Osprey Publishing

VF-11/111 'Sundowners' 1942-95

by  Barrett Tillman

Reviewed By  Dave Koukol, IPMS# 46287

MSRP: $25.95 ISBN: 9781846034848 Website: www.ospreypublishing.com Background One of the most-accomplished units in US Naval Aviation history, VF-11 (later redesignated VF-111) distinguished itself with 158 aerial victories in World War II, the first jet vs. jet kill in the Korean War, and multiple MiG kills in Vietnam. Over 52 years, VF-1l/111 deployed 37 times aboard 17 carriers, and served as the "tip of the spear" in US naval aviation. The Book The 36th installment of Osprey's "Aviation Elite Unit" series is a boon to the historical aviation modeler, as it traces Sundowner history from the unit's inception in 1943 through its inactivation in 1995, as well as its legacy carried forward to present day. Ample photographs in black and white and color, unit emblem artwork, and color aircraft profiles chronicle the 10 major aircraft types flown by the unit during it's 52-year history. Types include Grumman cats of the F4F, F6F, F8F, F9F, F11F and F-14 varieties, and North American FJ-1, Vought F-8, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4. There's also some "bonus" documentation of F-5Ns operated by VFC-111 as of 2007. Tillman and van der Lugt chronicle squadron history starting during the unit's work-up for the Guadalcanal campaign, and through the remainder of the war attached to The Fast Carriers. The Jet Age documents unit history through early post-war years and into the Korean War. Individual chapters are dedicated to action in Vietnam and the Post-Vietnam era. Although somewhat of a chronicle, the accounts of unit leadership and key members, and their victories and losses, add a keen human dimension to this superb reference volume. Conclusion/Recommendation This volume is a rich, imagery-packed collection of VF-11/111 history from the F4F Wildcat through the F-14 Tomcat and F-5N Tiger II. I highly recommend this work for any modeler interested in building individual or collective mounts operated by the legendary Sundowners. Thanks to Kerry Serini at Osprey for the sample copy…it will be well-used by this modeler!