Book Review of
Focke-Wulf FW 190
Author: Krzysztof Janowicz
Kagero
Polish & English Publication – Free Decals
ISBN: 978-83-89088-32-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $33.95
Polish & English Publication – Free Decals
ISBN: 978-83-89088-32-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $33.95
HISTORY:
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (nicknamed Würger; English: Shrike) is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe.
The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and to a lesser degree, night fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Spitfire Mk. V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The 190 maintained superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk. IX.
In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader – Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
The Fw 190A series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor. From the Fw 190's inception, there had been ongoing efforts to address this with a turbo-supercharged BMW 801 in the B model, the much longer-nosed C model with efforts to also turbocharge its chosen Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 power-plant, and the similarly long-nosed D model with the Junkers Jumo 213.
Problems with the turbocharger installations on the -B and -C subtypes meant only the D model entered service in September 1944. These high-altitude developments eventually led to the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, which was capable of extreme speeds at medium to high altitudes (755 km/h (408 kn; 469 mph) at 13,500 m (44,300 ft)).While these "long nose" 190 variants and the Ta 152 derivative especially gave the Germans parity with Allied opponents, they arrived too late to affect the outcome of the war.
The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it, including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer. The Fw 190 had greater firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitude, superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters. It was regarded as one of the best fighter planes of World War II.
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
They do their books in both English and Polish or both. This book is in both languages.
This book is of soft-cover of 106 pages in 8 ¼” 11 ¾” -page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Fw 190 shooting down a Soviet Lagg-3 fighter above the clouds..The Fw 190 is shown as a color side view profile illustration on the back cover of the book. To be described later)
The book contains 115 black and white photos.
These include 15 walk around type photos of the engine, cockpit interior and landing gear. Also photos of pilots.
There is a page with 8 tiny black and white repeats of what are also color profiles in the book.
Three data lists and nine 1/48th scale line drawings of a FW-190D-9, four D-10s, two D-13s.
Four 1/32nd scale D-9’s, four Ta-152A-1s.
Two 1/48th scale, three Ta-153H-1s, a Ta-152E-1, a Ta-152 C-o, C-1, a Ta-152H-o, H-1, engines and cockpits.
1/72nd scale line drawing side views of all versions of the Fw and Ta’s.
There are 2 loose sheets of line drawings, printed on both sides in black and white, in 11 ¼” x 15 ¾” format and folded twice to fit the book.
Inside the front cover there are 2 color side view profiles. Both are Ta-152 Hs, that are in a two shades of green splinter pattern at top, over light grey sides and under-carriages. Both have dark green mottling on their sides, skeletal black German crosses in the usual 6 locations, wide yellow and red fuselage bands in front of the rudder and black swastikas on the rudder sides.
The first one has a black spinner and red fuselage no. 3. It was flown by Ofw. Josef Keil of Stab Jg 301, Alteno airfield, April 1944.
The second one has a black and white swirled spinner and red fuselage no. 8.
It was with Stab Jg 301 also, Alteno airfield, April 1945.
The last pages of the book show more color side profiles.
The first one is in an two shades of green splinter camouflage over light-grey sides and bottom. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations, a wide yellow and red fuselage band in front of the rudder, black swastikas on side of rudder, and an illustration of a black cat on the sides of the nose.
It is a Fw-190D-9 piloted by Fw. Hagen Foster of 7/Jg 301, spring of 1945.
The second one is in two shades of green splinter camouflage over light-grey sides and bottom. Sides with dark green mottle, a black and white spinal on the spinner, white and black fuselage bands in front of the rudder, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations. Black swastika on the rudder sides, black fuselage no. 10 and small black serial no. 500618 above the swastika on the rudder.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of 10/Jg26, Celle airfield, May 1945.
A side-view color profile of a Fw-190D-11, with a splinter camouflage of two shades of green over medium-grey bottom and dark green mottling on the rudder, black spinner, black arrow with II outlined in white on fuselage sides.
With Stab. JV 44, Munchen-Riem airfield, May 1945.
