Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily, Air War Publications

FOCKE-WULF Fw 190 IN THE BATTLE FOR SICILY.

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 served on all fronts during the Second World War, and one theatre in which it played a particularly important role was the Mediterranean. This book covers the service of the Fw 190-equipped fighter-bomber units based in Sicily, Sardinia and southern Italy in the summer of 1943, including their many operations against a variety of well-defended British and American targets.

The Fw 190 pilots undertook their first bombing mission from a Sicilian airfield just eight days after the Axis surrender in North Africa on 13 May 1943. In June they returned to full-scale operations, usually against Allied shipping between Sicily and North Africa, but with occasional audacious raids on Allied airfields. The invasion of Sicily on 10 July 1943 – at the time the largest amphibious operation in history – was a serious challenge for the Fw 190 units, and operations were severely hampered by the heavy bombing of Sicilian airfields in the lead-up to the invasion, and the strong Allied air cover over the landings. Even so, the Fw 190 pilots enjoyed some moments of success. In the subsequent Sicilian campaign, the Fw 190 units did their utmost to delay the steady Allied advance from the invasion beaches in the south to Messina in the north-east. Missions against harbours, warships and advancing troops were difficult and costly, but often successful.

This is the first time that the story of the Fw 190 in the battle for Sicily has been told, and the book describes not only the operations, but also the many difficulties faced and overcome by the pilots, leaders and ground personnel of the Fw 190-equipped units. The book is the result of six years of research, and is based on interviews and correspondence with participating Fw 190 pilots, along with a wide variety of other primary and secondary sources. The 224-page book features eight chapters, ten appendices, a comprehensive index, many maps and eleven colour aircraft profiles.

Authors: Morten Jessen / Andrew Arthy

Publisher: Air War Publications (2015)

ISBN: 9788799335206

Description: 

• Hardcover, 32 X 22 X 2 cm, 224 pages in colour
• 137 black-and-white and 3 colour photographs, 11 colour aircraft profiles, 16 colour maps, 4 emblems and 12 illustrations 10 appendices, including loss and victory lists, tactics, escort fighter material, camouflage and markings information.

Condition: NEW COPY.

Shipping Weight: 1.86 Kg.

Review:

''There are plenty of books on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190; many volumes have been published on WWII's second-most famous German fighter in service in north-west Europe and the Eastern Front, but the battle for Sicily? To my memory, nothing in any depth has been issued on this particular campaign and that's what makes Danish and Australian authors Morten Jessen and Andrew Arthy's new title so fascinating and unique. The book is a follow-up to their 2004 volume 'Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in North Africa' and is an imposing production; it's a large format, 224 page hardback and the highly photogenic (if fighter aircraft can be considered photogenic) full-bleed image on the cover is almost irresistible if you are addicted to WWII aviation. The book is clearly produced with an eye for visual impact; as I often seem to state in this section each month, the photographic reproduction is excellent and many of the images are printed large on the page, all grist-to-the-mill for the modeler, hungry for Luftwaffe eye-candy. There are no less than 137 b/w and three color photographs in the book, plus eleven color profiles (by distinguished artist Claes Sundin) as well as maps that clearly define the specific zones of Fw 190 operation. For the modeller, there is a great deal of interest in this book. Naturally, lashings of punchy wartime photos of Fw 190s are scattered throughout and they give tantalizing clues to camouflage schemes, markings and the inevitable weathering; great stuff. But what really impresses is the sheer attention to detail; those six years of research were well spent and the result is an exhaustive account of the infamous Butcher Bird and its exploits in the vicious battle for the island of Sicily. Very highly recommended''.

Tags: FOCKE WULF