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Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika Bomber
As Europe plunged into World War II, Hitler ordered the development of a hi-tech secret weapon capable of taking the war across the Atlantic – the Messerschmitt Me 264. Chosen from designs for an 'Amerika Bomber' tendered by Messerschmitt, Junkers and Focke-Wulf, this ultra-long-range aircraft would be capable of attacking cities in the United States. Just one month before the attack on Pearl Harbor and the American entry into World War II Hitler was promising, privately, to wage a 'new war' against the USA after his victories in Europe. Dazzling digital artwork and 50 rare archive photographs perfectly complement the detailed analysis offered by Robert Forsyth as he examines the development, intended role and influence of the aircraft that Hitler planned to use to bomb New York City.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2001
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Robert Forsyth
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There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 17, 2020
This rather short history of the Messerschmitt Me-264, and by association the Third Reich's badly mismanaged attempt to develop a strategic bomber program is really only going to interest military aviation nerds & WW2 & Nazi history geeks. Now that doesn't mean it's a bad book, nor does it mean it is without value outside those readerships. It may be argued that this is a worthwhile analysis of the problems that may be associated with the relationships between the aircraft manufacturers and governments (perhaps there are congruities between the Me-264 and the F-35 Lightning II). However at its heart this is a book designed to satisfy the curiosity of those like me who are fascinated with the Luftwaffe.
The book is structured around three historical narratives; the problematic nature of the Luftwaffe's strategic bomber force and program (or lack thereof), the development and ultimate failure of the Me-264, and the chaotic nature of the Nazis' management of the project (and by association all its wartime industry production & management issues). Forsyth delivers quite well on all three fronts and by the end of the book one is given plenty of information to formulate his or her own conclusions about the overarching failures embedded in the related history. That the Luftwaffe and its political and military masters had no real cohesive understanding of or support for a strategic bomber program is hammered home time and time again by the author. The impact of the death of General Wever, the failure of the Do-19 and Ju-89 bombers, the influence of Ernst Udet and his advocacy of the 'Stuka' concept and the pressure of insufficient resources for the expansion of the Luftwaffe's strategic bomber capabilities are all given plenty of attention, and serve the reader well as a means to educating him or her on the pertinent issues and consequences.
When it comes to the development of the Me-264 itself, Forsyth has written an in-depth and comprehensive history of the plane's design, prototype production, test flights and drawing board projections. It has to be said that the amount of technical data cited in the text is somewhat tedious to read, and I found myself skimming those sections. The photos and the presentation of the opinions of those pilots who flew the Me-264 are far more interesting, and perhaps Forsyth could've foregone so much focus on what planned variants had what weight or engine type etc etc.
Perhaps the most instructive and informative aspect of this book is how it documents the chaotic nature of the Third Reich's management of this weapon program, and by association all military planning, procurement and production. The personal and professional rivalries, combined with bureaucratic red tape, ideology overriding sound business practice, and the instability of the likes of Goering and Hitler are all on the table, writ large, in the story of the Me-264. I think this is where much of the modern historical understanding of the Nazi war effort has to be focused, if it isn't already; the Third Reich achieved what it did in spite of and not because of Hitler's regime. When one considers that Nazi Germany couldn't find its way to delivering any aircraft like the British trio of four-engined bombers (the Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster) nor the American B-17, B-24 and B-29, nor formulate a bombing strategy to replicate the achievements of Bomber Command or the USAAF, it isn't hard to see the fatal limitations of the German war effort. The Me-264 is just one of the 'poster children' of the failures of the Third Reich at war.
In summary this is a specialists' book that is mostly well written. Forsyth documents the story of the Me-264 Amerika Bomber as well as one should expect, and he places this into the wider historical context with great aplomb. This text will not be to everyone's taste, however it is worth reading for those us of engaged with the subject.
The book is structured around three historical narratives; the problematic nature of the Luftwaffe's strategic bomber force and program (or lack thereof), the development and ultimate failure of the Me-264, and the chaotic nature of the Nazis' management of the project (and by association all its wartime industry production & management issues). Forsyth delivers quite well on all three fronts and by the end of the book one is given plenty of information to formulate his or her own conclusions about the overarching failures embedded in the related history. That the Luftwaffe and its political and military masters had no real cohesive understanding of or support for a strategic bomber program is hammered home time and time again by the author. The impact of the death of General Wever, the failure of the Do-19 and Ju-89 bombers, the influence of Ernst Udet and his advocacy of the 'Stuka' concept and the pressure of insufficient resources for the expansion of the Luftwaffe's strategic bomber capabilities are all given plenty of attention, and serve the reader well as a means to educating him or her on the pertinent issues and consequences.
When it comes to the development of the Me-264 itself, Forsyth has written an in-depth and comprehensive history of the plane's design, prototype production, test flights and drawing board projections. It has to be said that the amount of technical data cited in the text is somewhat tedious to read, and I found myself skimming those sections. The photos and the presentation of the opinions of those pilots who flew the Me-264 are far more interesting, and perhaps Forsyth could've foregone so much focus on what planned variants had what weight or engine type etc etc.
Perhaps the most instructive and informative aspect of this book is how it documents the chaotic nature of the Third Reich's management of this weapon program, and by association all military planning, procurement and production. The personal and professional rivalries, combined with bureaucratic red tape, ideology overriding sound business practice, and the instability of the likes of Goering and Hitler are all on the table, writ large, in the story of the Me-264. I think this is where much of the modern historical understanding of the Nazi war effort has to be focused, if it isn't already; the Third Reich achieved what it did in spite of and not because of Hitler's regime. When one considers that Nazi Germany couldn't find its way to delivering any aircraft like the British trio of four-engined bombers (the Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster) nor the American B-17, B-24 and B-29, nor formulate a bombing strategy to replicate the achievements of Bomber Command or the USAAF, it isn't hard to see the fatal limitations of the German war effort. The Me-264 is just one of the 'poster children' of the failures of the Third Reich at war.
In summary this is a specialists' book that is mostly well written. Forsyth documents the story of the Me-264 Amerika Bomber as well as one should expect, and he places this into the wider historical context with great aplomb. This text will not be to everyone's taste, however it is worth reading for those us of engaged with the subject.
August 15, 2015
Sometimes it's great to 'tech-nerd' it a bit. This book is one of the better I have a read. Wonder if the Me 264 really could have made to the east coast of the USA and back? We'll never know
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews