Book Review of
The Fighting Colours of Richard J. Caruana (Editor)
50th Anniversary Collection 2: Malta George Cross
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications)
ISBN: 978-8366549-74-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $30.00
ISBN: 978-8366549-74-6
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $30.00
THE BOOK:
MMP books is located in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 686 pages in 11 ¾” x 6 ¼” page format.
The cover art shows color illustrations of aircraft that fought over Malta and a George Cross award medal. All are repeated again in the book. Color illustrations are all by the book’s author and editor Richard J, Caruana.
Shown on the cover is a top and side view of a Spitfire. Both are in a wave pattern camouflage of tan and dark-green with light blue undercarriages. The top view has large blue and red roundels on its wings and a black spinner. The side view has a black and white spinner, white fuselage code PP roundel H and a red, white and blue fin flash.
An illustration of an Italian Air Force Savoia Marchetti S.79 Sparviero is shown wrapped around the spine of the book, with half of it on the rear.
It is in a wave pattern of tan and dark-green with aluminum undercarriage. It has a white cross on the rudder flap with a fascist shield on it, white bands around the three cowlings, white spinners, a fascist blue circle with an axe on it on the sides of the center cowling, Black fuselage number 257 and an illustration of 2 tan buildings that have arms holding bombs on the sides of the rudder.
A side view of a Focke Wulf Fw-190-5 that is in a spotted pattern of dark grey dots over light grey sides and undercarriage, white spinner, yellow panel under the nose, yellow fuselage code B + I and a white fuselage band.
An illustration of the George Cross medal.
A side view of a Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane that is in extra dark sea-grey over light grey, with black fuselage number N 5520 S roundel. With a blue, white and red vertical fin flash.
There are 10 black and white wartime photos that show: a Hurricane, Spitfire, Beaufighter IIA, a wrecked Macchi C.200 and a British pilot is posed holding the C.200’s rudder, a Cant Z 1007, a Kittyhawk Mk. III and a row of Douglas A30’s.
There is a full page large color illustration of an Supermarine Spitfire, that is in a wave pattern of tan and dark-green over a pale-blue undercarriage, with a black spinner and white fuselage code large C roundel 3 and a red, white and blue vertical fin flash on the rudder.
Another full page large color illustration is of a Macchi C-202 saetta. It is in a base of dark green with small tan dot pattern camouflage and a light grey undercarriage.
It has steel and white spinner, a blue fascist circle insignia with an axe on it on the side of the nose. A wide white fuselage band with a black circle that has a white naked archer on it and three white Italian words that I cannot translate on the fuselage band.
Followed by a black 80 and white -10. The rudder has a large white cross with a House of Savoy emblem in its center.
These 2 large profiles are repeated again later in the book.
The first color profiles are of Bristol Sea Gladiators. There are 4 side views and 2 top and bottom views.
The next color profiles are of 4 side views of Hawker Hurricane Mk. I’s, with two top views shown also.
Next is a side view of a Fairey Swordfish Mk. I and a Blackburn Skua Mk. II.
Next is a Martin Maryland Mk. II, a Fairey Fulmar Mk. I, a Vickers Wellington Mk. Ic and 3 Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stukas.
Next is 4 side views of a Fiat CR-2 Falco and a top and bottom view.
Next are 6 side views of a Savoia Marchetti S-79 Sparviero, with a top and bottom view.
Next are 4 side views of a Macchi C.200 Saetta.
Next are 3 side views of a Bf-109E and a top view.
Next is a Fiat BR-20, a Bf-110G, a Junker Ju-88-A5, a Heinkel He-111H-4 and five Junkers Ju-87-R2 Stukas, with a top and bottom view of the Stukas.
Next are 2 side views of Cant Z.1007bis and the SIAI S-84.
Next are 10 side views of variants of the Hawker Hurricane and two top views A spitfire Mk.Ic and two side views of Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV’s.
