Ask any WWII aficionado what was one of the most interesting designs and you will undoubtedly get many that would answer the Do-335. This large push/pull configured fighter has long fueled the imagination.

Dornier had originally ceded further development of its unique design to Junkers due to their many production commitments, but Dornier reclaimed the work as the Junkers facility moved too slowly with the D0-335’s development.

The book is broken down in six chapters and is number 9 in the series. Chapter One is an introduction to the design and the politics and war situations that influenced it. Chapter Two covers the origins of the Dornier Company, its many designs and the work with the Goppingen Go-9 push-pull testbed. Chapter Three is the longest in the book at 23 pages. It details the design, development and testing of the aircraft and its systems. Among these were the explosive bolts to jettison the rear propeller and the type’s ejection seat. Goring considered the Do-335 one of the fundamentally required types as it could fill so many needs, such as long-range fighter, high-speed bomber, twin-engine fighter-bomber, night fighter, reconnaissance and more. Chapter Four covers operational trials. It is estimated that around 16 prototype and 22 production aircraft flew during WWII. Chapter Five is dedicated to the Ju-635. This was a proposed long range reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Fw-200 and Ju-290. This new “Eyes of the U-Boats” was to be two Do-335s joined together ala the Me-109Z and He-111Z. This new aircraft was envisioned to have a 4350 mile range with capacity for 662lbs of marker flairs and a top speed of 447MPH! Chapter Six concludes the book with an assessment of the design and its legacy. The Allies tested approximately six Arrows; today one example survives in the USA as testament to the design and the Dornier Company. The book concludes with a statement from Fleiger-Haupting Hans-Werner in 1976: “The Do-335 was an unusually powerful aircraft with exceptional flying qualities, and an aeroplane that bestowed on me the pure pleasure of flying, a feeling I shall not forget as long as I live!”

Our thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review copy and my thanks to IPMS/USA for the review opportunity