Tuesday 29 December 2020

Arado Ar 66

Ski-equipped Arado Ar 66 trainer ??+?C. The use of Schneekufen [skis] instead of wheels during winter months was not uncommon in certain sections the Luftwaffe. Also visible is the typical Ar 66 tail section, consisting of a rudder placed aft of the fuselage-top mounted tailplane and elevators.

The fuselage panel between the cowling of Argus As 10 C engine and the transition to the fabric-covered, welded steel tube rear fuselage is noticeably brighter (painted?) than the surrounding fuselage. Moreover, there appears to be a bright fuselage band immediately aft of the Balkenkreuz. Unfortunately, further information regarding this photo is currently lacking. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Saturday 26 December 2020

STANAVO Handbuch für Flieger

Front cover and sample pages of the STANAVO Handbuch für Flieger [Handbook for Aviators], a promotional aviation booklet published by the Deutsch-Amerikanische Petroleum Gesellschaft (DPAG) [German-American Petroleum Company]. DPAG was a subsidiary of Standard Oil and one of the main fuel suppliers in Germany during the 1930s, and the Handbuch für Flieger was released in 1936.

Far from simply being an advertising stunt, the softcover Handbuch für Flieger comprised of 128 pages of concise information regarding all aspects of flying. As can be seen on the cover, the booklet consisted of eight chapters: "The Aircraft", "Fuels And Oils", "Flying Nationally And Abroad", "Sailplanes", "Navigation In The Air", "Weather", "Standard And Aviation", and "Tables And Information". The 21 by 14 cm booklet was illustrated throughout (drawings and photos) and provided densely written text that sometimes went into quite some detail, such as in the case of operation of aero engines and causes of engine defects, or adjustment of the aircraft's compass, to name but two examples. Moreover, the chapter on sailplanes makes use of information penned by legendary sailplane designer and pilot Wolf Hirth.

Tables, graphs, and mathematical formulae were included liberally, which undoubtedly served to make this booklet a versatile and conveniently sized learning aid for any student flyer. My copy of the Handbuch für Flieger has apparently been used exactly as such at the time; the original owner has left notes and annotations written by pencil on countless pages. (German Aviation 1919-1945 Collection)

Wednesday 23 December 2020

Edmund Schneider ESG 29 / Grunau 9

A precarious treetop incident involving a stranded Edmund Schneider-designed ESG 29 (Grunau 9) Schädelspalter [skullsplitter] Schulgleiter [training glider]. The aircraft is equipped with the optional "boot" [boat], i.e., a lightweight aerodynamic fairing around the usually fully exposed pilot's seat.

Detailed examination of the airframe reveals Olympic rings on the vertical tail, signifying the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. According to the sketchy information available to me, this photo was taken in Neudorf/Oppeln, Silesia, in summer of 1939 (but an earlier year is possible). The pilot's fate is unknown to me. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Saturday 19 December 2020

Gotha Go 145

A beautiful (if incomplete) in-flight shot of Gotha Go 145 TH+FJ. According to the information available to me, this two-seat biplane trainer was operated by 3./JFS 2, Magdeburg-Ost, Germany, in the summer of 1940. Aircraft is likely finished in 02.

The Go 145 was designed by Albert Kalkert (subsequently of Go 242, Go 244, and Ka 430 fame) and powered by an Argus As 10 C engine. It remained operational with the Luftwaffe from the mid-1930s until the end of the war. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Wednesday 16 December 2020

Embleme der Luftwaffe – Band 1
















[Full title: Embleme der Luftwaffe – Band 1: Nah- und Fernaufklärer] Axel Urbanke, Peter Petrick, Gerhard Stemmer & Ulf Balke, Luftfahrtverlag Start, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany, 2018, ISBN 978-3-941437-30-2. Illustrated, hardcover, published in German & English.

Cover image © by Luftfahrtverlag Start, 2018.

It is likely that this book does not even need a review.

