One of the latest in Mushroom Model Publications’ White Series, French Bombers of WWII, follows up an earlier volume on French aircraft, 2013’s French Flying Boats of WWII. MMP is calling this book part of their "Rainbow Series." I am guessing that it refers to their large format camouflage and markings set of books in their "White" series that have addressed Bulgaria, Finland, Hungarian, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, and Sweden. This series seems to share a commonality of discussing the specific topic of the evolution of a country's evolution in markings. To that end, this book utilizes many previously unpublished pictures and focuses on individual aircraft and is supplemented with superb color illustrations.

Jose Fernandez is a renowned aviation historian, with many books in both French and English to his name. His MMP book titles include Potez 63 Family (2008); French Wings No. 2 on the Nieuport-Delage Ni-D 29 & Ni-D 62 Family (2011); Macchi C.200 Saetta (2012); French Wings No. 3 on the Breguet 27, Potez 39, and Mureaux 115/117 (2013); Douglas F3D Skyknight (2014); and French Wings No. 4 on the Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 (2015).

Patrick Laureau is one of the foremost authorities on the Spanish Civil War. His book titles include Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain 1936-1939 (2001); Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain (2010); French Wings No. 4 on the Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 (2015); as well as many other non-English titles.

The book is a nice hardbound edition with a glossy cover and 288 pages on high-quality stock with a matt finish. The text is in English, and although there are a few spelling issues, it is quite readable. The front cover features a color photograph of GB I/15 2^nd Escadrille’s MB.200 in flight. I counted 326 black and white period photographs to go with an additional six period color pictures. Teodor L. Morosanu and Jose Fernandez provide the 134 color side (full page, top to bottom) profiles along with several scrap color illustrations highlighting special markings. Dariusz Karnas contributes 78 line drawings (side, top, and front profiles).

The aircraft addressed in this book can be seen by the following contents:

• From the Editors
• Between the Wars
  • Escadres de Bombardment [Table]
• The War
  • Order of Battle, 10 May 1940 [Table]
  • Order of Battle, 5 June 1940 [Table]
  • French Aviation Firms
• Old Generation Bombers
  • Bloch MB.200
    • Genesis
    • Description
    • Entry into Service [Page 016]
    • To War
    • Under Foreign Flags
    • Czechoslovakia
    • Unique Slovak
    • The Bulgarian Connection
    • A Spanish Mystery
    • The Derivatives
    • MG.200 Specifications [Table]
  • Farman F.221 & F.222
    • F.221
    • F.221 At War
    • F.222
    • GB I/15 and GB II/15 At War
    • African Adventure
    • Farman F.222.2 Specifications [Table]
  • Potez 540
    • In Service In France
    • Defending the Empire
    • Under Vichy Colours
    • The Free French
    • Beyond French Borders
      • Spain
      • Romania
    • The Variants
      • Potez 541
      • Potez 542
      • Potez 543
    • Potez 540/542 Specifications [Table]
  • Bloch MB.210
    • Genesis
    • Technical Description
    • In Combat
      • GB I/11 and GB II/11
      • GB I/12 and GB II/12
      • GB I/19
      • GB I/21 and GB II/21
      • GB I/23 and GB II/23
      • GB I/51 and GB II/51
    • Under Vichy Colours
    • Under Foreign Colours
      • Romania
      • Under the Swastika
      • In Bulgaria
      • In Spain
    • Bloch MB.210 Specifications [Table]
  • Amiot 143
    • Technical Description
    • Genesis and Production
    • Les Branches Mortes (Dead Ends)
    • The Battle of France
      • The Phoney War
        • GB I/34 and GB II/34
        • GB I/38 and GB II/38
      • War In Earnest
      • After the Armistice
    • Amiot 143 Specifications [Table]
  • Bloch MB.131
    • From 130 to 131
    • Technical Description
    • In Service
      • GR I/14
      • GR I/21
      • GR II/22
      • GR I/35
      • GR I/36
      • GR II/36
      • GR I/55
      • GR II/55
      • GR I/61
    • Bloch Assessment
    • Bloch MG.131 Specifications [Table]
• Modern Bombers
  • Farman F.223 / SNCAC NC.223
    • Farman F.223.1: Heavy Heritage
      • Testing and Racing
      • Air France
      • A Short Military Career
    • F.223.3, the Final BN5
      • Back To Civilian Life
    • 223.4: Civilian Warriors
      • Military Service [Page 112]
      • Eight Bombs and a Pair Of Shoes
      • Back To Air France
    • SNAC NC.223 Specifications [Table]
  • Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 / 451
    • Technical Description
    • LeO 45 Versions [Table]
    • Service Entry and Phoney War
    • Two Terrible Months
    • Groupes de Marche
    • The Italian Front
    • The Vichy Era
    • North Africa
    • The Syrian Affair
    • Under the Swastika
    • End Of The Line
    • Lioré et Olivier LeO 451 Specifications [Table]
  • Amiot 351/354 & 370
    • The Amiot 340
    • General Description
    • Failed First Attempt
    • Reconnaissance Modifications
    • The 350 Family
      • Amiot 350 Variants [Table]
      • Entry Into Combat
      • June and Retreat
      • Under the Occupation
      • North Africa
    • Amiot 370
    • Projects and Offshoots
    • Final Reckoning [Page 153
    • Amiot 354 Specifications [Table]
  • Potez 633
    • The Phoney War
    • The French Campaign
    • Chinese, German, Swiss, and Yugoslav Service
    • Greek Potez 633 B2s
    • Romanian Potez 633 B2s
    • The Odessa Campaign
    • On the Eastern Front
    • Potez 633 Specifications [Table]
  • Bloch MB.175
    • Bloch MG.175 Specifications [Table]
• Attack Aircraft
  • Loire-Nieuport LN.411
    • Interesting Technology
    • Initial Tests
    • First Orders
    • Armee de l’Air Orders
    • Into Service
    • AB2, The First Unit
    • AB4’s Long Ordeal
    • Missions in Holland
    • Massacre at Berlaimont [Page 185]
    • Back Into Battle
    • Towards Withdrawal
    • Against Italy
    • African Interlude
    • Withdrawal
    • Final Order
    • Loire-Nieuport LN.411 Specifications [Table]
  • Breguet Bre.691 & Bre.693
    • Concept and Construction
    • Problematic Testing
    • Testing Times
    • Switch to 693
    • Miscellaneous Prototypes
    • 6^eme Brigade
    • Into Combat
    • Groupement n^o 19 Joins the Fray
    • Reinforcements and Rest
    • Campagne de France
    • A Balance
    • In Enemy Colours
    • Breguet Bre.693B2 Specifications [Table]
• Imported Aircraft
  • Douglas DB-7
    • Genesis
    • In Service
    • The French Campaign
    • After the Armistice
    • Torch
    • Groupement Patrie
    • Back to Bombing
    • Douglas DB-7 Specifications [Table]
  • Glenn Martin 167F
    • Genesis
    • Service in France
    • In the Navy
    • The Battle of France
    • Back to Africa
    • Armistice Army
    • The Dakar Affair
    • The Syrian Campaign
    • Operation Torch Allied Renewal
    • Unusual Missions
    • VIP Transport and Liaison
    • Glenn Martin 167F Specifications [Table]
  • Vought V-156F
    • Genesis
    • Series Production
    • Exports
    • In French Service [Page 251]
    • Vought V-156F Specifications [Table]
• Bomber Training Aircraft
  • Bomber Pilots Training
  • Lioré et Olivier LeO 20
    • Improved LeO
    • Lioré et Olivier LeO 20 Specifications [Table]
  • Lioré et Olivier LeO 206 ‘Caravelle’
    • Lioré et Olivier LeO 206 Specifications [Table]
  • Hanriot H-232 [Page 268]
    • Hanriot H-232 Specifications [Table]
• Bomber and Attack Prototypes Under Test in 1939-40
  • Medium and Heavy Bombers
    • Latécoère 570
    • Bloch MB.134
    • Bloch MB.135
    • Bloch MB.162 B5
    • Breguet Bre 482
    • Centre NC. 150
    • CAO 700
  • An Attack Bomber
    • Dewoitine D.770 / D.771
  • A Torpedo Bomber
    • Pierre Levasseur Pl 107 and Pl 108
  • Two Twin-Engined Shipboard Bombers
    • CAO 600 [Page 282]
    • Dewoitine D.750
  • An Outsider
    • Latécoère 299

