German U-boats were the scourge of Allied merchant and military shipping in the Atlantic during World War II, threatening to isolate and then starve the UK out of the war. As Germany's war against the Allied convoys intensified in late 1943, German Admiral Karl Dönitz called upon the Luftwaffe to provide a long-range spotting and shadowing unit to act as 'eyes' for his U-boats. Equipped with big, four-engined Junkers Ju 290s fitted out with advanced search radar and other maritime 'ELINT' (electronic intelligence) devices, Fernaufklärungsgruppe (FAGr) 5 'Atlantic' undertook a distant, isolated campaign far out into the Atlantic and thousands of miles away from its home base in western France. The information generated and reported back to Dönitz's headquarters was vital to the efforts of the U-boats, and FAGr 5's 'shadowing' missions were assigned priority in terms of skilled crews, supplies and equipment.

This book tells for the first time the fascinating story of the formation and operations of FAGr 5 'Atlantik', drawing on never-before-published historical records of the unit that accounted for the reporting and destruction of thousands of tons of Allied shipping.

"[Shadow over the Atlantic] is significant in telling the story of [the Battle of the Atlantic] from the point of view of the German maritime reconnaissance flyer, whose story has never before been told outside the official records. The history through to the war's end is thoroughly covered, appealing to both naval and aviation enthusiasts alike." - WWII History Magazine

"This is a story never told in such detail, enhanced by a folio of interesting photos, as well as several color profiles of these unusual planes." - The Hook Magazine, Journal of Carrier Aviation

". . . bridges a significant gap in late-war aviation. The story has never been told in such detail. The book contains a folio of interesting photos, as well as several profiles of these unusual German aircraft and the men who flew them." - Peter Mersky, Naval Aviation News

Robert Forsyth is an author, editor and publisher, specialising in military aviation and military history. After working in the shipping industry, he co-founded a publishing and book production business in 1995 which has produced some 250 illustrated reference books on military aviation, armoured warfare, vintage motor sport, history, biography and wildlife.

He is the author of more than 30 books, including over 25 titles for Osprey Publishing, on the aircraft, units and operations of the Luftwaffe, an interest he has held since boyhood, and he has been consulted for television on the same subject. He has written articles for The Aviation Historian, Aerojournal, Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News, Combat Aircraft, and FlyPast and he is a member of the Editorial Board of The Aviation Historian.