Axis Wings Volume 2 - Chandos Publications

 

Volume 2 of 'Axis Wings' is here! Volume I received high praise and Volume 2 should be no different. The 'Luftwaffe and co-belligerent air forces compendium' once again draws on the talents of some well known names in the Luftwaffe research and writing community (eg, Beale, Arthy, Hermann, Steenbeck etc) and has been put together by the same editorial 'experts' largely responsible for the reputation that  Classic Publications enjoys. A Chandos masterstroke!

Volume 2 is another densely-packed issue consisting of 184 A-4 pages between stiff card covers and a nice thick spine. At a guess, word count must be north of 100,000 - there's an incredible amount of reading here. Production values, maps, photos, Swiatlon profile artworks, the quality goes without saying. If there is one noticeable innovation in Vol 2 then it seems that the editor has included a range of features covering more technical themes as well as the 'usual' operational and biographical articles; Dietmar Hermann on the DB 603-engined versions of the Fw 190, Martin Streetly details the history and development of the various Luftwaffe AI search radar 'families' while Gordon Slater covers the history of the Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missile and Martin Frauenheim writes about the achievements of German rocket pioneer Reinhold Tiling - the images of  the Klemm monoplane with two metre long rockets slung under the wings are noteworthy! 

Volume 2 also has something of an Eastern Front 'flavour'. Biographical articles cover leading Eastern Front nightfighter Gustav Francsi (rare images of NJG 100 Ju 88s, profile artwork and a full claims list) while Alexander Steenbeck has Part II of the life of Fritz Krey of SG 2. There is a lengthy piece on JG 54 pilot Hans-Helmut Habermehl - a first-to-last fighter pilot - covering pre-war training to his death in April 1945 via a forensic examination of his log-book, including the court martial!

Operational features focus on a range of subjects. One of the best is the coverage of the activities of close-range recce unit NAGr. 4 over the Eastern Front . The reader will probably find himself wondering what purpose battlefield reconnaissance served at all when three German armies were wiped out in the first ten days of Bagration, including Busch's  3rd Panzerarmee around Vitebsk. Any orders to fall back arrived far too late - reluctantly issued given Hitler's 'fester Platz' policy. Bagration - launched on 22 June 1944 - was an immense Soviet offensive, involving 1.2 million men, which resulted in the 1,000 km long front held by Heeresgruppe Mitte literally imploding. Author Arthy details the daily sorties flown by NAGr. 4 pilots deep behind the lines, where they observed ".. the heart-wrenching sight of cut-off German troops attempting to flee westwards.." On occasion they even got into dogfights with Soviet aircraft. Eighty kms south of Vitebsk at Orscha there was a crushing defeat for Kurt von Tippelkirch's 4th Armee just four days into the offensive and a similar fate awaited 9th Army even further south along the front around Mogilev/Bobruisk. On the morning of 30 June, Staka 1./NAGr. 4, Hptm. von Kamptz spotted around 5,000 men from 4. Panzerarmee trapped on the wrong side of the Beresina river (near Beresino) and organised a supply drop. Almost certainly these men - or those that survived - were among the 57,000 German POWs that Stalin had parade miserably through Moscow on 17 July. For this reader the 'Bagration' map on p137 (Nahaufklarungsgruppe 4 area of operations, June-July 1944) is superb, one of the best I've seen anywhere (credited to 'The Map Archive') In fact maps are a strong suite of this publication. There's another good one in Nick Beale's Me 262 recce ops feature, while the colour reproduction of those Me 262 images is also particularly fine. There are two 'interactive' features - the 'Photo Album' section at eight pages invites comment and additional info - photos are reproduced large in most instances across the page - while Volume 2 has a 'Reader Feedback' page and a page devoted to book reviews which is most welcome. I wonder whether the editor would consider covering some 'older' volumes?

 To conclude, a couple of points that struck this reviewer;  

1/ I'm no graphic designer but I am struggling to see the reasoning behind the contents listing on the front jacket/cover. Surely you need to save some 'surprises' for the potential purchaser or just 'hint' at what might be inside to draw in the enthusiast 'sitting on the fence' as my friend Simon put it?  But then again I doubt that 'Axis Wings' is around long enough for that to really be an issue..

2/ I'm not sure that 3-4 pages (in total) of bibliographic references/footnotes are what I want to see in a journal - that 'space' could be used for another feature. Not every article has them of course so why not perhaps group together all references/acknowledgments etc on a single page right at the end of the book? 

Needless to say these are minor gripes and I'm sure the editor and manager have thought long and hard about aspects such as these when compiling their publication. I've read that the success of 'Axis Wings' very much depends on how well the journal is received, so do go and get a copy before you miss out! Judging by the inside back cover the good news is that 'Axis Wings Vol 3' is in preparation. And if you missed Volume I  - covered elsewhere on this blog - a limited reprint means that copies are available from Chandos right now. As I've said before any new publication from Chandos is an 'event' and 'Axis Wings 2' is no exception!