Next are 6 side views of Aermacchi C. 200 Saeta, a Reggiane RE. 2000 Falco and a Reggiane RE—2001 Falco II.
Next is a side view of a Fiat BR.20M, a Fiat CR.25 bis, a Junkers Ju-53/3m g5e, an IMAM Ro.43 floatplane, two Junkers Ju-88D-4(trops) and a Cant Z.10o7bis.
Next is a side view of a Reggiane RE.2000 Falco, seven side views of a Macchi C.200 Folgore.
Next are 2 side views of a Fairey Albatros Mk. I, and 3 Bristol Beaufort Mk.1 and Mk.1a’s.
Next are side profiles of 6 Hawker Hurricanes.
Next are 8 side views of Bf-109’s.
Next are 3 side views of SIAI Marchetti S.79 Sparviero, two side views of Bristol Beaufighters and a side view of a Martin Maryland Mk. III.
Next is 16 side views of Supermarine Spitfires.
Next is 2 side views of Bristol Beaufighters, a Martin B-26B-4-MA Marauder, two De Havilland Mosquitos and a Martin Baltimore Mk. IV.
Next is a side view of a Fiat CR.42 CN Falco, two Macchi C-200 Saetta, a Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete and 11 Aero Macchi C.202 Folgore S, with one top view of a Folgore.
Next are 14 side views of Spitfires, 2 side views of P-40F Kittyhawks.
Next are 4 side views of Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario, 10 Bf-109 G’s and 4 Fw-190’s.
Next is a side view of a Curtiss P-40F Kittyhawk, N. American A-36A Apache, 3 Spitfires and a Curtiss P-40F Kittyhawk.
The book ends with a list of 31 other books by the author, a list of Allied Units in Malta 1940-1943, an Order of Battle 2nd Squadra Aero 10 June 1940, an Order of Battle –Sicily 1 August 1940, a list of aircraft delivered to Malta by carrier operations, a list of German units in Sicily/Southern Italy and a listing of wings.
This is a neat book about the aircraft used at Malta. It will be of great interest to aircraft modellers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of MMP Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
MMP books is located in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 686 pages in 11 ¾” x 6 ¼” page format.
The cover art shows color illustrations of aircraft that fought over Malta and a George Cross award medal. All are repeated again in the book. Color illustrations are all by the book’s author and editor Richard J, Caruana.
Shown on the cover is a top and side view of a Spitfire. Both are in a wave pattern camouflage of tan and dark-green with light blue undercarriages. The top view has large blue and red roundels on its wings and a black spinner. The side view has a black and white spinner, white fuselage code PP roundel H and a red, white and blue fin flash.
An illustration of an Italian Air Force Savoia Marchetti S.79 Sparviero is shown wrapped around the spine of the book, with half of it on the rear.
It is in a wave pattern of tan and dark-green with aluminum undercarriage. It has a white cross on the rudder flap with a fascist shield on it, white bands around the three cowlings, white spinners, a fascist blue circle with an axe on it on the sides of the center cowling, Black fuselage number 257 and an illustration of 2 tan buildings that have arms holding bombs on the sides of the rudder.
A side view of a Focke Wulf Fw-190-5 that is in a spotted pattern of dark grey dots over light grey sides and undercarriage, white spinner, yellow panel under the nose, yellow fuselage code B + I and a white fuselage band.
An illustration of the George Cross medal.
A side view of a Gloster Sea Gladiator biplane that is in extra dark sea-grey over light grey, with black fuselage number N 5520 S roundel. With a blue, white and red vertical fin flash.
There are 10 black and white wartime photos that show: a Hurricane, Spitfire, Beaufighter IIA, a wrecked Macchi C.200 and a British pilot is posed holding the C.200’s rudder, a Cant Z 1007, a Kittyhawk Mk. III and a row of Douglas A30’s.
There is a full page large color illustration of an Supermarine Spitfire, that is in a wave pattern of tan and dark-green over a pale-blue undercarriage, with a black spinner and white fuselage code large C roundel 3 and a red, white and blue vertical fin flash on the rudder.
