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Covering the full range of Reich Defence actions involving the Butcher-Bird, this is an evocative and well conceived volume, and can be highly recommended. --Scale Aviation Modeller International
Product Description
Renowned aviation author and artist, John Weal, presents the last volume of "Fw 190 Aces" not previously covered in "The Aircraft of the Aces Series". From mid-1942 until the end of the war, German fighter pilots were deployed in the defence of the homeland in an effort to halt the near-constant bombing raids by Britain and America. This book tells their story, from the moment when the Luftwaffe began to retreat to the dying days of the Reich. Using previously unpublished photographs, this book charts the story of the men who earned their status as aces while fighting a hopeless battle to protect the land and the people they loved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Renowned aviation author and artist, John Weal, presents the last volume of "Fw 190 Aces" not previously covered in "The Aircraft of the Aces Series" - or more accurately, yet another Weal rehash for Osprey. This small volume covers those Fw 190 aces from JG 1, JG 11 and JG 26 not already dealt with in the 'Aces' series. Given that these units have received huge coverage elsewhere this really is rather a waste of time. Go look for the three volume Classic Pubs treatment of JG 1 or Caldwell's JG 26 volumes or even the Kagero Air Miniatures title devoted to JG 11. There are NO previously unpublished photos in this volume - I do not know how they get away with saying there are on every release. I believe there is now a 'Viermot' Aces titles in preparation. Can't wait for that...
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I got this book to further my interest in the subject matter. It is typical of the content that Osprey puts into these titles and gives a shallow coverage of the subject. However I was interested in the pictures and the clour plates inside it to back up other books I have on the plane in the book's title. If new to the subject then the book is a good introduction to the subject and gives a good visual presentation of the planes used. Useful for those who may want to model one or two of the planes portrayed.
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4 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Luftwaffe Viermot Killers: Nice Idea...Needs More Pages!
22 Feb 2011
Format:Paperback
Author-illustrator John Weal wraps up his coverage of Luftwaffe Defence of the Reich aces with this 2010 Osprey release, covering those FW 190 pilots who downed five or more 'furniture vans' (B-17s/B-24s) in the course of air defense ops beginning in January 1943. Over 50 such pilots including such luminaries as Heinz Bar, 'Gulle' Oesau and Hans Ehlers made ace against the American bombers, 26 of them paying for that distinction with their lives.
The Focke Wulf 190, with its heavy cannon armament and sturdy construction, was much better suited in the role of bomber destroyer than its Bf 109 stablemate. As borne out in Weal's book, time and again, FW 190 pilots like Gunther Specht, Hans Pancritius and Alwin Doppler were able to savage the formations of unescorted 8th and 15th AF formations in 1943 and early 1944. However, when American escort fighters, especially P-51s, began appearing, the 'happy times' for the Butcher Bird pilots came to an end. Veteran pilots like Erwin Clausen, Anton-Rudolf Piffer, Egon Mayer and others were KIA or WIA, the last Viermot ace - Wilhelm Hofmann - being lost on 26 March 1945.
In the past, I've commented that certain Osprey titles really deserved more pages to adequately tell the story. FW 190 DEFENCE OF THE REICH ACES is my latest case in point. In trying to detail the exploits of those 50-odd pilots, Weal's text is reduced to a litany of very brief highlights of some of their combat careers - first Viermot kill, 5th kill, their death/wounding, etc...and, frankly, those men deserve better. Weal himself acknowledges the space crunch on page 67.
I debated about a three-star rating for that reason. However, since the book did provide information on FW 190 aces that was new to me and also had a number of "new" photographs, I went with four. The color profiles are pristine as usual; I was surprised that Weal didn't include any long-nose FW 190Ds but that's just me. Mark Postlethwaite's cover art was super!
In any case, FW 190 DEFENCE OF THE REICH ACES is a nicely-illustrated overview to the subject but it really could have used another five or six pages. Recommended with reservations.
The Focke Wulf 190, with its heavy cannon armament and sturdy construction, was much better suited in the role of bomber destroyer than its Bf 109 stablemate. As borne out in Weal's book, time and again, FW 190 pilots like Gunther Specht, Hans Pancritius and Alwin Doppler were able to savage the formations of unescorted 8th and 15th AF formations in 1943 and early 1944. However, when American escort fighters, especially P-51s, began appearing, the 'happy times' for the Butcher Bird pilots came to an end. Veteran pilots like Erwin Clausen, Anton-Rudolf Piffer, Egon Mayer and others were KIA or WIA, the last Viermot ace - Wilhelm Hofmann - being lost on 26 March 1945.
In the past, I've commented that certain Osprey titles really deserved more pages to adequately tell the story. FW 190 DEFENCE OF THE REICH ACES is my latest case in point. In trying to detail the exploits of those 50-odd pilots, Weal's text is reduced to a litany of very brief highlights of some of their combat careers - first Viermot kill, 5th kill, their death/wounding, etc...and, frankly, those men deserve better. Weal himself acknowledges the space crunch on page 67.
I debated about a three-star rating for that reason. However, since the book did provide information on FW 190 aces that was new to me and also had a number of "new" photographs, I went with four. The color profiles are pristine as usual; I was surprised that Weal didn't include any long-nose FW 190Ds but that's just me. Mark Postlethwaite's cover art was super!
In any case, FW 190 DEFENCE OF THE REICH ACES is a nicely-illustrated overview to the subject but it really could have used another five or six pages. Recommended with reservations.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Defence of the Reich
20 July 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
With FW190 Defence of the Reich Aces, John Weal has attempted to cover an immense subject covering the largest aerial battles the world has seen. I agree with previous reviews that although Mr Weal has done a good job, many more pages would be required to adequately cover the 3 years of this titanic struggle. I however did notice the lack of mention of the premier anti-viermot unit, JG300, which included many viermot victors including Walter Dahl and Konrad 'Pitt' Bauer (He of the legendary battle with 8 Mustangs alone in his outclassed Sturmbok during which he destroyed 3 of his foe, which surely is worth mentioning! Not to mention his viermot victories) Also those who fought, and in a surprising number of instances, were very successful against the Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Lightning has received little mention. Men like Wilhelm Steinmann, Heinz Baer, Wilhelm Hoffman, Hans Dortenmann and Adolf Glunz, amongst others, were in this later class. The surprise exception to this is the mention of the battles of 5 December, 1944 inwhich the Jagdwaffe inflicted heavy losses on the Mustang escorts (not included in this edition were the Bf109 units engaged, particularly JG11 who had great success in these battles) Information on these battles from the US side is very difficult to find! Overall with the sheer scope of the task facing him I feel Mr Weal has done a good job.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Fw 190 Defense of the Reich Aces
9 April 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I find it most unfortunate John Weal, mostly, ignored the experten Georg-Peter Eder when he wrote this book. Also the cover falsely gives the expectation the reader will see and read a lot about the Fw-190D-9, which even though it was flown in 1944 and 1945 is hardly even mentioned in this book and with no color plates at all. Adolf Galland, flying in the 'Dora 9' approached a bomber box and was chased down to the deck by a P-38, which almost killed him, but again no mention of this or much about Georg-Peter Eder, who was a top bomber killer, jet 'ace' and bomber attack innovator.
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