Book Review of
Flying Flatiron Gloster Javelin
Author: Alex Crawford
MMP-Stratus Orange Series No 8123
ISBN: 978-83-66549-38-8
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $55.00
ISBN: 978-83-66549-38-8
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $55.00
HISTORY:
The Gloster Javelin is a twin-engined T-tailed delta-wing subsonic night and all-weather interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The last aircraft design to bear the Gloster name, it was introduced in 1956 after a lengthy development period and received several upgrades during its lifetime to its engines, radar and weapons, which included the De Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile.
The Javelin was succeeded in the interceptor role by the English Electric Lightning, a supersonic aircraft capable of flying at more than double the Javelin's top speed, which was introduced into the RAF only a few years later. The Javelin served for much of its life alongside the Lightning; the last Javelins were withdrawn from operational service in 1968 following the introduction of successively more capable versions of the Lightning.
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the U.K. Their associate Stratus is based in Poland. This book was printed in Poland in English. Stratus also does their own line of books in both Polish and English.
The book is soft cover of 206 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”page format.
The cover art shows a Gloster Javelin banking to the left over clouds and showing its bare-metal under-carriage.
The book starts with INTRODUCTION & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
It holds 94 black and white photos and 74 color ones. Forty-one of the color ones are of the walk-around type, that show the Javelin’s anatomy, weapons, engines and inside factories.
Four tiny line-drawings show initial developments of prototypes of Javelins.
One color photo shows a Boulton-Paul P.III prototype painted overall bright yellow.
There are 14 line-drawings that are cutaway types, that show parts of the anatomy of the Javelin, the joy-stick, cockpit and three of the landing-gear.
There are 3 data lists.
Black and white photos show 15 of the cockpit interior, with lists of the names of the dashboard instruments.
There are 8 color photos of different engines.
In 1/72nd scale there are line-drawings of: the Mk.1, the Mk.7, the Mk.8 and the Mk.9. Including a rocket, drop-tank and fuselage interior bulkhead shapes and locations.
There are chapters on: Overseas Deployment, In the Middle East, In the Far East, Colours and markings of Javelins, 4 ½ pages of Javelin loses, a Production list, 19 pages of Individual Histories, the GLOSSARY, 7 pages of Roll of Honor.
There are 13 color photos of Javelins in various museums today.
There are 22 color side-profile illustrations and two 3-views. One profile is overall orange with back-radome-nose and black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield.
One of the 3-views shows a Javelin that is in red and white sections. It is a Mk.9 type shown after retirement of service and retained for testing. It has black serial no. XH897 underneath both wings.
All the other 22 side profiles are in the standard camouflage of dark-sea-grey upper surfaces, over which was applied a disruptive dark-green pattern. The undercarriage was overall aluminum, also known as “Speed Silver”. The nose radome was painted jet-black.
This is one neat book on the Gloster Javelin. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a Javelin and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. They are the North America distributor of MMP books and all MMP titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The Gloster Javelin is a twin-engined T-tailed delta-wing subsonic night and all-weather interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force from the mid-1950s until the late 1960s. The last aircraft design to bear the Gloster name, it was introduced in 1956 after a lengthy development period and received several upgrades during its lifetime to its engines, radar and weapons, which included the De Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile.
The Javelin was succeeded in the interceptor role by the English Electric Lightning, a supersonic aircraft capable of flying at more than double the Javelin's top speed, which was introduced into the RAF only a few years later. The Javelin served for much of its life alongside the Lightning; the last Javelins were withdrawn from operational service in 1968 following the introduction of successively more capable versions of the Lightning.
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the U.K. Their associate Stratus is based in Poland. This book was printed in Poland in English. Stratus also does their own line of books in both Polish and English.
The book is soft cover of 206 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾”page format.
The cover art shows a Gloster Javelin banking to the left over clouds and showing its bare-metal under-carriage.
The book starts with INTRODUCTION & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
It holds 94 black and white photos and 74 color ones. Forty-one of the color ones are of the walk-around type, that show the Javelin’s anatomy, weapons, engines and inside factories.
Four tiny line-drawings show initial developments of prototypes of Javelins.
One color photo shows a Boulton-Paul P.III prototype painted overall bright yellow.
There are 14 line-drawings that are cutaway types, that show parts of the anatomy of the Javelin, the joy-stick, cockpit and three of the landing-gear.
There are 3 data lists.
Black and white photos show 15 of the cockpit interior, with lists of the names of the dashboard instruments.
There are 8 color photos of different engines.
In 1/72nd scale there are line-drawings of: the Mk.1, the Mk.7, the Mk.8 and the Mk.9. Including a rocket, drop-tank and fuselage interior bulkhead shapes and locations.
There are chapters on: Overseas Deployment, In the Middle East, In the Far East, Colours and markings of Javelins, 4 ½ pages of Javelin loses, a Production list, 19 pages of Individual Histories, the GLOSSARY, 7 pages of Roll of Honor.
There are 13 color photos of Javelins in various museums today.
There are 22 color side-profile illustrations and two 3-views. One profile is overall orange with back-radome-nose and black anti-glare panel in front of the windshield.
One of the 3-views shows a Javelin that is in red and white sections. It is a Mk.9 type shown after retirement of service and retained for testing. It has black serial no. XH897 underneath both wings.
All the other 22 side profiles are in the standard camouflage of dark-sea-grey upper surfaces, over which was applied a disruptive dark-green pattern. The undercarriage was overall aluminum, also known as “Speed Silver”. The nose radome was painted jet-black.
This is one neat book on the Gloster Javelin. It will be of great interest to modelers planning on building a Javelin and to aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. They are the North America distributor of MMP books and all MMP titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.