Furies et Crocodiles by Rémi Baudru
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Book Review
This new title deals with the combat history of GC (Groupe de Chass) III/7 of the Armée de l'Air from May 1939 through to August 1940. The book is in a 160-page A4 format with a laminated card cover.
The best way to show what this title offers, is to list all the individual chapters, in the order they appear.
• Création du groupe de chasse III/7
This deals with the creation of Groupe de Chasse III/7 with images of the MS.406s of the group in their initial markings, along with images of a few landing accidents etc.
• D'Ambérieu a Sommesous
This section looks at how the group was initially based at Ambérieu-en-Bugey, then moved to Sommesous in the Marne region. Again this contains numerous images of the MS.406s but there are others type such as the Potez 620 and 631 featured.
• Transfert du groupe a chaumont
This section deals with the move to Chaumont-Semoutiers about 3km SW of Chaumont, which was a grass strip used mainly for training flights.
• Instllation a Vítry-le-François
Here the Groupe moves to Vítry-le-François, still in the Marne region. This is a larger section than the previous ones, with more combats undertaken from here, plus the section also looks at the adoption by the Groupe of the 'Fury' head artwork on the fuselage sides of their aircraft. The section also include images of the first D.520s used by the Group and large clear images of such things as a pilot in full flying gear of the era and a nice page-size image of the instrument panel etc. in an MS.406.
• Les Messerschmitt massacrent les Morane
This section deals with the period in which the Messerschmitt Bf 109 literally wiped the MS.406 from the skies.
• 19 mai, les Allemands attaquent
On the 19th May the Nazi forces attacked France and this section covers the period from the 10th May right through to the 1st June, with initially, a detailed account per day to the hour, then later in general daily terms. This section includes numerous images of aircraft, both intact and damaged, as well as damage to the bases and equipment and detailed account of the human costs.
• À Coulommiers
The title is a bit confusing, as a Cooulommier is a type of soft cheese, but this section refers to the destruction on the ground of the aircraft of the group by strafing Nazi aircraft. You have lots of images of destroyed aircraft and facilities, including a No.212 Squadron, RAF, DH.89 that was strafed and set on fire and the well-known image of PR Spitfire P9331 in the hangar at Reims where it was captured.
• En route pour le Sud
This section, entitled 'Off to the south' deals with the gradual move south for the Groupe, with an almost daily account as they moved from base to base. There are lots of excellent images of MS.406s and D.520s, but there are also exotics like the VG.33.
The appendices include a full list of all combat air-to-air victories by the Group and all losses. The final section is entitled 'L'atterrisseur de route' (The round undercarriage) and it includes a little narrative with three period images showing how a damaged MS.406 could be fitted with a set of wheels once the wings and tail were removed and towed behind a bus or truck; certainly with excellent potential for a diorama!
Conclusion
A superb book, full of information on the Groupe as well as excellent images and colour profiles of the MS.406 and D.520. The text is in French throughout, which is no great problem nowadays with online translation programmes, so this title is most highly recommended to all French aviation fans and modellers.
Our thanks to Lela Presse for the review sample, this should be available from specialist outlets in the UK, but if you have any problems visit their website www.avions-bateaux.com or email contact@avions-bateaux.com
This new title deals with the combat history of GC (Groupe de Chass) III/7 of the Armée de l'Air from May 1939 through to August 1940. The book is in a 160-page A4 format with a laminated card cover.
The best way to show what this title offers, is to list all the individual chapters, in the order they appear.
• Création du groupe de chasse III/7
This deals with the creation of Groupe de Chasse III/7 with images of the MS.406s of the group in their initial markings, along with images of a few landing accidents etc.
• D'Ambérieu a Sommesous
This section looks at how the group was initially based at Ambérieu-en-Bugey, then moved to Sommesous in the Marne region. Again this contains numerous images of the MS.406s but there are others type such as the Potez 620 and 631 featured.
• Transfert du groupe a chaumont
This section deals with the move to Chaumont-Semoutiers about 3km SW of Chaumont, which was a grass strip used mainly for training flights.
• Instllation a Vítry-le-François
Here the Groupe moves to Vítry-le-François, still in the Marne region. This is a larger section than the previous ones, with more combats undertaken from here, plus the section also looks at the adoption by the Groupe of the 'Fury' head artwork on the fuselage sides of their aircraft. The section also include images of the first D.520s used by the Group and large clear images of such things as a pilot in full flying gear of the era and a nice page-size image of the instrument panel etc. in an MS.406.
• Les Messerschmitt massacrent les Morane
This section deals with the period in which the Messerschmitt Bf 109 literally wiped the MS.406 from the skies.
• 19 mai, les Allemands attaquent
On the 19th May the Nazi forces attacked France and this section covers the period from the 10th May right through to the 1st June, with initially, a detailed account per day to the hour, then later in general daily terms. This section includes numerous images of aircraft, both intact and damaged, as well as damage to the bases and equipment and detailed account of the human costs.
• À Coulommiers
The title is a bit confusing, as a Cooulommier is a type of soft cheese, but this section refers to the destruction on the ground of the aircraft of the group by strafing Nazi aircraft. You have lots of images of destroyed aircraft and facilities, including a No.212 Squadron, RAF, DH.89 that was strafed and set on fire and the well-known image of PR Spitfire P9331 in the hangar at Reims where it was captured.
• En route pour le Sud
This section, entitled 'Off to the south' deals with the gradual move south for the Groupe, with an almost daily account as they moved from base to base. There are lots of excellent images of MS.406s and D.520s, but there are also exotics like the VG.33.
The appendices include a full list of all combat air-to-air victories by the Group and all losses. The final section is entitled 'L'atterrisseur de route' (The round undercarriage) and it includes a little narrative with three period images showing how a damaged MS.406 could be fitted with a set of wheels once the wings and tail were removed and towed behind a bus or truck; certainly with excellent potential for a diorama!
Conclusion
A superb book, full of information on the Groupe as well as excellent images and colour profiles of the MS.406 and D.520. The text is in French throughout, which is no great problem nowadays with online translation programmes, so this title is most highly recommended to all French aviation fans and modellers.
Our thanks to Lela Presse for the review sample, this should be available from specialist outlets in the UK, but if you have any problems visit their website www.avions-bateaux.com or email contact@avions-bateaux.com
