Review of The Fairey Barracuda
Author: Matthew Willis
Mushroom Model Publications (MMP)
Orange Series No. 8117
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $39.00
Mushroom Model Publications is based in the UK. They have all their books printed by their associate Stratus in Sandomierz, Poland in the English language. Stratus does their own line of books in the Polish language.
Orange Series No. 8117
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $39.00
Mushroom Model Publications is based in the UK. They have all their books printed by their associate Stratus in Sandomierz, Poland in the English language. Stratus does their own line of books in the Polish language.
The Fairey Barracuda was the first monoplane torpedo bomber operated by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. The Barracuda experienced a difficult birth and development during WWII, and this, added to a number of fatal crashes, led to a poor reputation which the aircraft would never truly shake.
Despite this, the Barracuda proved highly successful in service, carrying out raids against the German Tirpitz, and against Japanese forces in the East Indies that contributed greatly to the war effort. It also undertook a variety of less known roles, and remained in Fleet Air Arm service into the 1950's.
This new book by naval aviation historian Matthew Willis contains and extensive history and technical description of the Barracuda, drawing from a wide range of archive materials and accounts from the men who flew and operated the aircraft in service.
The book is soft cover of 168 pages in 8 3/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
It contains 214 black and white wartime photos. Including one each of the Swordfish, Fairey Albacore, Westland PV7 and three of the Barracuda prototype.
There are 7 black and white photos of the Barracuda's engine and it's mounts.
7 black and white photos are in factory shots.
10 are of pilots, with one being a woman.
34 are of the walk around type.
7 dashboard and cockpit instruments photos.
There are 1/48th scale line drawing profiles of:
The Barracuda Mk. 1
The Barracuda Mk. III
A 2-view of the Barracuda Mk. II
A 5-view of Mk. III showing it's wings folded.
A head-on view of the Mk. II
The Barracuda Mk. V
A photo of the bomb and torpedo mounts.
A 4-view line drawing of the Tirpitz showing where bombs hit her.
There is one tech manual illustration.
There are 26 1/48th scale color profiles of the Barracuda, including the prototype and one 2-view.
Inserted into the back of the book is a catalog sheet of 17 color box arts of Special Hobby brand 1/72nd scale aircraft kits:
Kit no. SH72236 A Boulton Paul Balliol t.21
Kit no. SH 72259 A Supemarine Seafire FR. Mk. 47
Kit no. SH 72279 A D.H. 100 Vampire E.Mk. 3
Kit no. SH72317 A Gloster Meteor T. Mk. 7.5
Kit no. SH72322 A Folland Gnat F. Mk.1 British Single Seater
Kit no. SH72251 A Digby Mk. 1 "Bolo" in Canadian Service
Kit no. SH72268 A V-156B Chesapeak Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72292 A Nomad Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72318 A Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 21 Contraprop
Kit no. SH72074 A Avro Anson Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72196 A Fairey Fulmar N1854 "Fulmar Prototype Story"
Kit no. SH72217 A Blackburn Skua Mk. II
Kit no. SH72229 A Supermarine Seafire Mk.45
Kit no. SH72154 A Sea Harrier FA.2
Kit no. SH72201 A Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. 1 Fighter Bomber
Kit no. SH72227 A Spitfire F. Mk. 21 "No. 91 Sq. RAF in WWII"
Kit no. SH72231 A Seafire FB. Mk. 46
I want to thank Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of MMP and the folks at Casemate Publishing for this review sample.
Despite this, the Barracuda proved highly successful in service, carrying out raids against the German Tirpitz, and against Japanese forces in the East Indies that contributed greatly to the war effort. It also undertook a variety of less known roles, and remained in Fleet Air Arm service into the 1950's.
This new book by naval aviation historian Matthew Willis contains and extensive history and technical description of the Barracuda, drawing from a wide range of archive materials and accounts from the men who flew and operated the aircraft in service.
The book is soft cover of 168 pages in 8 3/4" x 11 3/4" page format.
It contains 214 black and white wartime photos. Including one each of the Swordfish, Fairey Albacore, Westland PV7 and three of the Barracuda prototype.
There are 7 black and white photos of the Barracuda's engine and it's mounts.
7 black and white photos are in factory shots.
10 are of pilots, with one being a woman.
34 are of the walk around type.
7 dashboard and cockpit instruments photos.
There are 1/48th scale line drawing profiles of:
The Barracuda Mk. 1
The Barracuda Mk. III
A 2-view of the Barracuda Mk. II
A 5-view of Mk. III showing it's wings folded.
A head-on view of the Mk. II
The Barracuda Mk. V
A photo of the bomb and torpedo mounts.
A 4-view line drawing of the Tirpitz showing where bombs hit her.
There is one tech manual illustration.
There are 26 1/48th scale color profiles of the Barracuda, including the prototype and one 2-view.
Inserted into the back of the book is a catalog sheet of 17 color box arts of Special Hobby brand 1/72nd scale aircraft kits:
Kit no. SH72236 A Boulton Paul Balliol t.21
Kit no. SH 72259 A Supemarine Seafire FR. Mk. 47
Kit no. SH 72279 A D.H. 100 Vampire E.Mk. 3
Kit no. SH72317 A Gloster Meteor T. Mk. 7.5
Kit no. SH72322 A Folland Gnat F. Mk.1 British Single Seater
Kit no. SH72251 A Digby Mk. 1 "Bolo" in Canadian Service
Kit no. SH72268 A V-156B Chesapeak Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72292 A Nomad Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72318 A Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 21 Contraprop
Kit no. SH72074 A Avro Anson Mk. 1
Kit no. SH72196 A Fairey Fulmar N1854 "Fulmar Prototype Story"
Kit no. SH72217 A Blackburn Skua Mk. II
Kit no. SH72229 A Supermarine Seafire Mk.45
Kit no. SH72154 A Sea Harrier FA.2
Kit no. SH72201 A Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. 1 Fighter Bomber
Kit no. SH72227 A Spitfire F. Mk. 21 "No. 91 Sq. RAF in WWII"
Kit no. SH72231 A Seafire FB. Mk. 46
I want to thank Roger Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of MMP and the folks at Casemate Publishing for this review sample.
Highly recommended to aircraft historians and modelers alike.
Casemate is the N. Ameican distributor of MMP books and all the titles can be seen there at:
www.casematepublishing.com
Casemate is the N. Ameican distributor of MMP books and all the titles can be seen there at:
www.casematepublishing.com