On Target Special: Wings of the Fleet - Updated
By Matt Bittner
Author: Peter Freeman and Mike Starmer
Publisher: The Aviation Workshop Publications LTD
ISBN: 978-1-904643-35-3
Binding: Softcover
Pages:96
As a follow up to their extremely successful Wings of Stars, The Aviation Workshop's current release is Wings of the Fleet, providing an excellent look at United States Navy aircraft from 1919-1941. There is a lot in this book, not only in terms of the aircraft covered, but also general information as well as section markings of squadrons and carrier tail markings.
Naturally the book starts out with WW1 aircraft the US Navy used, this time the Sopwith Camel and Curtiss Jenny float-plane. From there it branches out into the other types, broken out by year/era. There are a lot of color profiles in this book. But, unlike Wings of Stars, there are also photographs. A definite first-rate addition.
If you were curious about US Navy aircraft colors during this time-frame, then this book is a must. In fact, this could be the first time that the McClelland Barclay schemes have been profiled in color. There are four aircraft profiled in their Barclay schemes: Devasatator, Vindicator, BT-1 and Buffalo. Creating these in model-form will be a task in masking patience. But when finished, you will definitely have a conversation piece. Barclay colors were mostly Dark Blue, Blue Grey, Light Grey and White. Very striking and different!
I'm assuming, given past precedent, The Aviation Workshop will release Model Alliance decals covering this On Target Special, like they did for Wings of Stars. It will be very interesting to see what aircraft they choose to represent, and in which markings. There is a lot to choose from, especially when talking 1/72 kits.
In the future I hope to do what I provided in the Wings of Stars article, and that is to outline what aircraft are covered in Wings of the Fleet, and who makes those models in 1/72.
Immense thanks to The Aviation Workshop for providing this awesome book for review. Yes, I am gushing because it's very nicely done and worth tracking down, especially if you like either the yellow-wing era, or US Navy aircraft in particular.
The following are kits that I know of that are covered in this book (in order as they're covered in the book), all 1/72 scale, most still in production, some not (like the Esoteric vacs) but still can be found in places (like ebay):
Sopwith F.1 Camel – Roden
Curtiss N-9H – Esoteric (vac), Olimp
Curtiss R-6L – Ardpol (resin)
Loening OL-8A – Pro Resin upcoming
Curtiss F6C-1 – Esoteric (vac)
Curtiss F6C-2 – Pro Resin
Curtiss F6C-3 – Esoteric (vac), Pro Resin
Curtiss F6C-4 – Pro Resin
Boeing F3B – Esoteric (vac)
Vought O2U – Alliance (resin), Esoteric (vac)
Boeing F4B-2 – Pro Resin
Boeing F4B-4 – Monogram/Accurate Miniatures
Curtiss F9C-2 – Pegasus, Czechmaster Resin, Wings 72 (vac), MPM (announced years ago)
Grumman F2F-1 – Esoteric (vac)
Grumman F3F-1 – MPM
Grumman F3F-2 – Special Hobby
Grumman F3F-3 – Special Hobby
Grumman J2F-5 – Octopus (Pavla)
Grumman J2F-6 – Airfix, Octopus (Pavla)
Vought SBU-1 – Esoteric
North American NJ-1 – Special Hobby
North American SNJ – Academy, Hobby Boss, Hawk/Testors
Douglas TBD-1 Devastator – Airfix, Valom
Curtiss SOC-3 – Hasegawa
Vought SB2U Vindicator – Azur, Esoteric (vac), Merlin, MPM, Pavla, Special Hobby
Curtiss SBC-4 – Heller, Matchbox
Northrop BT-1 – Valom
Vought OS2U – Airfix, Octopus (Pavla)
Brewster F2A – Airfix, Hasegawa, Revell, Special Hobby
Douglas SBD – Airfix, Hasegawa, Testors
Grumman F4F-3 – Hasegawa (with modification, such as the Quickboost replacement wings and cowl)