Luftwaffe Im Focus No.23

Start-Verlag

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Luftwaffe Im Focus #23 is available online from Squadron.com

"Luftwaffe im Focus" is a German magazine focussed on the Luftwaffe of WW2, with articles by a team of 20 Luftwaffe experts. It is published three times a year with German/English editions. Each volume usually consists of around 60 previously unpublished photos from private collections, along with detailed information and articles about specific Luftwaffe subjects. Each issue will usually include sections covering topics like a readers’ forum, combat photos, the story behind the photos, unknown emblems, personal emblems, unusual photos, portraits, captured aircraft, documents, and equipment etc.

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The issue reviewed here consists of 50 pages, with 52 photos (7 in colour), 2 colour aircraft profiles, a coloured emblem and 3 coloured maps. Following a brief editorial and readers’ forum are these articles:

•  Scenery: Hit in the Cockpit! (JG 26).

•  Colour Photos of a Seldom-Seen Kampfgeschwader (I./KG 28).

•  Aircraft in Focus: An Extraordinary Aircraft from the Defence of the Reich. The Fw 190 of Major Philipp, Geschwaderkommodore of JG 1.

•  Unknown Emblems: 7.(H)/12’s Jaunty Dachshund”.

•  Photos with a Story: Target: Kramators- kaya Tank Works (KG 55 – 1941).

•  Unusual: The Camouflaged Tarpaulin.

•  Fate: Shot Down Over the Murmansk Railway. The Fate of a KG 30 Crew in the summer of 1942.

•  Documents: II./NJG 1’s 100th Night Victory.

•  Close-Support Aircraft: Ground Attack Pilot in the Closing Months of the War – Night Close-Support Missions by 2./EJG 2 in April-May 1945.

•  Fighters: Me 262 A-1a of JG 7, April 1945.

•  Bombers: Ar 234 of III/KG 76.

Also included are photos of a Ju 290, DFS 230 of St.G. 2, and Ju 87 with an impressive snorting rhinoceros-Emblem, colour photos of the emblem of IV./KG 54 and photos related to other topics.

The print quality of the magazine is very good and the English text most readable (I cannot comment on the German text). I found the articles informative and the accompanying photos most interesting. The colour illustrations are also good quality and nicely executed.

The magazine is sold by annual subscription (3 issues) that includes various surface or airmail options and different prices for bank transfer, cash, or payment by Paypal. 

Luftwaffe im Focus is a high quality magazine with some unique content that will make it a “must have” for many Luftwaffe aficionados. Whilst it is undoubtedly a specialist magazine, its content should still whet the appetite of those with a more passing interest in the subject. I think it represents quite good value overall, especially the surface mail subscriptions.

I happily recommend this magazine to those who must garner all the information they can on the Luftwaffe in WW2.

Thanks to Start Verlag for the sample

Luftwaffe Im Focus is available online from the Start website

Review Copyright © 2014 by Mark Davies
This Page Created on 24 October, 2014
Last updated 24 October, 2014

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