MMP was founded in 1996 by Roger Wallsgrove, to publish "Mushroom Model Magazine". This quarterly modelling magazine was developed from "Mushroom Monthly”, a club newsletter which ran from 1985 to 1995, achieving a world-wide reputation for quality articles, fearless and honest reviews, and a great sense of humor. From 1997 the magazine was produced in collaboration with Robert Peczkowski and Artur Juszczak (Stratus), which meant a big leap in print quality and design. MMP expanded into book publication in 1999, and since then they have built up a list of books on aircraft and aviation, naval, military vehicles, and military history. MMP Books are distributed in North America by Casemate Publications.

Carl-Fredrik Geust is a noted Russian aviation author. Previous books include Red Stars in the Sky: Soviet Air Force in World War Two (1979); Red Stars in the Sky 2: Soviet Air Force in World War Two (1983); Red Stars in the Sky 3: Soviet Air Force in World War Two (1983); Under the Red Star: Luftwaffe Aircraft in the Soviet Air Force (1993); and Red Stars 4: Lend-Lease Aircraft in Russia (2002).

The book is hardbound with a nice glossy hard cover, and 352 pages on high-quality stock. The text is in English and quite readable. I counted 512 black and white photographs, many seeing their first time in print. Vasily Zolotov and Karolina Holda provide 48 color side profiles highlighting markings details. Many of the unit sections have tables with the primary result that this book contains a whopping 83 tables.

The Soviet Union invaded Finland on 30-November-1939 as part of Stalin’s effort to reclaim their puppet state they lost during the Russian Revolution. Originally part of the Swedish Kingdom, the Russian Empire invaded and conquered Finland in 1908. A Finnish Civil War in 1918 kicked out all remaining communists and Finland declared their independence. Stalin’s “Winter War” lasted only three and a half months, ending with the Moscow Peace Treaty on 13-March-1940. The Finns put up a stiff resistance for over two months in the sub-zero weather, but eventually the Soviets prevailed. Finland ended up turning 11 percent of its land to the Soviets, while the Soviets suffered heavy losses and international condemnation. Even worse, the Soviet’s poor performance encouraged Adolf Hitler that Germany would be easily victorious over the Soviets. Of course the Soviets would emerge victorious, but at a horrible cost.

Carl-Fredrik Geust kicks off this tome with the background leading up to the Winter War and then provides a synopsis of the political and military machinations that led to the invasion. Nevertheless, the focus of this tale is the Air War, and that starts on page 16 with a discussion of the Soviet Air Force command, organization, aircraft industry, and aircraft. What follows is a review of every Soviet Aviation unit that was active in the Winter War. As you can see by the following Table of Contents, the number of units was huge. Unit histories include their bases, aircraft, organization, their missions, and their results. Some of these histories are short, but many go into great detail and utilize first person accounts to describe their missions. Keep in mind that the Soviets had an overwhelming dominance in the air. Indeed, most of the Soviet losses were due to accidents and weather issues rather than combat.

The Finnish Air Force is addressed by Carl-Fredrik Geust next. Of course, the Finnish Air Force started the Winter War with a mere 116 aircraft, most of those obsolete. This is compared to where the Soviets committed over 2,000 out of some 5,000 aircraft available. The Finns decided to focus on downing Soviet bombers and purposely avoided the Soviet fighters. The Finnish Air Force managed to acquire a few more aircraft during the short Winter War, and employed foreign mercenaries from Sweden and Poland. Many of these aircraft would be put to good use in the following Continuation War, in 1941. The sections include:

