Casemate Books Warplane Color Gallery 1: Flying Tigers Colors Camouflage & Markings of the American Volunteer Group & the USAAF 23rd Fighter Group 1941-1945

No aircraft markings in history are more iconic than the distinctive shark's mouths applied to the noses of American Volunteer Group and 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and P-51s that fought in the skies over Asia during World War II. This book covers the camouflage and markings of the fighters they flew, including the first detailed account of the progression of markings changes made by the 23rd FG throughout the war, as well as the combat history of these legendary units. It features over 100 rare period photographs, plus 32 fully researched, full-color plates showing different aircraft types employed by the units across different camouflage patterns, with very detailed captions and reference photos. Over the past 35 years, the author has written more than a dozen books and numerous magazine articles about USAAF fighter operations during World War II.

• 64 Pages
• 105 Black & White Photos
• 6 Color Photos
• 32 Full Color Plates of Artwork

REVIEWS

...absolutely beautiful book. I don't know if Mr. Molesworth is a model builder but he sure thinks like one. He appealed to the historian, researcher and model builder in me with this book. If you have an interest in aircraft of the CBI or the Flying Tigers, Carl Molesworth is the author you should seek out. I consider him the undisputed champion on the subject matter. I highly recommend this book for your research library.

"...goodly number of period photos, some in color, as well as a section on full color profiles and information on the various paints used during this time. One of the more extensive appendices lists every known plane by serial number. This includes the unit with which it flew and the pilot where known. An oddity of the CBI and even the southwest Pacific in general, is that units painted over the serial number, which can't have made research easy. A final page shows the various color combinations used by these aircraft.
In all, it makes for a superb read and a book that I found quite interesting. Of course, I'm a fan of both the P-40, the CBI, and Carl's work so I may be biased, but I do believe that you will find it worth picking up. Highly recommended. "

...presents a good balance between historical overview and the more detailed color coverage that is so important to modelers. It may not represent the last word on the Flying Tigers, but it provides a very useful grounding in the subject and will be a fine reference for anyone modeling these iconic aircraft. Model Centrum's new Warplane Color Gallery series shows a lot of promise.