104 View more reviews online:www.airfi xmodelworld.com http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 105ON THE SHELF
BOOKSCOLD WAR PROXY CONFLICT
War of Intervention in Angola
Volume 2
By: Adrien Fontanellaz
ISBN: 978-1-911628-65-1
Price: £16.95 Format: A4
Web: http://www.casematepublishers.co.uk
Helion’s second instalment of
the Angola conflict looks at the
Cuban involvement in this African
nation between 1976-1983 and
concentrates primarily on ground
forces. It builds on the conclusion of
the first publication, which covered
the success of the communist-
backed People’s Movement for
the Liberation of Angola (MPLA)
in the former Portuguese colony.
All principal actors are described
(including the varying numbers
of Cuban battalions deployed to
Angola), along with their motivations
and which countries supported
them, before events are recounted
in chronological order. Key incidents,
such as the MPLA’s internal coup
attempt in 1977 and the attack on
Cangama by the National Union
for the Total Independence of
Angola (UNITA), receive special
attention. The excellent text is
backed throughout by rare and
unpublished period photos, plus a
series of high-quality colour profiles
by Tom Cooper. Modellers with
interests in South African, Cuban or
Angolan subjects will find this series
on the Angolan conflict a veritable
reference/inspiration gold mine.SFD-Day Bombers: The Veterans’
Story
By: Stephen Darlow
ISBN: 978-1-911621-87-4 Price: £25
Format: 240 x 163mm
Web: http://www.grubstreet.co.ukMuch has been written about
the Normandy landings by
Allied forces on June 6, 1944
but Stephen Darlow seeks aslightly different perspective.
The stories of eight crews (five
RAF and three US Army Air
Force) form a core element,
while supporting accounts from
French civilians, RAF and USAAF
air- and groundcrews and army
veterans add a further dimension.
The author interlaces these with
concise explanations of the tactical
and political considerations of
the day, such as the objections by
senior RAF and US commanders
(Harris and Spaatz respectively)
to the use of heavy bombers for
tactical attacks. Similarly, no
punches are pulled when it comes
to the consequences of these
bombing missions, either among
the aircrews or the people on the
ground, and it underlines the grim
reality during 1944, especially
in terms of the inadvertent
civilian casualties. While of use to
modellers, this is aimed mainly at
those with an historical interest in
the air campaign supporting the
Normandy landings. SFAIR ATTACKS ON NORMANDY
TANK HUNTERS AND HOWITZERS
Sturmgeschütz III and
Sturmhaubitze 42
By: Vyacheslav Kozitsyn
ISBN: 978-1-908032-19-5
Price: £21.99 Format: 210 x 285mm
Web: http://www.panzerwrecks.comWhen it comes to German armour,
and especially damaged, captured
or otherwise wrecked machines,
few publishers come close to
Panzerwrecks for attention to detail.
The first volume of its Ostfront
Warfare Series covers the Panzer
III-based anti-tank and assault
guns, which mounted a large-
calibre weapon in a casemate-style
structure. There were two main
types, the Sturmgeschütz (StuG) and
Sturmhaubitze (StuH), which were
employed in the tank-hunter and
assault support roles respectively,
and their low height made them
relatively difficult to target.
Most of the splendid black and white
photos have not been published
previously, and offer superb
views of these vehicles. They areaccompanied by in-depth captions,
providing a wealth of information
on the specific variant (or features
thereof, if just a partial StuG or StuH
is portrayed), and context. These
are supplemented by six specially
commissioned artworks by renowned
illustrator Felipe Rodna, which add
an appreciation of the camouflage
schemes and overall finishes to the
mix. Whether it’s a standalone model
or complex diorama scene, there is
something for every modeller within
the 113 pages, although the second
type predominates, notably with
examples of destroyed vehicles. SF113 pagesFLYING EXPERIMENTS
72 pages288 pagesBritish Military Test and Evaluation
Aircraft: The Golden Years
1945-1975
By: Malcolm V Lowe
ISBN: 978-1-526746-71-9
Price: £16.99 Format: A4
Web: http://www.pen-and-sword.co.ukFlightcraft has deviated from its
usual style for an examination of
British military aviation ingenuity.
Instead of mixing history with kit
builds, this subject is broken down
chronologically, with a chapter
devoted to each decade and the
challenges of pushing speed/
altitude envelopes or eking the
most out of existing designs. In
a further change, this volume
is predominantly focused on
the colours and markings worn
by the aircraft, with numerous
profiles from Mark Rolfe, covering
jet-, rocket- or hybrid-powered
machines. It includes such gems
as the Prone Meteor, Handley
Page HP.88 and Fairey FD.2
(which broke the world airspeed
record in 1956 before being usedin the Concorde development
programme). From a modeller’s
perspective, this is a treasure
trove of information, and ‘what-if’
enthusiasts will find masses of
inspiration. However, there are
several jarring inconsistencies
between the text and diagrams
that lend this volume an air of
being two separate projects
blended together, reinforced by the
irregular breaks in the narrative
flow to accommodate profiles. SF80 pages