Kagero | B-25J "Mitchell" in Combat over Europe (MTO)
Reviewed by Kevin Williams
Publisher: Kagero
Author: Marek Katarzyński
Publishing date: 2013
ISBN: 978-83-62878-65-9
For me, the SMI Library series books from Kagero, represent great value for money, featuring great archive imagery from WWII regarding the chosen subject, many of which I’ve never seen before. Also included in every book, are great decals, printed by Cartograf of Italy, further enhancing the value of this series, as well as several marvelous illustrations of chosen and representative subjects, along with a choice few color photos.
This particular book (No. 06 in the series), depicts the venerable and iconic workhorse medium US bomber, the North American B-25J Mitchell. The European theater of operations, specifically the Mediterranean, is what this book focuses on, and it’s chock full of representative material;… live in air shots, nose art and mission markings (lots of them), as well as photos on the ground (sometimes wrecked all to heck), as well as sustained battle damage, illustrate a nice cross section of several bomb groups and wings, all of which were part of the 12th Army Air Force.
Typical Photo Quality to be Found Throughout
The Lovely Decal Sheet (Cartograf of Italy)
To me, the high point of these volumes (and this one is no exception), is a tossup between the great photographs (many in great WWII color), and the splendid decal sheets, the latter being selections of specific airframes depicted within the book itself.
For me to loudly proclaim that these books are a desirable addition to the aviation library, is nothing more than an honest appraisal of what I feel is the great value these books bring to the table.
For those that may have a 1:32 HK B-25J lounging about, and inadequate material to assist with picking a scheme, this book might be just the ticket for you, as schemes are plentiful and varied.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate this book as a 10, no question about it. There are currently two more volumes in the series that I don’t yet have (P-40 Warhawk and F6F Hellcat), but I’ll be adding them to my personal library as soon as I’m able, I enjoy them that much.
© Kevin Williams 2014
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This review was published on Friday, April 25 2014; Last modified on Saturday, June 20 2015