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by Chriss Goss.
Hardback (7.0×9.9 inches). 211 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Fernnachtjagd Units 1940 to 1944
As Allied night bombing increased against Germany, the Luftwaffe started to create Fernnachtjagd night-fighter units that would operate over the UK to shoot down bombers before they reached the English Channel.
This isn’t exactly scintillating reading — it seems mostly short transcribed reports interspersed with first-person accounts from Allied and Axis pilots and air crew. Indeed, the Appendices (p142-202) contain transcribed report and tabular data of ops, including individual aircraft and crew.
While I applaud the research, I found myself increasingly skipping portions of the text. That said, WWII air gamers will find lots of aerial scenarios on just about every page.
One piece of equipment I would have liked more info about is the infrared spotlight called Spanner-Anlage installed through the cockpit windscreen of a DO-17 nightfighter (photo on p45), although the text says it was installed on the tip of the nose (p39). It must have been ineffective because it was replaced by a radar set, but would have been nice to know more about it since Germany fielded effective infrared scopes for MG teams in late 1944 — effective in directing MG fire against Allied troops at night.
The book contains 172 black and white photos, four black and white illustrations, and one black and white map.
A real WWII air buff will appreciate the reference material and the abundant photos.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