Nor do publisher and author require an introduction, for that matter. For almost two decades, Axel Urbanke and his Luftfahrtverlag Start have created invaluable specialist publications on German military history of the 1939 to 1945 period. Far from simply rehashing previously known material, Luftfahrtverlag Start has thankfully focused on discovering, collecting, and expertly interpreting previously unseen images and, if possible, placing them within a wider context. Moreover, Luftfahrtverlag Start is a publishing house that embraces corrections and amendments to their own published products, routinely featuring such in subsequent publications. In short, this publisher follows an exemplary manner of procedure that should serve as a shining example for others.

Against this background, a team of renowned experts comprising Axel Urbanke, Peter Petrick, Gerhard Stemmer, and Ulf Balke launched, in 2018, a new book series on one of the most fascinating aspects of the former German Luftwaffe: the countless and often peculiar emblems seen on so many aircraft of the service. And precisely because the scope of the topic is almost limitless, the authors are subdividing the instalments of their chronicle in accordance with specific fields of operations. According to the statement on the publisher's website, it is the intention to thus eventually create the most comprehensive guide to the emblems of the Luftwaffe, based on some 20 years of research. Given this initial release, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is easy to imagine that they will actually be able accomplish exactly this.

The first book of the series, Embleme der Luftwaffe – Band 1: Nah- und Fernaufklärer [Emblems Of The Luftwaffe – Volume 1: Short And Long-Range Reconnaissance Aircraft], therefore puts the spotlight on photo and weather reconnaissance units. One may be forgiven for thinking that this amounts to a few fringe units, but in actual fact, the resulting book is a substantial publication, at 320 pages, 412 photos, and a format of 24 by 30 cm. The book features an abundance of material, some of which previously unseen. It has been compiled in a clear, pleasing, and well-structured layout, as has become one of the hallmarks of Luftfahrtverlag Start. The emblems are presented by means of drawings (in black & white and colour), photos (also in black & white and colour), and bilingual text (German/English). Occasional colour profiles are interspersed. The text briefly but concisely describes the units and, if any, relevant facts regarding the emblem depicted. The photo reproduction, crucially important given the topic, is crisp and delightfully large.

There really isn't more one could say about this publication, other than that it further underlines the excellent reputation of its authors and publisher. It is a priceless work of reference that, assuming the future completion of the planned series, truly has the potential to supplant all previous studies of this subject area. What a beautiful, beautiful book.

Thursday 10 December 2020

Junkers G 38

The second Junkers G 38 b, D-APIS (earlier registered as D-2500), named, on 29 April 1933, Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg, flying as a passenger aircraft for Lufthansa. The photo was likely taken at Berlin Tempelhof airport; among the other Lufthansa passenger aircraft recognizable in the background are Junkers Ju 86 B D-AQER, Inselberg, Werknummer 0011, and several Heinkel He 111 fast passenger transports [Schnellverkehrsflugzeuge].

The windows of the G 38's unusual wing leading edge passenger cabins can easily be recognized. The aircraft is secured to the ground, and a canvas cover protects the cockpit windows.

G 38 D-APIS was later used as a Luftwaffe transport (then registered GF+GG) in Norway and Greece. It was destroyed on 17 May 1941, in Athens-Tatoi. Exact date photo was taken is currently unknown to me. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Sunday 6 December 2020

Henschel Hs 126

An apparent briefing between Luftwaffe flight crew and officers in front of a relatively pristine Henschel Hs 126 parasol-wing reconnaissance aircraft, coded ??+E?. Note that the aerodynamic fairings around the main wheels of the Hs 126 have been removed.

Parked in the background is Focke-Wulf Fw 58 trainer, transport, and liaison aircraft ??+FD. Exact date and location unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Thursday 3 December 2020

Siebel Fh 104

A magnificently detailed photo of a Siebel Fh 104 Hallore (originally Klemm Kl 104) light transport and liaison aircraft. According to the handwritten inscription on the reverse side of the original photo, the aircraft's code is BA+KB, and the Luftwaffe officer standing on the wing is Uffz. Karl Köhn.

