One of the lesser known air forces of WWII is that of Slovakia, a country formed by the German invasion of early 1939. When the Germans went to war with the Soviets, it was 'requested' that the Slovaks provide military units to help in the fighting. One of those was 13 squadron of the Slovak Air Force.

This unit had been formed from the combining of several other ex-Czech squadrons whose aircraft were in Slovak territory, so their main equipment was the B.534, a fine, but obsolescent aircraft. After some use of this aircraft, it was obvious that something newer was needed so Slovakia bought a number of what they assumed were relatively new Bf-109E-7s. After training pilots in Germany, these men brought home the planes they had been training on; mostly worn out 109E-2/3/4/7 aircraft. But they were the most modern aircraft available.

Pilots of this unit fought in JG 52 on the eastern front. When the 109Es were determined to be outclassed, these men used standard German 109G aircraft, sending the Es home for air defense. The only markings that differentiated the Slovak Gs from regular Luftwaffe planes was the national colors on the tip of the spinner.

The men of this unit were initially quite successful with a number of aces and a considerable number of victories to their credit. Though morale suffered as the war situation worsened, for the most part, they continued to fight. Eventually some defected to the Russians while others fought with the Slovak Uprising in 1944.

Though their feats were denigrated or ignored by the Communist regime, their story is told in full as it is now known in these pages. As with other Mushroom Model titles, it is lavishly illustrated with period photos and a goodly number of superb color profiles. A full appendix that includes victories and losses is also in with the book.

It is a superb read of a part of the war that few realize took place. A book I know you will enjoy reading and one I can highly recommend.

November 2007

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