He 111 Kampfgeschwader on the Russian Front (Combat Aircraft, 100)

The book met my expectations, and I recommend it to fans of this kind of publication. I would have like a little more info on the technical changes in He 111H series variants, but this is a history of one of the bomber's particular deployments, not of its design development, and as such, it was well done.

This book starts off with all the units that operated the HE-111 and also shows how only one full unit was still operating this type of aircraft at the end of the war. Reader gets a view of the outstanding aircraft mission and the amount of aircraft losses suffered.

While there are limitations to this format in terms of size, this volume gives a nice overview of He-111 operations in the East from the beginning of Barbarossa through VE Day. The description of the Poltava raid from the German side was new to me, and I was pleased that the account did not just peter out, but followed the action right to the end.

John Weal was both the author and illustrator, and he is expert in both fields. From the excellent research, to the 95% unpublished photos, to the excellent 30 profiles this is one of the best Luftwaffe books I've read in ages.

thank you

Though an aging warrior, the Heinkel 111 played an active role on the Russian Front from 1941 to 1945. The twin-engined bomber carried out strategic bombing missions, CAS strikes, minelaying and torpedo-bomber ops along with pitch-hitting as a transport when needed. John Weal summarizes the He 111's war record in HE 111 KAMPFGESCHWADER ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT. A 2013 Osprey release, it's #100 in their 'Combat Aircraft' series.By June 1941, the He 111 was being steadily replaced by Junkers' twin-engined jack-of-all-trades, the Ju 88. Nevertheless, the 200-odd Heinkels operated by KG 53, 55, 4 and 27 launched devastating attacks on Russian airfields and other targets on 22 June. Moving forward as the German blitz plunged further and further into Russia, they ably supported the Nazi advance. And when the tide turned, they lent valauble support to the comrades retreating back to the Reich or to those surrounded by Russian forces. Ironically, the last missions flown by Russian Front Heinkel crews were supply drops to the last fortress of the Reich - Berlin!Given the broad canvas of the Russian Front, Weal does a workmanlike job of describing the combat ops of the various Heinkel units. Including wartime reminiscences by various He 111 aircrew made for a more lively narrative. However, there's a fair amount of ink given over to recounting the to-ing and fro-ing of He 111 KGs as they relocated from Front to Front to lend their much-needed services. Weal also devotes 2 1/2 pages to the He 111 campaign against the Arctic convoys, which, to my mind, isn't directly Eastern Front activity. I'd have preferred he featured more Eastern Front bomber ops material instead.The book is illustrated with over 70 b&w photographs and 30 striking, color He 111 side-profiles done by Weal. Mark Postlethwaite's cover artwork - of an I-16 ramming a He 111 - is absolutely first-rate, one of his best artworks yet!Luftwaffe enthusiasts and bomber buffs will enjoy HE 111 KAMPFGESCHWADER ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT. It provides a broad-based and nicely-illustrated overview of Heinkel's warbird earning new battle honors over the steppes of Russia. Recommended.

This is a solid book with lots of great photos and information. The he 111 has always been one of my favorite older planes even if it was used by nasty nazis who deserved to lose the war It was outdated by halfway through the war but it soldiered on and did the job it was called on to do, if there were no fighters. Here we learn many facts about the plane and it's operations on that front. It has good diagrams too.

This book covers all operational roles of this glorious bomber in the eastern front. Great book. I can recommend it for sure.

Despite its apparent obsolescence following the BoB the Heinkel was essentially a sound aircraft that did everything that was asked of it in Russia. From strategic bombing to tactical ground support to supply dropping. Only the He 111 could get into and land at Stalingrad in the final days in weather and landing conditions that no other aircraft could manage. The book follows the fortunes of the different Gruppen so sometimes the chronology is hard to follow as we go backwards and forwards in time.

Although the history of the He 111 and its operationnal record is already well documented, this Osprey volume offers the usual in depth research about the operational career of the aircraft on the Russian front, which was by far the most diversified and challenging one for the old workhorse. Recommended.

Hier werden die Einsatzerlebnisse der mit der He 111 ausgerüsteten Geschwader an derOstfront erläutert und mit seltenen Fotomaterial, wo einige bis dato noch nirgends zu sehenwaren, dem Historiker und Modellbauer in eindrucksvoller Weise nähergebracht. Sehr empfehlenswert.