John Weal – Illustratör

An illustrated combat history of the He 111, with its distinctive glazed nose, which came to symbolise the German mastery of the skies in the early war years, especially the Russian campaign.The twin-engined He 111 was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe’s bomber arm at the start of World War ll. Accompanied by the Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber, it provided the aerial striking power for all the early Blitzkrieg campaigns, sweeping all before it throughout the first 12 months of hostilities. Although it was found wanting when faced by the RAF during the Battle of Britain, it gained new renown on the Eastern Front. The He 111 bomber was in action against the Russians from the first day of the war until the last.Alongside stunning illustrations, this book explores the aircraft's part in all the major battles in a wide variety of roles, including operating as a strategic bomber, torpedo-bomber (over both the Arctic Ocean and the Black Sea), train-buster, interim nightfighter and, latterly, as an auxiliary transport.

Originally designed in the mid-1930s as a fast airliner that could be easily adapted for the bombing role, the He 111 first saw action in Spain with the Legion Condor during the civil war.By the time Germany invaded Poland, more than 700 were in service with the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwadern, and they were used with devastating effect during the fall of Poland and France. However, the He 111 met its match during the Battle of Britain when over 240 were lost. It then became a night-time pathfinder, guiding in the bigger bombers during the Blitz. Elsewhere, He 111s filled a number of roles including acting as torpedo bombers against convoys and as reconnaissance platforms.This book charts the full story of the deployment of the He 111 in the western theatre of Word War II, including their last missions as V-1 Doodlebug launch platforms.

An illustrated history of JG 3, which flew every major variant of the two legendary German wartime fighters, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.Jagdgeschwader 3 may not have the same immediate resonance as some of the more famous Luftwaffe fighter units, such Jagdgeschwader 2 ‘Richthofen’, but it is arguably the archetypal German fighter formation of World War 2. Not only did it participate in every campaign fought by the Luftwaffe (with the exceptions of Poland and Norway), during the course of the hostilities it numbered among its ranks more than 70 Knight’s Cross winners (a total exceeded by only one other Jagdgeschwader).Against the backdrop of the historic battles of Britain, Stalingrad, Kursk, Normandy, the Ardennes and Berlin – this illustrated history portrays the multitude of stories, exploits and ultimate fates of the many aces themselves, from the now unknown trio who achieved their first five kills during the Blitzkrieg in France in the late spring/early summer of 1940 to the nearly two-dozen highly acclaimed and lauded ‘centurions’ who flew with JG 3.

Illustrated throughout with photographs and detailed aircraft profiles, this book tells the story of the Finnish air force's most successful fighter unit.Finland's premier fighter squadron during World War 2, Lentolaivue 24 (Flying Squadron 24) first saw action during the bloody Winter War of 1939-40, when the Soviet Red Army launched a surprise attack on the small Scandinavian country - the squadron enjoyed great success against numerically superior opposition. LLv 24 was once again in the thick of the action following the outbreak of the Continuation War in June 1941.As this detailed volume shows, LLv 24 claimed 877 kills, and its pilots won five direct and two indirect Mannerheim Crosses (Finland's highest military award) out of a total of 19 presented to all Finnish soldiers. Most top aces also scored the bulk of their kills flying with this unit.

The first book devoted exclusively to the intrepid and disparate band of pilots who could claim to be Gladiator aces.Flying the ultimate British biplane fighter, pilots in China, Finland, East Africa, North Africa, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Norway and the Middle East all scored the prerequisite five kills to become aces. The first individuals to do so were fighting marauding Japanese fighters and bombers attacking targets in China in 1938.The likes of Sheen, Tuck and Carey are featured in this volume, as they were among the many early war acers who cut their teeth in Fighter Command on the Gladiator.

Like Germany, Hungary was forbidden from having an air force following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War 1.However, again like Germany, the new state of Hungary created an air arm in secret during the 1930s. Hungarian fighter pilots first saw action against their Slovakian neighbours in early 1939, following the annexation of Czechoslovakia by Germany. In June 1941, Hungarian armed forces joined the Germany in the invasion of Russia, and pilots from the I/I Fighter Group saw continuous action into 1942. Flying CR.42s, Re.2000s and Bf 109Es, pilots scored a modest number of kills. However, when the Bf 109G-equipped Hungarian 101 ŒPuma1 Fighter Regiment was committed to action over Kharkov in April 1943, numerous aces started to rapidly build their scores.Featuring first-hand accounts and combat reports, this book tells the story of pilots like Dezsö Szentgyörgyi and György Debrödy, who scored the bulk of their kills in desperate battles against American fighters and bombers. Unlike most of Germany’s Eastern European allies, Hungary did not capitulate during the Russian advances of 1944, and its fighter pilots fought on until May 1945.

