Scale aviation modeller international

Eights and

Nines

SERIES: Airliner Series

PUBLISHER: Aero Research Company

C AT. NO:. 2013

http://www.AeroResearchCDs.com

W

hen it comes to

coverage, airlines

and civil aviation

always seem to be the poor

relations to Second World War

Luftwaffe subjects, so it’s good

to see this being redressed,

even in a small way, with this

disc. Concentrating on DC-8s

and DC-9s, the disc has images

from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, and

includes coverage of airlines from

around the world. The images

from the 1960s are superb and

rival modern photographs. All

of the images are in colour.

If you are looking for some

references for your latest airline

build, then look no further!

My thanks to Aero Research

for supplying this disc for review.

TMU-S

Tornado GR1

An Operational History

AUTHOR: Michael Napier

YEAR: 2017

PUBLISHER: Pen and Sword Aviation

ISBN: 978-1-47387-302-5

FOR M AT: 251 pp Hardback

T

he subject matter of this

book is precisely what

it says on the cover: an

operational history of the Tornado

GR1, from its introduction by IX Sqn

in 1982 to when it was succeeded

by the GR4. Only RAF service is

covered – implied in the title, as

only the RAF knew the aircraft as

a “GR1” – and only the GR1 and

GR1A, not the F3 nor the GR4.

Starting with a brief account of

the type’s development, the main

part of the book takes the reader

from the early 1980s and the Cold

War through to the final days in Iraq,

via the end of the Cold War and the

First Gulf War. The very readable

text gives an interesting insight

into the Tornado’s capabilities, and

life in a squadron for the crews who

flew and maintained it. There are

ample photographs, all of which are

relevant, and many of which will

be useful to modellers for showing

paint finishes and weathering.

The appendices include a series

of colour profiles illustrating

squadron markings of the

operational units, and a list of

all Tornados by serial number

and their eventual fate.

Michael Napier is himself a

former RAF Tornado pilot, and

the foreword is written by another

former Tornado pilot, the current (at

the time of writing this) Chief of the

Defence Staff, ACM Sir Stuart Peach.

In addition to his own knowledge

and experiences, the author has

drawn on both public and other

records, and interviews with former

Tornado air and ground crews, to

produce a very interesting, readable

and comprehensive history.

Thanks to Pen & Sword

Books Ltd for the review copy.

MJC

Inside RAF WWII Fighter

Instrument Panels

AUTHOR: Dariusz Karnas

YEAR: 2017

PUBLISHER: MMP Books

ISBN: 978-83-65281-62-3

FOR M AT: 39pp Hardback

T

he latest book in the

Inside... series takes a

look RAF Second World

War fighter aircraft instrument

panels. The book opens with

a short introduction, before

moving on to look at the

following panels in detail:

Spitfire Vc, Hurricane MkI,

P-51B Mustang III, Defiant,

Beaufighter VI, and Mosquito

MK VI. Each section starts with

a short text on the fighter, with

a photo of the real thing, then

displays full-colour full-page

artwork of the instrument

panel itself, which is then

followed by 1/1 images of each

individual instrument.

If you are looking for that

little bit of extra detail for your

model, or you are interested in

Second World War instruments,

then this book will be just

what you are looking for!

My thanks to Mushroom

Model Publications for

supplying this book for review.

TMU-S

American Aircraft

Development of WWII

Special Types 1939-1945

AUTHOR: Bill Norton

YEAR: 2016

PUBLISHER: Crecy Publishing

ISBN: 9780859791885

FOR M AT: 251 pp Hardback

A

fter the First World War,

aircraft development

almost stood still for a

number of years. A combination

of war weariness and the

economic circumstances of

the 1920s and 1930s meant

that by the late 1930s, neither

technical development nor

tactics had moved on very

much in many countries.

This included the USA.

This book, written by a flight

test engineer who has worked

as such in both the military

and civilian spheres, covers the

development of American aircraft

for the United States military –

both Army Air Corps and US Navy

• during WWII. It leaves aside the
  bombers, fighters, and gliders
  (which have been covered in
  previous books in the series). and
  concentrates on what it describes
  as “special” types. These are the
  types that are often seen as less
  “glamorous” or interesting by
  many, but which nevertheless
  perform a vital role, with an
  emphasis on experimental
  and unproduced types.
  After an introduction and
  an opening chapter which set
  the scene, subsequent chapters

cover floatplanes, photo-

reconnaissance types, tactical and

strategic transports, rotorcraft,

(both autogyros and early

helicopters), airborne targets,

and drones. A final chapter

summarises the work, shows

the way for future development,

and presents conclusions.

The well-written text is

supplemented by data tables

where appropriate, and is liberally

illustrated with contemporary

photographs. There is also a

glossary, a comprehensive set

of endnotes, and an index.

If you are interested in US

aircraft, or indeed aircraft

development in general, this

book is worth obtaining.

I learnt a lot from it.

Thanks to Crecy Publishing

for the review copy.

MJC

BOOKS & MEDIA

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