It is always a delight to receive a book on a subject that you thought would never be done. Yet the fine folks at Stratus publishing have managed to put together a book that I think is really superb on an interesting subject, the French Nieuport-Delage 29 and 62 family of aircraft.

If you've not had the chance to read a Stratus book, then you are in for a treat. Not only are they well written, but they are chock full of photographs and color profiles based on those photographs. This one is no exception with dozens upon dozens of well chosen image and great profiles.

We are provided with a full history of the two planes covered in the book from the post WWI Ni-D 29 series to the later Ni-D 62, which saw quite a bit of combat in the Spanish Civil war. The Ni-D 29 came from the need to have something better than what the French ended WWI flying. There was also a need to concentrate on just one aircraft in the more austere post war period. The Ni-D 29 offered enough of an improvement over others to be the one chosen. It was somewhat unique in that the fuselage was molded plywood, giving it a sleek aerodynamic advantage. This trait was also used on the later Ni-D 62 family.

The Ni-D 29 was quite a successful plane not only with the French, but with the Japanese, Belgians, Italians and some others. Thanks to the success of the Ni-D 29, Nieuport-Delage was able to provide the next successful fighter design to take the French air force into the 1930s. This time it was a sesquiplane design that was chosen. This was partly due to the extreme flex of the long wing struts when the design was originated as a parasol fighter. Again, a wood shell fuselage, though a series was built with all aluminum coating. Again, this was a relative success in export, and thanks to it being available and being built by the Spanish, it was a major player in the early years of the Spanish Civil War. Though obsolescent around that time, it did provide what was needed when it was needed. Even with the French air force the plane was still being used as an advanced trainer when WWII started and some lasted until mid-war in that role.

In addition to a history of the types, there is a section on the various camouflage and markings schemes worn by these planes. None of these aircraft survived, but thanks to Stratus, we now have a fine reference book in English on these important French aircraft. Like all of Stratus' books, this one is a keeper and a must have by those interested in WWII French aviation.

June 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.

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