Information on the Polish Air Force in the days just prior to WWII and during the opening weeks of the war is incredibly sparse. The authors have scoured the globe for images from that time and have discovered that there are only 20 known photographs of aircraft from Polish sources. However, there are literally hundreds of images of the destruction wrought by the Germans from images taken after the end of the Polish campaign and from these images comes most of our information.

This book covers the organization of the Polish Air Force in 1939, the dispersal of aircraft, the dates and times of the bombing of various fields and the fate of these locations. Each location is given a separate section and all of the photos pertaining to a certain air field and area are contained within that section. The quality of the images is quite good and there are a considerable number of them. The condition of the aircraft range from flyable to burned out hulks.

There is the full range of aircraft types shown in these images and what I found particularly interesting were the photos of the PZL P.50 that are in the book. These are the first I've seen and puts to rest the story that the lone prototype was shot down by friendly fire.

It is an outstanding book and one that I found fascinating to read. Actually, fascinating to look at would be more to the point as this is first and foremost, a photo book with a short history of events at each of the locations in this first volume. Throughout its 264 pages, you'll find images of interest.

I can highly recommend this one to you as it is very well done and I know you will just as pleased with it as am I. 

April 2010

Review book courtesy of Mushroom Models Publications where you can order your copy. Australian readers can get theirs from Platypus Publications, and US reader from Casemate.

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