The striking appearance of Luftwaffe’s Mistel Composite attack aircraft might seem ridiculous to modern eyes, but employed correctly, these original ‘fire and forget’ weapons were devastatingly effective, as Allied sources testify.

This book draws on a wealth of first-hand reports and revealing contemporary photographs to tell the full, strange story of the Mistel units. They were the product of a remarkable mix of desperation and innovation, and were actually grounded in a pre-war, non-military practise – the mounting of one aircraft atop another was initially conceived to extend the ranges of passenger and mail-carrying aircraft. But as early as 1942, German planners saw the potential for use as a guided missile, and by the end of the war, the sight of a Ju-88 lashed to a BF 109 or FW 190 fighter bearing down on an Allied target was not as rare as one might expect.

This is a comprehensive account of the Mistel units, from their design and development, through the first deployments at D-Day, to the last, desperate missions against key bridges on the Oder and the Neisse in the final weeks of the war.

Robert Forsyth has studied the history and operations of the Luftwaffe for many years, and is the author of numerous books, For Osprey Publishing, he has written Jagdverband 44 and Jagdgeschwader 7 (Elite Units); Fw 190 vs B-17 (Duel); Aces of the Legion Condor and Luftwaffe Viermot Aces (Aces); and Me 262 Bomber and Reconnaissance Units (Combat Aircraft). Based in East Sussex, he runs an aviation and military publishing business.

Jim Laurier is a native of New England, growing up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has been drawing since he could hold a pencil and has worked in many mediums, creating artwork on a variety of subjects. He has worked on the Osprey Aviation list since 2000, and in that time he has produced some of the finest artwork seen in these volumes.