GERMAN AIRCRAFT OF WORLD WAR 2 in colour

This magnificent book - which contains so many beautiful illustrations, some profiles and photographs as well - depicts aircraft in service in the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Aviation book
The Luftwaffe of Nazi germany possesses a mystique unrivalled by any other military air arm in aviation history. From boasting a front line strength of nearly 4,200 aircraft in 1939, the Luftwaffe lay defeated six years later - outfought and outbombed by superior Allied power.
German Aircraft in Colour 1939 - 1945 presents in a new exciting format a convenient ’ ready reckoner ’ on this popular subject, illustrating more than 100 principal types of aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the war period, more than 60 of them in colour, and containing a concise text giving the background of their development and operational use. Technical data is presented in a manner which makes it simple to compare one type with another without intruding upon the main narrative. The background to the text is provided by a unique mixture of colour artwork, line drawings, and black and white and colour photographs. Not only ’ setting the scene ’, they also illustrate clearly the colours and markings of the Luftwaffe by key coding each colour painting to internationally accepted colour standards. ( ... )

Kenneth George ’ Ken ’ Munson ( October 29th, 1929 - January 2nd, 2015 ) was educated at Eltham College ( London, England ). ’ Ken ’ then worked in the Air Ministry from 1945 to 1959, most importantly on the Joint Services Aircraft Recognition Journal, before turning to aviation journalism as a career.
He left the Civil Service on being informed he was to be posted to an Accounts Section ( ’ to gain more experience, the Civil Service said ’ ). He worked, initially, for Rainbird ( a publications packaging company) but it was through his work on the Ian Allan ABC - series of softback books that many readers first came across ’ K.G. Munson ’. A text commissioned by the company on German and Italian aircraft of WW2 was deemed unsatisfactory and incomplete. After a recommendation from John W.R. Taylor ( for whom he would later work on J.A.WA. ), ’ Ken ’ was approached to overhaul it and bring it up to the required standard. The text was virtually re - written and published as Enemy Aircraft ( German and Italian ) of WWII by K.G. Munson in 1960.
’ Ken ’ went on to compile more of these ABC - series, later brought together as a hardback, and was responsible for over 40 books and many more part - works on various aspects of aviation, past and present. As well as Ian Allan, ’ Ken ’ worked with Blandford Publications, Profile Publications and Putnams.
’ Ken ’ joined the compiling team of Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft in 1968, becoming its Assistant Editor in 1973 and then Deputy Editor ( 1990 - 2014 ). Here are some of his publications : Fighters and bombers of World War II, 1939 - 1945 ( 1966 ), Fighters 1939 - 45 : Attack and Training Aircraft ( 1969 ), Airliners between the Wars, 1919 - 39 ( Blandford Colour Series, with John W. Wood, 1972 ), Combat helicopters since 1942 ( 1986 ), World unmanned aircraft ( 1988 ).
Kenneth G. ’ Ken ’ Munson passed away peacefully, at the age of 86.
( sources : Royal Aeronautical Society, goodreads, BIBLIO. com )