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)

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)

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)

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.

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)

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)

Indulgent Retrospection: Die Giganten. Me 321-Me 323

[Full title: Die Giganten. Me 321-Me 323. Eine Dokumentation von Karl R. Pawlas] Karl R. Pawlas, Publizistisches Archiv Karl R. Pawlas, Nuremberg, Germany, 1975, Luftfahrt Monografie LS 3. Illustrated, softcover, published in German.

Cover image © by Publizistisches Archiv Karl R. Pawlas, 1975.

As previously mentioned in my review regarding Karl R. Pawlas' pioneering compendium about the Arado Ar 234, Pawlas established his Publizistisches Archiv publishing house in order to make use of a significant collection of original aviation documents, with a main focus on German aviation. The publications thus released were – and remain – an abundant treasure trove of detailed information and rare photos.

Pawlas' Die Giganten. Me 321-Me 323 is no exception, of course. The wealth of in-depth content provided by this physically somewhat small book is astounding; it served to both shed light on numerous little known aspects of Messerschmitt's giant Me 321/Me 323 transports, and, in some cases, correct previous misinformation. Other books on the Me 321/Me 323 have of course been published in the many years since Pawlas's Die Giganten first appeared, and yet it is testimony to its thorough and professional approach that it still remains a relevant and extremely precious reference.

The result of 15 years of document collection, Die Giganten contains 336 printed pages which provide 394 photos and 34 drawings, in a format of 21 by 15 cm. Pawlas methodology is obvious right from the start, as the book remarkably begins with a list of original period sources consulted in its gestation, something other authors would customarily place in the closing appendices of their books.

Pawlas then delves more conventionally into the design, development, and testing of the Me 321 transport glider, also listing details regarding the individual prototypes. This is complemented by a 1943 report on the production of the aircraft in Leipheim. In a following brief chapter, it becomes apparent that thoughts to motorize the Me 321 also included the serious proposal to fit the aircraft with 12 Argus pulsejets (!), in combination with Walter RATO units.

The next 80 pages detail the manufacturing process of the Me 321. Almost the entire chapter consists of photos, some of which revealing incredibly enlightening minutiae. Further heavily illustrated chapters show Me 321 cargo loading, take-off, and towing procedures. The content then moves to the development, production, and utilization of the Me 323, the powered transport version of the Me 321. These chapters are again enhanced with photos and facsimile documents. Pawlas also provides detailed information regarding the individual subtypes of the Me 323, the armament carried by both the Me 321 and Me 323, the Me 323 Waffenträger [weapons carrier] version, and plans for further development of the Me 323. All of this is, again, opulently illustrated.

This truly excellent source of information on Messerschmitt's intriguing aircraft was the third installment of a small series by Publizistisches Archiv Karl R. Pawlas on German transport gilders. The first publication, Luftfahrt Monografie LS 1, focused on the DFS 230 and DFS 331, the second one, Luftfahrt Monografie LS 2, provided information on the Gotha Go 242, Go 244, Go 345, P 39, and Kalkert Ka 430. And all three of these books still are indispensable additions to any serious library on this topic.

Udet U 12

A slightly out of focus picture of an unidentified Udet U 12 Flamingo two-seat sports and training aircraft. Unfortunately, only the "D" portion of the aircraft's markings is visible, but the insignia on the vertical tail narrows the time frame in which the photo was taken. It is likely that this is a U 12 manufactured by Udet Flugzeugbau GmbH's successor Bayerische Flugzeugwerke.

This U 12 displays the varnished wood colour scheme typical for this aircraft type, and the photo shows the laminated nature of the wooden propeller beautifully. Equally visible are the distinctive enlarged vertical tail surfaces characteristic for all but the first few U 12 aircraft built. Exact date and location currently unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Junkers W 34

Atmospheric shot of an unidentified Junkers W 34 hau transport and trainer. The W 34 hau was powered by a Bramo 322 engine and mainly used by the Luftwaffe for the training of radio operators and pilots.

Unfortunately, both angle and lighting conditions make it difficult to discern any defining details regarding this particular aircraft. The distant background seems to be shrouded by a haze, which, along with the apparently wet tyres of the aircraft, might indicate that the scene occurred in autumn. Of further note is the distinctively large direction finder loop on top of the fuselage. Exact date and location unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)

Klemm Kl 35

Klemm Kl 35 sports and training aircraft N?+?? of an unidentified FFS [Flugzeugführerschule - pilot training school]. Of note is the significant wear of the wing root grip strip. The aircraft seems to be painted in 02 all over. The photo is part of a small series of photos apparently taken at the same unit. Exact date and location unknown. (German Aviation 1919-1945 collection)