Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika Bomber Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

During World War II, vast distances and oceans shielded the continental United States from Axis aggressors.

It remained the "Arsenal of Democracy" because no foe could directly and regularly attack its factories and farms. Nazi Germany realized that – and sought ways to bring war to American shores.

That's the theme of Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika Bomber – second installment in Osprey Publishing's new "X-Planes" range.

Author Robert Forsyth competently recaps the ultimately abortive program in just 80 pithy pages.

Contents commence with a brief introduction. Text then quickly segues to four fascinating chapters on design, development and disposition. A conclusion neatly wraps things up.

Photos, archival illustrations, cut-aways, extended captions, selected bibliography and index augment the account. Conceptual Me 264 action paintings season Osprey's story with a "what if" flavor.

The Me 264, Robert Forsyth concludes, "was a technically ambitious, mechanically acceptable and militarily feasible aircraft (if only in the reconnaissance role), but it remained little more than a curio that was a fixture on high-level discussion agenda is for most of the war."

Forsyth also authored Classic Publications' definitive history. Can't afford that? Make his cool condensation your intro to one of WWII's truly fascinating footnotes.

Robustly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!