The aircraft appears to be camouflaged either in low-contrast standard 71/70/65 or in 71/65. Unfortunately, no other distinctive features or emblems are visible that would allow for further identification.

Sections of the photo were heavily damaged and have been restored. Exact date and location currently unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Tuesday 1 December 2020

Indulgent Retrospection: Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52



















Bruno Lange, Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, Mainz, Germany, 1976, ISBN 3-87341-019-2. Illustrated, softcover, published in German & English.

Cover image © by Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, 1976.


Bruno Lange's Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 [Aunt Ju - Everything On The Ju 52] was a compact little bilingual compendium of essential information on the iconic Junkers Ju 52 transport. In spite of its rather limited page-count and dimensions (111 pages, 19 x 14 cm), it was actually a fairly comprehensive summary of elemental facts on what was arguably Germany's most important civilian and military transport of the 1919 to 1945 era. Moreover, Lange's small book was a manifestation of a wider shift from a somewhat cursorily – at times even simply sensationalist – coverage of vintage German aircraft to a reliance on original documents and far more thorough research. Some of the other protagonists who spearheaded this shift at the time have often been mentioned in entries featured in this blog: Karl R. Pawlas, Heinz Redemann, Heinz Birkholz, Karl Kössler, and numerous others.

Much like Heinz Birkholz's publications at the time, Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 features both German and English text, which makes it appealing to an audience far beyond German-speaking countries. Lange begins his documentation with an account of the Ju 52's development history, including a section on the early single-engine version of the aircraft. And even this short section on the single-engine Ju 52 is quite detailed; Lange lists eight subtypes with dedicated brief descriptions. The text then covers the subsequent Ju 52/3m (again with a surprisingly extensive list of subtypes), details on the export of the aircraft, special flights, and accidents.

Lange continues with details regarding the bomber and transport versions of the Ju 52 and then sheds light on the engines and airscrews utilized by the aircraft. Once again, both of these chapters feature lists and descriptions of the relevant aircraft and engine subtypes. The 67-page text section of the small book then concludes with a look at further developments of the Ju 52 and the (then) surviving examples of the aircraft.

The second part of Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52, comprising another 44 pages, contains a collection of often exceptional photos (with brief captions) and reproductions of period documents that serves to illustrate some of the points of the preceding text. These photos remain interesting even now, 44 years after the publication of Lange's book.

All in all, Bruno Lange created a competent, condensed, and handy primer on the Ju 52; it could be viewed as an initial gateway to a more serious study of the aircraft. If one used Tante Ju - Alles über die Ju 52 in concert with, for example, Karl Kössler's equally condensed and competent Transporter - wer kennt sie schon!, also published in 1976, it was indeed possible to quickly gain a proficient basic understanding of the development and operational use of the Ju 52.

Sunday 29 November 2020

Junkers W 34

An unidentified Junkers W 34 hi of the Luftdienst, photographed during the war (as evidenced by the mobile camouflage netting in the background, bottom left).

The aircraft displays the inscription "Ruth" below the cockpit, and the Typenschild [identification plate] can just be recognized on the fuselage, in front of the wing root. Also very evident are the venturi tube on the side of the fuselage and the large Peilrahmen [direction finder loop] on top of the fuselage. Detail enlargement of the photo reveals the faint Luftdienst emblem.

This W 34 seems to be camouflaged in a single shade of green (the RLM 65 on the underside being obscured in the shadow), with what appears to be a darker NACA cowling and propeller blades in RLM 70. Exact date and location currently unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Thursday 26 November 2020

Dornier Do 23

Beautiful study of what looks to be a rather pristine Dornier Do 23 SD+VD. The aircraft is equipped with four-blade wooden airscrews, and it is camouflaged entirely in grey. Moreover, this Do 23 appears well prepared for any adverse weather events: the cockpit and the forward observation position (accessible from the cockpit, by means of a passage way underneath the instrument panel) are protected by canvas covers, and it is tied to the ground with various ropes at the wing and tail wheel.

