History

In 1939, after the defeat of the Polish Air force by the Germans and the Russians, a substantial number of trained and experienced Polish pilots and ground crews managed to escape to France and England. Eventually, they were formed into fighter squadrons attached to, but not specifically a part of, the British Royal Air Force. Most of the pilots were originally assigned to units flying the Hawker Hurricane, but in 1941, these units were re-equipped with Spitfire Mk. V fighters, the current version of this famous fighter. From 1942 until early 1945, these units used Mk. V Spitfires against the Luftwaffe, until they were eventually replaced by the Spitfire Mk. IX and American Mustangs. In total, about 800 Spitfire Mk. V’s were used by various Polish units, and they inflicted considerable losses against the Luftwaffe.

History: The TU-2 Bomber

This book gives a very detailed history of three Russian designed aircraft that were used in quantity by the Polish Air Force, mostly after the end of World War II. The first aircraft, the Tupolev TU-2, was used in quantity by Poland, mainly for medium bombing, and later as a reconnaissance type, trainer, and target tug. The author goes into considerable detail giving an account of the design origins of the type and its service with the Russians before the Polish Air Force acquired them after the war. An interesting fact is that Tupolev began the design of the TU-2 before the outbreak of the war, and apparently he had run afoul of the Communist Party ideology. His design team was forced to work in a Soviet prison camp from 1939 until 1941, when they were finally rewarded for their success by early release from prison.

This is another of the fantastic new books published in the Duke Hawkins Books series. This volume is number 11 of the series and focuses on the Harrier II/AV-8B as operated by the RAF, the United States Marine Corps, the Spanish Navy, and the Italian Navy. The volume includes at least one photograph of a jet from each country. Apparently, the authors considered just doing a book on the RAF versions, but in the end decided to do an expanded book covering all versions of the Harrier II.

The AV-8B/Harrier II has its origins in a USMC requirement for a replacement for the AV-8A Harrier. McDonnell Douglas designed and proposed a much upgraded and improved Harrier, resulting in the AV-8B Harrier II. Different variants were developed to meet the requirements of the RAF and the USMC resulting in the Harrier GR.7, GR.7A, GR.9 (and associated trainers T.10 and the T.12), AV-8B, AV-8B Night Attack, and the Harrier II Plus (and the TAV-8B) for the USMC.

This book is a compilation of 4-view color profiles, scale plans and photographic details of the PZL.23 Karaś II featuring scale plans in 1/72 and 1/48 scales plus drawings from wartime technical manuals and also photographs of the details.

Book is available in the two marking variants

1. Karaś II (PZL.23B) no. 44.61 ‘5’ (658-K), 24th Reconnaissance Flight, Cracow-Rakowice, September 1939.
2. Romanian AF.

The book: The MMP ‘Single’ book series are short but very well-done books on the subject they cover. This book covering the PZL. 23B has just 24 pages but they are full of nice interior & exterior detail pictures (over 50), 1/72 & 1/48 line drawings and a 1/48 color profile. As I have picked up the nice IBG Models 1/72 PZL.23 kit this book is a great help.

I highly recommend this book for anyone with a PZL.23 kit in their stash. It’s inexpensive and has quite a few pictures to help with your build.

Smaller wars are often overlooked as was the case in the India-Pakistan War of 1971, especially the air war portion. This little-known air war placed two air force with a variety of different aircraft pitted against each other. The author has spent over three decades in the Pakistani Air Force. He has attempted to be objective in his analysis and for the most part I feel he has succeeded in presenting an balanced accounting of the air war.