Lord, Cliff and David BirtlesThe Armed Forces of Aden, 1839-1967. Solihull, England: Helion and Company, 2000

ISBN 1-874622-40-X
112 pages

Acknowledgements; Foreword; Introduction; Photos; maps; diagrams; Glossary; Bibliography; Index

While slightly outside our usual area of interest and expertise, this is a likable little book about the fascinating military units of Aden. The authors offer a brief summary of how Aden came to be a British possession, then launch into unit-by-unit details of a bewildering assortment of colorful contingents such as the Hadhrami Bedouin Legion, the Mahra Tribal Guard, and the Zeyla Field Force. A few of these actually served during World War II, and in addition OB researcher extraordinaire David Ryan provides an appendix of British and Indian forces stationed at Aden at various times during 1939-1945. Remarkable color photos. Also much on uniforms and insignia. A delightfully unusual treasure.

Crandall, Jerry. EagleFiles #2: Yellow 10: The Story of the ultra-rare Fw 190 D-13. Hamilton, MT: Eagle Editions, Ltd, 2000

ISBN 0-9660706-3-1
88 pages

Introduction; photos; Bibliography

This is another little "niche" publication which will be welcomed by enthusiasts. Jerry Crandall has had a lengthy, roundabout relationship with a particular Fw 190 and its owners. With the help of some serendipitously discovered photos and information, he traces it from the Luftwaffe to Freeman Field, Indiana where it was part of a collection of enemy aircraft, on to Dobbins Army Air Base in Georgia where it was intended for a museum, then to the Georgia Tech Aero Flying Club when the aircraft was surplused, into the hands of local collector Bud Weaver, then to an airline pilot named Lloyd Freeman, from him to a collector in California named David Kyte, and finally to Doug Champlin. Champlin in turn shipped the plane back to Germany for full restoration and it is now an attraction at the Champlin Museum. Along the way much has been discovered about the unusual plane, and Crandall offers the full story with ample photographic evidence.

Mombeek, Eric with J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Creek. Luftwaffe Colours, volume one, section 4: Jagdwaffe: The Attack in the West, May 1940. Crowborough, England: Classic Publications, 2000

ISBN 0-9526-867-83
94 pages

Acknowledgements; photos; diagrams; maps; tables

This is the fourth in Classic's gorgeous Luftwaffe Colours series, and it measures up to its highly attractive predecessors with carefully laid out pages containing photos, color plates, insignia, emblems, and the kind of artistic detail that sets Classic's books apart from others. While concerned for the most part with camouflage and markings, along the way Mombeek provides a great deal of other information, including detailed orders of battle (including the French), strength/serviceability returns, names of unit commanders, and sidebars of recollections and anecdotes offered by Luftwaffe veterans. Very nicely done.

Hamalainen, Matti. Finnish Air Force Squadrons, volume one: Bomber Squadron 42. Helsinki: Koala-Kustannus, 2000

ISBN 952-5186-13-X
157 pages

Preface; photos; documents; Index

The third of the air books covered here, this one from Finland tells the story of Bomber Squadron 42. The author's previous book was a narrative history of the unit; this book is a photo history, albeit it with some framing text and substantial captions. Before the Winter War, the squadron existed on paper but without aircraft. British Blenheim bombers, flown from the UK by British crews, arrived to equip the unit at the end of February 1940. Hamalainen traces the unit's service in the Winter War, during the interim peace, during the Continuation War when Finland was again at war with the Soviet Union, and then during the Lapland War of 1944-45 when the Finnish aircraft where used against their erstwhile German allies. Appendices include a plane-by-plane listing of every Blenheim and other aircraft that served with the unit, giving all vital statistics and fate. All text in Finnish and English.

Novarese, Dr. Marco. Decima! The Xth MAS and the Italian Social Republic, 1943-1945. Bayside, NY: Axis Europa Books, 2000

ISBN 1-891227-32-7
105 pages

Editor's Note; photos; maps; tables; documents

Not really a new publisher, Tony Munoz's Axis Europa Books has been offering publications of varying quality about unfamiliar combat units for several years. The latest from Axis Europa is a slender hardcover volume written by Dr. Novarese with "book presentation, design, footnotes, and editing" by Munoz and color plate illustrations by Darko Pavlovic. Xth MAS -- 10th Light Flotilla -- was originally a naval unit specializing in motor torpedo boats, human torpedoes, and similar unconventional forms of warfare. At the time of the Italian armistice in 1943, the unit's commander, Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, rallied his sailors to the Axis and soon expanded the unit with ground-based forces. This book covers the various sub-units of Xth MAS and their operations for Mussolini's Italian Social Republic. Interesting stuff.

All five titles are available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from the respective publisher.

Thanks to the publishers for providing these review copies.