NAA B45 Tornado: Warpaint #118 softcover
North American Aviation B45 Tornado: Warpaint #118 softcover
Like most nations America likes to celebrate its first's. Strangely enough this didn't seem to apply to the first jet bomber in USAF service, the North American B-45 Tornado. Although the airframe layout bore some resemblance to WW2 aircraft this new boy on the block had many aerodynamic refinements commensurate with the newly emerging jet engines. In common with many new designs the B-45 underwent many changes throughout its career, the greatest of which was the provision of more powerful and reliable engines. Major structural changes were applied to the principle bomber version to allow carriage of a nuclear weapon whilst the final model was a versatile reconnaissance aircraft, the RB-45C. During the Korean War the RB-45C carried out valuable reconnaissance flights in support of operations whilst in Europe the B-45C remained on alert for a possible war. Under the aegis of USAF the Royal Air Force flew a handful of aircraft to plot bomber approach tracks for both Bomber Command and USAF over the Soviet Bloc. When finally withdrawn from service the majority of B-45's were scrapped thus the surviving handful are drawn from those used as test beds. This book is written by Kev Darling and is superbly illustrated by Richard J. Caruana.
Published 2018, 44 pages, black & white and colour photographs, colour profiles, line drawings, kit, decal and detail set list, softcover, A4 Format 210 cm (8.25”) x 29.7 cm (11.69 “)
Warpaint Series
Designed with both the aircraft enthusiast and the model maker in mind, the publishers of the Warpaint series try to establish as near as possible a comprehensive and accurate account of a single aircraft type within one set of covers. Each book sets standards in the quality of the history and the accuracy of the drawings both in colour, side and plan view and the 1:72nd scale plans that appear in each one.
Aircraft titles range from World War 2 to the post war period, and include a majority of RAF and Fleet Air Arm aircraft but also feature many USAAF, USAF, US Navy and Luftwaffe machines. Variety is the keyword in the attempt to satisfy as many specialist interest groups as possible during the year. Few contemporary aircraft are featured as an attempt is made to write and illustrate the definitive history of the aircraft involved, although it is appreciated that in some cases there might be a few still flying in non-operational roles.
The publishers employ authors who have established reputations in aircraft historical journalism where their own notes and files can produce facts and data that may, in many cases, not have been published hitherto. Artists used for the illustrations are also well-established in their field and very knowledgeable on camouflage colours and the use of computer generated art work which adds so much to the completeness of the finished book.
Warpaint books on aircraft set the standards that others would like to follow...
-Complete and detailed history
-1:72nd scale plan line drawings
-In detail photographs
-Kit, decal and accessory list
-Pages of superb colour profiles, black & white and colour photography
-Complete production list
-Squadrons, units and individual aircraft serials and codes
-Comprehensive specifications
