The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a high-performance airplane produced in small numbers that appeared late in the war. It was the culmination of a research and development program that brought together an advance high-performance engine within an innovative airframe. These, in conjunction with an entirely new wing, allowed the Ta 152 to outperform its contemporaries at all altitudes. Presented are five enlightening and lavishly illustrated chapters, each woven around a twelve month period beginning in 1941. Read about test pilots and operational crews who flew the fighter into combat. Too, learn why the Germans rushed the Ta 152 into production while at the same time it was undergoing continuous testing and evaluation. Only one example of the Ta 152 survives and is part of the unrestored collection of WW2 fighters at the National Air and Space Museum. Many of the photos in this title have never been previously published. The descriptive line drawings offer complete three views, sectionals, charts, detail views and general arrangement drawings including maps. Full color profiles by leading illustrators detail camouflage and markings as interpreted from the provided photos. Four appendices include: camouflage, insignia and markings; production and Werknummern; specifications, weights, performance and equipment; pilot operating instructions and systems.   This history of the Ta 152 and its lesser known cousin the Ta 153 is also a colorful journey into the Third Reich. It occurs in a time when the political and military interests of the dictatorship were clouded under a veil of self-deception. It is a story of strong rivalries, of divided loyalties and outright survival, all of which ultimately proved disastrous for the Nazi regime. This story also addresses a cast of characters that include the chief of state, his deputies, and the chief executive officers of competing aircraft companies, designers, engineers, test pilots and front-line fighter units.