Our friends at Mushroom Models Publications have probably been wondering why it has taken so long to review this book. Well the truth is that I tend to read what is sent in rather than just breeze through it. Some books are full of photos and drawings while others are full of details and it is the latter in which this book falls.

I honestly did not know what to expect when starting on this. I'd not seen volume one (this is volume two) and was not really prepared for the sort of depth that the authors have provided. You see, this book covers but about 2 and a half months from December 1940 until the first part of February 1941.

Let me back up a tad. The war in the North African desert started shortly after Italy declared war on France in June of 1940. The UK and Commonwealth got into the act at that time and though not a major fighting area, there was plenty of conflict to go around. First in East Africa and then on the North African scene as the Italians pushed the British in Egypt back along the coast.

By the time this book starts in December, the British have started pushing back and this covers the period of time from when the big British push began until the Italians collapsed in early 1941. Of course, we know that the influx of the German army began about that time and stopped total defeat, turning the tables in the war, but that is another book, I'm sure.

This one is about the Italians and the Commonwealth. It is a day by day account of the ground and air war, though focused on the air war. As an example, a day will start with what happened on the ground. Then it will cover unit movements in regards to going from one field to another as the conflict waged across the desert. The rest of the day's information is made up of missions and any highlights of those missions in terms of engagements between the Italians and the Commonwealth.

It is really fascinating reading as one reads about various aerial battles and the aftermath or consequences of those actions. It is here that we read about SAAF Gauntlets and Gladiators against RA CR.42s. The effect of the Hurricane as it is sent to the theater and how the Fiat G.50 and Macchi C.200s fared. It includes bomber and recce ops by Blenheims and SM.79s. Towards the end of the book, we are introduced to German air units and operations while helping the Italians.

This is all additionally enhanced by photos of the men and machines as well as maps of the area. Typical of these books, there are several pages of superbly drawn color profile, presented in landscape format to provide nice, large images. There is also an impressive bibliography and the research that has gone into each day's events is superlative.

It is a book that has to be read slowly and in pieces to prevent getting overload, but it does give the best look yet at the early air war in North Africa. A book I truly enjoyed reading and can easily recommend to you.

April 2011

Review book courtesy of MMP Books, where you can order your copy of this and many other superb aviation and modeling books. The book is also available through Casemate Publishing in the US and Platypus Publications in Australia.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.