With the newest addition to the “Pacific Profiles” series, Michael John Claringbould has done it again. A subject matter expert on all things Pacific air war, he brings to us a treasure trove of the B-25 Mitchell series in the WWII Pacific theatre. The Pacific Profiles series presents the most accurate WWII profiles of Allied and Japanese aircraft which served throughout Australia, New Guinea the South Pacific. ThisVolume 14 covers those B-25, PBJ & F-10 Mitchell models which served in these theatres from March 1942 until the end of the war. Mitchells served a total of 21 USAAF bomber and reconnaissance squadrons, plus others were operated by the USMC, RAAF and NEIAF.

As with all books in this series, each chapter starts with an extensive history of the bomber group in question. Multiple aircraft profiles, specific to that group are featured, with a thorough description of each profile added.Most profiles are presented for the first time, alongside markings derivations, including squadron heraldry and codes.

The book is replete with many, many period photos of the aircraft, several of which are color photos. Just about every aircraft in this book have nose art; between the photos and colorful profiles, this alone is worth the price of admission. The writing is succinct and to the point. Factual history and data points, without any fluff.

Chapters include:

• About the Author Glossary and Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Markings and Technical Notes
• Chapter 2 Commander’s B-25s
• Chapter 3 No. 18 (NEIAF) Squadron
• Chapter 4 3rd Bombardment Group & 8th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 5 13th Bombardment Squadron “The Grim Reapers”
• Chapter 6 90th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 7 18th Combat Mapping Squadron
• Chapter 8 22nd Bombardment Group & 2nd Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 9 33rd Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 10 408th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 11 38th Bombardment Group & 71st Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 12 405th Bombardment Squadron “The Green Dragons”
• Chapter 13 822nd Bombardment Squadron “The Black Panthers”
• Chapter 14 823rd Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 15 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron “The Wreckoneers”
• Chapter 16 345th Bombardment Group & 498th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 17 499th Bombardment Squadron “Bats Outa Hell”
• Chapter 18 500th Bombardment Squadron “Rough Raiders”
• Chapter 19 501st Bombardment Squadron “The Black Panthers”
• Chapter 20 69th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 21 70th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 22 75th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 23 100th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 24 390th Bombardment Squadron
• Chapter 25 Miscellaneous USAAF Mitchells
• Chapter 26 USMC PBJ Squadrons
• Chapter 27 No. 2 Squadron RAAF
• Chapter 28 Mortimer’s Many Lives
• Sources & Acknowledgements
• Index of Names

As with every Pacific Profiles issue that I have reviewed, I highly recommend to volume. A terrific resource for the scale modeler and historian, it fills a niche for the medium bomber program in the PTO. If only someone made decals for the incredible markings shown in this book...

My thanks and gratitude to Casemate Publishers and IPMS/USA for this review sample.