Book Title: Combat Legend: Messerschmitt Bf 109
Author: Jerry Scutts
ISBN: 9781840373646
Category: History
Format: Paperback
Summary:Brief Overview of Contents
Chapter One: Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Prototypes and Development. This chapter describes the development of the various models of the Bf 109, and the distinctive characteristics and technical data of each model.
Chapter Two: Operational History - 109s in Combat. This chapter describes 109s in combat starting with the invasion of Poland and ending with the final encounters in the spring of 1945. The chapter discusses the different types of missions in which the 109s were engaged, where they were strong, and where they met their match.
Chapter Three: Engineers and Experten: 109 People. This chapter begins with a brief discussion of Messerschmitt's role in the plane's design. The bulk of the chapter focuses on high scoring pilots, the role of attrition, and awards.
Chapter Four: Combat Zone - The 109's Accomplishments. This chapter describes the 109 in action in various theatres and against various opponents. It compares and contrasts the 109's performance with several Allied planes as well as the effects of tactics.
Chapter Five: Bf 109s Around the World - Versions, Variants, and Exports. This chapter summarizes technical details of the 109 versions, and provides a nation-by-nation catalogue of 109 adoption, organization, and utilization.
Appendices: Weapons, Technical Specifications, Production, Variants, Museum Aircraft and Survivors, Model Kits and Accessories, and Books.
Personal Assessment
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this text. The author revisited material in the various chapters, but each time, he focused on a different aspect. The result was that previous material was reinforced without becoming redundant. The author's style engaged me, and the material covered whetted my appetite to learn about the Bf 109 and its variants and usage. I was introduced to several pilots about whom I would like to learn more. The text has pictures and color plates throughout. The only thing I would like to have seen would have been a series of color plates of the all the variants in order with captions highlighting the physical differences; as someone relatively unknowledgeable about the 109, that would have been very useful. I was able to piece some of that through the various plate collections. Prior to reading this text, I was unaware of the multitude of 109 variants. I would highly recommend this text to anyone who wants to learn about the Bf 109 for the first time; it is informative, providing an overall picture of the plane, its strengths and weaknesses, its usage, key pilots, etc. At 96 pages with pictures and plates, it is a fairly quick and enjoyable read.
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