Military Model Scene

Title: Luftwaffe Special Weapons 1942-45
Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4728-3982-4

In the second half of WW2, Germany came under increasing pressure from Allied technical resources, whether it was the number of Russian tanks on the Eastern Front, warships which were gaining ascendancy over the U-boats and the huge number of bombers which were attacking Germany by day and night. A new 272-page hardback book, though of course there is an e-book alternative. The author has spent some 30 years researching the topic and the result if a really interesting book. Some of the ideas for potential solutions never left the drawing board, but I suspect there will be many who will read this and be surprised at some which actually were tried out in combat. Some with more success than others of course.
The book is split across 7 main chapters, and these cover The Specialists (the commanders, designers, companies and trials units); Heavy Cannon (30mm up to 75mm); Air-to-Air Weapons; Air-to-Ground Weapons; Anti-Shipping Weapons; Radical Measures and rounding off with The Aircraft as a Weapon. Each chapter is sub-divided into separate weapons, some will be recognised by many interested in the wartime Luftwaffe, but others maybe not. There are lots of archive images and plenty of technical schematics as well. Plenty of imaginative ideas, including heavy cannon for anti-tank use, remote control missiles for anti-shipping operations, and such a wide mix of things to try and tackle the mass bomber formations which were attacking Germany on an almost daily basis in the last years of the war. Cables suspended from an aircraft, weighted with a bomb on the end of it, to be simply flown over the top of the bomber formation. There were upward firing cannon or rockets and the use of tube-launched larger mortars. Those who study ground based weapons will recognise the 21 and 15cm rockets used in the Neberlwerfer but fitted under the wings of Fw 190 and other aircraft, even the smaller Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck were used. One mounting that struck me was a trial with the 21cm mortar that fired to the rear. I am sure if a model was displayed with the launch tube pointing backwards would attract comments about the modeller having put it on the wrong way round, but no, it was used. Even a Ju 88 with a rearwards firing flamethrower! Other things include the Hs 293 radio guided bombs, the Natter interceptor, the large Mistel combination and naturally the piloted V1, the Rechlenberg.
I have been interested in WW2 history and the Luftwaffe for well over 50 years but I learnt a lot of new things from this book, the author has indeed gathered some fascinating material over a 30 year period, and presented it in this very readable new book. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Osprey for our review copy.

Robin