The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | June 2020 | Title | The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Richard A Franks | Publisher | Valiant Wings Publishing |
| Published | 2020 | ISBN | 978-1-912932-06-1 |
| Format | 240 pages, softcover | MSRP (BP) | £22.95 |
Review
You’re back in government-imposed lockdown. And authorities only permit one book on Nazi Germany’s notorious Stuka.
Make it this one.
The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka - A Complete Guide To The Luftwaffe's Famous Dive-Bomber – 14th in Valiant Wings’ “Airframe & Miniature” range – surveys the whole, spellbinding saga in 240 picture-packed pages.
Expertly authored and edited by Richard A. Franks, text deftly details all variants, including prototypes and derivatives. And format follows the publisher’s proven prescription.
The first 87 pages of “Airframe” chapters chronicle Stuka evolution, developments, international use, and warpaint.
Dozens of color profiles and insets by Richard J. Caruana survey Stuka schemes. And an illuminating spread includes 1:48-scale plans with stencil placement specs.
Remaining “Miniature” sections include specially commissioned, step-by-step kit builds by Libor Jekl and Steve A. Evans, available models, scale specs, variant notes with 3D isometrics, close-up shots, and tech-manual excerpts.
In short, Valiant Wings microscopically dissects Ju 87 minutiae – prop to rudder, tip-to-tip, top-to-bottom, inside and out. Detail enthusiasts will love it.
Four extensive appendices list kits, accessories, decals, and references. And a glossary and pull-out 1:48-scale plans complete contents.
What a magnificent monograph. Pedants can dispute whether anything is really “complete”. But the Valiant Wings’ study comes awfully close to being a one-volume Stuka library.
Rabidly recommended!
With thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for the review copy.