The Indian Air Force celebrates 90 years of existence in October 2022. As the fourth largest air force in the world, and one of the few with nuclear capability, the subject is interesting and important both historically and in the context of its future role on the global stage. Its position in Asia, sharing a border with China, only serves to heighten the significance of this air service.

The book’s title, Allied Victory Over Japan 1945, is a little misleading as the first, very detailed chapter delves into the strategic overview of the Pacific and Asian War with the Japanese blitzkrieg beginning in December 1941 through 1942. The Japanese victories in China, the Dutch East Indies, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaya, New Guinea, the Solomon, Mariana and Marshall Islands and the Philippines set the stage for this book on a long forgotten and neglected theater of World War II. The author does an amazing job simplifying the complex conditions, multi-national components, and the incredible distances encountered. The more one studies the Pacific War, the deeper the rabbit holes; the author’s strength is making it understandable and relatable. The first two maps alone are worth the price of the book and really help the reader understand the complexities of these campaigns with their vast distances.

From the Acknowledgments,

The Great War Aviation Historical Society is a non-profit UK-based group that publishes the Cross & Cockade International journal four times a year. Issues are available in printed or digital formats. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the “Sopwith Dolphin” monograph, which I reviewed earlier for IPMS/USA. Cross & Cockade International is the sister of the US journal Over the Front.

The book covers the history of the SS Panzer Battalion 501 in the Battle of The Bulge (Ardennes for the Germans). The book is divided into 5 chapters with an Introduction, Conclusion, Notes and Bibliography at the end of the book. Each chapter in turn is divided into individual sections dealing with specific points. The book contains a total of 169 pages, 191 black and white photos, 7 maps and 1 order of battle table. The unit was attached to the 1st. SS Panzer Division Liebstandart Adolph Hitler (LSSAH) another unit of was the 12th. Panzer Division. The goal of the unit was to reach the port of Antwerp and thus divide the Allied units in two. The unit personnel were very experienced. One of the biggest problems the unit had was the great deal of maintenance and mechanical problems that plagued the unit.

New from Tempest Publishing is a great book covering the Davis Monthan AFB Scrap yards and this volume focuses on the 1980’s. the book starts with an introduction and Mr. Robson goes into his love of the fields and there is a great overall shot of the many planes stored and dismantled there.

One of the first things I learned was that there are multiple actual scrapping and recovery facilities. The book is actually broken down by these and follows a path around the yards. The chapters include the following: