Review Runway

(Osprey Publishing, 320 pages, $35)

Air Combat: Dogfights of World War II highlights in great detail four clashes in key theatres of the war. Beautifully illustrated, each section includes historic photographs, detailed maps, and colorful artwork, and presents the compelling stories behind these dramatic and deadly aviation duels. Exciting dogfights in the skies over the major war-torn theaters of WW II, each section brings the aerial combats to life with detailed information of the aircraft and its history, the pilots who flew them, the strategic situation involved at the time, and actual combat anecdotes with detailed analysis. Part one, written by the editor of the book, Tony Holmes, takes the reader to the action of the Battle of Britain, highlighting the matchups between the Supermarine Spitfire and the Messerschmitt Bf 109. With plenty of photos of the aircraft, the pilots, and aircraft markings, the story is clear. Although the Royal Air Force’s Fighter Command had the numerical strength during the Channel Front campaigns, it was the Luftwaffe that enjoyed the greatest success. Explained with beautiful full-color artwork, the drawings are a feast for any aviation enthusiast’s eyes. Part two, written by Edward M. Young, sets the stage with island hopping and many of the clashes between the Grumman F4F Wildcat and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Taking place offshore over the vast ocean, the action is spread over a vast theater, and carrier battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, the Eastern Solomons, and Santa Cruz drew heavy losses for both sides. The tactics the Wildcat pilots developed during 1942 and the lessons they learned became standard for naval aviators for the rest of the war in the Pacific. Part three, written by Dmitriy Khazanov and Aleksander Medved, pits the Soviet Lavochkin La-5/7 against the Luftwaffe’s Focke-Wulf FW 190 in the skies over the Eastern Front. I was fascinated by not only the impressive collection of aircraft photos but also the images from inside the assembly line at Focke-Wulf’s Bremen plant in Germany. One thing the reader learns from this chapter is that both aircraft were tough and had to operate under the harshest conditions. Part four, also written by Young, highlights the beginning of the end of WW II as the Japanese attempt to defend their home islands. Highlighting the duels between the Vought F4U Corsair and the Nakajima Type 4 Ki-84 “Frank,” it was clear that by the time these two war machines met, the neophyte Japanese fighter pilots simply did not have the experience and skill to take on the task. A new threat from kamikaze attacks also had to be dealt with. I really enjoyed this volume. It’s like having four books in one and is a great experience to read. It should be in every aviation enthusiast’s military-documentation collection. The book’s on-sale date is January 22, 2019. — Gerry Yarrish