Exact date and location unfortunately currently unknown to me. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Tuesday 24 November 2020

Messerschmitt Bf 109

The original, handwritten inscription on the back of this photo reads: Ein Jäger (Me 109) wird getankt. Im Hintergrund Fernbomber. [A fighter (Me 109) is being refueled. In the background long-range bombers.]

The Bf 109 E being tended to here was assigned to 5./JG 53, and the photo was possibly taken in Brittany while the Staffel was operating separately from the rest of the Group, in the early autumn of 1940. The first digit of the Bf 109's two-digit number, a "1", can just be recognized, and the aircraft displays a yellow cowling and rudder.

The aircraft in the background are, from left to right, a Junkers Ju 88 with markings overpainted in black, a Junkers Ju 52/3m, and a Focke-Wulf Fw 200. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection; additional identification in accordance with information posted by Dr. Jochen Prien at luftwaffe-research-group.org, in September 2014.)

Monday 19 October 2020

Messerschmitt Me 262 - Geheime Produktionsstätten



















Alexander Kartschall, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 2020, ISBN 978-3-613-04258-2. Illustrated, hardcover, published in German.

Cover image © by Motorbuch Verlag, 2020.


This is Alexander Kartschall's second book dedicated to the dispersed late-war production of the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. In 2017, Kartschall, an engineer active in the automotive industry, self-published the formidable, high-quality publication Produktion der Messerschmitt Me 262 – Von Waldwerken und Untertage-Verlagerungen zu Grossbunkern [Messerschmitt Me 262 Production – From Forrest Factories And Underground-Dispersals To Large Bunkers]. This was a deeply intriguing and well-illustrated hardback study of the concerted and concurrently desperate efforts of the Luftwaffe's leadership in 1944/45 to ensure the continued mass production of one of its most advanced aircraft in the face of the utter devastation caused as the war, begun a few years earlier by Germany, inevitably and ferociously returned to its origin.

Kartschall's new book now expands on this already impressive previous work. Messerschmitt Me 262 – Geheime Produktionsstätten [Messerschmitt Me 262 – Secret Production Facilities] is similar in physical scope to its predecessor, with a format of 25 x 18 cm, 240 printed pages, and 150 photos & illustrations, while containing nine major chapters and a number of elucidatory appendices. The narrative commences with a brief recounting of the gestation of the Me 262 jet fighter before delving, in chapter two, into the actual subject matter of the production of an advanced aircraft under increasingly desperate late-war conditions.

The book subsequently briefly details the history of the Messerschmitt aircraft company as a whole to then focus on the manufacturing of the Me 262 in particular. Of considerable interest is chapter five, describing the vast number of production facilities involved in the Me 262 program and their locations. Given this information, it becomes increasingly clear what a colossal undertaking it was to arrange for the dispersing of this enormous network of plants and subcontractors. Chapter six and seven pay testimony to this, followed by the descriptions in chapter eight of the monumental bunker systems both planned and constructed to protect the assembly of the jet fighter from the Allied bombing campaign. Also highlighted in these chapters are logistics and production procedures employed in these facilities.

The book's last chapter is also its most extensive; it provides copious information on the various forest factories which ironically served as the quasi-primitive final production facilities of what was one of the most sophisticated flying machines of its period. As with the rest of the book, this chapter, too, features numerous photos, maps, drawings, and plans. Kartschall's research and layout approach thus makes for incredibly absorbing and appealing reading.

