Ju 87 Stuka, Combat Legend Series, by Robert Jackson. Airlife Publishing, Stackpole Books (http://www.stackpolebooks.com/cgi-bin/StackpoleBooks.storefront), 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055-6921, 2004, 96 pages, $14.95 (softcover).
Stuka! In the early days of World War II, perhaps no other cry engendered more fear in enemy soldiers and civilians. The images and screaming sirens of the Sturzkampfflugzeug will forever be associated with the blitzkrieg and Germany’s loss during the Battle of Britain.
Stackpole books, in association with Airlife Publishing of England, has made yet another addition to its wonderful Combat Legend series. The author, Robert Jackson, who has over 70 books to his credit, does a wonderful job of giving a snapshot of the Ju 87. The book’s four color and 82 black-and-white photographs; 17 very nicely drawn color plates of Stukas used in different campaigns; and one gray-scaled, three-view drawing of a Ju 87B-2 flown on the Russian front by Maj Helmut Bode in June 1942 will appeal to both modeler and historian alike.
The author also includes detailed information about different dive-bomber prototypes, the Stuka’s operational history from the invasion of Poland, the Battle of Britain, and the war in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Furthermore, Jackson discusses the aircraft’s role as a tank buster on the Russian front, where Hans-Ulrich Rudel, for example, destroyed 519 Russian tanks in his Stuka mounted with twin 3.7 cm cannons. Readers will find additional information on the Stuka designers, some of the men who flew the aircraft into battle, the weapons used, production figures, and a list of foreign countries that used the Stuka in combat.
This book is well worth your time. Granted, the text is brief, but the author adds enough material to give you a feel for the Stuka’s incredible significance during the war. Ju 87 Stuka will make a nice, affordable addition to anyone’s aviation library.
Lt Col Robert Tate, USAFR
Maxwell AFB, Alabama
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
Book Reviews | Home Page | Feedback? Email the Editor