I’d like to thank Osprey Publishing for offering this book to be reviewed, and I’d like to thank IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it.

The Petlyakov Pe-2 was an interesting and formidable aircraft widely used by the Soviets against the Germany army during WW II. Originally designed as a high-altitude fighter by Vladimir M. Petlyakov while he was in prison, the Pe-2 became the standard tactical bomber of the Soviet air force. The twin-engined aircraft was used as a light bomber, a dive-bomber, a heavy fighter, a ground attack aircraft, a night fighter, and a reconnaissance aircraft. It was fast, maneuverable, and rugged. These attributes, along with its versatility, made it the most produced twin-engine combat aircraft ever. When production ended in 1945 over 11,400 Pe-2's had been built. Its two 1,260 hp liquid-cooled V-12s carried the 3-man crew to a speed of 360 mph, an altitude of 28,800 feet, and to a range of 720 miles. Its armament consisted of machine guns and cannons, which varied as to model. Its payload topped out at 3,500 pounds. The Pe-2 would serve on all major fronts for the Soviets, but nowhere did it have more impact than on the Soviet’s western front against the Germans.

Osprey Publishing's new release Pe-2 Guards Units of World War 2 is not so much about the Petlyakov Pe-2 as it is about the units that flew them. It is obvious, however, that flying such a high performance and versatile aircraft of the day contributed greatly to the units being named Guards units. But wait, what is a Guards unit?

Quoting partially from the book, "Guards formations first appeared in the Red Army on 18 September 1941 in commemoration of the successful counterattack outside Yelna where for the first time so far in the Great Patriotic War German troops were beaten back." The units involved in this action were recognized for their heroic efforts and awarded Guards status, and were thus considered to be elite units. This term and recognition went back to Czarist traditions. So it was on December 6, 1941, that the People's Commissar of Defense decreed that six Soviet Air Force units be awarded the Guards title for the part they played in the defense of Moscow and Leningrad.

Authors Dmitriy Khazanov and Aleksander Medved have broken their work down into six chapters and an appendix. The first chapter is about the development of the Pe-2. The remaining chapters are about the various Guards bomber, recon, and navy units. For example, Chapter 2 is entitled Guards Bomber Air Regiments. In this chapter, the authors discuss eight regimental air units, providing a short history of each and, in some cases, exciting combat stories. The remaining chapters follow this same format.

Scattered through out the book are small black and white photographs of the Pe-2 in action and on the ground. There are also a number of photographs of the personnel who flew and maintained the Pe-2. There are even a couple of period drawings taken from air force manuals depicting typical bombing tactics. What really makes this book, however, are the ten pages containing 30 beautiful color profile drawings of the Pe-2. Depicted are planes from different groups, locations, and times shown in different paint schemes and camouflage patterns. The appendix contains a brief history of each aircraft and a three-view line drawing of the Pe-2.

This book affords the reader a glimpse into the Soviet side of the air war. It also provides the modeler with some excellent reference material. All in all, this is a book worth the price and deserving of two thumbs up.

Thanks again to Osprey Publishing and IPMS/USA for the review sample.