Flying Colors

This is a really great wish book for military aviation fans and modelers. a short browse and i find versions of "mundane" aircraft that amuse and beguile the instincts of an eccentric modeller. Each aircraft is shown in a number of variations which picque the palette of the most discriminating collector. i have already built a number of them, a Dornier 24T in Swedish markings and plan to do a Fiat BR20 in Japanese markings right out of a 30's comic book. Green and Swanborough have created a golden book of interesting aircraft which appeal to a colorful imagination.

This book has hundreds of color profiles (and some top views) of warplanes from WWI to 1980. There's a brief introduction about the history of markings, but after that the text is limited to a brief introduction about each plane type and descriptions of markings. In addition to the full color profile views are some close-ups of unit markings and badges of individual planes. More than 100 planes are included, many on double-page spreads. However, planes that are NOT SHOWN but should have been include: postwar Navy fighters (none are included, except a single side view of a "Jolly Rogers" Navy Phantom), the USAAF P-51D (although one is shown on the cover, none appear inside), the B-29, F-14, F-15, F/A-18, F-86, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, F-106, F-117, modern MiGs and Sukhois (last included are MiG-23 and Su-7), Harriers (again, on the cover but not inside), Skyraiders, Typhoons, Tempests, Vampires, Jaguars, Catalinas, Aircobras, A-4, A-10, pre-WWII bombers, postwar bombers (no B-1B, B-2, B-47, B-52, B-58, Vulcans, Victors, Blinders, Bears) C-46, C-47, C-5, C-97 C-124, C-135, and C-130. Also, no helicopters are included.So, a pretty good overview at a great price, but many important types are missing.

Hi, I repaint a lot of planes for Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator series as a hobby and have found this book an excellent source of reference for specific colours of planes and their squadrons in relation to a specific time period. Though the time period ends over 20 years ago, and some plates are dedicated to planes of lesser known manufactures, and a lot of the color plates can be found in comparible books by David Mondey, overall, it is good value.

This large book is packed with colorful drawings of aircraft from WW2 to 1981. The book features 113 aircraft presented in a variety of color schemes, usually in profile but occationally from the overhead perspective. As a modeler I use this book when painting miniature aircraft. The book is 207 pages long. There is minimal text. The text includes a brief introduction, then continues by briefly explaining each of the illustrations.