Stuka Volume Two: Luftwaffe Ju 87 Dive-Bomber Units 1942-1945 (Luftwaffe Colours)
by Peter C. Smith
Category: History

During the first phase of World War II, the German forces advancing on all fronts, the Ju87 Stuka had been an essential element in the Luftwaffe's armory attack. However, from mid-1943 as the War drug on, the Stuka began incurring heavy losses. Dunkirk, Warsaw, Rotterdam, and other early victories became distant memories as severe reversals came about in the East. Wherever possible and often against overwhelming resources, the Stukas supported the retreating German armies by conducting not just precision dive-bombing missions, but low-level ground attack operations against enemy transport targets, gun positions, and ships. This second and concluding volume in this series examines the role of the Stuka during these years of retreat. Aspects of the Stuka's role, which the book recounts, includes the attacks against the Malta convoys, the retreat in North Africa, the war over the Arctic, the Russian campaign including the battle for Stalingrad, and the collapse of the Eastern front. This volume contains an impressive selection of historic photos, color artworks, and first-hand accounts from those who flew the aircraft.