A two-view of a Fw-190D-9 that has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations, black swastika on the rudder sides. It is in a splinter pattern camouflage of dark green and medium grey over medium grey fuselage sides, bottom and rudder, black and white fuselage bands in front of the rudder and a red fuselage no. 4.
It is shown with its tail propped up and has a machine gun on 2 wood saw horses beside it.
Next are 4 more Fw.190D-9s.
The first one is in the same scheme as the one above. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black crosses are outlined in white, black swastika on rudder sides, black, white, black fuselage bands in front of the rudder, black line + line outlined in white fuselage code.
Flown by Oblt. Gerhard Michalski of Stab JG 4, Juterbog-Damm airfield, Spring of 1945.
The second one is in the same scheme as the first one. It has skeletal black crosses in the usual 6 locations, a white fuselage no. 1 + line, black and white fuselage bands in front of the rudder.
It was with 5/JG 26, Listen airfield, May 1945.
The third one is in the same scheme as the second one.
It was flown by Uffz. Walter Stumpf of 7/JG 26, Delmenhorst airfield, April 1945.
The fourth one is in a camouflage of 2 shades of green splinter pattern, above medium grey sides and bottom with dark green mottle on sides, a yellow rudder, black and with spiral on spinner, black crosses with white outlines. It has a yellow panel below its nose and a red fuselage no. 1 outlined in black.
It was flown by Oblt. Hans Dortenmann from 12/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield, October 1944.
The next 2 pages show slightly smaller color profiles.
The first 3 are top and side views.
The 1st one has a wave pattern camouflage of green and medium-grey, over medium-grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling on the sides and rudder. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black skeletal crosses & swastika. Yellow fuse no. 4 outlined in black and a black flower with white name BUMS over it under the cockpit.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of Gefr. Werner Merz, 11/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield , fall of 1944.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (nicknamed Würger; English: Shrike) is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Fw 190 became the backbone of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Force) of the Luftwaffe.
The twin-row BMW 801 radial engine that powered most operational versions enabled the Fw 190 to lift larger loads than the Bf 109, allowing its use as a day fighter, fighter-bomber, ground-attack aircraft and to a lesser degree, night fighter.
The Fw 190A started flying operationally over France in August 1941 and quickly proved superior in all but turn radius to the Spitfire Mk. V, the main front-line fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), particularly at low and medium altitudes. The 190 maintained superiority over Allied fighters until the introduction of the improved Spitfire Mk. IX.
In November/December 1942, the Fw 190 made its air combat debut on the Eastern Front, finding much success in fighter wings and specialised ground attack units (Schlachtgeschwader – Battle Wings or Strike Wings) from October 1943.
The Fw 190A series' performance decreased at high altitudes (usually 6,000 m (20,000 ft) and above), which reduced its effectiveness as a high-altitude interceptor. From the Fw 190's inception, there had been ongoing efforts to address this with a turbo-supercharged BMW 801 in the B model, the much longer-nosed C model with efforts to also turbocharge its chosen Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V12 power-plant, and the similarly long-nosed D model with the Junkers Jumo 213.
Problems with the turbocharger installations on the -B and -C subtypes meant only the D model entered service in September 1944. These high-altitude developments eventually led to the Focke-Wulf Ta 152, which was capable of extreme speeds at medium to high altitudes (755 km/h (408 kn; 469 mph) at 13,500 m (44,300 ft)).While these "long nose" 190 variants and the Ta 152 derivative especially gave the Germans parity with Allied opponents, they arrived too late to affect the outcome of the war.
The Fw 190 was well-liked by its pilots. Some of the Luftwaffe's most successful fighter aces claimed many of their kills while flying it, including Otto Kittel, Walter Nowotny and Erich Rudorffer. The Fw 190 had greater firepower than the Bf 109 and, at low to medium altitude, superior manoeuvrability, in the opinion of German pilots who flew both fighters. It was regarded as one of the best fighter planes of World War II.
THE BOOK:
Kagero is based in Lublin, Poland.
They do their books in both English and Polish or both. This book is in both languages.
