U-Boot Im Focus No.13

Start-Verlag

Reviewed by Mark Davies

U-Boot Im Focus #13 is available online from Squadron.com

"U-Boot Im Focus" is a German magazine focussed on all aspects of German U-boat operations of WW2. It has dual German English text in the printed copy, and there is a French translation downloadable as a PDF (without images) from Luftfahrtverlag START’s website.

The series is issued three times per year with the support of archives, private collectors and well-known experts in the field. Most of the photos that illustrate each edition have never before been published, and they are supplemented by informative captions and well-researched articles on all aspects of U-boat operations. The focus of the articles is on lesser-known facts and events. Each edition therefore offers exclusive reading material and unique illustrations. The illustrations are of generous size and the highest quality, printed on glossy paper.

Each edition contains approximately 50 pages, with about 60 photos including several in colour, plus 2 to 3 colour side-views and drawings of conning towers.

The issue reviewed here consists of 50 pages, with 52 photos (4 in colour), 2 colour U-boat profiles, a coloured ‘Crossing the Line’ certificate, and map.

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Following a brief editorial and readers’ forum are these articles:

•  Type II Boats: Brief photo-essay article featuring training boats.

•  Conning Towers: A lengthy and detailed article concerning the so-called ‘Le Spezia’ conning tower used on Mediterranean boats, their variations and armaments. Numerous superb and quite large photo images support this article, as well as a nicely rendered coloured profile by Juanita Franzi, whose work may be familiar to aircraft enthusiasts.

•  Colour Photos: A full-page crisp coloured photo and a smaller monochrome image of late-war U-boats with armoured personnel boxes in their conning towers.

•  Camouflage Experiments on Type II A boats (U-1 to U-6): An article taking several pages with good photos and another colour rendering by Juanita Franzi.

•  Unknown Emblems: A photo featuring a black lion emblem on the conning tower of a Type VIIC boat, with an inquiry seeking more information on the boat concerned.

•  Documents: An image of a hand coloured and typed ‘Crossing The Line” certificate from U-862’s voyage to Penang, Malaysia, in 1944.

•  Pennants: Article and photos about the victory pennants of U-201 and the sinking the passenger steamer, the ‘Avilla Star’ in 1942. Several pages deal with the controversial sinking of this ship.

•  Photos with a Story: A few pages dealing with U-35’s collision with the ‘Admiral Graf Spee’. This includes very good images of the damage the U-boat suffered as the pocket battleship’s screws cut into the boat’s external casing and forward deck, which it fortunately survived, as the pressure-hull was undamaged.

•  Unusual: A brief article explaining why the crew of U-575 are shown parading on deck wearing sweaters emblazoned with the name ‘Lilliput’ across their chests.

•  Explosion Aboard U-67: A brief article concerning an unexplained explosion whilst loading torpedoes after having earlier damaged the submerged boat when it hit the keel of one of its victims.

•  U-667’s ‘Gluck Auf’ Emblem: Brief text and photos concerning the boat’s emblem.

The print quality of the magazine is very good and the English text most readable (I cannot comment on the German text or downloadable French translation). I found the articles informative, and the accompanying photos most interesting. The few colour illustrations are also good quality and nicely executed.

The magazine is sold individually or by annual subscription (3 issues). There are various surface or airmail options for three geographical zones, and different prices for bank transfer/cash or payment by Paypal. 

U-boot Im Focus is a high quality magazine with some unique content that will make it a “must have” for many U-boat aficionados. Whilst it is undoubtedly a specialist magazine, its content should still whet the appetite of those with a passing interest in the subject.

Thanks to Start Verlag for the sample

U-Boot Im Focus is available online from the Start website

Review Copyright © 2016 by Mark Davies
This Page Created on 6 September, 2016
Last updated 6 September, 2016

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