Military Model Scene

Title: Polish Wings 44 - Curtis Hawk 75
Author: Bartlomiej Belcarz, Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak & Franciszek Strzelczyk
Publisher: Stratus
ISBN: 978-83-67227-61-2

Number 44 in the popular Polish Wings series from Stratus Publications covering the Curtis Hawk 75, H-75/ P36A/ Mohawk. A 52-page soft-cover book.
As explained at the start of the book, Poland was considering buying some fighter aircraft from the USA, though none were purchased in the end. France did buy several hundred and Norway also bought some. Some had been delivered but the war started before the orders were completed. That led to some crated machine which would have gone to France, and Norway, were delivered to the UK, where they served in the RAF, where it was named the Mohawk. The book tells us the story of the French Hawks and how a number of them were flown by Polish pilots, who had left Poland after the German invasion. We hear of the names and service of a number of these Polish pilots, along with the aircraft they flew. With the defeat of France in 1940, some captured were put into service with the Luftwaffe, and some were also sold on to Finland. Some Polish pilots who escaped from France went on to fly examples in RAF service, in both the UK and Africa. Some also flew Norwegian examples, and there is even some history of Polish pilots having flown a couple of aircraft from the batch later sold to Finland. At the end of the book, one American pilot who had a proud Polish heritage, flew an example in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941. Throughout the book, adding a lot to the text, are a lot of interesting archive photos, coupled with plenty of fine colour profiles, illustrating the colours and markings worn by these aircraft in French, German, Finnish and RAF service, plus one in the US markings they war in Hawaii. As well as the service history in the main text, all the photos and artwork have more detail in the caption, and plenty of detail on the colours and markings of aircraft while they were in service.
An interesting book with plenty of detail on the Curtis Hawk as flown by Polish pilots, and following the defeat of Poland in 1939, just how determined they were to fight on as best they could, whether in France, the UK and even Africa. I for one knew little of nothing of their service in the RAF so I think there is plenty in here to interest the aviation historian, and also a lot for modellers who might like to use this as inspiration to build a selection of these aircraft in a themed collection. Another good addition to the series.
Thanks to the distributors, Casemate UK, for the review sample.

Robin