Moving along, the folks at RAF-in-Combat.com have continued with their series of  books concentrating on USN aircraft types from 1922 until 1962. This time frame basically covers the old style of aircraft designations that was used by the Navy for forty years until the system was unified in 1962. This review edition is the printed version, with a .pdf version also available. 

This volume continues with the "F" series of aircraft. In this case, we are talking about planes from Boeing and Curtiss. The Boeing line starts with the XF3B-1 and continues to the XF8B-1. This latter plane was actually quite nicely done and met all its requirements. However, the role into which it would be placed was already filled by the AD-1 Skyraider and AM-1 Mauler so the type was not needed.

On the Curtiss side of things, we start with some unbuilt aircraft beginning with the FC-1. Curtiss pretty well owned Army fighter aviation in the 20s and 30s and made some inroads into Naval aircraft. Their first being the XF4C-1. This listing goes to the F7C-1, all of them 'hawks' of some sort. The next volume will continue where this one left off.

Each of the entries covers an explanation of all the letters and numbers in the type's nomenclature as well as the number built and the serial numbers of those planes. Variants each have their own section so ou will find, for instance, a section on the XF3B-1 and another on the production F3B-1 as well as other versions of the same basic airframe. Each section has a very nice selection of photographs, all of them fairly large and many of them in color.

It is a superbly researched and developed book and I am positive you will find it as interesting a read as did I. Highly recommended.

January 2017

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