Zenith Aviation Books

Allied Fighters 1939-45

by  Chris Chant

Reviewed By  Ned Ricks, IPMS# 36013

MSRP: $19.95 ISBN: 978-0-7603-3451-5 Web Site: www.zenithbooks.com From time to time I like to build WWII aircraft, usually single engine birds from the US or Britain. What gets me going is some accurate information about what I am modeling and one or more really detailed pictures showing all the actual panel lines, markings, scuff marks and peculiarities of the subject. With all the excellent art work in this book depicting allied fighters, I might have my next few years' work cut out for me. The first thing I noticed about this soft cover book was the display of color art work. Just about every page seems to have a profile of a fighter, various "Marks" and other variants, various squadrons, and lots of detail. Add in many period photos, and lots of aircraft modelers are already in heaven. For those who like to do the unusual, not only does this volume cover US, British, French and Soviet air forces, but also fighter planes of Yugoslavia, Poland, Scandinavia, Greece and Brazil. But wait! (As they say in the TV infomercials) There is more! For those with a historical frame of mind, the sections of the book that detail the European and North African air campaigns include discussions of tactics as well as the evolution of the fighting organizations, some with line-and-block charts and some with aircraft images to give a perspective of how many (144) P-51D's were to be found in a 1945 USAAF fighter wing. The modeler will have to obtain a similar book covering the Asian fighting. With all the colorful markings and historical backgrounds provided, you could almost match up those loose extra black and yellow checkered decals that have been in your spares box with the P-40 model you picked up at a swap meet that had no decals. This book could inspire you to paint a bird with the "sand and spinach" paint scheme and create one of members of the 325th Fighter Group in 1943 Tunisia. The book itself is printed on semi-gloss paper with a sturdy paper cover. There are 192 pages, and the book measures 7¼ x 9½ inches which is trade size soft cover. Judging by the feel of it alone, this volume could be a part of your modeling library for years to come. The publisher's website says, "Illustrated with detailed artworks of Allied fighter aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Allied Fighters 1939-45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Allie's fighter units throughout the war. "Organized by theatre of operations, the book describes in depth the various units that were fighting on the front at key points in the war and describes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings. "With information boxes accompanying the full-color artworks, Allied Fighters1939-45 is an essential reference guide for modelers and any enthusiast with an interest in the aircraft of the period." I recommend this book to fellow modelers. Thanks to Zenith Press (www.zenithbooks.com) for providing the sample copy.

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