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• Internetmodeler.com • 2011-05-04
• IPMSUSA.org • 2011-05-04
• IPMS UK Magazine • 2011-05-04
• Amazon.com customer review • 2011-05-04
• Model Airplane International 8/2007 • 2011-05-04
• cybermodeler.com • 2011-05-04
• Amazon.com customer review (2) • 2011-05-04
• MiniReplika 63 • 2009-10-08

• Internetmodeler.com • 2011-05-04

  By Chris Banyai-Riepl

  The Supermarine Spitfire remains a popular aircraft to this day among aviation enthusiasts, myself included. As I like the more eclectic subjects, though, my interests tend to gravitate to those lesser known types and operators. This newest title in the Ventura Publications line satisfies that interest, detailing the Merlin-engined photo-reconnaissance Spitfires.

  The book is an excellent blend of drawings, text, and photographs, resulting in a great reference for the modeler on PR Spitfires. The text provides a detailed synopsis of nomenclature and equipment fitted to these aircraft. This is particularly useful, as it helps to sort out just what kind of base Spitfire the various PR marks are associated with, and what kind of equipment they carried.

  Once the variants are figured out, attention turns to the drawings. These provide excellent detail for the cockpit, canopy, cameras, and other airframe differences. These drawings are of high quality and provide just about all the information a modeler could want. Complementing these scrap views, there are 1/72 and 1/48 scale drawings covering all of the Merlin-engined PR Spitfire variants.

  All of this information is only part of the story, and the other end of things is the operational history and colors & markings. The operational record is not a part of this book, other than the small background provided in the photos of operational aircraft. Indeed, the book IS titled 'PR Spitfires in Detail', so a thorough operational history was not expected. Still, the information in the photo captions is enticing, and will whet the appetite for more. For those who need to satisfy that desire, Ventura's previous title covered just that subject (and that's a very good read). A

  s for the colors and markings, interspersed throughout the book are many color profiles, with a handful more printed on the back page. While some might think PR Spitfires were boring in their overall solid color camouflage, these illustrations will show just how interesting some of these aircraft can be.

  This is a great addition to any Spitfire library, and one which will undoubtedly increase interest in these lesser-known variants.

• IPMSUSA.org • 2011-05-04

  Reviewed By Floyd S. Werner, Jr., IPMS# 26266

  Picking up where the Volume one left off, which covered the operational use of the PR Spitfires, this new book from Ventura Publications covers the nuts and bolts of the Spitfires used in the photo recon role. This book covers the designations which are specific to the photo recon aircraft. For me the PR numbering system was very confusing, however, this book breaks down the how and why for the unique system.

  Covered in this 64 page softbound book are photos, manual illustrations, and scale drawings. The photos are of exceptional quality. There are 24 color pictures and 59 black and white photos. It sounds clique but many of the photos are brand new. The pictures cover the photo equipment, as well as, the aircraft themselves. There are war time manual photos that highlight the differences of the PR aircraft. These are perfect for the model builder. As a modeler you are also treated to four view plans for both 1/72nd and 1/48th.

  The color profiles are top notch and really inspirational. The PR Spitfires are some of the most colorful Spitfires with everything from blues to Sky to white. As a modeler this is what you want to see.

  All these photos and profiles are complimented by the drawings. There are over 100 drawings of the systems and the installations used on the PR Spitfires. Great stuff.

  For the price this is an excellent value. Everything that a modeler needs to complete a PR Spitfire is here, drawings, photos, manual illustrations, and beautiful profiles. This book is literally a one stop shop on PR Spitfires for the modeler and aviation historian.

  Highly recommended.

• IPMS UK Magazine • 2011-05-04
  
• Amazon.com customer review • 2011-05-04

  By John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV)

  Note the PR in the title -- it stands for Photographic Reconnaissance. The PR Spitfires were a special model of the Spit with provision made to carry any of several different types of cameras. Documenting these planes is fairly difficult.

