Gladiator vs CR.42 Falco 1940-41
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Duel Series 47
Authors: Hakan Gustavsson & Ludovico Slongo
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-84908-708-7
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 80
The Second World War saw the last major conflict between biplane fighters. At the beginning of the war, all of the participants had at least one biplane fighter in their air force, but the superiority of monoplane designs quickly made those older types obsolete. The Gloster Gladiator and Fiat CR.42, while outmatched by later monoplanes, still represented the pinnacle of biplane fighter design. This latest book in the Osprey Duel series examines these two aircraft in detail.
While most of the other biplane battles were one-sided against monoplane opponents, in the Mediterranean and Africa, the Gladiator and CR.42 faced off against one another. This provides an excellent situation for an Osprey Duel title, and this book does quite a good job of it. Each aircraft is given a complete overview of the development and construction, including details on the engine and armament. Also covered is the overall strategic situation, then the book jumps into the actual combat between the Gladiator and CR.42.
In addition to the text, this book contains plenty of photographs and illustrations. The photographs are generally well-known images, and detailed histories on the specific aircraft will undoubtedly have a more varied selection. Where these Duel titles really shine, though, is with the illustrations. These include profile illustrations, excellent annotated maps, and some dramatic paintings showing the aircraft in action. These definitely enhance the book and make it worthwhile adding to the bookshelf.
This is a solid addition to the Osprey Duel series, and for those interested in the last mainstream combat of biplanes, definitely pick this one up. My thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review copy.