Customer Reviews

Slovakian and Bulgarian Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Typically well-produced in Osprey fashion, this volume covers (mainly)Slovakian and Czech uprising air units and pilots; by comparison the Bulgarian half is somewhat short-changed. I would have liked a little more on the early (39-40) period included in the Bulgarian coverage. However, many of the photos (and color illustrations) are new to me, including a unique Dewoitine 520 in Bulgarian markings with a Luftwaffe-style winkel and bars (the French magazine Avions, which arrived the next day and has an article on Bulgarian 520's, shows the rudder as white, the Osprey shows it as yellow, take your choice). Well worth the price.

The book presents useful data about Slovak air aces, though the political slant is at times annoying. Slovaks who fought for Hitler are "traitors," Slovaks who fought for Stalin "patriots."
Perhaps Tiso's Slovakia was a "puppet" regime, but then so was
postwar Czechoslovakia.

The editors of the series could have worked more closely with the authors (who grew up in Communist Czechoslovakia and seemingly were brainwashed there)to edit out such bias. But, though annoying, the slant does not detract from the usefulness of the book, since little information on Slovak air aces is available otherwise. I would have welcomed a brief biographical dictionary, though, for all aces, instead of just 3 of them.

Using the biplanes B- and Bk-534 early in the war, the Yugo's proved to be very experienced fighter pilots. Even with the old Bf-109E-4, the Yugo's still scored heavily. Then with the later variants of the Messerschmitt fighter the Yugo's might have been tied with the Finnish and their high scoring. Helping the Germans in Operation `Barborossa', the Yugoslavians had a hay day with the parked aircraft lined up on Russian airbases, along with the few that were airborne.
The Bulgarians were not involved with the Axis until later in the war, flying Bf-109s, but only 8 aces are recorded from Bulgaria.

Truly great! The book starts with the forming of Yugoslavia, then the background to war, then the war years. Then the book goes to Bulgaria and the war years. The three authors have delivered a wounderful book on two small little-known Axis countries. I liked the color plates of Bf-109s, D.520s, La-7s, B-534s and a B-135 and La-5FN. Lots of pictures of aces posing with their parked aircraft and also in flight. Plus just their parked or wreaked planes. In appendices there is a list of Yugoslavian aces.