[Subnuts]

Amazon won't let me publish my review of Arado Ar 234 Blitz: The World's First Jet Bomber for some reason, so I'll just post it here.

Although I don't have a copy of the Monogram Monarch book published by the same authors in 1992, detailed information on the Arado Ar 234 has always been difficult to come across. Despite being the first operational jet bomber, I've only been able to find a handful on the "Blitz," mostly small monographs, Osprey titles, and books for modelers, compared with hundreds (perhaps even thousands!) of titles on the Me 262 and unbuilt Luftwaffe jet fighters. Needless to say, any serious, in-depth look at the plane is more than welcome at this point.

Like any good Classic title, there's an enormous amount of "good stuff" crammed into this book's 320 pages. Starting with a couple of brief introductory chapters on Arado's history through 1942 and the development of jet engines in Nazi Germany through that year, it proceeds to describe each major variant of the "Blitz" in great depth, with a large number of first-hand accounts and mini-biographies of many of the important figures in the Blitz's development and service. The operational histories of the aircraft in its bomber and reconnaissance guises are quite detailed, as are the chapters on development and flight testing. There's also quite a bit of material on night fighter conversions, testing of captured aircraft, new engines and wings, and unrealized plans to employ the "Blitz" as a guided missile carrier. The appendixes also include a wealth of information, including a list of all known Ar 234s and their Werknummern, call sign, unit code, and final fate, information on camouflage and markings, unit commanders, and excerpts from the pilot's operating instructions.

It's also quite strong on a visual level. There are more than 600 illustrations in total, including rare photos from the flight test program and of the aircraft in action, assembly shots, candid moments with officers, pilots, and ground crews, images of captured aircraft, original technical diagrams, and a few detailed sketches of proposed and unbuilt future variants. We also get quite a few beautiful color plan and profile views by Janusz Swiatlon and a few exterior schematics by Arthur Bentley. Many of the photographs are rather dark and grainy (I suspect the Nazis had bigger priorities than producing high-quality propaganda by the time the Ar 234 entered service!) but are nonetheless priceless historically.

Unfortunately, it also shares some of the same negative qualities of other Classic Publications titles, mostly that it's aimed mostly at Luftwaffe grognards who don't require the same level of hand-holding as we merely very interested folks do. There are no maps, the glossary is woefully incomplete, and thank goodness the internet exists to explain to me the difference between a "Geschwader" and a "Gruppen!" It also feels a little rough around the edges in spots; I understand that J Richard Smith intends for this to be his final book before retiring, so that might explain why.

Although it does expect a greater-than-average familiarity in some areas, this is almost certainly the definitive single-volume "Blitz" book. If you can deal with the expected quirkiness of the format, it's well worth owning.