Chandos Publications are here

Hasso von Zieten and crew, II./NJG 101 -archive photo scan #34

 

Fw. Hasso von Zieten of II./NJG 101 (left) with his crew, BF (radio operator) Hubert Ungerbock and BM (flight mechanic) Fritz Hohensee in front of their Me 110 G nightfighter during conversion training in October 1944.

From Graz, Austria, Von Zieten was a Ju 52 transport pilot before being posted to 5./NJG 101 during April 1944 in Parndorf. From here Nachteinsätze were flown in the Bf 110 G and then the Ju 88 G even during their conversion training which lasted until the end of the year. Shortly before Christmas 1944 Von Zieten and crew were sent to Griesheim (Darmstadt) to fly a sortie during the Bodenplatte operation - possibly a night ground attack sortie on New Years Eve or as 'Lotse' (guide) for the fighter pilots on the morning of 1.1. 45 itself. At least two II./NJG 101 crews were shot down over Belgium. The fledgling nightfighters then returned to Parndorf before being posted to Unterschlauersbach (Nuremberg). From here II./NJG 101 - including the aces Herbert Ludwig, Hans Rasper, etc - continued to fly operational sorties until the end. Most of these were flown as Nachtschlachter against American road columns pressing into southern Germany. 

Hasso & Fritz survived the war. Hasso emigrated to Canada in 1952 and met Fritz again at the 40th Battle of Britain anniversary air show in Toronto, 1980. Von Zieten died in December 1986 aged 71. 

Gustav 'gunboats' - archive photo scan #33

 

..this Gustav has apparently just been ferried in to JG 301, location unknown - other views in the series show a background of pine trees and note the Fw 190 nose left. Note 'TS +..' Stkz and the mid-fuselage (yellow) band (recalling the 'infamous' 'TS+MB' machines). The 'tall tail' with typical late-war finish, looks to be a replacement item. 

The inscription adjacent to the fuel filler triangle reads " W=12 ", also repeated on the front face of the prop blades.. click on the image to view large.

and from Dr. Jochen Prien;

" ..This is Bf 109 G-6, WerkNr. 163 048, which was issued to 7./JG 301 at Gross Sachsenheim in April 1944, becoming „white 7“. Its further career at III./JG 301 is not known (to me), before it was assigned to I./JG 104, where it was badly damaged ( 65 % ) in a crash landing owing to engine failure on 13 August 1944, the pilot getting away unscathed. The marking at this time was still „white 7“. It was probably not repaired owing to the extent of the damage. There is a very similar Bf 109 G-6 – „black 6“ of 8./JG 301 published in JFV 13/I p 492.. "

I./JG 27 gunboats at  Fels am Wagram defending the southern borders

Fw 190 in JG 26 - archive photo scan #32

 

An early JG 26 Fw 190 - an enlargement from a Nicolas Grebert image previously published in the author's " La Jagdgeschwader 26 - Histoire de quelques aérodromes de la Luftwaffe dans le nord de la France.." Note the aircraft shelter in the background. If this is Wissant/Audembert, about 23 km south of Calais, then the remnants of these are still visible from the road that runs alongside the field. 

Click on the image to view large..

A modellers guide to the Ju 88 G-6 - John McIllmurray with David E. Brown

 

I just learnt that John McIllmurray's new e-book on the Ju 88 G-6 is available to purchase and download from KLP Publishing. So that's exactly what I've just done...While I'm not really a big fan of e-books I did purchase KLP's ebook on building the Revell 32nd scale  Me 262 night fighter, which was very well done, and I knew that John and David's publication on the Ju 88 G-6 would be a 'must-buy'!  Small disclaimer here - the Luftwaffe blog provided a big chunk of text for the 'Nachtschlachter' chapter of John and David's ebook.  After all, what 'traditional' publisher in their right mind would produce a 1,031 page volume on a single Luftwaffe night fighter aircraft type in colour?  (not to mention an additional 135 pages of losses, victory claims, plans and artworks in separate files..) And while I probably won't be building a 32nd scale G-6 anytime soon (..although I might feel inspired to try..), I will be studying the 'Crow Collection' Ju 88 G-6 photo archive and the loss and claims lists. And unlike some Ju 88 specialists, John is a draughtsman so his plans and artworks are likely to be spot on. Well done John and David ! And kudos to Del and Paul for making available what must be virtually the entirety of their extensive Ju 88 G-6 photo collections which are mostly scanned in very large, reproduced over the full (screen) page and 'zoomable'. And to Kevin for creating such a professional product, great to look at, easy to purchase and download, just click on the image to go straight to the KLP order page

Price by the way is AUD..not USD...