But even all of the above is still not what makes Messerschmitt Me 262 – Geheime Produktionsstätten an absolutely essential publication. One of the most important points of Kartschall's work is that he doesn't skirt around the issue of how Messerschmitt, the Luftwaffe, and Nazi Germany were able to accomplish such enormous efforts in weapons manufacturing, building construction, and dispersal activities. The facilitation of such undertakings under wartime circumstances that became more adverse by the week required the involvement of the SS, concentration camps, and substantial quantities of slave labour. The tasks of simultaneous mass production of the aircraft and construction of bunkers and underground facilities proceeded under appallingly horrid conditions, with no regard whatsoever for human welfare and the value of human life.

Whereas many other publications on late war Luftwaffe subject matters either casually avoid this topic or at best shed limited light on it, the German slave labour system and its staggeringly brutal and tragic consequences on the individuals thus subjugated and abused constitute one of the central themes of Kartschall's publication. This does not just concern the text of Kartschall's book; at the end of the day, nearly every single image in his book is directly affected by it, be it photos of freshly assembled aircraft or aircraft components, pictures of dispersal facilities, tunnels, or bunkers under construction, or the photos and drawing of the camps themselves.

Alexander Kartschall certainly deserves praise for the integration of all of these indispensable facts to provide a documentation as complete as is possible given the scope of these 240 pages. And for doing so in a straightforward, non-ideological manner. Moreover, it is also nice to see Motorbuch Verlag, once among the main publishing houses for any topic linked to historic German aviation, return to form by choosing to release this important and absolutely fascinating book.

Monday 16 March 2020

Focke-Wulf A 28



Rare photo of the Focke-Wulf A 28 Habicht [Hawk] D-1664 (later D-OXYK), Werknummer 60, taken in 1929 (location currently unknown). D-1664 was operated by Norddeutsche Luftverkehr AG and by Luftverkehrsgesellschaft Wilhelmshaven-Rüstringen mbH, flying primarily to cities and islands in Northern Germany.

The A 28 was an improved version of Focke-Wulf's earlier A 20a passenger transport, with positively benign flight characteristics. It was powered by a Gnôme-Rhône Titan engine and carried five passengers and one pilot. Four passengers were seated in the cabin, while the fifth was sitting next to the pilot. D-1664 was the fourth and last aircraft of the small A 20 family. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Wednesday 4 March 2020

Junkers W 34



A somewhat nondescript Junkers W 34 hau during engine start. The mechanic on the left is holding the crank for the inertia starter. The last letter of the aircraft's registration can be faintly discerned, it seems to be a "D", making it ??+?D.

The aircraft reportedly belonged to Flugzeugführerschule A/B 4 at Prag-Gbell, Czechoslovakia; the photograph was apparently taken at Kralupy, in 1940 or 1941. This view beautifully illustrates the enormous span of the otherwise rather diminutive W 34. Camouflage seems to be standard 65/70/71. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Tuesday 18 February 2020

Heinkel He 46



Heinkel He 46 E WL-IGYK (originally D-IGYK), Werknummer 857. According to the notes on the rear of the original picture, this two-seat reconnaissance aircraft was photographed in front of hangar 3 in Neukuhren, in what was then East Prussia, on a rainy September day in 1939. This He 46 was assigned to Wetterflugstelle Königsberg as well as Schule/FAR. 10.

Note typical lack of NACA cowling for this He 46 subtype, and Schwarz Propellerwerk manufacturer's logo on the lower propeller blade. Camouflage appears to be standard 70/71/65. The aircraft seen in the background are Junkers W 34 hi transports. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection; additional aircraft identity confirmation courtesy of luftwaffe-research-group.org)

Friday 14 February 2020

Arado Ar 64



Company photo of the Arado SD IV (company-internal designation), the prototype of the Ar 64 fighter, likely taken in 1931. The aircraft lacks any kind of markings.

The SD IV had a length of 7.75 m and a span of 9.90 m. In contrast to Arado's previous fighter prototypes, the SD IV's 530 hp Siemens Jupiter VI engine was mounted slightly further to the rear in order to provide room for the gear that drove the Schwarz four-bladed wooden airscrew. The top speed attained by the SD IV was 250 km/h.

