F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-9 Book Review
By Rachel E. Veres
| Date of Review | July 2014 | Title | F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Edward M. Young | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2014 | ISBN | 9781782003359 |
| Format | 96 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $22.95 |
Review
The always-excellent Edward M. Young returns with F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-9 – number 119 in Osprey's popular "Aircraft of the Aces" series.
VF-9 – the first American squadron to acquire the Hellcat – forged a legendary reputation as one of the longest serving and most successful US Navy fighter units in World War II. And coverage courses from its earliest days to Japan's total defeat.
Contents chronologically survey Organization, Training, and First, Second and Third Combat Cruises. Young naturally notes principal personalities. He spices his account with absorbing anecdotes. And he methodically covers all major actions – including Operation Torch, Rabaul, Tarawa, Saipan and Okinawa.
Photos, sidebars, extended captions and appendices augment Young's admirably indexed effort. Painting that Hellcat kit? Jim Laurier's profiles will certainly sate your modeling muse. Osprey's artist even manages to shoehorn an F2A-3 Buffalo and two F4F-4 Wildcats amidst all those F6F color plates!
Highly recommended!
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!