Junkers Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader in North Africa and the Mediterranean

Junkers Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader in North Africa and the Mediterranean cover

Junkers Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader in North Africa and the Mediterranean

Description

This volume follows the Luftwaffe's twin-engined Wunderbomber southwards to describe its deployment in North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater during World War II (1939-1945), from the Straits of Gibraltar in the west, via the beleaguered island of Malta, to the Aegean and the Suez Canal in the east. It is a story of two distinct parts - the initial lightning successes, and then the long, slow process of retreat and defeat. It began early in 1941 with the first sporadic air raids on Malta, followed in the spring 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.

Such was their decline, however, that by the final month of the war there was just one machine left in the Mediterranean - an improved model Ju 188, which was used to drop Axis agents behind the Allied lines in Italy. Bringing the story to life are personal accounts of some of the more famous actions - the bombing of the evacuation shipping off the coast of Greece and the sinking of three Royal Navy destroyers south of Crete by the renowned 'Helbig Flyers' of LG 1, all illustrated with rare photographs and full color profiles.

Table of Contents

Jan-Feb 41 - Malta/Apr-May 41 - Balkans, Greece and Crete. Luftwaffe to E.Med/Summer-Autumn 41 - North Africa; Suez Canal/Jan-Apr 42 - Renewed assault on Malta; the Malta convoys/Jan-Nov 42 - Offensive and counter-offensive in North Africa/Nov 42-May 43 - Torch and Tunisia; the end in North Africa/Summer-Autumn 43 - Defence of Sicily and southern Italy; Salerno; the Aegean/Winter 43-Spring 45 - The long withdrawal through Italy; Bari; Anzio; evacuation of the eastern Med; final surrender/Appendices

Product details

Published Oct 20 2009
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781846033186
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 93 b/w; 0 col
Dimensions 248 x 184 mm
Series Combat Aircraft
Short code COM 75
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

John Weal

John Weal is Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author and…

Illustrator

John Weal

John Weal is Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author and…

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