de Havilland (Canada) DHC-2 Beaver Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | January 2024 | Title | de Havilland (Canada) DHC-2 Beaver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Adrian M. Balch | Publisher | Guideline Publications |
| Published | 2023 | ISBN | n/a |
| Format | 56 pages, softbound | MSRP (GBP) | £18.00 |
Review
From frozen arctic tundras to steamy equatorial jungles, rugged, reliable de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers have plowed worldwide skies in a vast range of utility roles over 75 years.
Now the Canadian classic enjoys full “Warpaint” treatment as the 139th entry in Guideline Publication’s popular aircraft monographs series.
Warpaint fans will immediately spot the familiar format.
Author Adrian M. Balch kick-starts coverage with design and development notes. Text next turns to a thoroughgoing, country-by-country survey of DHC-2 users. And core contents conclude with convenient variant notes.
Beavers seemingly did it all. Bush duties. Transport. Supply. Search & rescue. Psychological warfare. Leisure activities. And even, in the case of Cuba, counter-insurgency.
British Army examples even sported two racks beneath each wing for 250-lb bombs. But these were only operationally used for parachute supply drops.
Markings mavens will love this slim study. At least 62 countries operated military and civilian Beavers. And dozens of color photos and profiles sumptuously sample the sheer number of DHC-2 schemes.
How about that cool, multi-color Indonesian Army camouflage? No wonder Beavers remain popular modeling subjects!
Period B&W shots, 1:72-scale plans, and six pages of close-ups augment images. And dimensional and performance data neatly wrap things up.
Roundly recommended!
My sincere thanks to Guideline Publications for this review sample!