An illustrated account of how the Royal Rumanian Air Force claimed their kills against the Soviets.First seeing action in the wake of the German invasion of the USSR in June 1941, the Royal Rumanian Air Force had been allied to the Luftwaffe since the Romanian government signed a Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy in November 1940.This book reveals how, despite suffering heavy losses to the numerically superior Russian forces, the Rumanians inflicted even greater casualties on the communists. Locked in bitter conflict with the Soviets until September 1944, when the Red Army poured across the Rumanian frontier and forced an armistice, the modest fighter force claimed 1500+ kills using primarily Bf 109's, E’s.

Synonymous with the Afrika Korps and the campaign in North Africa, JG 27 provided Rommel's army with fighter protection for virtually the whole 'roller coaster ride that was the war in the Western Desert from 1941-43.Formed in Germany on 1 October 1939 (with Adolf Galland as CO of I.Gruppe), JG 27 saw considerable action both during the Battles of France and Britain, downing 146 aircraft in the latter campaign alone. Sent to North Africa in April 1941, the geschwader had an immediate impact on the campaign, which had up until then been dominated by the Allies.The third volume in the Aviation Elite series on a German fighter geschwader, this book is ideal for Luftwaffe enthusiasts and hobbyists alike.

The Hurricane saw widespread action with Allied forces, as the RAF's first monoplane fighter. This book describes its many feats throughout 1945.It served as a fighter-bomber on the Channel Front, where the American Eagles and Polish units were amongst the Fighter Command squadrons flying the Hurricane, and where some of its highest-scoring aces operated. The Sea Hurricane was the principal fighter deployed by the Fleet Air Arm in the Mediterranean, and Hurricane units continued to operate from bases in India and Ceylon until 1945, following their failure to defend Singapore and Malaya from the Japanese.

Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52) was the most successful and highest-scoring fighter unit, not just in Germany’s World War 2 Luftwaffe, but in the entire annals of aviation history.No other fighter group has ever come close to matching its staggering total of around 9000 enemy aircraft shot down in combat. And yet, because much of that combat took place over the tractless wastes of the Russian front, very little has been written in English about the exploits of this charismatic unit.This book provides a full combat history of JG 52 and its members, including the three top-scoring aces of all time, who claimed a total of 900 victories between them.

The 'storm troopers' of the Luftwaffe, the elite Sturmgruppen units comprised the most heavily armed and armoured fighter interceptors ever produced by the Germans.Their role was to smash like a mighty fist through the massed ranks of USAAF daylight bombers. Only volunteers could serve with these elite units, and each pilot was trained to close with the enemy and engage him in extremely short-range combat, attacking from the front and the rear in tight arrowhead formations. In exceptional circumstances pilots would even ram their enemy.This book chronicles the brief, but violent, career of the Sturmgruppen during the dark days of 1944-45, employing first-hand accounts and rare archival photography.

JG 51 were one of the Luftwaffe’s top wartime fighter units, yet their story has never been told in English, until now.The unit’s history encapsulates the fortunes of the Luftwaffe’s fighter arm as a whole - the heady successes of the early months, the steady attrition and the growing strength of the opposition during the mid-war years, and the final chaos and collapse of the last days.But it is perhaps the details of the pilots who served with the unit that sets JG 51 apart. During the course of the war it numbered more Knight’s Cross winners among its ranks than any other. And it is their stories – their successes, exploits and eventual fates – which brings this history to life.

Arguably the archetypal Luftwaffe fighter unit of World War 2, JG 53 aircraft were encountered on almost every fighting front from the first day of hostilities until the last.During almost six years of near-constant campaigning, JG 53 took a steady toll of Allied aircraft in every theatre it fought over. The variety of camouflage finishes worn by its machines -winter white, desert dapple and Reich's defence black - and the progression of variants are reflected in an eye-opening colour section.John Weal has spent several years researching in German archives and this, together with his personal contact with several veterans, results in an authoritative and human account of JG 53's long and eventful war.

