What do you think?
Rate this book
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 26, 1998
4 people want to read
About the author
Peter C. Smith
131 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Born Peter Charles Smith in North Elmham, Norfolk, in 1940, eldest son of Ernest & Eileen. Educated at Hamonds School, Swaffham. Married Patricia nee Ireson 1963. Two children, son Paul David and daughter Dawn Tracey.
Editor Balfour Books, Cambridge; Cape Sun, London; World War II Investigator, London.
After living in London, Kent and Cambridge now resides in a north-Bedfordshire village with his wife and Annie the Black Labby.
Born Peter Charles Smith in North Elmham, Norfolk, in 1940, eldest son of Ernest & Eileen. Educated at Hamonds School, Swaffham. Married Patricia nee Ireson 1963. Two children, son Paul David and daughter Dawn Tracey.
Editor Balfour Books, Cambridge; Cape Sun, London; World War II Investigator, London.
After living in London, Kent and Cambridge now resides in a north-Bedfordshire village with his wife and Annie the Black Labby.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 30, 2024
Peter Smith’s writing on the Ju-87 Stuka has been a conflicted read for me.
The development and operational history of the aircraft is meticulous and focuses on all theaters and roles. The work is supported by large amount of technical specifications, data and numerous anecdotes.
I share Smith’s love and enthusiasm for this remarkable plane, but the entire read was market by a constant academic bias.
Smith only quotes positive reinforcement of his elevated ideas of the plane having been dealt poorly with by historians and that the losses it suffered and problems it had have been greatly exaggerated.
In this endeavor, Smith takes every opportunity to discredit any victories claimed on the Stukas but goes to long lengths to retell its operational successes and specific glorified missions.
On the one hand I greatly enjoyed the detailed histories, experiences and reasoning behind de development paths of this aircraft. The anecdotes are incredibly valuable, if one-sided.
But at the same time I am having a hard time putting full trust in these sources and specific statistics when losses are glossed over, fully ignored or argued against.
It is hammered home, again and again, that the decline in use of the aircraft was not at fault of its design, but of the circumstances it found itself in. Heavy losses and changes in strategy are acknowledged, but the reasons for losses and the circumstances for failures are ignored.
Every opportunity is taken to praise the aircraft and its enduring viability throughout the war. I am very willing to accept that, but not to the detriment of the full story.
In the chronological sense, it is a complete history, yes, in a holistic overview sense, it very much isn’t.
I was left with a very good idea of the technical side of the aircraft, its tactical and operational use and its various roles and actions across the different theaters.
The scarceness of resources had an obviously big impact on the Luftwaffe as much as any part of the German forces. Less pilots trained, less and shorter sorties possible, and loss of air superiority are key factors that determined the inability for the Stuka to be deployed in its intended high-precision CAS role.
But painting the pilots as chivalrous knights of the sky doing glorious deeds on infallible steeds feels disingenuous; the constant aggrieved and apologetic tone unprofessional. These elements leave a narrative stain on the data presented.
The development and operational history of the aircraft is meticulous and focuses on all theaters and roles. The work is supported by large amount of technical specifications, data and numerous anecdotes.
I share Smith’s love and enthusiasm for this remarkable plane, but the entire read was market by a constant academic bias.
Smith only quotes positive reinforcement of his elevated ideas of the plane having been dealt poorly with by historians and that the losses it suffered and problems it had have been greatly exaggerated.
In this endeavor, Smith takes every opportunity to discredit any victories claimed on the Stukas but goes to long lengths to retell its operational successes and specific glorified missions.
On the one hand I greatly enjoyed the detailed histories, experiences and reasoning behind de development paths of this aircraft. The anecdotes are incredibly valuable, if one-sided.
But at the same time I am having a hard time putting full trust in these sources and specific statistics when losses are glossed over, fully ignored or argued against.
It is hammered home, again and again, that the decline in use of the aircraft was not at fault of its design, but of the circumstances it found itself in. Heavy losses and changes in strategy are acknowledged, but the reasons for losses and the circumstances for failures are ignored.
Every opportunity is taken to praise the aircraft and its enduring viability throughout the war. I am very willing to accept that, but not to the detriment of the full story.
In the chronological sense, it is a complete history, yes, in a holistic overview sense, it very much isn’t.
I was left with a very good idea of the technical side of the aircraft, its tactical and operational use and its various roles and actions across the different theaters.
The scarceness of resources had an obviously big impact on the Luftwaffe as much as any part of the German forces. Less pilots trained, less and shorter sorties possible, and loss of air superiority are key factors that determined the inability for the Stuka to be deployed in its intended high-precision CAS role.
But painting the pilots as chivalrous knights of the sky doing glorious deeds on infallible steeds feels disingenuous; the constant aggrieved and apologetic tone unprofessional. These elements leave a narrative stain on the data presented.
Displaying 1 of 1 review