Arado began developing the SD IV/Ar 64 from 1930 onwards. This aircraft programme was part of the clandestine rearmament efforts of Germany and the associated intention to establish a new air force. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Wednesday 12 February 2020

Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich



[Full title: Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich (Historic Step To Human Spaceflight)] Brett Gooden, Published by Brett Gooden, Rundle Mall, Australia, 2019, ISBN 978-0-646-81213-7. Illustrated, hardcover, published in English.

Cover image © by Barry Spicer & Brett Gooden, 2019.


Dr. Brett Gooden is the author of the book Project Natter (Classic Publications/Ian Allan Publishing Ltd., 2006, ISBN 1-903223-62-8), until recently the uncontested standard work about the Bachem Ba 349. A typically beautiful and comprehensive Classic Publications hardcover book of 144 pages, it seemed that this publication would, for a very long time at least, remain the last word on this non-mainstream but highly intriguing little aircraft. But it is Dr. Gooden himself who has rendered his earlier work obsolete by publishing, 13 years later, an astonishing and incomparably more exhaustive study in Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich.

This must be one of the most complete single volume publications ever released about a German aircraft type. Given that the diminutive Ba 349 Natter interceptor never entered mass production and did not become fully operational, the scope of this book is even more astounding – and thus deeply satisfying. A heavy hardcover with dust jacket, sized 300 x 225 mm, Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich comprises 536 pages and 870 illustrations. The production is first rate, the paper of a lavish quality, and the photo reproduction is flawless.

The detail thus contained within is extraordinary. For example, there are numerous truly splendid computer renderings that illustrate minutiae of the Ba 349's design. These renderings are not just flashy gimmicks; they are formidably illuminating. Nor are they limited to the aircraft and its many components but also extend to associated equipment such as the launch installations. Add to this a vast number of contemporary and modern drawings and innumerable black & white and colour photos, many of them rare or previously unseen, and it becomes apparent that Dr. Gooden's book is truly a treasure and likely the definitive analysis of the Natter.

Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich commences with various chapters outlining the background, concepts, gestation, and design of this aircraft. I know I am repeating myself, but the amount of content even in these early chapters by means of text and illustrations is simply staggering. The narrative subsequently continues to the rather little-known trials of the Ba 349 as a glider and then illuminates the people and politics behind the project. Very extensive chapters on the actual vertical take-off trials follow, and these include, of course, the tragically ill-fated first manned launch with pilot Lothar Sieber. Dr. Gooden then describes the efforts expended to make the Natter operational; this section also contains vast information regarding launch tower function and operations.

The book then briefly discusses on the medical aspects of flying the Natter, before embarking on a description of the impact of the war's end on the further development and operations of the Ba 349. This is, fittingly, complemented by chapters on the fate of the Natters and the personnel involved as well as information on the Allied view of the programme.

The book's final 92 pages (!) are dedicated to a variety of appendices on the Natter's propulsion system, an original manual, various contemporary documents, notes by Erich Bachem, a list of Natter trials, an overview of the Luftwaffe's command structure, and a description of Natter paint schemes. An exhaustive catalogue of notes and sources is also part of this concluding section.

Throughout all of these chapters, Dr. Gooden frequently links the events of the past to the present, by either revisiting places significant to the aircraft's history or presenting surviving components and equipment. In addition, one of the most interesting aspects of the book is the repeated meticulous photo analysis, such as in establishing the identities of the individual Ba 349 aircraft seen in the photos of the manufacturing process. Moreover, Dr. Gooden sheds light on uncounted previously largely overlooked details, such as instrument panel differences, consecutively enlarged horizontal tails, the existence of tailplane antennae, differences between the ventral tail fins, and so on; all items almost universally overlooked or barely touched upon in previous publications on the Ba 349.

