Reggiane RE 2000, RE 2002, RE 2003 Book Review

By David L. Veres

Review

Not as famous as Fascist Italy’s FIAT or Macchi warplanes, WWII Reggiane fighters featured advanced design, rugged construction, and type and task adaptability.

Part one of a two-volume set from MMP, Reggiane RE 2000, RE 2002, RE 2003 focuses, as the title suggests, on three radial-engine models.

Available in North America from Casemate, coverage – divided over 176 pages into chapters by type – includes design, development, deployment, engines, and camouflage & markings.

But illustrations really dominate author Przemyslaw Skulski’s contents. Color profiles. Period photos. Vintage color images. Close-ups. Museum shots. Tech-manual excerpts. And scale drawings.

Modelers will love it.

Extended, explanatory captions accompany and technical descriptions complete coverage.

Reggiane RE 2000s only saw limited Italian service as land-based interceptors and shipborne catapult fighters. Sweden and Hungary, by contrast, acquired more significant numbers. And with a license-production agreement in hand, the latter also developed its indigenous Héja derivative.

Both the Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe employed RE 2002s. But the RE 2003 failed to achieve production.

Oh, yeah … if the RE 2000 looks familiar to P-47 enthusiasts, that’s because Reggiane designer Roberto Longhi worked in the United States – and drew heavily from Thunderbolt’s lineal ancestor, Seversky’s P-35.

Building Special Hobby’s 1:48 RE 2000? Or Italeri’s ancient 1:72 RE 2002? You need this vital reference.

Roundly recommended!

With thanks to Casemate for the review copy.