Wings of the Luftwaffe [9781902109152]
Date Added: Tuesday 07. December, 2010
Wings of the Luftwaffe - Flying the captured German aircraft of World War II
By the legendary Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown, CVBE DSC AFC RN. If that title sounds familiar then do not be surprised as it was originally published in 1977 by Macdonald and Janes and later by Airlife. The good news is twofold firstly, Eric is very much alive and well just down the road from this reviewer in Copthome, West Sussex and, in his nineties, very active still on the international lecture circuit. Secondly, Eric has greatly expanded the original book so that coverage has now been increased from 17 types to no less than 33, ranging alphabetically from the Arado Ar 232B multi-wheeled transport ("a strange beast with a sound functional purpose") to the Siebel Si 204D utility aeroplane ("excellent utilitarian aircraft with a splendidly practical cockpit layout"). In between come a range of Blohm & Voss types, Biickers, Dorniers, Fieselers, Focke-Wulfs, Heinkels, Henschels, Junkers and Messerschmitts that include a number ofseaplanes and floatplanes – the BV 138 and the massive six-engined BV 222, the Do 18 and the Do 24. As part ofa career that involved flying no less than 487 ba ·c aircraft types (including the Catalina!) and making 2,407 aircraft carrier landings, Eric served at the A&AEE and as Chief Naval Test Pilot at the RAE, the latter including command of the Enemy Aircraft Flight. During this phase of his career, he test flew and evaluated no less than 55 Luftwaffe types - a challenging and potentially dangerous occupation!
In this latest book, beneficiary ofexpansion and a face lift by my friend Elwyn Blacker's Blacker Design, Captain Brown summarises his impressions of flying these enemy types, the text being supported by photographs, cutaway drawings and cockpit views and a number of colour side view drawings. This is an essential title for any serious aviation library and perhaps we can dare to hope for similarly expanded and redesigned Wings of the Weird and Wonderful and Testing for Combat by the same distinguished author.
David Legg – Catalina News Oct 2010
By the legendary Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown, CVBE DSC AFC RN. If that title sounds familiar then do not be surprised as it was originally published in 1977 by Macdonald and Janes and later by Airlife. The good news is twofold firstly, Eric is very much alive and well just down the road from this reviewer in Copthome, West Sussex and, in his nineties, very active still on the international lecture circuit. Secondly, Eric has greatly expanded the original book so that coverage has now been increased from 17 types to no less than 33, ranging alphabetically from the Arado Ar 232B multi-wheeled transport ("a strange beast with a sound functional purpose") to the Siebel Si 204D utility aeroplane ("excellent utilitarian aircraft with a splendidly practical cockpit layout"). In between come a range of Blohm & Voss types, Biickers, Dorniers, Fieselers, Focke-Wulfs, Heinkels, Henschels, Junkers and Messerschmitts that include a number ofseaplanes and floatplanes – the BV 138 and the massive six-engined BV 222, the Do 18 and the Do 24. As part ofa career that involved flying no less than 487 ba ·c aircraft types (including the Catalina!) and making 2,407 aircraft carrier landings, Eric served at the A&AEE and as Chief Naval Test Pilot at the RAE, the latter including command of the Enemy Aircraft Flight. During this phase of his career, he test flew and evaluated no less than 55 Luftwaffe types - a challenging and potentially dangerous occupation!
In this latest book, beneficiary ofexpansion and a face lift by my friend Elwyn Blacker's Blacker Design, Captain Brown summarises his impressions of flying these enemy types, the text being supported by photographs, cutaway drawings and cockpit views and a number of colour side view drawings. This is an essential title for any serious aviation library and perhaps we can dare to hope for similarly expanded and redesigned Wings of the Weird and Wonderful and Testing for Combat by the same distinguished author.
David Legg – Catalina News Oct 2010
Rating: 
[5 of 5 Stars!]
[5 of 5 Stars!]
