Aircraft Aces 1

Helmut Wick, Fritz Losigkeit, and Kurt Knappe
By Marek J. Murawski
Kagero, ©2004
ISBN 83-89088-34-7
Softbound, 32 Pages with Decal Sheet
Available from Squadron for $13.47

Reviewed By Chris Banyai-Riepl

A new series for Kagero is this title on aircraft aces. This first volume details three World War Two Luftwaffe aces and their aircraft: Helmut Wick and his Bf 109E, Fritz Losigkeit and his Fw 190As, and Kurt Knappe and his Bf 109F-4 and Fw 190A-4. Each pilot gets a short but detailed biography outlining the operations of each of these aces. These mini histories are a combination of personal recollections and post-war research, providing a well-rounded and easy read.

In addition to the text, each pilot section has several photos of their mounts. In the case of Helmut Wick, his plane remained the same throughout his career, with only the markings changing over time. For the others, the aircraft changed, and not all of the decal options are depicted in the photos.

The decal options are the icing on the cake with this book. The sheet is printed in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 so you will be able to build whatever scale you choose. The options include Wick's Bf 109E, WNr 5344, as it appeared when he was commander of JG2. Kurt Knappe's Bf 109F-4 is marked "Red 4," while his Fw 190A-4 is "White 1." Fritz Losigkeit's Fw 190s are very different from one another, with the Fw 190A-5 being overall gray on the upper surfaces with black double chevrons. The Fw 190A-4, also marked with double chevrons, carries a string of flags on the sides and has the black and white striped cowling so common to JG 1 Fw 190s during 1943. The decals are printed by Techmod and are very nicely printed.

This new series has enormous potential and I hope that Kagero continues the line with not only German aces but aces from other countries, especially some of the lesser known pilots. My thanks to Squadron for the review sample. This title, and other Kagero books, are available from Squadron Mail Order.