• English Abbreviations
• Finnish Abbreviations
• Soviet Army and Air Force Ranks, Officers [Table]
• Soviet Army and Air Force Ranks, NCOs [Table]
• Soviet Navy Ranks [Table]
• Soviet Political Officer Ranks [Table]
• Forward
• The Winter War – General Outline
  • Baltic Bases
  • Negotiations with Finland
  • War Preparations
  • Soviet Military Supreme Command
• Red Army in the Winter War
  • North-West front (SZFr)
  • Red Army Air Force (VVS RKKA)
    • High Command
    • Aircraft Industry
    • Aviation Regiment Structure
    • Regiment Type [Table]
  • Main Soviet Combat Aircraft in the Winter War [Page 31]
  • Army for Special Purpose (AON)
  • Soviet Naval Air Forces (VVS VMF) in the Winter War
  • Leningrad Military District Air Force (VVS LVO)
  • Northwest Front Air Force (VVS SZFr)
  • Air Force of the 7^th Army (VVS 7.A)
  • Air Force of the 13^th Army (VVS13.A)
    • VVS 13.A Organization [Table]
  • Special Aviation Brigade (OAB), Later Special Aviation Group (OAG)
    • OAG Organization
    • OAG Loss Summary
  • Air Force of the 8^th Army (VVS 8.A)
  • Air Force of the 15^th Army (VVS 15.A)
  • Air Force of the 9^th Army (VVS 9.A)
  • Air Force of the 14^th Army (VVS 14.A)
    • VVS 14.A (Murmansk Aviation Brigade) 12.1.1940
• Aviation Brigades
  • 10^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (10 SBAB)
  • 13^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (13 SBAB)
  • 14^th Aviation Brigade (14 AB)
  • 15^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (15 SBAB)
  • 16^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (16 SBAB)
    • 16 SBAB Mission Statistics [Table]
    • 16 SBAB Losses [Table]
  • 18^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (18 SBAB)
    • 18 SBAB Missions [Table]
    • 18 SBAB Bombing Targets [Table]
  • 9^th Light Bomber Aviation Brigade (19 LBAB)
  • 27^th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Brigade (27 DBAB)
    • 29^th Heavy Bomber Aviation Brigade (29 TBAB); also 29^th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Brigade (29 DBAB)
  • 54^th Fighter Aviation Brigade (54 IAB)
  • 55^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (55 SBAB)
  • 59^th Fighter Aviation Brigade (59 IAB)
  • 68^th Light Bomber Aviation Brigade (68 LBAB); later 68^th Fast Bomber Aviation Brigade (68 SBAB)
  • 71^st Light Bomber Aviation Brigade (671 LBAB)
• Regiments
  • 1^st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (1 TBAP)
  • 2^nd Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (2 SBAP)
  • 2^nd Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (2 LBAP)
  • 3^rd Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (3 LBAP)
  • 3^rd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (3 TBAP) [Page 75]
  • 4^th Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (4 LBAP)
  • 4^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (4 IAP)
  • 4^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (4 IAP)
    • 5^th Detached Mixed Aviation Regiment (5 OSAP), from January 1940 5^th Detached Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (5 OSBAP)
  • 5^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (5 SBAP)
  • 6^th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (6 DBAP)
  • 7^th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (7 TBAP)
  • 7^th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (7 DBAP)
  • 7^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (7 IAP)
  • 7^th Light Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (7 LShAP)
  • 9^th Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (9 LBAP)
    • 9^th Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (9 ShAP), also 9^th Light Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (9 LShAP)
  • 9^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (9 SBAP)
  • 10^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (10 SBAP)
  • 11^th Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (11 SBAP)
  • 13^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (13 SBAP)
  • 14^th Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (14 RAP)
  • 14^th Transport Aviation Regiment (14 TAP)
  • 15^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (15 IAP)
  • 16^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (16 IAP)
  • 16^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (16 SBAP)
  • 18^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (18 SBAP)
  • 19^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (19 IAP)
  • 20^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (20 IAP)
