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Rating: 
Summary: A good book about an interesting but obscure topic
Review: I'm sure that I'm not the only student of military and aerospace history that has had enough of the usual subjects: B-17s and P-51s of the 8th Air Force, the invasion of Normandy, panzers and their battles, and so on. What this books offers is information about an unusual subject: Finnish fighter aces in World War II.To most readers, the Finnish-Russian battles are an obscure sideshow to World War II. Yet this was a fascinating theater of the war. Outnumbered and often with obsolescent aircraft, the Finns fought with bravery and skill. Warrant Officer Eino Juutilainen was the top Finnish ace, with 94 victories. This made him one of the top-scoring fighter aces of World War II, with other Finns also having impressive records. The color plates are the highlight of Osprey publications, and the ones in this book are outstanding. They encompass both the aircraft and their pilots. The photographs are also good. The text is a little dry and there are too many typos. This is a minor point but does detract from the book. The only significant omission in the book is a map. I don't know the geography of Finland, I doubt that most other readers do either, and it is hard to follow the narrative without a map. Given the excellent maps in other books from this publisher, this is a big disappointment. In summary, a decent book about an interesting and obscure subject.
Rating:
Summary: Good Overview of the Finnish AF in WW2
Review: This book is one of the Osprey Aviation Series. Osprey books are aimed at the model enthusiast and wargamer, with good photos, some color plates, and a concise overview of the subject. This volume is an excellent addition to the series. Well writtend accounts of the air war in the Winter, Continuation, and Lapland Wars are matched with the aces that flew in those campaigns. Appendices have the aces' scores sorted by aircraft flown, 1/72 scale line drawings, and thumbnail unit histories. All in all, this book delivers exactly what it promises. Since the book concerns itself with aces, only the fighter arm is considered. Almost no mention is made of the recce, or bomber units in the Finnish AF at this time. If you are a modeler or wargamer and need details about aircraft camoflauge, uniforms, or air battles, this book is recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Good Overview of the Finnish AF in WW2
Review: This book is one of the Osprey Aviation Series. Osprey books are aimed at the model enthusiast and wargamer, with good photos, some color plates, and a concise overview of the subject. This volume is an excellent addition to the series. Well writtend accounts of the air war in the Winter, Continuation, and Lapland Wars are matched with the aces that flew in those campaigns. Appendices have the aces' scores sorted by aircraft flown, 1/72 scale line drawings, and thumbnail unit histories. All in all, this book delivers exactly what it promises. Since the book concerns itself with aces, only the fighter arm is considered. Almost no mention is made of the recce, or bomber units in the Finnish AF at this time. If you are a modeler or wargamer and need details about aircraft camoflauge, uniforms, or air battles, this book is recommended.
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