No 60 Squadron RFC/RAF
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Aviation Elite Units 41
Author: Alex Revell
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-84908-333-1
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 128
Osprey's Aviation Elite Unit titles offer some great history on some significant units. Their latest title returns to the First World War, covering the British No 60 Squadron RFC/RAF. The unit arrived in France in May 1916 and remained over there until the end of the war. The book follows the unit chronologically, from its beginnings in May 1916 with the Morane Bullet through to its eventual disbandment in January of 1920. During the wartime years, 60 Squadron claimed over 400 enemy aircraft, turned in over 1000 combat reports, and lost 71 aircrew.
The text is very well written, and the author clearly knows the subject quite well. He effectively blends the historical record with anecdotal recollections from pilots and groundcrew. Logbooks, letters, diaries and combat reports are all utilized to put together an easy to read text that will quickly draw you in to the life of a World War One pilot. In addition to the great writing, the book is packed with plenty of photographs, documenting the wide variety of aircraft flown by 60 Squadron. The color profile section has 28 aircraft documented, covering seven different types. These illustrations are very well done and do a great job of showing the colorful schemes worn by No 60 Squadron aircraft.
Overall, this is a great slice of World War One history, and will make for a great evening read. The combination of photographs and color profiles will provide inspiration for modelers of World War One subjects. My thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review copy.