Urbanke, Axel Das Lehrgeschwader 1

Der Mittelmeereinsatz 1941/1942 in seltenen Farbdias und ausgewählten Schwarz/weiß-Fotos

The book is a collection of images and text. It brings together two sets of color slides created by Training Wing 1. One was taken by a war correspondent, the other by an observer of a particularly successful crew. Over 100 color slides show the operations and life of the 1st and 2nd Groups of LG 1 during their deployment in the Mediterranean in 1941/1942. The photos show the Balkan campaign, the airborne landing on Crete, missions against Malta and in North Africa, and the combat against naval targets. Aircraft paint schemes and markings, which until now have only been known from black-and-white photos, can be seen in color in this book. This allows many assumptions and previous information about the colors of the LG 1 aircraft to be corrected or supplemented. Color side views show what the aircraft actually looked like. Some completely unknown gems provide model builders with great ideas for building the Ju 88. Who knows about Capt. Helbig's aircraft with its large personal lettering? But the volume does not only show the Ju 88s of LG 1. The accompanying fighter and destroyer aircraft, as well as the Stukas and other units involved in the missions, can also be seen in color, some with rare camouflage paint schemes. The book is therefore more than just a publication about fighter pilots; it is rather a volume about the Mediterranean theater of war with a focus on LG 1. The text section briefly covers the overall events, as these have already been dealt with in other LG 1 publications. Instead, it provides new information and diary excerpts that go beyond what was previously known. It also includes biographies of the two color photographers and the few war correspondents who photographed LG 1.