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Mushroom Model Publications |
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PZL.23 Karaś #8101, First in the Orange Series by Tomasz J. Kopański |
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Reviewed By John Vitkus, #30013 |
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MSRP: £ 12.50 GBP Mushroom Model Publications has combined the best of their Yellow Series (aircraft detail) and Red Series (aircraft history) into a new Orange Series, which describes the development and structural details of a single warbird type along with the historical context in which it fought. Mushroom’s choice for the first aircraft type covered in their Orange Series is the PZL.23 Karaś (Carpathian carp) light bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. This is an excellent choice for several reasons: there are good models of the P.23 available both 1/72 and 1/48, there were important and compelling battles fought by the Karaś, and the scope of the P.23’s use was limited, thus making it possible to cover its wartime exploits adequately in one volume. Mushroom has done a fabulous job here. The book is in their usual softcover small-format (9½” X 6½”) and contains 144 pages printed on glossy, high-quality paper. Text is in excellent English throughout, and most pages include one or more sharp B/W photos. The first 17 pages cover development of the type. The next 56 pages cover the operational use of the Karaś by the Poles, Romanians, and Bulgarians, as well as testing by the Germans and Soviets. To say that this historical coverage is thorough is a gross understatement. In the Polish section, for example, separate chapters outline each squadron’s combat operations during the German (and later Soviet) invasion, describing each and every sortie—including the identities and fates of all aircrew! That is thorough! The next 37 pages cover structural details of the P.23, using 17 full-view drawings, 10 partial-view drawings, and 76 detail B/W photos. Excellent color illustrations by Artur Juszczak fill the next 30 pages, including the front and back covers. Twenty-five separate aircraft are represented, most in full 4-view illustrations with detail drawings of important details and unit insignia. This is a must-have volume for anyone with even a passing interest in either the PZL P.23 or in the 1939 invasion of Poland. I look forward to many more in the series. Recommended! Thanks to Mushroom Model Publications via John Noack for the review sample. |
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