Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!military From: military@cbnews.ATT.COM (William B. Thacker) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: German Weapons in WW2 Message-ID: <7024@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 1 Jun 89 03:09:13 GMT Organization: Evans and Sutherland, Salt Lake City, Utah Lines: 41 Approved: military@att.att.com From: cs.utexas.edu!wasatch!uplherc!esunix!jcallen (John Callen) There are two VERY good reference books on the Luftwaffe aircraft that I have found useful in my research: "Hitler's Luftwaffe", Tony Wood and Bill Gunston, Salamandar Books ISBN 0-86101-005-1 "German Aircraft of the Second World War", JR Smith and Antony Kay, Putnam, ISBN 0 370 00024 2 Smith/Kay is considered THE reference text book on ALL planes (including little known research experiments) for the Luftwaffe. It is the standard reference at the National Air and Space museum. The Ta 152 is covered in pgs. 207-210. Though there are mentions of single prototype models, there is no mention of specific production runs. [mod.note: While poking around a magazine rack today, I noted an aircraft magazine with an article about an Arado 234 "Blitz" (jet bomber) recently restored by the NASM; it's supposed to be on display there now. I gotta get out thataway sometime... - Bill ] Wood/Gunston is one of those books that you really enjoy reading through. It adds colorful pictures, annecdotes with some informative technical detail. The Ta 152 is covered in color side views and a very nicely detailed cut-away view. According to the text, 67 Ta 152s were built (excluding development aircraft). By the way, earlier Ta 152 models were originally called the Fw 190D-9 ("Dora-9"). I am also a big fan of the Focke Wulf 190 lineage. It never ceases to amaze me how the Me 109 seems to be the plane that will always be associated with the Luftwaffe, even though when asked most German pilots prefered flying the Fw's! BTW, if you haven't had a chance to read the NASM's book on the Focke-Wulf 190 they have in their collection (service records and restoration details), you really should. It's a must for any Fw lover! --John