| This book, produced for Midland by the Classic team, continues their recent range of titles dealing with the history of individual branches of the Luftwaffe in World War 2 which has already covered bomber, maritime and ground attack squadrons. This latest two part work provides a study of another significant arm of the Luftwaffe that has been largely overlooked, the Aufklärungsflieger or reconnaissance units. Although such operations are sometimes erroneously perceived as being of secondary importance due to their apparent lack of an offensive function, the Luftwaffe was very advanced in its espousal of the importance of the doctrine of reconnaissance and fully understood its benefits. In fact no single arm of the Luftwaffe operated such a wide number of aircraft types and many of the operations conducted by the Aufklärungsflieger units were of vital importance to the German war effort. This first volume will cover the aircraft and operations of the reconnaissance units from their origins in clandestine survey and photographic work over Poland and the United Kingdom in the late 1930s through to their first operational use during the Spanish Civil War. When the Second World War began, the Aufklärungsflieger were involved on every front where the Luftwaffe fought. They were active in skies across Europe, from Poland in the east to Britain in the west. They also played their part in the invasions of the Balkans and Russia. On the Russian and Mediterranean fronts, short-range reconnaissance usually involved lowlevel missions over enemy territory using the ubiquitous Fieseler Fi156 Storch and Hs126 biplanes, though Bf109s and Fw190s were also employed on such activities. Also included in this book will be an overview of the related 'Wekusta' or weather reconnaissance units, responsible for the collection of meteorological data where, because of the proximity of the enemy, normal land-based observation was not available. These units were assigned directly to the Meteorological Service of the Luftwaffe High Command and were considered very valuable assets. In the style of the already published and very successful Jagdwaffe, Kampfflieger, Nachtjager, Transporter and Zerstorer series, this latest addition to the range will be welcomed by the many modellers aviation enthusiasts and historians who are still absorbed by the activities, colours and markings of the Luftwaffe, throughout the Second World War.
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