Dr. Gooden spent 25 years researching the Natter, and it shows. There are only very few minor points that could perhaps be debated, such as his identification of what likely is a photo deficiency as a direction finding loop antenna on what is probably the best-known Natter, the manned M23 prototype (page 187). This possible misidentification has previously been seen in other published material on the Ba 349, but this so-called "antenna" does not appear in any of the (numerous) further photos of M23, nor does it indeed appear on any other Natter. The aforementioned deficiency is likely a scratch on one of the photo reproductions, introduced many years ago; what appears as the device in question is far too thin and too small to resemble the actual standard d/f loops used by Luftwaffe aircraft at this stage of the war.

Nonetheless, given the immense scope of this publication, such observations really amount to petty nitpicking. This book is truly magnificent, and no superlative will be able to do it justice.

Sunday 9 February 2020

DFS Kranich



DFS Kranich [crane] training glider with markings that appear to read D-17-606. The D-17 designation would allocate the aircraft to the NSFK [Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps, i.e., National Socialist Flyers Corps] Gruppe Ostmark, after the "Anschluss" of Austria in 1938. The Kranich was designed in 1935 by Hans Jacobs for the DFS [Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug; German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight]; it was primarily intended for performance and blind flying training.

The Kranich pictured above can be seen resting on its jettisonable undercarriage dolly; another such undercarriage dolly is located on the ground between the individuals at right.

The three aircraft in the background are Grunau Baby gliders, designed by Edmund Schneider. Location and exact date unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Saturday 8 February 2020

Heinkel He 70



The first prototype of the Heinkel He 70, the He 70a V1, Werknummer 403, D-2537 (formerly D-3 until June 1933; D-UHUX as of 1934), Blitz. The paint scheme is the typical pale gray DLH finish with black trim.

This aircraft was first flown in Warnemünde on December 1, 1932. It was then used for a number of international speed record flights and subsequently operated by Deutsche Luft Hansa for passenger flights until it was lost on November 3, 1934, at Carcasonne.

Photo taken at Berlin-Tempelhof airfield before its conversion; exact date currently unknown to me. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Thursday 6 February 2020

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 26+00





Top photo: Focke-Wulf Fw 200 V3, Werknummer 3099, 26+00 Immelmann III (formerly D-2600, formerly D-ARHU Ostmark). Fw 200 V3 was assigned to the Fliegerstaffel des Führers (F.d.F.) on October 19, 1939. It is seen here in its original civilian paint scheme, before the application of camouflage. Location and exact date photo was taken are currently unknown to me.

Lower photo: Focke-Wulf Fw 200 V3 26+00, now camouflaged, photographed on the occasion of a Führerbesuch [visit by the Führer] at Uman, Ukraine, on August 28, 1941, some three weeks after the city had been occupied by the Wehrmacht. The airfield on the north side of Uman was established by the Luftwaffe shortly after the city was taken. Note the additional Fw 200 and He 111 of the F.d.F. in the background.

Fw 200 26+00 was destroyed during an air raid on July 18, 1944. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Tuesday 4 February 2020

Blohm & Voss BV 155



Dan Sharp, Secret Projects Of The Luftwaffe 2, Tempest Books/Mortons Books Ltd., Horncastle, UK, 2019, ISBN 978 1 911658 32 0. Illustrated, softcover, published in English.

Cover image © by Tempest Books/Mortons Books Ltd., 2019.


The recent past has seen a number of highly competent publications in the field of historic German aviation. Landmark studies such as Martin Pegg's thoroughly revised Henschel Hs 129 Panzerjäger (Chandos Publications Ltd.) or Brett Gooden's stunningly comprehensive masterpiece Natter - Manned Missile Of The Third Reich (self-published) come to mind, for example. And although significantly smaller, physically, than the aforementioned books, Dan Sharp's Blohm & Voss BV 155 should probably be included in this list; as it is equally a landmark effort.

