Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937–41

Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-41 is a great introduction to the origins and early combat career of this famous dive bomber. Like the other books in Osprey’s Combat Aircraft series, this book focuses on a single airframe, the Ju 87. Unlike some of the other books, however, it covers a narrow period of time, 1937-1941 and only has to deal with at most 11 Stuka Gruppen. Thus, it has much more coverage and depth than some of the other Combat Aircraft volumes (for example B-24 Liberator Units of the Eighth Airforce has to cover vastly more units during a much busier and more action-packed period of time). The book is well illustrated with 113 photographs and 30 color profiles. 25 combat narratives round out the text—including several from allied pilots and ground forces who had to face the Stukas. Readers follow the course of the war through the eyes of the Stuka pilots. A 9-page introduction covers the development of the Stuka and dive bombing in general (this section is good, but is a bit overlong given the tight Osprey page limits). The text then documents the Stuka’s role in the Condor Legion, Poland, the Norway campaign, France and the Low Countries, and the Battle of Britain. I liked Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937-41 a lot. It isn’t the definitive text on the Stuka, but it does give a very nice introduction to the plane and its use during the blitzkrieg era. It, together with Osprey’s two other Ju-87 books, will give readers a great synopsis of the Stuka’s combat history.

Part one of an Osprey series on this iconic plane - a killer by all accounts - one that struck fear into all who encountered it. Unless of course you were flying a Hurricane or suchlike, in which case it was a bit like swatting flies. Interesting photos of the earlier versions, with the enormous spats, and a decent introduction which, when taken with the other books in the series, contributes to quite a sizeable volume on the dreaded Stuka.Unfortunately mine arrived with a broken back, but rather than return it, I judiciously applied some UHU, clamped it all together and it is as good as new!

A very good book covers all the information I was looking for

Book gives an incite into the operational life of the Ju87 during the period between the Spanish Civil War and the Blitz, including Battle of France, Poland and Battle of Britain. Standard of information very good, photographs good quality and colour profiles an excellent reference for modellers.

As has been noted previously, a general introduction to the initial operational use of this aircraft.