Another full page large color illustration is of a Macchi C-202 saetta. It is in a base of dark green with small tan dot pattern camouflage and a light grey undercarriage.
It has steel and white spinner, a blue fascist circle insignia with an axe on it on the side of the nose. A wide white fuselage band with a black circle that has a white naked archer on it and three white Italian words that I cannot translate on the fuselage band.
Followed by a black 80 and white -10. The rudder has a large white cross with a House of Savoy emblem in its center.
These 2 large profiles are repeated again later in the book.
The first color profiles are of Bristol Sea Gladiators. There are 4 side views and 2 top and bottom views.
The next color profiles are of 4 side views of Hawker Hurricane Mk. I’s, with two top views shown also.
Next is a side view of a Fairey Swordfish Mk. I and a Blackburn Skua Mk. II.
Next is a Martin Maryland Mk. II, a Fairey Fulmar Mk. I, a Vickers Wellington Mk. Ic and 3 Junkers Ju-87B-2 Stukas.
Next is 4 side views of a Fiat CR-2 Falco and a top and bottom view.
Next are 6 side views of a Savoia Marchetti S-79 Sparviero, with a top and bottom view.
Next are 4 side views of a Macchi C.200 Saetta.
Next are 3 side views of a Bf-109E and a top view.
Next is a Fiat BR-20, a Bf-110G, a Junker Ju-88-A5, a Heinkel He-111H-4 and five Junkers Ju-87-R2 Stukas, with a top and bottom view of the Stukas.
Next are 2 side views of Cant Z.1007bis and the SIAI S-84.
Next are 10 side views of variants of the Hawker Hurricane and two top views A spitfire Mk.Ic and two side views of Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV’s.
Next are 6 side views of Aermacchi C. 200 Saeta, a Reggiane RE. 2000 Falco and a Reggiane RE—2001 Falco II.
Next is a side view of a Fiat BR.20M, a Fiat CR.25 bis, a Junkers Ju-53/3m g5e, an IMAM Ro.43 floatplane, two Junkers Ju-88D-4(trops) and a Cant Z.10o7bis.
Next is a side view of a Reggiane RE.2000 Falco, seven side views of a Macchi C.200 Folgore.
Next are 2 side views of a Fairey Albatros Mk. I, and 3 Bristol Beaufort Mk.1 and Mk.1a’s.
Next are side profiles of 6 Hawker Hurricanes.
Next are 8 side views of Bf-109’s.
Next are 3 side views of SIAI Marchetti S.79 Sparviero, two side views of Bristol Beaufighters and a side view of a Martin Maryland Mk. III.
Next is 16 side views of Supermarine Spitfires.
Next is 2 side views of Bristol Beaufighters, a Martin B-26B-4-MA Marauder, two De Havilland Mosquitos and a Martin Baltimore Mk. IV.
Next is a side view of a Fiat CR.42 CN Falco, two Macchi C-200 Saetta, a Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete and 11 Aero Macchi C.202 Folgore S, with one top view of a Folgore.
Next are 14 side views of Spitfires, 2 side views of P-40F Kittyhawks.
Next are 4 side views of Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario, 10 Bf-109 G’s and 4 Fw-190’s.
Next is a side view of a Curtiss P-40F Kittyhawk, N. American A-36A Apache, 3 Spitfires and a Curtiss P-40F Kittyhawk.
The book ends with a list of 31 other books by the author, a list of Allied Units in Malta 1940-1943, an Order of Battle 2nd Squadra Aero 10 June 1940, an Order of Battle –Sicily 1 August 1940, a list of aircraft delivered to Malta by carrier operations, a list of German units in Sicily/Southern Italy and a listing of wings.
This is a neat book about the aircraft used at Malta. It will be of great interest to aircraft modellers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
Casemate is the N. American distributor of MMP Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.