This book is of soft-cover of 106 pages in 8 ¼” 11 ¾” -page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Fw 190 shooting down a Soviet Lagg-3 fighter above the clouds..The Fw 190 is shown as a color side view profile illustration on the back cover of the book. To be described later)
The book contains 115 black and white photos.
These include 15 walk around type photos of the engine, cockpit interior and landing gear. Also photos of pilots.
There is a page with 8 tiny black and white repeats of what are also color profiles in the book.
Three data lists and nine 1/48th scale line drawings of a FW-190D-9, four D-10s, two D-13s.
Four 1/32nd scale D-9’s, four Ta-152A-1s.
Two 1/48th scale, three Ta-153H-1s, a Ta-152E-1, a Ta-152 C-o, C-1, a Ta-152H-o, H-1, engines and cockpits.
1/72nd scale line drawing side views of all versions of the Fw and Ta’s.
There are 2 loose sheets of line drawings, printed on both sides in black and white, in 11 ¼” x 15 ¾” format and folded twice to fit the book.
Inside the front cover there are 2 color side view profiles. Both are Ta-152 Hs, that are in a two shades of green splinter pattern at top, over light grey sides and under-carriages. Both have dark green mottling on their sides, skeletal black German crosses in the usual 6 locations, wide yellow and red fuselage bands in front of the rudder and black swastikas on the rudder sides.
The first one has a black spinner and red fuselage no. 3. It was flown by Ofw. Josef Keil of Stab Jg 301, Alteno airfield, April 1944.
The second one has a black and white swirled spinner and red fuselage no. 8.
It was with Stab Jg 301 also, Alteno airfield, April 1945.
The last pages of the book show more color side profiles.
The first one is in an two shades of green splinter camouflage over light-grey sides and bottom. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations, a wide yellow and red fuselage band in front of the rudder, black swastikas on side of rudder, and an illustration of a black cat on the sides of the nose.
It is a Fw-190D-9 piloted by Fw. Hagen Foster of 7/Jg 301, spring of 1945.
The second one is in two shades of green splinter camouflage over light-grey sides and bottom. Sides with dark green mottle, a black and white spinal on the spinner, white and black fuselage bands in front of the rudder, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations. Black swastika on the rudder sides, black fuselage no. 10 and small black serial no. 500618 above the swastika on the rudder.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of 10/Jg26, Celle airfield, May 1945.
A side-view color profile of a Fw-190D-11, with a splinter camouflage of two shades of green over medium-grey bottom and dark green mottling on the rudder, black spinner, black arrow with II outlined in white on fuselage sides.
With Stab. JV 44, Munchen-Riem airfield, May 1945.
A two-view of a Fw-190D-9 that has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black skeletal crosses in the usual 6 locations, black swastika on the rudder sides. It is in a splinter pattern camouflage of dark green and medium grey over medium grey fuselage sides, bottom and rudder, black and white fuselage bands in front of the rudder and a red fuselage no. 4.
It is shown with its tail propped up and has a machine gun on 2 wood saw horses beside it.
Next are 4 more Fw.190D-9s.
The first one is in the same scheme as the one above. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner, black crosses are outlined in white, black swastika on rudder sides, black, white, black fuselage bands in front of the rudder, black line + line outlined in white fuselage code.
Flown by Oblt. Gerhard Michalski of Stab JG 4, Juterbog-Damm airfield, Spring of 1945.
The second one is in the same scheme as the first one. It has skeletal black crosses in the usual 6 locations, a white fuselage no. 1 + line, black and white fuselage bands in front of the rudder.
It was with 5/JG 26, Listen airfield, May 1945.
The third one is in the same scheme as the second one.
It was flown by Uffz. Walter Stumpf of 7/JG 26, Delmenhorst airfield, April 1945.
The fourth one is in a camouflage of 2 shades of green splinter pattern, above medium grey sides and bottom with dark green mottle on sides, a yellow rudder, black and with spiral on spinner, black crosses with white outlines. It has a yellow panel below its nose and a red fuselage no. 1 outlined in black.
It was flown by Oblt. Hans Dortenmann from 12/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield, October 1944.
The next 2 pages show slightly smaller color profiles.
