Kagero B-25J Mitchell in Combat over Pacific & CBI

[Mike]

B-25J Mitchell in Combat over Pacific & CBI

ISBN : 9788365437518

Kagero via Casemate UK

 

 

The B-25 Mitchell medium bomber was one of the staples of the US bomber force during WWII, and was also used by the British in large numbers, with the J model having a rather heavy armament that varied between 14-18 fixed machine guns in the nose and in gondolas to the side of the cockpit, often known as cheek guns.  This concentrated field of fire made it ideal as a gunship, and with the extra guns in the Strafer nose, it packed a formidable punch that was used to good effect in all theatres.

 

 

This new title from Polish publisher Kagero is a pictorial history of the aircraft and units that fought in the Pacific and the Chinese, Burma and India (CBI) theatres, in which there were some fantastic noseart adorning the sides of these flying gun trucks.  Spanning 108 pages with a huge number of contemporary photos, a few of which are in colour, it is held in a perfect-bound format with card cover, and includes a set of pre-cut vinyl masks in 1:48 for the "stars and bars" of the US Air Force.  It is printed in English/Polish with the English on the left on the main text, and above the Polish for the captions, of which there are many.  After a short introduction, the book details each of the squadrons that fought within these oft neglected theatres, which includes:

 

• 345th Bomber Group
• 38th Bomber Group
• 42nd Bomber Group
• 41st Bomber Group
• 17th Reconnaissance Squadron
• 12th Bomber Group CBI
• 341st Bomber Group CBI
• 1st Bomber Group CBI
• 18th Squadron Of Netherlands East Indies
• 2nd Squadron RAAF

 

 

At the end is a section of colour photos, followed by a few words regarding a wreck that is still on Binaya mountain on Ceram Island, which took the author four days to trek to, the crash being the result of a flight of eight aircraft flying almost blind, and the three leaders having no time to pull up when the mountain came into view.  Sadly all crew were lost in the incident.  The final few pages are devoted to recreations of some of the nose art, and a set of profiles of some notable examples of the aircraft featured in the book.  If you are prudish in nature, you'd better steal yourself, as Mitchel crews seem to have had a fixation for scantily clad ladies with large breasts.

 

 

Conclusion

If you're interested in Mitchells, the Pacific and CBI theatres, or just love a good read, this is an interesting book on an interesting subject that should give you some hours of entertainment, and remain on hand as a reference for the modeller or historian.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of