Customer Reviews

Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, No 7)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book belongs in the Osprey Squadrons and Units series. There's almost nothing here about aces. Very poorly written from the point of view of the title series.

Osprey 'Aircraft of the Aces' #7 is an odd duck. Author Jerry Scutts has combined the stories of aces that flew Mustangs in the RAF, 9th and 15th Air Forces to produce this Mustang Aces smorgasbord. The end result makes for interesting if disjointed reading.

After detailing the Mustang's record with the RAF in Chapter One, Scutts looks at USAAF Mustangs in Europe then switches to RAF P-51s in North Africa and Italy before covering the American exploits with the A-36/P-51 in the Med and with the 15th Air Force. The final chapters relate the war record of the all-black 332nd FG and the 9th AF's 354th FG, the top-scoring FG in the ETO.

The color profiles reflect the cobbled-together nature of the book. No less than five illustrators including John Weal and Chris Davey contributed to the 60 profiles featured. Another two color pages are given over to Mustang pilot flight gear. Over 80 b&w photographs are also included.

I gave Scutts' book four stars for several reasons. First, it lacked an index. Second, it did not include a listing of the 9th/15th/RAF aces. Osprey should have considered expanding Scutts' work from 96 to 100 pages.

Air combat buffs will enjoy MUSTANG ACES OF THE NINTH & FIFTEENTH AIR FORCES & THE RAF. Despite its cobbled-together nature, the book does tell some exciting tales of air combat and is nicely illustrated to boot. Recommended.

Many if not all of the of Osprey Aircraft Aces books have a list of aces at the end of the book. Sadly, this book does not have one. You have to write down the names of the people who made aces in the 9th & 15th Air Force plus the RAF which probably explains why the book is only 100 pages and there are two chapters that are devoted to two fighter groups.

very beautifull book who show by detail the camouflage of the plane use by the USAAF during world war 2