  • 21^st Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (21 DBAP)
  • 23^rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (23 IAP)
  • 24^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (24 SBAP)
  • 25^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (25 IAP)
  • 26^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (26 IAP)
  • 27^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (27 IAP)
  • 31^st Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (31 SBAP)
  • 33^rd Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (33 SBAP)
  • 34^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (34 IAP)
  • 35^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (35 SBAP)
  • 38^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (38 IAP)
  • 39^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (39 SBAP)
  • 41^st Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (41 SBAP)
  • 42^nd Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (42 DBAP)
  • 43^rd Light Bomber Aviation Regiment (43 LBAP)
  • 44^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (44 IAP)
  • 44^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (44 SBAP)
  • 45^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (45 SBAP)
  • 48^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (48 IAP)
  • 48^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (48 SBAP)
  • 49^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (49 IAP)
  • 49^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (49 SBAP)
  • 50^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (50 SBAP)
  • 52^nd Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (52 SBAP)
  • 53^nd Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (53 DBAP)
  • 54^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (54 SBAP)
  • 58^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (58 SBAP)
  • 60^th Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (60 SBAP)
  • 63^rd Fast Bomber Aviation Regiment (63 SBAP)
  • 68^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (68 IAP) [Page 191]
  • 69^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (69 IAP)
  • 72^nd Mixed Aviation Regiment (72 SAP)
  • 80^th Mixed Aviation Regiment (80 SAP)
  • 85^th Special Purpose Aviation Regiment (85 AP ON)
  • 145^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (145 IAP)
  • 146^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (146 IAP)
  • 147^th Detached Fighter Aviation Regiment (147 OIAP)
  • 148^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (148 IAP)
  • 149^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (149 IAP)
  • 152^nd Fighter Aviation Regiment (152 IAP)
  • 153^rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (153 IAP)
• Detached Aviation Squadrons (OAE)
  • 1^st Air Defense Fighter Aviation Squadron (1 IAE PVO)
  • 1^st Long-Range Reconnaissance Squadron (1 DRAE)
  • 4^th Long-Range Reconnaissance Squadron (4 DRAE)
  • 8^th Detached Night Aviation Squadron (8 ONAE)
  • 12^th Detached Fighter Aviation Squadron (12 OIAE)
  • 12^th Detached Special Purpose Aviation Squadron (12 OAE ON)
  • 19^th Detached Aviation Squadron (19 OAE)
  • 29^th Detached Liaison Aviation Squadron (29 OAES)
  • 31^st Military Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (31 VRAE)
  • 32^nd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (32 RAE)
  • 33^rd Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (33 RAE)
  • 34^th Long-Range Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (34 DRAE)
  • 38^th Heavy Transport Aviation Squadron (38 TTAE)
  • 41^st Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (41 RAE)
  • 50^th Detached Aviation Squadron (50 OAE)
  • 56^th Detached Army Corps Aviation Squadron (56 OKAE)
• Detached Aviation Units (OAO)
  • 1^st Army Corps Aviation Unit (1 KAO)
  • 2^nd Army Corps Aviation Unit (2 KAO)
  • 5^th Detached Army Corps Aviation Unit (5 OKAO or 5 KAO)
  • 9^th Army Corps Aviation Unit (9 KAO)
  • 11^th Army Corps Aviation Unit (11 KAO)
  • 15^th Army Corps Aviation Unit (15 KAO)
  • 16^th Army Corps Aviation Unit (16 KAO)
  • 18^th Army Corps Aviation Unit (18 KAO)
  • 23^rd Army Corps Aviation Unit (23 KAO)
  • 33^rd Liaison Aviation Uni at 9^th Army HQ (33 AO svyazi Shtaba 9.A)
• Liaison Flights (Aviazveno Svyazi)
  • 29^th Liaison Flight (29 AZv sv)
  • 36^th Liaison Flight (36 AZv sv)
  • 61^st Liaison Flight (61 AZv sv)
  • 69^th Liaison Flight (69 AZv sv)
  • 85^th Liaison Flight (85 AZv sv)
• Aviation Groups
