GUERRILLA NIGHTMARE, Luftwaffe Stukas over Yugoslavia 1941-45 (Kagero 2018)

The Junkers Ju87 Stuka is synonymous with screaming sirens and bombs falling sound. For the lightly armed Yugoslavian partisan forces it meant despair, defeat and in a lot of cases, death. For the five long years Stuka units in the Balkan theater have come and gone, depending on the Axis war fortunes. They did not have permanent bases, as was the case with NSGR. 7 for example, but the bomb loads that the Ju 87 carried and the precision to deliver them, was the wining combination. In all major military operations in Yugoslavia against Tito’s forces, Stuka was an element which was always included in commander’s plans. In September 1943 Stukas spearheaded the defeat of the Italian forces, since German land forces were few in numbers. Until the last day of WW II in Yugoslavia, Stuka was on the first line of fire even against a strong foe such as the Red Army.

The authors of this book, Guerrilla Nightmare by Lovro Persen and Mario Raguz, had considered writing a book specifically dedicated to the Luftwaffe over Yugoslavia but the information available was most suitable for a book about the Stuka equipped units flying against Tito.

After a brief introduction we learn about the Operations Weiss and Schwarz (1943), Operations in Summer of 1943, Battle for Dalmatia (Sept. 1943), training & fighting, operation Ball Lightning – Unternechmen Kugelblitz, Aerodromes under attack, operation Knight’s Move, supporting Wehrmacht withdrawal, battles for Belgrade, Aircraft Markings & Camouflage, Appendices with lists of identified Stukas in Yugoslavia & Bibliography. The last pages are full with 20 beautiful color profiles of Ju87 Stuka in various camouflage schemes (mainly German, some Italian and few Romanian).

The book is full of many excellent black and white action photographs of Ju87 Stukas in various Yugoslavian geographical areas, complete with explanatory captions.

Two pages of glossary & abbreviations are also included and are very helpful.

The text is in English, very well written. 150 pages in total, with quality sewn binding and hardcovers.

The authors give us interesting information about the strength of Stuka and other german aircraft Squadrons, describing their anti-partisan missions over many towns and villages, along the actions of the guerrillas.

Many of the photos will be particularly useful to the modeller, as they show the Stuka in various scenes of rearming, destroyed on the ground or formation flying. Some superb ideas for dioramas…

All in all a highly recommended modelling and historical reference, unique in its kind.

You can find and order it here.