Jose Fernandez and Patrick Laureau address each French bomber type, including their development and service record. Special circumstances (i.e., “The Dakar Affair”) bring additional insight into the aircraft. Specification tables are available for each major type (see the example below on Page 153). Color profiles from Teodor L. Morosanu and Jose Fernandez are available for nearly all bomber types (see the examples on Pages 016, 113, 185, 251, and 268). Where this is not available, black and white line drawings by Dariusz Karnas support the photographs.

I generally find that most French aircraft are quite unique, and that is true here. The transition from non-aerodynamic slab-sided bombers to the later sleek bombers is evident in this history. One aircraft that has intrigued me over the years, especially since I have kits of it in 1/72 and 1/48, and this is the Loire-Nieuport LN.411. Despite being a dive bomber, I believe I’ve only seen one photograph of the central bomb crutch ever. This feature is normally easily spied on the Junkers Ju. 87 Stuka or the Douglas SBD Dauntless, but that is not the case on the Loire-Nieuport .LN.411. Of course, as noted by the authors, the French considered their bomb crutch to be top secret, so maybe most photographs had this feature airbrushed out? Of course, the US was also concerned about their top-secret bomb crutch on the Vought SB2U Vindicator and refused delivery of the Vought 156 with this bomb crutch technology to the French. The French bought forty Vought 156Fs anyway for their Navy.

This is easily one of the more complete books available in the English language on French Bombers. To really dig deeper on any one type, you will need to brush up on your French and grab some of the French historical periodicals like Avions or Le Fana de l’Aviation. I was extremely impressed with the coverage and quality of this book. Jose Fernandez and Patrick Laureau were able to incorporate a tremendous amount of information and still manage to provide a compelling and readable storyline for each type. To see a video of the book’s contents, check out: http://mmpbooks.biz/ksiazki/333.

My thanks to Casemate, Mushroom Model Publications, and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this excellent book.

Highly recommended!