The first 3 are top and side views.
The 1st one has a wave pattern camouflage of green and medium-grey, over medium-grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling on the sides and rudder. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black skeletal crosses & swastika. Yellow fuse no. 4 outlined in black and a black flower with white name BUMS over it under the cockpit.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of Gefr. Werner Merz, 11/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield , fall of 1944.
yellow rudder, black and with spiral on spinner, black crosses with white outlines. It has a yellow panel below its nose and a red fuselage no. 1 outlined in black.
It was flown by Oblt. Hans Dortenmann from 12/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield, October 1944.
The next 2 pages show slightly smaller color profiles.
The first 3 are top and side views.
The 1st one has a wave pattern camouflage of green and medium-grey, over medium-grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling on the sides and rudder. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black skeletal crosses & swastika. Yellow fuse no. 4 outlined in black and a black flower with white name BUMS over it under the cockpit.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of Gefr. Werner Merz, 11/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield , fall of 1944.
The 2nd one is also in a wave pattern of green and medium-grey, over light green fuselage sides with dark green mottling. Black spinner and swastika. Black crosses with white borders. Fuse code is red no. 3 + ---.
It was with II/JG 6, Halle airfield, May 1945.
The 3rd one is 2 shades of dark green wave pattern over medium grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling. White skeletal crosses above the wings. Black skeletal crosses elsewhere, black swastika. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black and white fuselage bands. Fuselage code black 14 outlined in white + ---.
It was with Stab JG 26, Hested airfield, April 1945.
The second page shows 4 side views.
The 1st one is a Fw-190D-9 in a medium-grey and green wave pattern, over medium-grey bottom. Black spinner and swastika. Skeletal black crosses; Fuse code of white 1 + squiggle.
It was flown by Lt. Kurt Tanzer of 13/JG 51, Eggersdorf airfield, April 1945.
The 2nd one is another Fw-190D-9 in the same exact camouflage as the 1st one. It carries fuselage no. blue 2 outlined in white.
It was with Stab IV/JG 3, Prenzlau airfield, March 1945.
Next is a wartime color photo of an actual Fw-190D-9, fuselage no. blue 12, of II/JG 6, landed at Furth, Germany. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner and is in a 2 tone green camouflage over light grey.
The 3rd side view is dark green top over light green sides and medium-grey bottom. With a black and white spiral on the spinner. Skeletal crosses, black swastika with small black serial no. 500648 above it. Red and white checkerboard fuselage band. Yellow fuselage no. 6 outlined in black.
It was with III/JG (J) 27, shot down on April 1, 1945.
The 4th side view is in a 2 tone green wave pattern on top, over light green sides with dark green mottle, medium-grey bottom and rudder flap. Solid black crosses with white borders. Black swastika. White fuselage no. 15.
It was with 1/JG 2, Merzhausen airfield, Spring of 1945.
The next 2 pages show a 4-view larger color-profiles of a Fw-190D-13/R11.
It is in a wave pattern of 2 shades of green over medium-grey sides and bottom with dark green mottling on sides and rudder. I has a black and white spiral on the spinner, skeletal black crosses, black swastika, black and white fuselage band. An ace of spades insignia under the cockpit. Fuselage code black -+-> and yellow fuselage no. 10 outlined in black.
It was piloted by Maj. Franz Gotz of Stab JG 26, Flensberg airfield, May 1945.
Next is a 2-view showing the top of a Fw.190D-11 that is two shades of green wave pattern over gray sides. Black solid crosses with white borders, black swastika, yellow and black spinner. Its bottom is solid jet black with white stripes. This pattern is to make it identifiable to gunners on a Luftwaffe airfield to prevent it from being shot at while protecting the field. It has a red fuselage no. 4 outlined in white and a black circle with a white and black checkerboard pattern on it below the cockpit.
It was with “Papager Staffel”.
A wartime color photo is on the page of a Fw-190D-9 in the same scheme as the 2-view profile, but with fuselage no. red 1.
At Munchen-Riem, Germany in 1945.
Next is another Fw-190D-9 in same identical scheme as the first 2 above it, with red fuselage no. 3 outlined in white.
