Military Model Scene

Title: Junkers Ju88
Author: Malcolm V. Lowe
Publisher: Key Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-80282-314-1

Number 15 in the Historic Military Aircraft Series from Key publishing, looking at the story of the famous Junkers Ju88. A 128-page soft-cover book, packed 170 fine archive photos to illustrate the story.
The Junkers 88 was a twin-engined bomber which served throughout WW2 and served on all the fronts that the Luftwaffe fought on. Spread over 10 chapters, the first starts by looking back at the history of the Junkers aircraft company, and with plenty of information on their early days. I hadn't realised they were amongst the first to build an all-metal airframe, the J1 monoplane of 1915. In the inter-war years they prospered, especially with civil airliners, including the famous Ju 52. Then it moves on to the designers and early versions of the Ju 88 itself, The rest covers the early service debut of the type, then the Heavy and Nighfighter variants. Further bomber types were well used while there were also Reconnaissance versions and one of the most eye-catching, the Mistel combination, with an Me109 or Fw190 mounted piggy-back on an unmanned Ju 88, to be launched as a large flying bomb against high value targets. A good selection of archive images cover these. Getting towards the end of the book, a chapter on the Foreign Operators as Germany did export some to their allies. The last two chapters look at the later developments of the Ju 188 and 388, with their streamlined, pressurized cabins and even the plans for the Ju 488, which was intended to be a 4 engined bomber, using existing components added to a new centre section, which could have made production quicker than a completely new design, though it never came to be.
Interesting text along with a fine collection of archive images, illustrating the bomber, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance, nightfighter, heavy gun mounting versions, and fittings such as the radar aerials and cable cutters which were all mounted on this successful multi-role aircraft. Good value for money and an interesting reference thanks to both the text and the photo collection.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for the review copy, as they are distributors for the Key Publishing series.

Robin