Military Model Scene

Title: Royal Navy and Army Helicopters of the 1970s and '80s
Author: Chris Goss
Publisher: Key Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-80282-259-5

This makes number 27 in the Historic Military Aircraft Series from Key Publishing. A small format 96-page soft-cover book, packed with archive images.
There are 5 main chapters, one each devoted to the Lynx, Sea King, Wasp/Scout. Wessex and Whirlwind, leaving one addition chapter to group together a number of Minor Types. Lots of photos in each chapter, illustrating a number of different airframes. The captions not only identify the individual helicopter(s) but in many cases add what happened to it after it was withdrawn from service, sometimes going into private ownership, some to museums, and others ending up scrapped on used for fire training, so some sad endings. At least one of the Wasps illustrated got my attention as it was written off in a crash on South Georgia in the Falkland Islands. I have another photo of it in my uncle's book 'My Falkland Days', with my uncle (Sir Rex Hunt) and my aunt Mavis walking away from it as it lies on its' side on the beach where it crashed. Fortunately they were unharmed. As for the Scouts, sadly it doesn't include the example we have on display at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation. Reading some of the captions, it made me wish we had a Wasp to go alongside out Scout. In the Minor Types section there are plenty of other interesting machines, such as the Alouette II, the Skeeter, Gazelle, and my personal favourite, the Sioux. I can't see one without seeing the titles of M.A.S.H. and the associated music in my mind.
So many great references among this super collection of photos, including plenty of them seen at various air shows over the years. The captions have some great information on the specific machine we see. Helicopter enthusiasts, historians interested in these Cold War era and especially modellers will enjoy this one I think.
Thanks to Pen & Sword for this review copy.

Robin