S u m m a r y
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Publisher and
Catalogue Details: |
Campaign 156, The
Doolittle Raid 1942, America’s first strike back at Japan,
by Clayton K S Chun, illustrated by Howard Gerrard, Osprey
Publishing |
ISBN: |
1-84176-918-5 |
Media and
Contents: |
Soft cover, 96 pages |
Price: |
GB£13.99 online from Osprey Publishing |
Review Type: |
FirstRead |
Advantages: |
Good coverage of the
raid, the aircraft and the ships in words and photos;
attractive and helpful colour profiles. |
Disadvantages: |
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Recommendation: |
Recommended
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Reviewed by John Prigent
Osprey's
"Doolittle Raid” will be available online from Squadron.com
Most of us know of the Doolittle Raid but few of us know much more
than that US bombers hit Tokyo very rapidly after the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbour. Here is the full story, from the initial concept to the
actual raid and its aftermath.
Attack options were being looked at as early as January 1942, but
without long-range bombers capable of reaching Japan it was clear that a
carrier-borne operation was needed. The reasons for choosing the B-25
are examined, and the special training for Army pilots to fly from a
carrier is described. The planning stage is dealt with in the same
chapter. Then the voyage toward Japan, cut short when the fleet was
spotted by Japanese ships, the attacks on those ships which showed
problems with aerial bombing and gunnery not to mention with naval
gunnery, is fully described. The main meat of the book is of course its
coverage of the actual raid, and here is the most detailed account
anyone could ask for. 40 pages detail the attacks of every B-25, with
their courses shown by good maps. Not all of them were detailed to
attack Tokyo - Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya were also targets.
The results of the raid were not particularly significant in terms of
damage to Japanese factories, but their psychological impact was
considerable in both countries. Japan strengthened its home defences at
the cost of reducing those in its conquests, and changed its future
strategy, while the US received an enormous boost in morale. This really
was a raid with an effect far out of proportion to the forces used.
Alas, there are few available photographs of the B-25s used, but most of
them seem to be here and the modifications to the planes are described
so modelling one will be quite possible. The colour plates show their
markings, too.
Recommended to both modellers and WW2 historians.
Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample
The Doolittle Raid 1942
(Campaign
156) |
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Author:
Clayton Chun
Illustrator: Howard Gerrard
US Price: $18.95
UK Price: £13.99
Publisher:
Osprey Publishing
Publish Date: January 31, 2006
Details: 96 pages; ISBN:
1-84176-918-5 |
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Review Copyright © 2006 by John Prigent
Page Created 20 February, 2006
Last updated
21 February, 2006
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