Martin Derry has worked extensively in the field of aviation publishing. He is the the author of British Military Aviation: 1960s in Colour (2007); Hornet and Sea Hornet: De Havilland's Ultimate Piston-engined Fighter (2010); Hawker Hurricane and Sea Hurricane (2015); Avro Lancaster (2015); Avro Shackleton (2016); English Electric Lightning (2017) and the forthcoming Gloster Meteor (2018).

Neil Robinson is a respected aviation historian and author, who has worked on a number of related projects over the years. He is the author of RAF Trainers 1918-1945: Camouflage and Markings (2012), and Air War Over the Falklands (2012). Hawker Hurricane and Sea Hurricane (2015); Avro Lancaster (2015); Avro Shackleton (2016); English Electric Lightning (2017) and the forthcoming Gloster Meteor (2018).

This latest installment in Flight Craft follow the recent format of this series that features the triple threat for the aircraft modeler. A development and service history of the Junkers Stuka leads off and is followed by sixteen pages of full color illustrations. The book concludes with a modeling section focused on kit reviews by scale accompanied by completed examples of several kits. The front cover aligns with this concept with a black and white photograph of a Ju 87D of 1.SIG 1 carrying a weapon loads container for the ground troops from early 1943. The center illustration depicts a Ju 87B-2/Trop of 6./StG 2 bearing the large ‘snake’ markings along the fuselage. The lower photograph reveals a Hasegawa 1/48 Ju 87D-5 in Hungarian markings by Randy Lutz. Four additional completed models are shown on the rear cover. I counted 71 black and white photographs along with 141 color photos. Mark Rolfe contributes 43 color side views as well as top and bottom views as appropriate.

Martin Derry and Neil Robinson kick the development off with the Stuka’s forerunner, the Junkers K47. The Ju 87 prototype first flew on September 17, 1935 and quickly became a run-away success with its capabilities in the Spanish Civil War and during the blitzkrieg campaigns of WWII. The rate of aircraft innovation severely bit into this success, especially without total air superiority. Martin and Neil cover all the major and sub variants, including the proposed Ju 87F / Ju187 Stuka. Certainly, an interesting concept, but the Luftwaffe opted to implement the Fw 190 into the ground attack role. Not to be denied, the Stuka found new roles, i.e.: tank busting on the Russian front and stayed in service throughout the European conflict.

The Table of Contents focuses on the following sections:

• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Origins and Ju 87A
  • Spanish Civil War Evaluation [Page 05]
  • Pre-Production Aircraft
  • Ju 87A-1
  • Widespread Usage
• Ju 87B / C / R
  • The Berta’s Combat Debut
  • Carrier-Borne Stukas...the Ju 87C
  • Long-Range Stuka
  • The Stuka’s Reputation is Born [Page 18]
  • Stukas Over Scandinavia
• France and the Low Countries
• Stuka’s Nemesis
• Mediterranean Strike
• The Balkans
• Barbarossa
• Return to the Mediterranean
• Ju 87D / G
  • The First Doras
• The Ju 87D-3
• The Ju 87D-5
• The Tide Turns...
• The Eastern Front
• The ‘Gustav’
• The Battle of Kursk [Page 33]
• Unit Reorganizations
• Trainers and Experimental Stukas
• End of the Stuka
• Export Stukas
• Italy
• Romania
• Hungary
• Croatia
• Bulgaria and Slovakia
• Ju 87 Camouflage and Markings
• Spanish Civil War
• Luftkreiskommando
• The Prelude to World War II
• The Wartime Luftwaffe Code System
• Breakdown of Staffeln and Gruppen [Table]
• Wartime National Markings
• North African and Mediterranean Campaigns
• The Balkan Campaign and Barbarossa
• National Marking Changes
• Local Tactical Markings
• Unit Badges and Emblems
• Foreign-Operated Stukas
• Regia Aeronautica
• Hungary
• Romania
• Croatia
• Slovakia
• Bulgaria
• The Ju 87 in Colour [Page 58]
• Modeling the Stuka
  • 1/144 AHM
  • 1/144 Eduard
  • 1/144 Gunze Sangyo
  • 1/144 Hornet (Miniwing Series)
  • 1/144 Mitsuwa Model
  • 1/144 Revell
  • 1/144 Zvezda
  • 1/72 Academy
  • 1/72 Airfix
  • 1/72 Frog
  • 1/72 Fujimi
  • 1/72 Heller
  • 1/72 Hobby Boss
  • 1/72 Italeri
  • 1/72 Matchbox
  • 1/72 MPM
  • 1/72 Revell
  • 1/72 Special Hobby
  • 1/50 IMAI
  • 1/48 Airfix
  • 1/48 Italeri [Page 71]
  • 1/48 Hasegawa
  • 1/48 Monogram
  • 1/48 Special Hobby
  • 1/32 Hasegawa
  • 1/32 Revell
  • 1/32 21st Century Toys
  • 1/32 Trumpeter
  • 1/24 Airfix

Martin Derry and Neil Robinson’s tome on the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka is a welcome addition to the Stuka library at good price point. Martin and Neil provide an easy read on the Stuka’s development and service history. I particularly enjoyed the section of foreign operated Stukas with details I had not seen before. Mark Rolfe also includes six color profiles of some of these aircraft if you wish to model outside of the Luftwaffe. All of the development and service photographs are well-captioned providing additional insight and details. The Mark Rolfe color profiles are supported with clear, detailed captions that make this a great reference for some interesting modeling. The added bonus is the review of all the kits available on the Stuka, including the latest Airfix 1/48 Ju 87 kits.

My thanks to Pen and Sword, Casemate, and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great book.

Highly recommended!