What is always welcomed are the excellent color profiles and this book certainly has a wide variety of aircraft. Luftwaffe Support Units is slightly different than typical Luftwaffe Colors books in that it mentions specific units and their history. There were certainly a lot of units, some with only one aircraft and then there are some with multiple types of aircraft. A support unit in the Luftwaffe included ambulance, communications, headquarters and observer services, among others. That means a wide variety of aircraft, from the spindly Storch to Heinkel He-116, which I hadn't seen before. There are plenty of unique unit markings throughout the book. Everything from pre-war types such as the W-34, He-60, Do-23, He-70, Fw-58 and even an Avia B.71. This book, like the rest of the series, contains a lot of photos, many never before published. The ambulance aircraft in particular are quite interesting. The modeler will find some great inspiration inside of this book. The markings and the paint schemes are very unique inside the Luftwaffe. I especially liked the one photo of a ambulance Storch next to a downed P-40K. It would make a really nice diorama. The desert and winter schemes are really colorful. Just like the rest of the series, this book is a valuable reference and provides some of the best information available. If you are looking for an easy reading book, this is not that book. If you are looking for excellent reference material then this is a great value. For the modeler and historian, these books represent a great value. I hope that someday they will put these books into a hard bound series. Highly recommended. Thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy. You can obtain your copy of this, and all the other books from the series, by calling Specialty Press at 1-800-895-4585 or by visiting www.specialtypress.com . A $6.95 shipping and handling fee is added to each order.