Characteristics:

A4 format, 104 pages, 110 photos in black and white, 19 extract drawings from manual, 25 profiles in color, 13 plans views in 1/72.Text in Polish, pictures captions in English.

 During the Second World War, there were some aircrafts that failed to be used in their home land force, and found utility in their allied ranks. The bomber range was also concerned by this fact with the US built Martin 167 Maryland. Despite its speed characteristics and graceful line, the “Glenn” enter really in action in the English and French pilot’s hands.

The first of these two nations to use it in combat was the French AF. The first nine unassembled aircrafts had been delivered in “box” in December 1939, and transferred in North Africa where the squadrons and school were planned to be. But, around April 1940 the sounds of the future war changed the plans, all the long range recon Glenns had to come back to France, and transformed to bomber duties…with the help of the “D system”(do yourself, with what you find). 10 may 1940 at dawn, the invasion of France begin, but the Gleens won’t  be operational until the 22th of this month. The crews done their job and sacrifice as their other flying friends until 24 june date of the armistice. At this time the survivors aircrafts were transferred in Algeria. The collaboration between the Vichy French government and the Germans, left to the French a reduced Air force that use the Glenn Martin in the Air Force and Navy (Aeronavale) ranks. This dark period of the history saw training and fight against the allied (mainly the English) who started to gain field on the Germans and their allied. But the wind turned, and the Free French forces reorganised not so far once again pilot the Glenn with  the “Groupe Bretagne” in far desert in 1942. In 1944 the old aircraft will bear the white and black stripes with the 1/34 Bearn squadron and will support the FFI (Force Française de l’Intérieur) fights on ground against the west/ south west  German troops on the retreat battles until march 1945.

The RAF on its side almost used the aircraft in the desert operations in Egypt and North Africa too, around 1941. So that’s all  this story you’ll find with good black and white pictures in this volume number 96 from AJ PRESS. Except a French study in the magazine AERO JOURNAL issues 8, 9 and LE FANATIQUE DE L’AVIATION, the press cover was          

rather poor on the matter. Depict the fact that the text is in Polish, the legends help the modellers and fans of the aircraft to understand the important areas. The back bone consist in the manual copy extracts that cover the usual interesting zones, cockpit, engine, bomb bay, gears, with factory pictures and diagrams. The sharp 1/72 plans deal with the X-A22, 167F mk I, II, F3 types based on 1 top, 1bottom, 1 front, 1 rear, 7 left side, 2 right side drawings. Ad to that 25 excellent color profiles (16 French and 9 English aircrafts) along 4 upper/under wing views, and you’ll get a great amount of details to model your 1/72 and 1/48 kits.

In summary this is a great, and really THE great value documentation on the subject that I recommend you . JPP

 Available at  :

AIR CONNECTION

http://www.airconnection.on.ca/