Scale Aviation Modeller International – March 2019

Le MS 760 Paris

AUTHOR: Pierre Parvaud

YEAR: 2018

PUBLISHER: Lela Presse

ISBN: 978-2-37468-007-1

FOR M AT: 301pp Hard back

I

was a little

surprised

to see this

book as the

subject matter is

a little esoteric,

certainly in

the modelling

world. Written

in French as

you might

expect, the

book does cover the history of the MS-

760 from its very beginnings, starting

with a mention of the MS-750. There are

some interesting historic photographs

of the MS-755 Fleuret in which you

can see the graceful lines of what was

to become the MS-760 and it appears

early comparisons were made with the

CM-170 Magister and the Cessna T-37.

It is not until Chapter 7 that we start

to see more of the MS-760 as we know it,

starting with service in the French Air

Force. This leads on to the French navy

and other French service before delving

into foreign service. The irst nation

mentioned is Argentina and of speciic

interest to me was the mention of two

aerobatic teams. The Condor team I

had heard of, but not team Toro. There

are also some intriguing pictures of the

aircraft being armed with rockets and

bombs, again something I have never seen

before. Subsequent chapters cover Brazil,

Peru and the Netherlands before delving

into the civil market. Within this section

there is another aerobatic team which

was new to me, that of JetSet Global Fuel.

Now I know aerobatic display teams

aren’t everyone’s subject of choice, but it

is indicative of how in depth this book is

in its coverage. There are photographs

and drawings of schemes and operators to

suit the most diverse of modelling tastes.

The inal sections in the book are the

appendices which include production

lists, fatal accident records, original

publicity material and a small section on

modelling. The only model I have ever

encountered is the Aeroile kit which is

fairly basic but does provide a nice model.

This is clearly a detailed and well

researched book. There are plenty of

photographs and drawings throughout,

although to fully appreciate it, the

ability to read French is essential. It is

presented very clearly and is printed to

a high standard. If you like the lesser

known and less celebrated aircraft

then this is deinitely worth a look.

My sincere thanks to Lela

Presse for the review copy.

Jonathan Davies

Schneider Trophy Seaplanes

and Flying Boats

Victors, Vanquished and Visions

AUTHOR: Ralph Pegram

YEAR: 2012, reprinted 2017

PUBLISHER: Fonthill Media

ISBN: 978-1-78155-179-0

FOR M AT: 352pp Hardback

L

ast month we took

a look at the new

Haynes manual on

the Supermarine S6 and

S6B. This earlier book by

the same author looks at

all of the Schneider Trophy

aircraft from the irst race

in 1912 to the inal race in

1931. The inal chapter takes a
      look at the projects proposed
      for 1932 to 1935, if the race
      hadn’t been won outright
      by the British in 1931.

Each chapter takes

a year of the race and

describes the aircraft

entered or proposed for

it. This book includes

clear three view drawings

and some contemporary

photographs. Whilst the

Schneider Trophy contest

prompted the design of some

of the most beautiful aircraft

to have ever lown, the contest

also prompted the design

of some more ‘interesting’

aircraft... for example the

Piaggio Pegna series of

hydroplanes. A concept series

of designs that certainly

pushed the envelope, with its

rear water screw and front

airscrew, I think calm water

and exceptional pilot skills

would have been called for!

If you have an interest in

the Schneider Trophy and

the aircraft designed and

developed for it, then this

book deserves a place on your

bookshelf. My thanks to

Fonthill Media for reprinting

this book and providing

this sample for review.

TMU-S

Bristol Scout 1264

Rebuilding Granddad’s Aircraft

AUTHOR: David Bremner

YEAR: 2018

PUBLISHER: Fonthill Media

ISBN: 978-1-78155-101-1

FOR M AT: 192pp Hardback

E

very now and then

a book comes in for

review, which demands

to go to the top of the pile and

all other books are put to one

side so it can be read. This is

one such book. As a model

maker I also have a very

keen interest in real aircraft

and I follow the restoration

scene with interest, through

magazines, online and at my

local airield Sywell, which

is rapidly becoming a centre

for Warbird restoration.

However, First World War

aircraft have for a long time

been an interest of mine,

so when I hear of a project

involving Great War aircraft

my ears prick up. This book

is written by David Bremner,

who with a team, built a

‘replica’ of his Granddad’s

Bristol Scout ‘1264’, utilising

the aircraft’s original

control column, rudder bar

and magneto which his

Grandfather had kept. The

Scout ‘replica’ was built

exactly to plans and schedules

and incorporates these parts,

leading me to almost see this

project as the restoration

of an original aircraft and

there are certainly some

‘original’ airframes which

feature less original material!

The book is written in two

parts alternating the story

of the original Bristol Scout

design and its designers

with the story of building

the replica. This way of

telling the story addresses

the previously untold story

of Frank Barnwell and his

brother Harold, who were

pioneer designers and

aviators in their own right

and the development of

what for its time was a very

advanced ‘Scout’ aircraft.

The second part of the

story covers the trials ad

tribulations of building an

accurate copy of a 100-year-

old design and all of the very

diverse skills involved in the

building, from restoring the

magneto to the metal and

woodworking skills involved,

not to mention the sewing

skills! The story culminates

with two very special lights;

the irst to ly from the

airield on the Greek island

of Thassos, 100 years to the

day that David’s Grandfather

lew from the very same

airield and to ly over the

Somme on the Centenary of

the irst day of the battle. I

will let you read the book to

see whether all of the logistics

came together, suice to say

that I really enjoyed reading

this book and found it diicult

to put down. To my eye this

‘replica’ is one of the most

accurate First World War

aircraft lying today, the oil

soaked clear doped linen

inish really adds to this. As I

write ‘1264’ is being recovered

but I am sure it won’t be long

before she picks up the oil

staining that adds so much

to the authentic look.

This book comes highly

recommended if you have

any interest in First World

War aircraft, I now need

to get hold of a Flashback

Bristol Scout kit, or hope that

Wngnut Wings have taken

measurements! My thanks to

Fonthill Media for supplying

this book for review.

TMU-S

78 MARCH 2019 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

BOOKS & MEDIA