The Luftwaffe in Africa during 1941

[Ludovico Slongo]

Which are the best books (in whatever language) about operations of Luftwaffe units in North Africa the Balkans and Mediterranean during 1941?
Any information/opininon would be very appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Ludovico

[mapalm]

I do apreciated Held/Obermaier, The Luftwaffe in the North African campaign 1941-1943, Schiffer.

It is a photo chronicle, not about single unit operation, quite sure you already know it. ;-)

ciao

[Adam]

There is also the Arthy/Jensen book on the Fw 190 in N.Africa which is well done.

[kolya1]

Not really books, but the french trimestrial "Batailles aériennes" had three issues on it : "Marita", "Operation Merkur", "LW in North Africa - 1941".

Each of these represents about 70 pages of text (in French) with photographs and profiles. On the whole, I consider it a good read : lots of info, and both sides records are compared.

[Jim P.]

Find the books by Chris Shores and friends: "Malta 1941, The Hurricane Year", "Fighters over the Desert" and "The Air Battle for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete" (something like that). There is also a volume about the airwar over Ethiopia.

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Manlio,Adam, Jim and Kolya1,
thank you very much for your notes, in fact I was a bit surprised for the initial lack of any suggestion on such (I believe) interesting topic.
I already have all the books you've quoted and I was convinced that many other titles existed (now I start to have some doubts).
Even if I didn't tell it, I was particularly interested in the books of Ring on JG 27 and those of Prien/Stemmer/Rodeike/Bock about the Jagdflieger. Do they exist only in German? How do you rate them ?
I was also wondering if anything exist about the Stukagruppen apart from the books of the Osprey series.
Thank you again

Ludovico

[Jim P.]

I don't think you will find much in Ring's book, but the Prien book is another story (and don't forget his previously published JG 27 series which would definitely get into more detail). Classic has a 2-volume set on Stukas as part of their Classic Colour series - I'd dare that these might be more useful than the Ospreys.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Jim P.

Classic has a 2-volume set on Stukas as part of their Classic Colour series - I'd dare that these might be more useful than the Ospreys.

And there's some interesting material in Martin Pegg's "Hs 129, Panzerjäger" and Werner Zirus "Als Schlachtflieger im Einsatz, Band 1."

Going back a few years, there's also Chris Shores' 3-volume "Pictorial History of the Mediterranean Air War."