Casemate Publisher is distributing a book from Helion & Companion Publishers on “The Folgore Parachute Division, Operations in North Africa 1940-43”. The author has done extensive research on the topic and each chapter is profusely referenced.

Each chapter describes a very clearly defined period of time of the Division and has the very logical breakdown, as follows:

• Recruitment and Training
• Malta
• Major Operations prior to El Alamein
• Operation “Lightfoot”
• Tunisian Campaign, 1943
• Conclusion: Folgore – An Assessment

It also includes two appendices covering the Order of Battle and a list of recipients of the Gold Medal for Military Valor.

The R35 was a small, light infantry tank that was originally designed by Renault for the French Army. After the fall of Paris, many of these tanks were captured and pressed into service by the German forces. These were used as either second line tanks or they were modified for other rolls. The particular vehicle covered by this new kit from Hobby Boss covers a vehicle that has been modified to carry the 3.7cm Pak 35/36.

This is my first exposure to the Middle East at War series. This paperback book contains the history of the Iraqi Air Force from its inception up to the Arab/Israeli Wars of the 1970s. It contains over 130 photos, maps, 21 color profiles, and various other illustrations.

The book starts out by providing the history of Iraq, even before the genesis of the air force. This historical background is appreciated since the history of the region has an effect on the formation of the military, especially the air force. The start of air power in the region was shown by the British during WWI And immediately afterwards. Training of Iraqi pilots began in 1930 by the British and with that the beginning of the Iraqi Air Force took hold.