A detailed account of an iconic aircraft's performance in the invasion of the Soviet Union during World War 2.This final volume of the Osprey trilogy on the Luftwaffe dive-bomber charts its fortunes in the toughest theatre of all: the Eastern Front. Written by John Weal, a leading authority on the Luftwaffe, this book examines how, following its comprehensive defeat over the English Channel in the summer of 1940, the Stuka was able to restore its fearsome reputation over the Eastern Front.

A detailed history of the Luftwaffe's best twin-engined bomber of World War 2 in North Africa and the Mediterranean.This volume follows the Luftwaffe's 'Wunderbomber' southwards to describe its deployment in North Africa and the Mediterranean theatre of war. Early 1941 saw the first sporadic air raids on Malta, followed by the campaign in the Balkans which resulted in the conquests of Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete. After supporting land operations in North Africa during the latter half of 1941, the Ju 88s resumed their assault on Malta.Bringing the story to life are personal accounts of the more famous actions – the bombing of shipping off the coast of Greece and the sinking of three Royal Navy destroyers south of Crete, all illustrated with rare photographs and full-colour profiles.

Written and illustrated by Luftwaffe expert John Weal, this book completes Osprey's trilogy on one of the most important German aircraft of World War II.The Ju 88, “Wunderbomber” was the main punch of the Luftwaffe's bomber arm during the initial invasion of the Soviet Union and went on to provide critical ground support to the advancing Wehrmacht. This book tells the complete story of the Ju 88's activities on the Eastern Front including their participation in the campaign against the arctic convoys and the several variants employed. Written and illustrated by renowned Luftwaffe expert John Weal, this book completes Osprey's trilogy on one of the most important German aircraft of World War II.

Totally outnumbered throughout their short two-year sojourn in the Western Desert, the crack fighter pilots of the handful of Jagdgeschwader in-theatre fought an effective campaign in support of Rommel's Afrika Korps against the British and American forces.Relying almost exclusively on the Luftwaffe's staple fighter of World War 2, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the battle-hardened aces used the aircraft's superior performance to achieve incredible scores against the Allies. Similarly, once pushed out of North Africa, these units continued to take the fight to the RAF and USAAF from makeshift bases in northern Italy.

An account of the aces that flew this important piston-engined, single-seat fighter with the US Navy and Marine Corps: the aesthetically inelegant F4F Wildcat.Thrown into combat at Coral Sea, Midway and Guadalcanal, the handful of Wildcat units of the Navy and Marine Corps took on large numbers of fighters and bombers and came out victorious. On the European front, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm also put the fighter to effective use from escort carriers, protecting Atlantic convoys from Luftwaffe attacks.

The first virtually all-jet war, the conflict in Korea saw F-86 Sabres of the USAF take on MiG-15s of the North Korean and Chinese air forces.Although the Allied pilots were initially taken aback by the ability of the communist fighter in combat, sound training and skilful leadership soon enabled Sabre pilots to dominate the dogfights over the Yalu River. In all 39 F-86 pilots achieved ace status, and a number of these are profiled in this volume, as are notable pilots from the US Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Navy and, for the first time, the handful of MiG-15 aces.

The speed with which the Corsair was rushed into service as a land-based fighter obliged the pilots to learn on the job.The aircraft soon proved to be superior to the Japanese Zero and played a major part in the destruction of Japan's elite air forces in the South Pacific. Later, in an effort to counter the Kamikaze threat, the Corsair was once again hurriedly pressed into service; this time in its originally intended role as a shipboard fighter. This versatile aircraft saw service with the US Navy and Marines, the British Fleet Air Arm and the RNZAF.Within these pages, real 4FU pilots recount their experiences flying what they call the best all-round fighter in the Pacific theatre.

The Ju 87 Stuka was the most feared weapon in the German arsenal in the first year of World War 2, the Luftwaffe using it to deadly effect during the Blitzkrieg between September 1939 and June 1940.Although vulnerable to the enemy fighters due to its moderate speed in level flight and general lack of manoeuvrability, the Ju 87 nevertheless soon came to symbolise the might of Nazi Germany as the mere handful of Stukageschwader supporting the Wehrmacht rampaging out of the Fatherland took a heavy toll of the Allied forces.Illustrated throughout with contemporary photography and detailed aircraft profiles, John Weal's detailed history is ideal for modellers as well as general aircraft fans.