At 114 pages and in the 25 x 18 cm format, this little gem of a book is likely the most complete history of this deeply intriguing aircraft we will ever see in our lifetimes, given that only three prototypes of the aircraft were built (of which only one was fully completed and actually flown). Previous reliable published material regarding the BV 155 has been accordingly sparse, with Thomas H. Hitchcock's slim Blohm & Voss 155 (Monogram Close-Up 20, Monogram Aviation Publications, 1990) being the only serious contender. It is not surprising, unfortunately, that Horst Lommel's subsequent Blohm & Voss Bv 155 & Me 263 softcover (Lautec Software und Medien GmbH) reflects that author's usual standard of reliability (i.e., lack thereof) and should thus be avoided.

Dan Sharp is mainly known within our field of interest for a series of "bookazine" softcover publications on the subject of German aviation projects of the World War II period. While this choice of topic alone will likely provoke some sentiments of derision with a number of serious students of the former German Luftwaffe, Sharp's publications have actually been incredibly well researched, professional, and comprehensive, and the author has frequently managed to provide the reader with previously unknown information or period drawings/images, in spite of the exhaustive coverage of this very subject matter during the past few decades.

It was thus with quite some positive anticipation that I awaited the release of Sharp's Blohm & Voss BV 155. And the book indeed does not disappoint. Endowed with a striking cover illustration and printed on beautiful semi-gloss paper (essential to facilitate a crisp and detailed reproduction of the book's many illustrations) Blohm & Voss BV 155 provides a true in-depth study of the aircraft, from the original idea and requirement to concept, gestation, stages of development, technical details, prototype manufacturing, evolving design decisions, flight tests, and the disposition of the aircraft after the war's conclusion. All of this is lavishly illustrated by means of countless period drawings, photos, and colour profiles. And to complete such ample content, the book's final appendix provides the detailed description and photos of the BV 155 V2 as originally featured in the Royal Aircraft Establishment's general examination report of 1946.

Sharp thus provides the most meticulous (and fascinating) documentation yet published of the astonishing growth of the BV 155 concept from a pure Messerschmitt Bf 109 high-altitude fighter offshoot to a more distinctly derived aircraft and on towards an almost completely new and very different design. This even includes a number of "what if" colour profiles of the various unrealized incarnations of the concept, these being – although of course not strictly necessary – quite interesting and certainly entertaining. And while it is often nearly impossible to competently assert the full accuracy of such a book's historical and technical content without having spent as much research as the author himself, Sharp's list of sources and documents consulted during the creation of this publication is essential, impressive, and deeply reassuring.

If Dan Sharp's Blohm & Voss BV 155 is any indication, one may look forward with justified excitement to further instalments of this Secret Projects Of The Luftwaffe series. Highly recommended.

Wednesday 29 January 2020

Messerschmitt Bf 109 G



Haphazardly camouflaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 G; location and exact date of photograph currently unknown to me.

The aircraft seems to be an early G-6 subtype; the camouflage on the fuselage could indicate that it was built by Messerschmitt Regensburg. It is difficult to discern if the spinner is painted entirely in RLM 70 Schwarzgrün or if it features the common white segment over one third of its surface. The lower cowling is painted in yellow.

The photo might have been taken in 1943, but then again, it actually might reflect a later stage of the war. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection, additional thoughts regarding the identity of this aircraft very kindly supplied by Lynn Ritger)

Monday 27 January 2020

Messerschmitt/BFW M 27



Scene of the crash of Messerschmitt (Bayerische Flugzeugwerke/BFW) M 27 b D-1979, Werknummer 539. The M 27, designed by Willy Messerschmitt, was a sports, touring, and training aircraft, produced in limited numbers in 1931/32. As can be clearly seen, the M 27 b was powered by an Argus As 8 A-3 inline engine (the M 27 a was powered by a Siemens Sh 12).

M 27 D-1979 was flown by Theodor "Theo" Croneiss on the occasion of the Deutschlandflug 1931.

The inscription on the rear of the photo places this event near Königsberg and states "1929" as the year in which the picture was taken. Given that the M 27 was actually produced after 1929, however, the true date of the event is possibly 1932. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)