  • Aviation Group Tkachenko (Aviagruppa Tkachenko)
  • Aviation Group Filin (Aviagruppa Filina)
  • Aviation Group Spirin (Aviagruppa Spirina)
• Civil Air Fleet Special Aviation Group (OAG GVF)
  • 1^st Combined Aviation Unit of the Civil Air Fleet
  • 2^nd Special Unit of Civil Air Fleet (2 OO GVF)
  • 3^rd Special Unit of the Civil Air Fleet, also 3^rd Combined Special Air Unit of the Civil Ari Fleet (3 OO GVF)
• Baltic Fleet Air Force (VVS KBF)
  • VVS KBF Organization
  • 8^th Bomber Aviation Brigade (8 BAB)
  • 1^st Aviation Regiment (1 AP)
  • 57^th Aviation Regiment (57 AP) [Page 256]
  • 11^th Detached Fighter Aviation Squadron (11 OIAE)
  • 12^th Detached Fighter Aviation Squadron (12 OIAE)
  • 13^th Detached Fighter Aviation Squadron (13 OIAE)
  • 61^st Fighter Aviation Brigade (61 IAB)
  • 5^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (5 IAP)
  • Night Fighter Group
  • 13^th Fighter Aviation Regiment (13 IAP)
  • 10^th Aviation Brigade (10 AB)
  • 1^st and 2^nd Detached Fast Bomber Aviation Squadron (1 and 2 OSBAE)
    • 3^rd Detached Bomber Aviation Squadron (3 OBAE, also called 3 Detached Long-Range Bomber Aviation Squadron 3 OBDAB)
  • 30^th Detached Fighter Aviation Squadron (30 OIAE)
  • 12^th Detached Maritime Close Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (12 OMBRAE)
  • 43^rd Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (43 OMRAE)
  • 43^rd Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (43 OMRAE)
  • 44^th Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (44 OMRAE)
• Detached Units
  • 15^th Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (15 OMRAP)
  • 18^th Maritime Close Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (18 OMBRAE)
  • 19^th Maritime Close Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (19 OMBRAE)
  • 58^th Detached Aviation Squadron (58 OAE)
  • 12^th Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Unit (12 OMRAO)
  • 71^st Detached Fire-Control Aviation Unit (71 OKAO)
• Ladoga Military Flotilla (VVS OKAO)
  • 41^st Detached Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (41 OMRAE)
• Northern Fleet Air Force (VVS SF)
  • 118^th Maritime Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (118 MRAP)
  • 72^nd Aviation Regiment (72 AP)
• White Sea Flotilla
  • 49^th Detached Naval Close-Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron (49 OMBRAE)
• Claims and Losses
  • Decorated Aviators and Air Force Units
  • Air Victories and Losses
  • Aviator POWs
  • Finnish POWs in Soviet Union
  • Finnish War Booty Aircraft
  • Winter War Impact on the Soviet Air Forces
• Finnish Air Force During the Winter War 1939-1940
  • Introduction
  • Aircraft Licenses Acquired in 1935-1938
  • Aircraft Procurement in October 1939
  • 30 November 1939 – The Winter War Breaks Out
  • Finnish Air Force Operations Summary
    • International Assistance During the Winter War Assistance Offered by Allied Countries
      • England [Page 313]
      • Polish Government in Exile
      • France
      • USA
      • Germany
      • Private Donations
      • War Booty (Ex-Soviet) Aircraft
      • Aircraft Production and Maintenance
      • Personnel References
      • Basic Training Abroad
      • Offensive Plans in March 1940
      • War Ends 13 March 1940
      • Finnish Air Force After the Winter War
  • Epilogue
• Colour Profiles [Page 347]

I was extremely impressed with this volume’s coverage of the three and a half month’s operations during the Winter War. There is a lot of detail on organizational structures and operations, but this is not a tedious read. The combat chronicles are quite interesting and the inclusion of first person accounts, grab your attention. The 512 captioned photographs that are included throughout just add to it. Carl-Fredrik Geust presents a tremendous amount of research to bear, integrating both sides of the battle.

A good example is from the 149^th Fighter Aviation Regiment’s engagement of 15-February-1940. Thirty-six SB bombers were escorted by seven I-16s and four I-153s on a mission to bomb the Imatra hydro-electric power station. Six Finnish Fokker D.XXIs rose to engage. Major Syusyukalov’s flight claimed two Fokker’s downed with one “was set afire” and the other “crashed uncontrolled to the ground”. The other four Fokker’s escaped Major Suusyukalov’s wrath, although the Major did note that an “SB like aircraft” was in flames. The Ilmavoimat claim was “did not lose any fighters”.

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

Highly recommended!