Military Aircraft Insignia Of The World Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Bad guys don't always wear black hats, IFF ("Identification Friend or Foe") specialists confirm.  Their aircraft sometimes sport vibrant, multihued national insignia.

And Military Aircraft Insignia Of The World – a cool compendium of worldwide warplane plumage – colorfully confirms it.

Available in North America from Specialty Press, the 144-page paperback from Flight Recorder Publications literally recaps the history of military aircraft markings from A to Z.

Albania and Australia.  Macedonia and Mexico.  Uganda and Ukraine.  Right through to Zimbabwe.  They're here, alphabetically listed – and in living color.

Country coverage includes a brief history of its air force and markings.  Most sections feature at least one aircraft photo – most in color.  And insignia insets trace the evolution of national heraldry from air arm inception to present day.  Text also includes a selected bibliography – and two indices for rapid reference.

Authors John Cochrane and Stuart Elliott don't confine contents to sovereign states, either.  Insurgent and separatist forces from Abkhazia and Biafra through Cechnya and Katanga to Don Republic and Transnistria make appearances.

Nitpicks?  Some.

Don't trust the proportions of some insignia art.  Check photos.  Period color shots suggest that the 1935-1941 Philippine lozenge sported thin red outline – not a broad, blue one.  Authors missed Freies Deutschland and Russian Liberation Army (ROA) World War II insignia.  And readers might like to see that colorful, intricate air force shield now on Tanzanian combat aircraft.

But – hey – in a survey this broad, who's perfect?  As a handy handbook, this volume more than fills the bill.

Recommended!

With thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy.