This new book from Mushroom Models Publications is on the Hawker Fury and Nimrod, two planes that are often grouped together, yet share very little in common aside from the Kestrel engine that powered them.

The Fury is probably the epitome of British biplanes with sleek lines, high speed for the time, and all the tell-tale signs of Hawker's first monoplane, the Hurricane. The Nimrod was the FAAs first really modern fighter that had the ability to best the competition and yet be rugged enough for use aboard air craft carriers.

The author, Alex Crawford, provides the history of these two types, starting with the Fury. The development of the aircraft is given considerable space before providing information on squadron use. This latter section is by squadron in the order that it received the aircraft. Then follows sections on export aircraft to Norway, Spain, South Africa, Persia, and others.

The history of the Nimrod is then covered, including its operation with FAA squadrons in a similar manner to the Fury. As the Nimrod was only exported to Denmark for squadron use, there is considerable space given to that variant.

Throughout there are superb photographs and three view drawings of all the different variations in the types. Fortunately, there are extant aircraft, including some replicas that are in museums and actually flying. This allows for a superb full color walk-around section, which concentrates much more on the Nimrod than the Fury. This section alone is a real boon to modelers who want to get the details as they are on the actual aircraft. This is followed by no less than 32 pages of profiles and plan views. In the back of the book is a huge fold out sheet of 1/48 scale plans of a Fury I and Nimrod II along with specifications, making for a most complete reference on the types.

Those of you who are interested in these aircraft simply must add this volume to your shelves. You will not find a more complete reference like it.

July 2007

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