F-47D Thunderbolt


by Nicola Malizia

IBN Editore

Reviewed by Mick Evans

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
 

This publication is in soft cover with mainly black and white photographs with a sprinkling of colour photographs.

The book is printed in the smaller B5 format.

The publication covers the F-47D (this is the post-war designation for the famous P-47D) Thunderbolt in Italian service and contains many photographs of the aircraft in service mainly, with 56 Tactical Air Force.

The publication contains 131 pages of Italian and the equivalent English text with approx 106 colour photographs and 6 colour plates depicting colour schemes flown by the various squadrons. The range of aircraft covers some of the early days with Spitfire Mk.IX and Mustang P-51D aircraft through to obtaining the Vampire and F84 Thunderjet. The story starts with a brief history of the development of the P-47 Thunderbolt and its development through the war before focusing on the rebuilding of the Italian Air Force.

A brief history of the build-up using the various aircraft but the main focus is on the introduction and service of the Thunderbolt.

The colour plates focus mainly on natural metal schemes but as these are ex USAF aircraft most of them bear the signs of the US nation insignia removal. Sometimes the text is difficult to follow as the English text may skip a few pages before continuing. Each photograph caption is in Italian with the English translation immediately below it.

In summary, this is quite a comprehensive and nicely illustrated publication and will be a welcome addition to the collection of any person or modeller wanting good reference detail for the Thunderbolt in Italian service.

Recommended.

Thanks to I.B.N. Instituto Bibliografico Napoleone for the review copy.
 

Review Copyright © 2004 by Steven "Modeldad" Eisenman
This Page Created on 18 August, 2006
Last updated 17 August, 2006

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page