Military Model Scene

Title: Me 163 vs Allied Heavy Bombers
Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1-4728-6185-6

'Northern Europe 1945', number 135 in the Duel series from Osprey. An 80-page soft-cover book.
After an introduction with some background and a chronology of key dates in the story, it begins the meat of the book with the Design & Development of both the B-17 and the Me-163, including the work of glider designer, Alexander Lippisch and the rocket motor work of Hellmuth Walter, using C-Stoff and T-Stoff fuels. That's followed by a chapter on the Technical Specifications of both aircraft types, and then a section on the Strategic Situation over Germany, as the allied bomber fleets attacked German industry and Oil targets. Combatants then details the training arrangements for the Me-163 pilots along with gunnery training for the B-17 crews. This brings us to the largest individual chapter, Combat. Details of the tactics employed by both sides, plus the problems of operating the Me-163 with the volatile fuels which required very careful handling. It also includes an account of the one recorded use of the SG 500 Jagerfaust armament fit, which was actually used against RAF Lancasters. The subject is then rounded off with a look at Statistics and Analysis and then a final Aftermath.
The text includes plenty of personal accounts from veterans who were there, and there are lots of archive photos throughout the book plus some marvellous artwork which includes maps, diagrams of the B-17 formations, the Me-163 cockpit instrument panel and the B-17 Sperry gun turret amongst others. An interesting read from author Robert Forsyth along with excellent artwork from both Gareth Hector and Jim Laurier. Another good addition to the Duel series.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin