Book Review of
Inside German Instrument Panels
Author: Dariusz Karnas
MMP Mushroom Model Publications
ISBN: 978-83-66549-68-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $25.00
ISBN: 978-83-66549-68-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $25.00
THE BOOK:
The “Instrument Panel” is essentially the panel(s) facing the pilot which contain all the instruments and some switches for monitoring and the engine(s). Flight- instrument can include those which display airspeed, altitude and direction (with respect to the horizon, for example).
Engine instrument will display engine speed (rpm), oil and coolant temperatures and pressures and other important information. The main instrument panel may also have switches, for panel lighting, weapon selection, and other functions.
The term is sometimes used loosely as a synonym for cockpit instruments as a whole, in which context it can include all engine instruments and controls, navigational and communication equipment, not all of them on the front panel(s) facing the pilot. Instruments and controls can be anywhere in the cockpit visible to and accessible to the crew.
British aircraft in the 30’s to 50’s had notoriously cluttered and non-ergonomic cockpit layouts. Some German (and other) twin-engined aircraft had engine instruments mounted on the engine cowlings, rather than in a crowded and restricted cockpit interior.
All the drawings in this book are not to scale.
They, and other pictures are placed across the width of the pages.
The “Instrument Panel” is essentially the panel(s) facing the pilot which contain all the instruments and some switches for monitoring and the engine(s). Flight- instrument can include those which display airspeed, altitude and direction (with respect to the horizon, for example).
Engine instrument will display engine speed (rpm), oil and coolant temperatures and pressures and other important information. The main instrument panel may also have switches, for panel lighting, weapon selection, and other functions.
The term is sometimes used loosely as a synonym for cockpit instruments as a whole, in which context it can include all engine instruments and controls, navigational and communication equipment, not all of them on the front panel(s) facing the pilot. Instruments and controls can be anywhere in the cockpit visible to and accessible to the crew.
British aircraft in the 30’s to 50’s had notoriously cluttered and non-ergonomic cockpit layouts. Some German (and other) twin-engined aircraft had engine instruments mounted on the engine cowlings, rather than in a crowded and restricted cockpit interior.
All the drawings in this book are not to scale.
They, and other pictures are placed across the width of the pages.
This is a softcover book consisting of 44 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the instrument panel of a Henschel Hs-125B-1, posed against a grey background with dimples in it.
At the bottom of the cover art there is a white listing of the names of the 12 instrument panels featured in the book:
Messerschmitt Me-262A-1a
Heinkel He-111 F-1
Junkers Ju-87B-1
Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4
Henschel Hs-126B
Dornier Do-17Z
Messerschmitt Bf-109F-4
Fieseler Fi-156 “Storch”
Henschel He-123
Focke Wulf Fw-1909A-3
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-12
Each color illustration of an instrument panel is in 2 parts. The panel showing the instruments and the shape of the panel with holes where the instruments are, each numbered. Below them is a numbered list of the names of the instruments.
The Me-262A-1a chapter shows a color photo of a Me0252A-1a that is preserved in the Smithsonian Museum and a black and white photo of its cockpit interior.
The second page shows a color illustration of the instrument panel and its shape with holes with numbers in them for the names of the instruments listed below.
The third page shows 2 black and white photos and a color illustration of the Revi 16 gunsight and a color illustration of it with names of its parts called out. Also an enlarged illustration of the clock.
The Heinkel He-111P-1 chapter, on page 1, shows 3 black and white photos of the aircraft's nose and its interior.
The 2nd page has the customary color instrument panel and its shape illustration.
The Junker Ju-87B-1 chapter, on page 1, shows a line drawing of the instrument panel and 2 black and white photos, one showing 2 Stukas in flight and the other one the cockpit exterior.
The next two pages show the color illustration of the instrument panel and the panel shape and a color enlargement illustration of the fuel contents gages.
The fourth page shows another line drawing of the instrument panel and two black and white photos of the cockpit interior.
The Bf-109E-4 chapter, on page 1, shows the aircraft in a museum in the UK and a black and white photo of the interior.
The second and third pages show the color illustration of the instrument panel and its shape, plus a color enlarged drawing of the fuel tank warning lamp.
The 4th page shows a color 3-view of the Revi 12 gun sight and a line drawing of it with names of its parts.
The Henschel Hs-126B chapter, on page 1 shows a line drawing of the inside of its cockpit and a black and white photo of it sitting on a runway with crewmen standing around it.
The second and third page give the nominal color instrument panel and its shape illustrations.
The fourth page show 4 line drawings of areas inside the cockpit and a black and white photo of the pilot sitting inside.
The Dornier Do-17Z chapter, on page 1, shows 3 black and white photos. One of the cockpit- interior and two showing one sitting on a runway.
Pages two and three give the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape, an enlarged illustration of the undercarriage switch and the propeller pitch indicator.
The Bf-109F-4 chapter, on page 1, shows a black and white photo of one in front of a hangar and a photo of the cockpit interior.
The second page has a black and white and two color illustrations of a Revi C/12 C gun sight.
The third and fourth pages have the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape.
The Fieseler Fi-145 “Storch” chapter, on page 1, shows a black and white photo of one in flight and a line drawing of the cockpit interior.
Page two shows a black and white photo of the instrument panel.
Pages three and four show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape and enlarged illustrations of the compass and clock.
The chapter on the Henschel Hs-123, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on an air- field and a black and white photo of the instrument panel.
Page two shows a black and white and a color illustration of Revi 3a gunsight and its parts names.
Pages three and four show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and it's shape.
The chapter on the Focke Wulf Fw-190A-3, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on a runway and the instrument panel.
The second page shows a line drawing and 2 black and white photos of a Revi C/12 C gun sight and its parts names.
Pages three and four have the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape and an enlarged color illustration of the fuel contents-gages.
The Bf-109G-6 chapter, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on a runway with the pilot standing on its wing and a color photo of its cockpit interior.
The second page shows 3 black and white and one color illustration of a Revi 12 gunsight and the names of its parts.
The third and fourth pages show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape.
The chapter on the Bf-109G-12 shows on one page the nominal color illustration of the instrument panel. It is nearly identical to the previous Bf-109G-6, so no shape illustration or names of instruments is given.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of MMP books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
At the bottom of the cover art there is a white listing of the names of the 12 instrument panels featured in the book:
Messerschmitt Me-262A-1a
Heinkel He-111 F-1
Junkers Ju-87B-1
Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4
Henschel Hs-126B
Dornier Do-17Z
Messerschmitt Bf-109F-4
Fieseler Fi-156 “Storch”
Henschel He-123
Focke Wulf Fw-1909A-3
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-12
Each color illustration of an instrument panel is in 2 parts. The panel showing the instruments and the shape of the panel with holes where the instruments are, each numbered. Below them is a numbered list of the names of the instruments.
The Me-262A-1a chapter shows a color photo of a Me0252A-1a that is preserved in the Smithsonian Museum and a black and white photo of its cockpit interior.
The second page shows a color illustration of the instrument panel and its shape with holes with numbers in them for the names of the instruments listed below.
The third page shows 2 black and white photos and a color illustration of the Revi 16 gunsight and a color illustration of it with names of its parts called out. Also an enlarged illustration of the clock.
The Heinkel He-111P-1 chapter, on page 1, shows 3 black and white photos of the aircraft's nose and its interior.
The 2nd page has the customary color instrument panel and its shape illustration.
The Junker Ju-87B-1 chapter, on page 1, shows a line drawing of the instrument panel and 2 black and white photos, one showing 2 Stukas in flight and the other one the cockpit exterior.
The next two pages show the color illustration of the instrument panel and the panel shape and a color enlargement illustration of the fuel contents gages.
The fourth page shows another line drawing of the instrument panel and two black and white photos of the cockpit interior.
The Bf-109E-4 chapter, on page 1, shows the aircraft in a museum in the UK and a black and white photo of the interior.
The second and third pages show the color illustration of the instrument panel and its shape, plus a color enlarged drawing of the fuel tank warning lamp.
The 4th page shows a color 3-view of the Revi 12 gun sight and a line drawing of it with names of its parts.
The Henschel Hs-126B chapter, on page 1 shows a line drawing of the inside of its cockpit and a black and white photo of it sitting on a runway with crewmen standing around it.
The second and third page give the nominal color instrument panel and its shape illustrations.
The fourth page show 4 line drawings of areas inside the cockpit and a black and white photo of the pilot sitting inside.
The Dornier Do-17Z chapter, on page 1, shows 3 black and white photos. One of the cockpit- interior and two showing one sitting on a runway.
Pages two and three give the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape, an enlarged illustration of the undercarriage switch and the propeller pitch indicator.
The Bf-109F-4 chapter, on page 1, shows a black and white photo of one in front of a hangar and a photo of the cockpit interior.
The second page has a black and white and two color illustrations of a Revi C/12 C gun sight.
The third and fourth pages have the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape.
The Fieseler Fi-145 “Storch” chapter, on page 1, shows a black and white photo of one in flight and a line drawing of the cockpit interior.
Page two shows a black and white photo of the instrument panel.
Pages three and four show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape and enlarged illustrations of the compass and clock.
The chapter on the Henschel Hs-123, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on an air- field and a black and white photo of the instrument panel.
Page two shows a black and white and a color illustration of Revi 3a gunsight and its parts names.
Pages three and four show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and it's shape.
The chapter on the Focke Wulf Fw-190A-3, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on a runway and the instrument panel.
The second page shows a line drawing and 2 black and white photos of a Revi C/12 C gun sight and its parts names.
Pages three and four have the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape and an enlarged color illustration of the fuel contents-gages.
The Bf-109G-6 chapter, on the first page, shows a black and white photo of one on a runway with the pilot standing on its wing and a color photo of its cockpit interior.
The second page shows 3 black and white and one color illustration of a Revi 12 gunsight and the names of its parts.
The third and fourth pages show the nominal color illustrations of the instrument panel and its shape.
The chapter on the Bf-109G-12 shows on one page the nominal color illustration of the instrument panel. It is nearly identical to the previous Bf-109G-6, so no shape illustration or names of instruments is given.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of MMP books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
This is a neat book on these 12 German aircraft.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.