It was with “Papager Staffel”.JG 44 Muenchen-Riem airfield, April 1945.
On the last page of the book and the back cover there are 4 more side views.
The 1st one a Fw-190D-9 in 2 tone green wave pattern above medium-grey sides and bottom. Black spinner and swastika. Fuselage code black < II + yellow white yellow fuselage band.
It was flown by Fw. Werner Hohenberg of 4 JG/2, shot down in January 1945, during operation Bodenplatte. The pilot was taken prisoner.
A color illustration of pilot Obst Hans-Ulrich Rudel is shown.
The second side profile is another Fw.190D-9 in the same scheme as the 1st one above. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner. The fuselage code is < - + -.It was flown by Rudel. Of Stab FG 2, Grobenheim airfield, April 1945.
The back cover of the book shows a final 2 color side views.
The 1st one is in the same scheme as the second one on the previous page. It has a black fuselage code < - + - and a red and white fuselage band.
It was flown by Maj. Gerd Barkhorn of Stab JG 6, Spring of 1945.
The 2nd and final side view is another Fw-190D-9 in the same scheme as the previous 3. It has a black spinner. Fuselage code is a white 11 + white squiggle. It has a yellow panel under its nose. This is the aircraft shown on the front cover art.
It was flown by Fhj. Ofw. Heinz Marquardt of 12/JG 51, Lotnisko airfield, April 1945.
There is a decal sheet inserted into this book that has 1/72nd and 1/48th scale markings for 5 of the aircraft shown in profiles in the book. It has a tissue to protect its face from scratching, but it was floating around loose, so I stapled it onto the decal.
There are also 2 sheets of line drawings inserted in the book.
They are both 16” x 11 12” , printed on both sides and folded twice to fit the book.
The first one is of 1/48th scale. The face side shows a top and bottom view of a Ta-152H-O.
The reverse side shows a 4-view of a Ta-152S-1.
The second sheet of line drawings is also to 1/48th scale. It shows a 4-view of a Fw-190D-9 on the face side and 3 side-views of a Fw-190D-9 and 3 side views of a Fw-90D-13 on the reverse side.
This is one neat book about the Fw-190.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
It was flown by Oblt. Hans Dortenmann from 12/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield, October 1944.
The next 2 pages show slightly smaller color profiles.
The first 3 are top and side views.
The 1st one has a wave pattern camouflage of green and medium-grey, over medium-grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling on the sides and rudder. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black skeletal crosses & swastika. Yellow fuse no. 4 outlined in black and a black flower with white name BUMS over it under the cockpit.
It is a Fw-190D-9 of Gefr. Werner Merz, 11/JG 54, Oldenburg airfield , fall of 1944.
The 2nd one is also in a wave pattern of green and medium-grey, over light green fuselage sides with dark green mottling. Black spinner and swastika. Black crosses with white borders. Fuse code is red no. 3 + ---.
It was with II/JG 6, Halle airfield, May 1945.
The 3rd one is 2 shades of dark green wave pattern over medium grey sides and bottom, with a little green mottling. White skeletal crosses above the wings. Black skeletal crosses elsewhere, black swastika. Black and white spiral on the spinner. Black and white fuselage bands. Fuselage code black 14 outlined in white + ---.
It was with Stab JG 26, Hested airfield, April 1945.
The second page shows 4 side views.
The 1st one is a Fw-190D-9 in a medium-grey and green wave pattern, over medium-grey bottom. Black spinner and swastika. Skeletal black crosses; Fuse code of white 1 + squiggle.
It was flown by Lt. Kurt Tanzer of 13/JG 51, Eggersdorf airfield, April 1945.
The 2nd one is another Fw-190D-9 in the same exact camouflage as the 1st one. It carries fuselage no. blue 2 outlined in white.
It was with Stab IV/JG 3, Prenzlau airfield, March 1945.
Next is a wartime color photo of an actual Fw-190D-9, fuselage no. blue 12, of II/JG 6, landed at Furth, Germany. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner and is in a 2 tone green camouflage over light grey.
