The Junkers Ju 388 was a high-altitude aircraft developed from the Ju 88. In its bomber and reconnaissance versions it would elude enemy fighters by flying high, while as a heavy fighter and night-fighter it was to intercept the Boeing B-29 and the feared DeHavilland Mosquito. In developing this last member of the Ju 88 family, the Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke was able to draw on a wealth of experience with high-altitude aircraft such as the Ju 49, EF 61 and Ju 86 P/R. The Luftwaffe had great plans for the Ju 388. In the summer of 1944 it was one of the five remaining aircraft types in Delivery Plan 226, along with the Me 262, Ar 234, Ta 152 and Do 335. These five types were to fill all roles. With the exception of the Ju 388, all of these aircraft have been dealt with extensively in aviation literature. This book closes a gap in the available literature, reconstructing for the first time from original documents the complete story of the Ju 388.
One of the most significant innovations in modern warfare has been the appearance and development of air power, a technology which demanded technical and financial investment on a whole new scale and which ultimately changed the fundamental nature of war itself. This book covers the history and development of the German air force from 1935 to 1945, with descriptions and illustrations of almost all of the Luftwaffe's airplanes, including fighters, jet fighters, dive-bombers, ground attackers, medium and heavy bombers, jet bombers, seaplanes, flying boats and carrier planes, transport and gliders, reconnaissance and training aircrafts, helicopters, and many futuristic projects and other rarities.
Operation Barbarossa: Volume IIA concerns the Wehrmacht. All the significant German weapon systems and combat squads used in the campaign are analysed using the quantitative methodology detailed in Volume I, along with the contextual history. An assessment of each weapon system's inherent 'combat power' is provided, as well as attributes such as the relative anti-tank, anti-personnel and anti-aircraft values. Volume IIA then focuses on the detailed Kriegstarkenachweisungen (KStN, or TOE) for German land units (including those in the West), as well as the unit's actual organisation and equipment. All significant units in the German Army (Heer), Waffen SS, Luftwaffe and security forces are included; ranging from the largest panzer divisions, down to small anti-aircraft companies, military-police units, Landesschutzen battalions, and rail-road and construction companies. In all cases the data is presented in detailed tables, using the weapon systems and combat squads previously analysed.
A comprehensive history with descriptions of the world's most significant aircraft employed as "eyes in the sky."For as long as there has been sustained heavier-than-air human flight, airplanes have been used to gather information about our adversaries. Less than a decade after the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, Italian pilots were keeping tabs on Turkish foes in Libya. Today, aircraft with specialized designs and sensory equipment still cruise the skies, spying out secrets in the never-ending quest for an upper hand.Spyplanes tackles the sprawling legacy of manned aerial reconnaissance, from hot air balloons to cloth-and-wood biplanes puttering over the Western Front, and on through every major world conflict, culminating with spyplanes cruising at supersonic speeds 85,000 feet above the Earth's surface. Authors Norman Polmar and John Bessette offer a concise yet comprehensive overview history of aerial recon, exploring considerations such as spyplanes in military doctrine, events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the downing of Francis Gary Powers' U-2, the 1992 Open Skies Treaty, and the USAF's Big Safari program.Polmar and Bessette, along with a roster of respected aviation journalists, also profile 70 renowned fixed-wing spyplanes from World I right up to the still-conceptual hypersonic SR-72. The authors examine the design, development, and service history of each aircraft, and offer images and specification boxes that detail vital stats for each. Included are purpose-built spyplanes, as well as legendary fighters and bombers that have been retrofitted for the purpose. In addition, the authors feature preliminary chapters discussing the history of aerial surveillance and a host of sidebars that explore considerations such as spyplanes in military doctrine, events like the Cuban missile crisis and the downing of Francis Gary Powers' U-2, the 1992 Open Skies Treaty, and the USAF's current Big Safari program.From prop-driven to jet-powered aircraft, this is the ultimate history and reference to those "eyes in the skies" that have added mind-bending technologies, not to mention an element of intrigue, to military aviation for more than a century.
The iconic and legendary Junkers Ju 52 first flew in 1930. Designed and built by the Junkers Aircraft Company of Dessau, Germany, the Ju 52 was originally intended as a single-engine cargo aircraft. An upgraded model, the Ju 52/3m, was powered by three engines and excelled as an eighteen-seat airliner. By the late 1930s, hundreds of the safe, reliable and much loved Ju 52/3ms were serving with airlines in more than twenty countries, including the pre-war British Airways. Also, it was used as a bomber by the Luftwaffe, particularly in the Spanish Civil War. During the Second World War, the Ju 52/3m was the mainstay of Luftwaffe transport squadrons. Affectionately known as 'Faithful Old Annie' and 'ron Annie', the Ju 52/3m was used during the invasions of Norway, the Low Countries, Crete and the resupply of Stalingrad and Rommels Africa Korps. In all, around 5,000 were built and after the war, production continued in France and Spain. Amazingly, captured Ju 52/3ms were rebuilt post-war and briefly operated as airliners on domestic routes in Great Britain.
Propaganda Postcards of the Luftwaffe focuses on the efforts of the powerful Nazi propaganda machine to promote the technical achievements and might of the then newly created German airforce. The Luftwaffe had been announced to the world in March 1935, despite the restrictions contained in the Versailles Treaty signed after the First World War denying Germany the right to develop military aircraft. All major aircraft types used by the Luftwaffe together with many lesser known, obscure and secondary types are represented in this book. There is a section covering the main figures of the Luftwaffe and the leading aces who flew the aircraft. The German Air and Propaganda ministries worked together and, using professional photographers produced quality images, which were then made available to the general public in an attempt to inspire the nation and create strong moral.
Introduced in 1935, the Ju 87 was one of the finest planes flown in the Spanish Civil War. That experience led to modifications, and during the invasion of Poland, where this aircraft played a major role, it proved to be most effective as an accurate and destructive dive-bomber. This book details the development of the Ju 87 from birth to its demise, covering each model and variant. Many wartime photos are included, as well as original drawings and plans. For military enthusiasts and historians.
In the mid-1930s, contracts were placed with Dornier and Junkers for prototype four-engined strategic bombers. The Junkers aircraft, the Ju 89, was by far the better of the two. However, the program was abandoned in 1937 and Junkers used parts designed for the Ju 89 to construct a new civilian type for Lufthansa. The wings, tail and engines of the Ju 89 were added to a new fuselage to create the Ju 90. The 40-passenger aircraft flew for the first time in August 1937 and entered Lufthansa service in 1938. A production batch of 10 aircraft were ordered. Two Ju 90s were also ordered by South African Airways but were never delivered because of the war. The Ju 90 was pressed into military service with the Luftwaffe, first as a transport during the Norwegian campaign and later flying supply missions to the beleaguered German forces at Stalingrad. The more widely used Ju 290 was developed as a result of the rebuilding of early Ju 90s. This book covers the antecedents of the Ju 90 as well as providing a comprehensive account of its design and construction. Its operational history, both military and civilian, is discussed. The book contains many detailed photographs of the aircraft and the various types of engine used.
Pounding the enemy from the skies, the German Luftwaffe was the symbol of Hitler's power. With its decline came the fall of the Third Reich in 1945. This history includes a glossary of terms and abbreviations and an appendix detailing the Luftwaffe chain of command. More than 250 authentic color photos and over 130 full-color illustrations.
