- By Robert M Stitt
- Illustrations by Juanita Franzi
- White Series No.9108
- Mushroom Model Publications
- ISBN 978-8389450-88-3
- Paperback, 248 pages A4, 10 pages full colour profiles, plans, some colour and many black and white images
Available from all good bookshops at £24.99, or direct from the publishers: 3 Gloucester Close, Petersfield, Hants GU32 3AX Tel: +44 (0)1730 300795
Reviewed by Geoff Coughlin
Our thanks to Mushroom Model Publications for supplying the review sample. Get this excellent title here now at: www.mmpbooks.biz
As you can imagine, much has been written about the B-17 Flying Fortress – indeed I have a book or two staring at me from my bookshelf. However, what makes this, the 100th release from MMP so interesting is that the whole of this new title is devoted to the Fortress in RAF Coastal Command Service during WWII. Best known as a heavy bomber with the USAAF, the Fortress was rejected as a bomber by the RAF but found an invaluable niche as a maritime reconnaissance aircraft with Coastal Command. For a brief but critical period from late 1942 to mid 1943 the small number of RAF B-17s played a major role in combating the U-Boat menace, flying from bases in the UK and Azores. Once sufficient B-24 Liberators became available the B-17s were phased out. They took on the equally important but less prominent role of meteorological reconnaissance, flying long and lonely sorties to provide the weather data so essential for the bomber offensive.
The author, Robert Stitt has spent many years researching this history and has been in touch with many of the (now sadly dwindling number of) surviving air and ground crew. He describes in meticulous detail the history of these operations, quoting many personal reminiscences and the book is illustrated by many rare photos drawn from the official archives and personal collections.
To compliment the text and photos, renowned aviation artist Juanita Franzi has drawn up accurate plans of all the B-17 variants used by Coastal Command, including all the special modifications and radar fits. She has also prepared full colour artwork of the colours and markings used by these aircraft, to provide scale modellers and enthusiasts with accurate information and inspiration.
Scale modelling focus…
This title is going to appeal to everyone, mainly because the focus of the book is so original – we’ve rarely seen anything like this written about the B-17 Fortress before. The images are certainly inspirational – just look at the weathering around the front of the Fortress in the image above. The nose art is also worth noting. Perhaps some of the extra modelling attraction comes in the form of the superb colour profiles by Juanita Franzi – these are amongst the best I’ve seen anywhere and add real value to the title from a scale modelling perspective. Importantly, several profiles are offered with a plan and underside view adding to their value still further.
Plans are always helpful when trying to make an accurate representation of any model and in this instance the RAF Coastal Command Fortresses had plenty of extra aerials and antennae that are well illustrated.
The separate section dealing with individual aircraft histories is particularly helpful and will help you pin down serial numbers applicable to any individual aircraft that you are trying to model.
What I liked most of all is the readability of the text – informative certainly, but written in a way that encourages you to read on and discover more. As I have said, this is a title for everyone remotely interested in the RAF and WWII aviation history.
Highly recommended
Geoff C.