  As the war progressed there were many different models of the Spitfire as new and more powerful engines came about, as new cockpits, wing designs and other changes were made. When a plane was needed for PR work, the current production models were usually used and this resulted in a different variation of the PR plane.

  This new Classic Warbirds book covers the PR designations and the interior details of the PR Spitfires. As is usual for this series there are photos, maintenance manual illustrations and scale drawings created specifically for this book. This particular volume covers the technical details of the planes. Part 1, No. 10 in the series, covered the operations of the planes.

• Model Airplane International 8/2007 • 2011-05-04
  
• cybermodeler.com • 2011-05-04

  By Ray Mehlberger

  Ventura is a publishing company based in Wellington, New Zealand. Their books are distributed by Mushroom Model Publications in the UK.

  This book is about Merlin-engined PR (photo reconnaissance) Spitfires, which were the mainstay of RAF and USAAF single engined aerial reconnaissance forces for the duration of WWII. Other types, such as the Mustang, Hurricane and Typhoon were either replaced with Spitfires as soon as possible or proved unsuitable in the role.

  This new Classic Warbirds volume covers PR type designations and the interior details of Merlin-engined PR Spitfires. There are 31 black and white wartime photos, 12 maintenance manual illustrations, 5 black and white line drawing profiles in 1/72nd scale and 1 as a 3-view. Types illustrated are: the Mk. 1 PR Type A, Mk. 1 PR Type C, Mk.V PR Type G,

  PR IV (Trop), PR X and the PR XI. These drawings were created specifically for this new book. There are also 11 color profiles provided, 5 of which are printed on the back cover. The book is soft-cover and 68 pages in length. At the rear of the book is a black and white line drawing as a 4-view in 1/48th scale. This is of a Spitfire PR XI variant. The 2 illustrations of the top and bottom of it are printed on a double size page that telescopes out. There are also scrap illustrations here of the skeletons of the rudder and elevators. Included also are illustrations and photos of the cameras used in PR Spitfires and their installation details.

  Inside the back cover is a listing of 20 1/72nd scale aircraft decal sheets, and 21 in 1/48th scale that Ventura markets. This is below the illustrations of the covers of 4 other titles in Ventura’s Classic Warbirds series of books:

  Spitfire Star of Israel, American Spitfire Camouflage & Markings, Pacific Twins (about Lightnings, Mitchells and Venturas) and Fighter Archive (about the Avias-199, nightfighters and Luftwaffe archives).

  This will prove to be an invaluable reference source for aircraft historians and enthusiasts, and scale modelers. Part 1, covering the operations of Merlin PR Spitfires (Classic Warbirds no. 10) is still available.

• Amazon.com customer review (2) • 2011-05-04

  Magnificent, April 30, 2011

  By R. E. Spalinger "AF Veteran" (Lee, MA USA)

  This small softcover volume (# 11) from Ventura Pubs. is the companion volume to Classic Warbirds # 10 ("Merlin PR Spitfires"). Together, this duo of books - which focus on the PR Spitfire - provide the most comprehensive and technically accurate material available on the development history and application of the Merlin powered Spitfire in the European WW II photoreconnaissance role from the UK perspective.

  If you desire to know and understand the guts of the primary tool that implemented secure low risk photographic coverage of Nazi target systems, then this is the book for you. This volume covers the technical implentation, development and growth of the most successful & capable of PR platforms that functioned during WW II from start to finish. [Volume 10 is oriented more towards the users, colors/markings, units and operating theater bits.]

  Included in # 11 are scale drawings, control/cockpit layouts, cameras fitted, installation structures, aircraft modifications, interior details and many other items. I cannot recall another book that includes the range of detail presented here in drawing, photographic, and textural form. All Merlin PR Spitfire Marks are included - and there are several plates in color.

  Matusiak and Laird are to be commended. A magnificent piece of work.

  Put this one (and Volume # 10 too) up there on your best PR bookshelf slot, right next to Conyer's "Eyes of the RAF", Thomas's "Eyes for the Phoenix", and Ehler's "Targeting the Third Reich".

• MiniReplika 63 • 2009-10-08