Scale aviation modeller international

US Navy and Marine Carrier Based

Aircraft of the Second World War

Digital Book for Kindle and I Pad

AUTHORS: Bert Kinsey and Rock Roszak

PUBLISHER: Detail and Scale

I

am a big fan of the Detail and

Scale digital book series and

this one is no exception. When

used with my iPad they offer so

much more than a conventional

book, in particular the ability

to enlarge the photographs to

full screen and then use the

pinch and expand gestures to

zoom in on areas of interest.

The latest title is a bit misnamed

as it covers far more than just

the aircraft that flew from the

US Navy’s carriers during the

Second World War. Have you

heard of the Curtiss Stingaree or

the Kaiser Fleetwings XBTK-1?

Each of these prototype aircraft

gets a small chapter, as well

as the Grumman Tigercat and

Bearcat, neither of which reached

frontline service before the war

ended (in the Tigercat’s case its

post-war career was limited to

land-based runways). Of course

more famous types like the Hellcat,

Corsair, Dauntless and Avenger all

feature in this title’s 274 pages.

The book is divided into two

sections; the first covers the

fighters, while the second covers

dive bomber and torpedo aircraft.

You also have two appendices,

the first of which supplies details

of US Navy operations, while the

second gives a very good overview

of Navy and Marine markings. I

found the coverage of the pre-war

yellow wings period

and the later war

carrier designation

markings very

enlightening.

The types covered

in this book are

as follows:

FIGHTERS

F2A Buffalo, F4F/

FM Wildcat, XFL

Airabonita, XF5F

Skyrocket, F4U/

FG/F3 A Corsa i r,

XF14C, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat,

F8F Bearcat, XF5U Flying

Pancake, FR Fireball, XF2R Dark

Shark, XF-15C Stingaree.

DIVE AND TORPEDO

BOMBERS

SBC Helldiver, SB2U Vindicator,

XSBA/SBN, SBD Dauntless, SB2A

Buccaneer, SB2C Helldiver, TBD

Devastator, TBF/TBM Avenger,

XTBU/TBY Sea Wolf, XSB2D/

BTD Destroyer, XBTK.

Though each type is not given

the depth of coverage as the Detail

and Scale titles of their main

range, there is enough to make

this a worthwhile addition to the

shelves of anyone with even the

remotest interest in US Navy or

Marine aircraft in World War Two.

This title is also a perfect

introduction to digital books

and I consider it a bargain at just

$9.99. It can be purchased from

the Apple book store for iPad or the

Amazon bookstore for Kindle.

Our thanks to Detail and

Scale for bringing this new

title to our attention

DCF

Finnish Bomber Colours 1939-1945

AUTHORS: Kari Stenman & Karolina

Holda

ILLUSTRATED BY: Karolina Holda

YEAR: 2018

PUBLISHER: Mushroom Model

Publications

ISBN: 978-83-65281-03-6

FOR M AT: 224 pp Hardback

T

he Finnish Air Force could

perhaps be considered

a niche interest among

aircraft modellers; nevertheless,

it has a devoted following, and

with good reason. It is one of

those Air Forces which sourced

their equipment from a number

of countries, meaning that

modellers can build subjects

as diverse as a Hurricane,

Bf 109, MiG-21, and F/A-18

Hornet, to a common theme.

This diversity certainly applied

to bomber types during the

Second World War period, as this

publication from MMP shows. It

covers most bombers used during

the timeframe, from the Fokker

C.X to the Ju 88 via the Blenheim,

Pe-2 and others, and includes

a couple of types not normally

thought of as bombers, namely

the Lysander and the DC-2.

Each chapter of the book

is devoted to one aircraft type

and follows the same format:

a service history; a table

listing each aircraft by serial

number, with dates of service

and hours flown; and a section

on camouflage and markings

applicable to that particular type.

Appendices 1 to 3, between

them, give a general overview

of bomber camouflage, and

include a table of colours

used, giving the Finnish and

English names, FS equivalent,

and the types it was used on.

Two more appendices list

the seven Mannerheim Cross

holders who won this award

in bombers; and all “regiment

bombardments” where a

significant number of squadrons

attacked the same target.

The book is illustrated

throughout with a good

selection of contemporary

photographs, and some very

well-drawn colour profiles.

There is plenty to provide those

interested in the Finnish Air Force

with much useful information

and some great inspiration.

If you’re not interested in the

Finnish Air Force, you probably

will be after reading this book.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Mushroom Model

Publications for the review copy.

MJC

BOOKS & MEDIA

WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2018 • 79

078-79-Books-0918.indd 79 16/08/2018 17:19