[Håkan]

Finally I’ve had time to read this excellent book.

The book covers the campaign for Bessarabia in June and July 1941 and is an important addition to C. Bergström’s books about the air war on the Eastern Front in that it covers the operations of some of the lesser known allies to the Germans in the form of the Rumanian, Hungarian and Slovak Air Forces in addition to the Luftwaffe and VVS. The campaign along the Black Sea coast wasn’t the “walk in the park” as the initial months of Barbarossa often is pictured as. The VVS had been forewarned of the invasion and had managed to disperse their aircraft and thus wasn’t as surprised as on other fronts. This also meant that they were able to strike back and offer a stronger resistance to the Axis’ very mixed types of aircraft. Both Rumania and Hungary operated a “rich” variety of aircraft types and which must have been the quartermasters’ nightmare. Rumania for instance used British, German, Polish and indigenous fighters in combat against the VVS! They also used French, German, Polish, British, Italian and indigenous bombers!
The book is in a day-to-day account, which gives it a lasting value as a reference book to go back to in the future.
The book is highly recommended and for anyone interested in either or both the air war on the Eastern Front and the minor air forces during the Second World War, it is a must!
I have only one objection to the book and it is that it doesn’t have any index, which is a pity since it has a rich wealth of names, which without an index is very difficult to search for. I hope that this will be added in Volume 2, which I eagerly await!

Best wishes/Håkan