MMP Books continues to produce high-quality references that are specifically aimed at the modeler. The latest in their “Orange” Series is this volume on the Reggiane 2001 and 2005 (as well as some further developments in the series).

This book consists of 176 pages, including black and white period photos, scale line drawings, color profiles, original manual pages and more.

Almost the entire first half of the book is dedicated to the Reggiane Re 2001. The text describes the initial development of the fighter, its subsequent production, and each of the sub-types. Nice, large and (mostly) clear photos accompany the text. This is followed by a description of the combat operations of the aircraft in Italian hands (both pre- and post-surrender), as well as Luftwaffe operational use. Again, this text is generously accompanied by appropriate photos. Next up is a description of the camouflage applied to this fighter, with several pages of large color profiles of specific aircraft.

The Re 2005 receives a similar treatment in the next 20 pages or so and is much shorter as the actual aircraft was produced in much smaller numbers and had a much shorter life span. Still, there is lots of useful information in this section.

Following this are a few pages covering several projects that never made it past the developmental stages, including some jet-powered proposals.

After the ‘projects’ section, comes the “Technical Description.” This will probably provide the most use to modelers, as there are 50+ pages dedicated to describing the construction of the airframe, as well as photos and manual pages showing everything from cockpit interiors to armament types and scale plan views.

The last few pages have color photos showing a Re 2001 that was salvaged in 1980, and the subsequent restoration of the airframe. There are also a few photos from a museum of the remnants of the only existing Re 2005.

This is a great resource for any modeler interested in the Reggiane fighter series. The detail photos and color profiles will provide plenty of reference and inspiration. The text is also a good read and provides some insight into this lesser-known Italian fighter series.

Many thanks to Casemate for providing the review copy, and to IPMS for allowing me to review it!