Heinkel He 219 Uhu

AJ Press, Aircraft Monograph 21

Reviewed by Brett Green

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Established in 1991, AJ Press of Poland publishes books appropriate for both history buffs and modellers alike.

The latest book in AJ Press's "Aircraft Monograph" series is entitled Heinkel He 219 Uhu.

The Heinkel He 219 is a fascinating aircraft, but there have been relatively few books published on the subject. I have found that previous publications have been somewhat ambiguous and unclear about important aspects of the aircraft.

I am pleased to report that this new book from AJ Press is concise and specific as it covers the history and description of Heinkel He 219 variants.

AJ Press's He 219 book comprises 96 pages between soft covers in A4 format.

The text commences with a developmental history of the German night fighter in general and radar, through to the birth of the heinkel He 219, prototypes, testing and production versions. Planned variants and projects are also covered. This 40 page section is peppered with wartime photos and relevant plans to illustrate the text.

Next comes seven pages, mainly of photos, showing the Heinkel He 219 in Allied hands.

Operational history follows, with eleven pages of text and wartime images.

Two pages describing camouflage and markings, plus 11 pages of technical drawings and workshop photos wrap up the main body of the book.

14 pages of walkaround photos show the National Air and Space Museum's airframe in the late stages of restoration. Several photos of the completed fuselage are also included. These are nice quality photos in full colour.

The book is wrapped up with nine pages of attractive colour profiles covering prototypes, operational aircraft, captured examples and the Heinkel He 219 in post-war Czech service.

In my opinion, AJ Press' Heinkel He 219 book is the most straightforward and concise publication on this fascinating night fighter available to date. Although it might not represent a comprehensive operational history, it will be an ideal companion to the modeller and aviation enthusiast.

Thanks to Air Connection for the review sample.