Heinkel He 177

Warpaint Series No. 33
By Kev Darling
Hall Park Publishing, 2002
Softbound, 32 Pages

Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl

Long-range bombers were not a high priority with the German high command during the Second World War, even after seeing what was happening in the skies over Europe by such types as the B-17 and Lancaster.  There wasn’t a complete lack of long-range types, though, and the Heinkel He 177 was easily the most successful pure long-range type employed by the Luftwaffe.  That’s not to say it didn’t have its problems, though, most relating to the unique engine arrangement consisting of two engines in tandem in each nacelle. 

This book covers the development, production and operations of this interesting large bomber.  In addition to the standard production types there is also coverage of the lesser known and one-off types like the He 177A-1 armed with a 30mm cannon in the nose and the later He 274.  Operational history includes maritime operations and the usage of guided weapons such as the Hs 293 and the Fritz X bomb.  In addition to Luftwaffe coverage there is also bits on French, British and American usage.  The book is amply illustrated with plenty of photos and like other titles in this series there are plenty of color profiles showing many of the interesting schemes worn by the He 177.  A set of 1/72 drawings in a center pullout rounds out the book.

This is an excellent single-point reference on the Heinkel He 177 and is a must-have for anyone wanting to build up the beautiful Revell 1/72 kit.