SAAF's Border War Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Mirages and MiGs duel in sun-scorched skies of a Cold War flashpoint.

The Middle East, between Israel and Syria?  Nope.  Africa, between South Africa and Angola.

That's the spellbinding story of SAAF's Border War from Helion – and part of the publisher's intriguing, informative "Africa@War" series.

Subtitled "The South African Air Force in Combat 1966-89" and available in North America from Casemate, text traverses the total tale in just 72 action-packed pages.

After a helpful glossary, historical background and prefatory SAAF notes, nine subsequent sections summarize key battles and operations during anti-insurgent campaigns in Angola and South-West Africa.  A concluding chapter recaps "Peace, disengagement and independence" of the latter – now Namibia.

Modelers will enjoy this enormously enlightening effort.  Dozens of color and B&W photos, 24 color profiles with 10 plan views and camouflage notes season Peter Baxter's solid study.  Maps and schematics offer additional illuminating insights.  And the personal account of a "Maot Officer During Operation Askari", acknowledgments and author biography conclude Helion's absorbing, annotated account.

I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific tome.  It's wonderfully researched.  It's abundantly illustrated.  And it's a superb supplement to any library of Cold War history and African insurgencies.

Rabidly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Casemate Publishing for this review sample!