North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)

North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)

Valiant Wings Publishing have just released their ninth title in the much-acclaimed Airframe Extra series: The North African Campaign – 10th June 1940 to 13th May 1943. This is a milestone for Valiant Wings, as it is their 41st title in under eight years! Congratulations to Richard (both!), Mark, Patrick, Steve, Libor and all the others of the team!

Many active scale modellers like to build subjects based on a theme or historical event. This series looks at specific areas and events in the history of aerial warfare. Each title covers the history and timelines, detail of the protagonists, period photographs and superb colour artwork from Richard J Caruana. Specific kit builds in all three major scales (1/72nd, 1/48th and 1/32nd) from Steve A. Evans and Libor Jekl commemorate each event.

Each title is A4 in size, 64-80 pages with laminated covers.

Airframe Extra No.9 - The North African Campaign

82 pages in full colour

ISBN: 978-0-9957773-2-3

Cover price £9.95

Covers the historical aspects of the battles on the ground and in the air in North Africa from Italy's declaration of war on France and the United Kingdom on the 10th June 1940 through to the surrender of all Axis forces in Tunisia on the 13th May 1943.

The first 18 pages include a brief historical narrative of the conflict by Patrick Branly, with many action photos and maps: Operations Compass, Sonnenblume, Brevity, Battleaxe, Crusader, Torch, Battles of Gazala, Mersa Matruh, El Alamein, Alam Halfa, El Agheila, Kasserine Pass, Mareth Line, Wadi Akarit and the final battles. The text covers both ground and air operations and this is a huge task, considering the limited space/page count including pictures. Note that Operation Torch started & ended on November 1942 and is -by mistake- placed under the “1943” title chapter. The narrative includes some – to our opinion – not so necessary technical descriptions/dimensions of well known aircraft types and also descriptions of small army units moving on the ground plus divisions order of battle. The best part is the inspiring plethora of photos, such as a damaged Fw190A-4 at Tunis El Aouina airfield.

A full page color cross-reference chart concludes the historical section, with major shades relating to the air war: RAF, USAAF, Luftwaffe (9 RLM Shades) & Regia Aeronautica, in both Acrylics & Enamels by AKAN, Gunze, Humbrol, Lifecolor, Modelmaster, Tamiya, Revell, White Ensign & Xtracrylics/Xtracolors brands.

The next 5 pages cover an excellent step-by-step build of an Eduard 1/144 scale Ju52/3m by Steve A. Evans. Unbelievable quality from such a small model!

Libor Jekl is next with 8 pages describing his Special Hobby Kittyhawk Mk Ia build in 1/72nd scale and again Steve with the superb Fly Models Hurricane IID in 1/32 scale. All builds are accompanied by many pages of Richard J. Caruana’s color profiles: 15 german, 30 british, 20 italian, 10 french and 15 american aircraft profiles in total - fighters, bombers, single-engine and multi-engine. All in all 90 colour profiles, each with an explanatory caption.

The largest build is about the Hasegawa He111H-6 in 1/72 scale (9 pages) and well worth it, as Libor has done an excellent job, once again, with a very interesting three tone desert camouflage pattern with RLM79 over RLM70/71 and black/RLM65 undersurfaces. The RS Models D-520 build in the same scale is also fantastic. The last build is the Bf110E Tropical (Eduard 1/48 Limited MTO/Profipack) which is the best kit available in this scale, by Steve A. Evans - very inspiring indeed.

All the kit builds:

- 1/72nd Heinkel He 111H-6 (Hasegawa)

- 1/72nd Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk Ia (Special Hobby)

- 1/72nd Dewoitine D.520 (RS Models) - all three by Libor Jekl

- 1/144th Junkers Ju 52/3m (Eduard)

- 1/48th Messerschmitt Bf 110C-2/Trop (Eduard)

- 1/32nd Hawker Hurricane Mk IID (Fly) - all three by Steve Evans

(Note: The 1/72nd He111H-6 model has markings of a V./KG 100 machine based in Autumn 1942 at Kalamaki on Zakynthos (Zante) island, Greece. This Gruppe flew night and day, long-range missions against targets in North Africa, maritime interdiction operations against ports and anti-shipping roles in the MTO. Also one of the 90 color profiles shows a Greek Hurricane MkIIb of No.335 Hellenic Squadron, FG-Σ, ΒD930, Western Desert, October 1943)

In conclusion, this is the best one-volume reference scale aircraft modeling book about the North Africa Campaign in WW2. The unique mix of historical text, photos, maps, 90 color profiles, color cross-reference chart and 6 step-by-step model builds -plus Valiant Wings style low price- is irresistible. Surely not to be missed by modelers and highly recommended!

Orders can be placed via the Publishers website here or by calling +44 (0) 1234 273434 or by writing to: Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd, 8, West Grove, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4BT, UK

 

North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)North Africa Campaign, 10/6/1940 – 13/5/1943, Airframe Extra No.9 (Valiant Wings)
  • Share