Wings of the Black Cross N°12

Mark Proulx brings historically important photos and a critical narrative to the reader. The contents showcase several types of aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during World War II, fighters and bombers alike. This marks the nineteenth year of publication for the series since Jerry Crandall first released issue Number One in 2003.

Wings of the Black Cross Number Twelve provides sixty-two captioned photos, many published here for the first time. Most of the images reside in the author’s personal collection, though some have been contributed by select individuals. Types include He 123, Bf 109 E, F, F Trop, G-14, the Fw 190 F-8, F and A-7; the Ju 87, Bf 110, He 219, He 115, Fi 156, He 177, Do 17, and Do 217.  The format is maintained with eight color profiles provided at the end. The contents are printed on thirty-six, high quality gloss pages, a standard used throughout the series.

Two areas in the book provide the reader with further study. First, there is a detailed photographic examination of the camouflage and markings of the Fw 190 F-8s of I./SG 151. There is also a slight departure from earlier titles which focused entirely on aircraft. In this issue, the author broadens the narrative by taking a brief look at a German airfield located at Zeltweg, Austria. It was used by the Luftwaffe for the duration of the war in various capacities. Select photos show some of the hangars and derelict aircraft discovered there in 1945, including Ju 87, Ju 88, Do 217 and Bf 110.

Additionally, several Luftwaffe aircraft are presented in RAF markings such as Fw 190, Ta 152, He 177, Ju 88, Bf 109 G-14, Bf 110, Do 335 and Ju 87.