RAF Trainers Volume 1 — 1918-1945 Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | July 2012 | Title | RAF Trainers Volume 1 — 1918-1945 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Peter Freeman with Tim Walsh | Publisher | AIRfile |
| Published | 2012 | ISBN | 978-0956980243 |
| Format | 76 pages, softbound | MSRP (BP) | £17.99 |
Review
What a cool, colorful compendium!
RAF Trainers Volume 1 — 1918-1945 outlines the full range of British Commonwealth trainer schemes from the Royal Air Force’s creation in April 1918 through the end World War II in Europe.
The latest AIRfile color reference guide sports over 70 pages of profiles and 4-views in large, softbound format. Each subject’s comprehensive caption includes aircraft type, serial, unit, location, date, comments, and – most helpfully for modelers – reference citation.
I especially enjoyed the He 111H-1 of No1426 Flight, Duxford, 1941 – the “Enemy Aircraft Circus” tasked with developing effective RAF IFF and countermeasures against Luftwaffe types. That Heinkel in RAF warpaint nearly gave me whiplash! Eye-catching, too, were the stunning South African Air Force training schemes. Gorgeous!
Even U.S. types – at No6 British Flying Training School in Oklahoma – take a couple bows. I just wish the authors had included a personal favorite – one of 27 Airspeed Oxford “bombers” of No 4 Flying Training School at RAF Habbaniya during the 1941 fighting in Iraq. Oh, well!
Hopes aside, AIRlife’s portrait packs plenty into one terrific tome. Liveries run from the predictably pedestrian to the outright ornate. UK-based, Empire Air Training Scheme, or British Commonwealth Air Training Plan – chances are, it’s here. And I eagerly await the sequel on post-WWII trainers.
Seeking colorful modeling inspiration? Seek here!
Robustly recommended.
My sincere thanks to AIRfile Publications for this review sample!