Allied Fighters 1939-45 (The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide) [Paperback]

Chris Chant (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide | Publication Date: April 15, 2008

Illustrated with detailed artworks of Allied fighter aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, The Essential Identification Guide: Allied Fighters 1939--45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Allies fighter units throughout the war.

Organized by theatre of operations, the book describes in depth the various units that were fighting on the front at key points in the war and describes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings.

With information boxes accompanying the full-color artworks, The Essential Identification Guide: Allied Fighters1939--45 is an essential reference guide for modelers and any enthusiast with an interest in the aircraft of the period.

 

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

In Flight USA, June 2008
"Zenith Press continues to offer aviation buffs serious and detailed works chronicling the historical and technological aspects of aviation. Two new offerings include Allied Fighters 1939-45 and Allied Bombers 1939-1945. The guides include info about unit formations, aircraft insignia and squadron markings for not only Soviet, US and British aircraft, but for lesser known craft from Belgian, Duth, and Brazilian Air Forces. As usual with Zenith, the text and illustrations are exhaustive and unbelieveably comprehensive."

Cybermodeler Online, June 2008
"...well-illustrated with color profiles of representative aircraft in the colors and markings of the units under discussion. Period photos also help to put the history into visible context. This title will provide the reader with a cross-section of the allied fighter forces during World War II to set the stage for more detailed looks into more specific unit or aircraft histories."

WWII History, November 2008
"Anyone seeking the definitive reference work on Allied bombers and fighters will be hard pressed to find any better resource than [Allied Bombers 1939-45 and Allied Fighters 1939-45]--the latest addition to Zenith's 'Essential Aircraft Identification Guide' series--from historian and aviation expert Chris Chant. Lavishly illustrated with black & white photos and color artwork, both books contain a wealth of information for the World War II aviation buff and serious historian. Organized by theater of operation, each book describes the various units that were fighting on all fronts and notes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings...With charts, graphs, and organizational tables accompanying the artwork and photos, these books are essential reference guides for modelers and any enthusiast with an interest in the aircraft of the period."

Accent on Tampa Bay Magazine
"Illustrated with detailed artworks of Allied fighter aircraft and their markings with captions and specifications, this is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Allied fighter units throughtout the war."

Book Description

Illustrated with detailed four-color artworks of Allied fighter aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, The Essential Identification Guide: Allied Fighters 1939–45 is the definitive study of the equipment and organization of the Allies’ fighter units throughout the war. Organized by theatre of operations, the book describes in depth the various units that were fighting on the front at key points in the war and describes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Zenith Press (April 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076033451X
• ISBN-13: 978-0760334515
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading Title, September 22, 2009

By 

Water Rabbit - See all my reviews

This review is from: Allied Fighters 1939-45 (The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide) (Paperback)

I purchased this book because I thought it would be about Allied Fighters. Instead it is a general overview of WWII from the perspective of allied air war. Even the historical overview is of little value.

It has little information about the specific models of aircraft used other than a small box with sparse information. In fact, it doesn't discuss the aircraft in much detail at all. It mentions tactics and organization only in passing as well.

While the color plates are strong (the reason I picked up the book) they generally show the same aircraft over and over and almost always from the same viewpoint (the left side of the plane) -- no top down views at all.

It doesn't give any real comparisons between the aircraft, much less their opposition or show which years the aircraft was in service.

This is a book that you will give a once over read and then it will sit on the shelf. Sadly, one can get more information from just browsing Wikipedia.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Allied Fighters...a Mixed Bag!, February 20, 2009

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Allied Fighters 1939-45 (The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide) (Paperback)

Part of Zenith Press' 'Essential Aircraft Identification Guide' series, ALLIED FIGHTERS 1939-45 claims to be "the authoritative guide to Allied fighter units for both military modellers and World War II enthusiasts." I can't say as I agree with that claim but, considering the price tag and the wealth of color profiles you get in Chris Chant's book, it isn't a half-bad guide to some Allied fighters.

ALLIED FIGHTERS has pluses and minuses. First, it does offer a country-by-country guide to Allied fighters but only to those that operated in the ETO or MTO. Nothing on PTO fighters. Countries covered include France, the U.K./Commonwealth, America, Russia and "other Allied air forces."

Second, the publisher is Amber Books, which means recycled artwork/pix from the Aerospace Publishing backfiles. Many of the profiles were first used in WINGS OF FAME, etc. Some are really showing their age; several (357th FG P-51D, 4th FG P-47C & P-51B, 353rd FG P-51D, etc. are poorly done and the colors suspect). The book's most notable innovation is displaying, for example, the aircraft strength of a typical fighter unit - like an RAF FS - by featuring a Spitfire profile repeated 12 times. Incidentally the full-page 56th FG P-47 chart features a P-47 from the 358th FG repeated 72 times. Oops!

My biggest beef about ALLIED FIGHTERS is its scattershot arrangement. The sequencing in the RAF section, for example, bounces around from "Nightfighters" to "Malta" to "Flying Bomb Interceptors," etc.

In summary, you do get some useful info on various Allied fighter units and some general info on the ETO/MTO air war along with lots of color profiles. I imagine wargamers and modellers will enjoy Chant's book but I found it wanting. Given the $19.95 price tag, it's your call, folks!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good summary but missing parts..., August 30, 2008

By 

Glenn Levick "Military Historian" (Gold Coast, Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Allied Fighters 1939-45 (The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide) (Paperback)

At just 192 pages this book was never going to be a 'comprehensive' account of the subject, and is indeed not when you consider that it mentions nothing at all from the Pacific theatre. Still, I find what it does have pretty useful for a quick-and-easy reference guide, and can see the benefits for the modellers too. Good value for money in my opinion, but not perfect by any means.