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 we have built up a list of books on aircraft and aviation, naval, military vehicles, and military history.

Wojtek Matusiak lives in Warsaw, Poland. Wojtek Matusiak is a leading World War 2 Polish Air Force and Spitfire researcher, having published numerous articles and dozens of books on the subjects, as well as readily assisting other authors. He has maintained an enthusiastic interest in the history and development of the Spitfire, as well as of Poland’s military aviation, throughout his life.

This is Wojtek Matusiak’s latest in Mushroom Model Publications' series of aircraft used in the Polish Air Force and in this case is focused on the Supermarine Spitfire Mk V and Operation ‘Jubilee’. The front cover by Marek Rys features frontal view of 303 Squadron Spitfire Mk. Vb, AB183 RF-A, during Operation ‘Jubilee’, August 19, 1942. The Marek Rys rear cover is the same aircraft from a rear-quarter view over Dieppe. I counted 310 black and white photos along with 5 period color photographs that include detailed captions. Many of these photographs have never been published before. Robert Grudzień contributes 33 full color side views. The great part of these color side views is they are backed up with period photos of the aircraft that is being portrayed.

2022 is the 80th anniversary of Operation ‘Jubilee’, the Allied landing at the German occupied port of Dieppe, France on August 19, 1942. Most accounts describe it as a total disaster for the Allies, but the failure did provide lessons that were implemented for D-Day [by both sides]. This book is not about those failures or lessons but is focused on the Polish Squadrons that supported the operation. The 1st Polish Wing provided ten percent of the Spitfire squadrons that engaged in battle. They were credited with 17% of the enemy aircraft destroyed against 3.5% loss flying the older Spitfire Mk V variant that had been replaced with the Spitfire Mk IX in other Fighter Command Squadrons. The Table of Contents focuses on the following sections:

• 1st Polish Wing in Mid-1942
• Operation ‘Rutter’ [Page 07]
• Polish Squadrons in Operation ‘Jubilee’
• No. 317 Squadron (RAF Northolt] [Page 24]
• No. 306 Squadron [RAF Northolt]
• No. 302 Squadron [RAF Heston] [Page 49]
• No. 308 Squadron [RAF Heston]
• No. 303 Squadron [RAF Redhill] [Page 65, 77]
• Aftermath
• Appendix I – Summary of Operation ‘Jubilee’ in the Combat Diary of RAF Northolt
• Appendix II – Operational Missions Flown by Polish Units During Operation ‘Jubilee’
• Appendix III – Narrative Sections of Polish Pilots’ Personal Combat Reports for Operation ‘Jubilee’
• Postscript

Wojtek Matusiak kicks off with a quick introduction as to where the 1st Polish Wing was in 1942. Next up was a description of Operation ‘Rutter’, essentially a practice run for the Allied landings at Dieppe. Operation ‘Rutter’ was eventually cancelled but the casualties and aircraft loss / damage for the 1st Polish Wing were quite similar to those of Operation ‘Jubilee’ that did actually happen. Page 7 shows off four photographs of ground crews and their Spitfires while awaiting a ‘Go’ decision on Operation ‘Rutter’. The homes shown in the background of photographs 13 and 14 are still present on Stafford Road in Croydon. Additional photographs and a color side profile are on pages 28 and 29 of the Spitfire Mk Vb, BL860, nicknamed ‘Hala’. Photographs depict the ground crews killing time by playing volleyball or cards.

AR424 is F/Lt Marian Trzebinski’s second Spitfire after pranging his first, AD397 on June 1st. Flying with 317 Squadron out of Northolt, Trzebinski flew four sorties with one victory in Operation ‘Jubilee’. You can make out his wife’s nickname, Ewuania (Little Eva), which was present on both sides of the fuselage, just forward of the windscreen. One of the five period color photographs is on Page 49. Ten 302 Squadron ‘A’ Flight pilots are together in front of “Patricia’, a Spitfire Mk Vb that flew 2 sorties in Operation ‘Jubilee’. Second from the left, Jerzy Urbanski flew one on the two sorties in Patricia. It is not known how long BM179 wore the nickname Patricia, and her application may date back to service with 302 Squadron.

BM144, carrying the code RF-H, is a Spitfire Mk Vb that was flown by F/Lt Bienkowski. Flying with 303 Squadron, the name of his fiancée, Halszka, can be seen as a continuation of the H code. Photograph 235 shows BM144 starting up in early 1943. Notably the wing tips have been clipped. Sgt. Aleksander Rokotnicki’s mount, Spitfire Mk Vb AR366, came back damaged from a sortie where he shared in a destroyed Heinkel He 111. If you look close, all three photographs show a rudder guard at the bottom of the rudder that was used to tow targets. 303 Squadron’s Rokotnicki flew two sorties during Operation ‘Jubilee’, but its possible that he flew two different aircraft. His first sortie saw him destroy a Focke-Wulf.

Polish Wings 35 provides an interesting view into a small part (10%) of the RAF Fighter Command of a single day in aviation history. Wojtek Matusiak is an excellent writer and ably crafts the storyline, primarily through captions, with interesting morsels to prevent this from being simply a progression of colorless data. What I really enjoyed in this book is the use of actual photographs to support the color profiles of each airframe. MMP Books features this in many of their books which I think is a huge attraction. This really brings these period photographs to life. This book is essential if you're considering building any of these aircraft in scale. Luckily, being a Supermarine Spitfire Mk V means there are no shortage of options in kits and accessories to build any of the aircraft represented. If you have any interest in Polish (or British) aircraft, this is a must-have book.

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

Highly recommended!