 

Also on this blog

Zerstörer- und Nachtjagdverbände book series by Paul Stipdonk & Michael Meyer

Building the Zvezda Ju 88 G-6 in 72nd with AIMS resin 

Hasegawa Junkers Ju 88 G-6 in 72nd

Theo Boiten - Nachtjagd combat archive - Biographies

 

Theo Boiten's comprehensive operational history of the German night fighter force is now concluded with a final volume of 'Biographies'. Rather than 'review' this last indispensable tome in the series - this blogger contributed extensively to the original 'Nachtjagd War Diaries' (Red Kite, 2008) - I've reposted an appreciation of Theo's work published by Andy Saunders in his 'Iron Cross' journal, because (1) I can only agree with every word Andy has written and (2) I really couldn't have put it any better myself, especially that last sentence!

Ju 88 G-series nightfighters - Dragon Ju 88 G-6 in 48th by VolkerR

 

The G-series were the first Ju 88 variants not based on the Ju 88 bomber ‘A’ fuselage. Re-designed and streamlined, the Ju 88 G-series had a new 'nose' and omitted the A-series' Bola ventral defensive gun position and featured a single ‘fish-eye’ armoured defensive weapon mount in the rear cockpit. It was fitted with the enlarged squared-off vertical fin/rudder tail unit/rear fuselage of the Ju 188 (making it slightly longer than the C-series) - this was an attempt to compensate for the increased torque of the BMW 801 D-2 radials which "due to manufacturing difficulties" (Becker, p75) did not rotate in opposing directions. The wing had the extended tips with enlarged ailerons and the tailplanes also had extended tips.  As with the C-series there was no 'standard' armament fit, although the 'G' usually toted a quartet of cannon in a ventral weapons tray.  See John McIllmurray's new 'Modellers guide to the Ju 88 G-6' for discussion and drawings on the location and variations  in the G-6 of the 'Schräge Musik'. The G-6 used the Jumo 213 in-line engine with the characteristic raised supercharger intakes.

Above; Ju 88 G-1 with ventral Waffenbehälter (‘weapons gondola’) toting MG 151/20 cannon. Probably an NJG 2 machine, autumn 1944. Below; another NJG 2 Gustav, note Totenkopf death's head painted on the ventral gondola and open cockpit access hatch. Pilot is Lt. Johannes Strassner..

Below; one of the most modern nightfighters in the Luftwaffe's fleet was this G-6 'C9+AR' (WNr. 623211) used by 21-victory NJG 5 ace Hptm Werner Hopf to desert to Switzerland on the night of 30 April 1945 in a flight from Lübeck-Blankensee to Dübendorf. Note nose-mounted FuG 218 VR  Neptun AI radar and associated tail-warning antenna on the enlarged 'Ju 188' vertical fin..

Above;  the dark camo finish and bomb racks indicate the nature of  Hopf's last sorties around Berlin - night ground attack sorties against Soviet troops. Also on board Hopf's aircraft were two fellow officers, two women and a child. Hopf was a former Staffelkapitän of 8./NJG 5 and had been awarded the DKiG..



Ju 88 G-6 coded 'B4+SA', W.Nr. 623363 of 4./NJG 3 (formerly Nachtjagdstaffel Norwegen) which landed at Bredakra, Sweden on May 8, 1945. The aircraft had been ordered to fly to Kurland from Trondheim and assist in the evacuation of encircled German forces but landed in Sweden. Crew was Hptm. Werner Hüschens and Ofw. Sebastian Falk.  Dragon 48th build of 'B4+SA' by VolkerR. Read his report below.

by VolkerR

" ...This Ju88 G-6 is equipped with FuG 218 which looks quite different from the usual FuG 220. It was quite difficult to scratchbuild the radar antenna. The basic "cross" is from the old Revell Me262 Nightfighter kit. Unfortunately the dipoles could not be used because they are at a different angle. So I tried to scratchbuild the dipoles from metal rod but failed miserably. Then I ordered the Master FuG218 which is perfect, but does not contain the basic "cross". So I drilled tiny holes in the Revell part and it turned out ok. Decals are from the AIMS Ju88 Nightfighter sheet. 'B4+SA' was not equipped with rear warning radar, so I had to extend the rudder (like it was used on the Ju188) with plastic and putty. 'B4+SA' was stationed in Norway and on May 8, 1945 it was ordered to help in the evacuation of German troops from the Kurland pocket. On the flight from Norway the aircraft encountered engine problems and diverted to Sweden (or the crew considered that a better idea). Note the cockpit framing was not RLM 66, but 76. You can also see the type of green overspray over the 76/75 factory paint and the black underside of the starboard wing..."

Also on this blog;

Kärcher de-icing equipment in the Ju 88 G-1