Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea Book Review
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | April 2012 | Title | Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Neil Robinson | Publisher | AIRfile |
| Published | 2011 | ISBN | 978-0956980229 |
| Format | 96 pages, softbound | MSRP (Euro) | €19.99 |
Review
We previously examined the two-volumes of AirFile's 'Operation Overlord' which covered the allied and axis aircraft operating in Operation Overlord, the allied invasion of Europe - D-Day. These two titles looked at operations and the the aircraft that flew them with special attention to the colors and markings carried by each type and the differences between services, groups, and in many cases even squadrons. These provide a quick-reference for selecting the colors and markings for your next D-Day build.
This new title is the first of the Pacific War coverage with this first volume looking at flight operations from the attack on Pearl Harbor through the Battle of Coral Sea - the first six months of the Pacific air war. As with the Overlord series, this title looks at each of the aircraft types and their markings as they appeared during this period of time. The title is broken down into specific periods, regions, and combatants. Let's look at the coverage:
- The Attack on Pearl Harbor - Japan versus the USA
- French Indochina - Japan versus France
- Hong Kong, Malays and Singapore - Japan versus the Commonwealth
- Battle for the Philippines - Japan versus the USA
- Guam and Wake Island - Japan versus the USA
- Dutch East Indies and Java - Japan versus the Netherlands, USA and Commonwealth
- China, Burma and the AVG - Flying Tigers versus Japan
- Attacks on Australia - Japan versus the Commonwealth and USA
- The Doolittle Raid - USA versus Japan
- Battle of Coral Sea - USA versus Japan
In each section, the author summarizes the overall battle and noteworthy actions during each battle. These summaries are accompanied by very nice color profiles that look at the various aircraft types that took part in these battles and the color schemes worn by those aircraft during those battles. Like the Overlord series, this title is heavily illustrated with great reference schemes.
The author and illustrator have done a terrific job of cramming loads of useful information into these 96 pages. If you're looking for some good examples to inspire your next World War II project, this is just the place to start.
My sincere thanks to AIRfile Publications for this review sample!