Book reviews
PRUSSIAN KNIGHTS OF THE AIR
German publisher Luftfahrtverlag START has produced a stunning new book on a lesser-known World War One German fighter unit, along with accompanying decals.
HUNTING BY NIGHT
The first in a two-part series, this Classic Colours volume describes the changes in camouflage worn by Luftwaffe night-fighters between 1939 and 1945, while also providing valuable insight into how these aircraft were designed, organised and operated.
WONKY WING
Known for unconventional designs, German manufacturer Blohm & Voss arguably surpassed itself with the Bv 141, producing an asymmetric design in response to a reconnaissance requirement (eventually filled by the Fw 189).
RUSSIAN CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
The Duke Hawkins series of photo studies is now in its 17th edition, which is devoted to Sukhoi’s Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack aircraft. Packed with high-quality colour photos throughout, it showcases the type magnificently, with examples included from the Soviet Union/Russia, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Belarus and Georgia.
MARITIME 'HOW-TO'
Written by experienced modelmaker Mike McCabe (perhaps better known as the owner of Starling Models), this is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in building maritime subjects.
A RISING POWER
Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov have turned their attention away from their usual Soviet/Russian subjects to focus instead on China’s burgeoning air power as it has transformed from relying on types bought from Moscow with indigenous designs.
STRINGBAGS VS BATTLESHIPS
Renowned naval historian David Hobbs examines the roles and contribution of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm to actions in the Mediterranean during World War Two.
MEDITERRANEAN LEVIATHANS
Comparatively little has been written on Italian warships compared to those of other nations, but this Kagero volume on the Vittorio Veneto-class battleships seeks to address that shortfall.
PINE-PRODUCED PURSUER
While it has been the subject of numerous kits over the years, few MiG-3 offerings have been tooled recently and thus feature minor inaccuracies or generic detailing.
PENINSULA AIR BATTLES
For some reason, the Korean War tends to be overlooked by aviation historians, despite its significance of marking the transition between propeller- and jet-powered aircraft, resulting in the first jet-versus-jet combat.