North Africa Campaign – 10th June 1940 to 13th May 1943 Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | May 2018 | Title | North Africa Campaign – 10th June 1940 to 13th May 1943 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Patrick Branly, Libor Jekl, Steve A. Evans | Publisher | Valiant Wings Publishing |
| Published | 2018 | ISBN | 978-0-9957773-2-3 |
| Format | 82 pages, softcover | MSRP (BP) | £9.95 |
Review
Seeking colorful content for that next WWII aircraft group build?
Grab North Africa Campaign – ninth installment in Valiant Wings' excellent "Airframe Extra" range. Subtitled "10th June 1940 to 13th May 1943", this handy handbook will certainly power your projects.
Coverage commences with a compact chronicle of the air campaign. Here, Patrick Branly succinctly surveys key actions – and principal aircraft protagonists.
Eighteen pages of Richard Caruana's excellent color plates – 90 individual aircraft profiles, all potent project incentives – sample the swath of North African warplane warpaint. I just wish Valiant offered an occasional plan view for dorsal camouflage placement – especially of that striking 18˚ Squadriglia S.79.
Photos, maps and extended captions season the study. A convenient "Colour Reference" page recaps applicable hobby paints from nine manufacturers. And superb, step-by-step kit builds by Libor Jekl and Steve Evans neatly tie things together:
- 1:144 Eduard Junkers Ju 52/3m
- 1:72 Special Hobby Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk Ia
- 1:72 Hasegawa Heinkel He 111
- 1:72 RS Models Dewoitine D.520
- 1:48 Eduard Bf 110C-2/Trop
- 1:32 Fly Hawker Hurricane Mk IId
Nitpicks?
Again, Patrick Branly's historical notes nicely canvass ground actions – but oddly offer minimal details of air operations. Savoia-Marchetti S.79 aerosiluranti only carried one torpedo on missions – not "a couple". And I don't think P-40F-10s featured carburetor air intakes atop the cowling – as that profile of GC II/5's 41-14268 does.
Still, I'm a big fan of Valiant Wings' "Airframe Extra" titles. Make this ripping little read your introduction to WWII's North African air war.
Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for this review copy.