Focke Wulf Ta 154 "Moskito"
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Authors: Marek J Murawski & Marek Rys
Publisher: Kagero
ISBN: 978-83-62878-72-7
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 104
The push to develop effective night fighters became a primary concern for the Luftwaffe as the RAF shifted their strategic bombing campaign to be almost exclusively at night. Interim night fighters based on daylight aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Dornier Do 217 helped some, but there was a need for a dedicated night fighter aircraft. Kurt Tank at Focke Wulf came up with the Ta 154 design, a twin-engined high-wing aircraft that featured tricycle landing gear and powerful armament.
This title in the Kagero Monograph series examines Tank's Ta 154 in detail, from the origins and development through to the mock-up stage and on into production. The development cycle of the Ta 154 was a long one, as it was challenging to develop a night fighter constructed of alternate materials this late in the war. Still, several prototypes did fly, and the Ta 154 proved itself to be an impressive performer. However, the challenges surrounding the wooden construction proved insurmountable and the program was canceled before the plane entered production.
Because it was restricted to factory testing, the photos of the Ta 154 tend to be a bit better than operational aircraft as the factories had access to better photographic equipment. Also, it was part of their process to photo document all aspects of the plane, so we are left with quite a few nice, high quality images, many of which are reproduced here. Like other Monograph titles, this book includes some excellent scale drawings, and the book finishes with a handful of color profile illustrations.
For those interested in night fighter evolution during the Second World War, this is a nice book to have. It covers both the process and the design well, and should be a useful reference. My thanks to Casemate for the review copy.