The 3rd side view is dark green top over light green sides and medium-grey bottom. With a black and white spiral on the spinner. Skeletal crosses, black swastika with small black serial no. 500648 above it. Red and white checkerboard fuselage band. Yellow fuselage no. 6 outlined in black.
It was with III/JG (J) 27, shot down on April 1, 1945.
The 4th side view is in a 2 tone green wave pattern on top, over light green sides with dark green mottle, medium-grey bottom and rudder flap. Solid black crosses with white borders. Black swastika. White fuselage no. 15.
It was with 1/JG 2, Merzhausen airfield, Spring of 1945.
The next 2 pages show a 4-view larger color-profiles of a Fw-190D-13/R11.
It is in a wave pattern of 2 shades of green over medium-grey sides and bottom with dark green mottling on sides and rudder. I has a black and white spiral on the spinner, skeletal black crosses, black swastika, black and white fuselage band. An ace of spades insignia under the cockpit. Fuselage code black -+-> and yellow fuselage no. 10 outlined in black.
It was piloted by Maj. Franz Gotz of Stab JG 26, Flensberg airfield, May 1945.
Next is a 2-view showing the top of a Fw.190D-11 that is two shades of green wave pattern over gray sides. Black solid crosses with white borders, black swastika, yellow and black spinner. Its bottom is solid jet black with white stripes. This pattern is to make it identifiable to gunners on a Luftwaffe airfield to prevent it from being shot at while protecting the field. It has a red fuselage no. 4 outlined in white and a black circle with a white and black checkerboard pattern on it below the cockpit.
It was with “Papager Staffel”.
A wartime color photo is on the page of a Fw-190D-9 in the same scheme as the 2-view profile, but with fuselage no. red 1.
At Munchen-Riem, Germany in 1945.
Next is another Fw-190D-9 in same identical scheme as the first 2 above it, with red fuselage no. 3 outlined in white.
It was with “Papager Staffel”.JG 44 Muenchen-Riem airfield, April 1945.
On the last page of the book and the back cover there are 4 more side views.
The 1st one a Fw-190D-9 in 2 tone green wave pattern above medium-grey sides and bottom. Black spinner and swastika. Fuselage code black < II + yellow white yellow fuselage band.
It was flown by Fw. Werner Hohenberg of 4 JG/2, shot down in January 1945, during operation Bodenplatte. The pilot was taken prisoner.
A color illustration of pilot Obst Hans-Ulrich Rudel is shown.
The second side profile is another Fw.190D-9 in the same scheme as the 1st one above. It has a black and white spiral on the spinner. The fuselage code is < - + -.It was flown by Rudel. Of Stab FG 2, Grobenheim airfield, April 1945.
The back cover of the book shows a final 2 color side views.
The 1st one is in the same scheme as the second one on the previous page. It has a black fuselage code < - + - and a red and white fuselage band.
It was flown by Maj. Gerd Barkhorn of Stab JG 6, Spring of 1945.
The 2nd and final side view is another Fw-190D-9 in the same scheme as the previous 3. It has a black spinner. Fuselage code is a white 11 + white squiggle. It has a yellow panel under its nose. This is the aircraft shown on the front cover art.
It was flown by Fhj. Ofw. Heinz Marquardt of 12/JG 51, Lotnisko airfield, April 1945.
There is a decal sheet inserted into this book that has 1/72nd and 1/48th scale markings for 5 of the aircraft shown in profiles in the book. It has a tissue to protect its face from scratching, but it was floating around loose, so I stapled it onto the decal.
There are also 2 sheets of line drawings inserted in the book.
They are both 16” x 11 12” , printed on both sides and folded twice to fit the book.
The first one is of 1/48th scale. The face side shows a top and bottom view of a Ta-152H-O.
The reverse side shows a 4-view of a Ta-152S-1.
The second sheet of line drawings is also to 1/48th scale. It shows a 4-view of a Fw-190D-9 on the face side and 3 side-views of a Fw-190D-9 and 3 side views of a Fw-90D-13 on the reverse side.
This is one neat book about the Fw-190.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Kagero books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.