Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 19, 2022 13:16:31 GMT 12
Here is a review of Ando's book, from The Press, dated 28th of February 1976
MUSTANGS OF THE SKIES
Mustangs of the R.A.A.F. and R.N.Z.A.F. By Peter N. Anderson. A. H. and A. W. Reed. 108 pp. N.Z. price $10.50.
Without doubt one of the greatest of all fighter aircraft, the North American Mustang served with great distinction in two major wars, the Second World War and the Korean War, and a large number of air forces. In this book Peter N. Anderson, an Australian aviation enthusiast, examines in considerable detail the use made of the Mustang by the R.A.A.F. and R.N.Z.A.F.
Neither air force made use of particularly large numbers of the fighter — indeed the R.N.Z.A.F. must have been one of the smallest users of all with a mere 30 aircraft ever on charge — but in each case the Mustang served long and honourably, and secured a place of distinction, worthy of record. It is good that Mr Anderson has undertaken the task of setting that record down.
How well does he do it? On the whole very well indeed. About Australian and New Zealand Mustangs he seems to know all that there is to know, and he is eager to pass his knowledge on, and to communicate his enthusiasm for the fighter and the units that flew it.
If there is a heavy weighting in favour of the Australian Mustangs (heavier, that is, than comparative numbers used would, dictate) then he must be forgiven, as an Australian, for letting his preferences show.
In any case, he can claim that only the R.A.A.F. used its fighters operationally, and that the activities of the New Zealand territorial units which flew the Mustang between 1951 and 1955 make less than compelling reading, save in the high rate of attrition (33 per cent of the aircraft were written off during that four year period) and the number of spectacular crashes that contributed to that rate.
Nevertheless, Mr Anderson does full justice to the R.N.Z.A.F. Mustangs in his illustrations and in the very handsome coloured side-views which are a feature of the book. These will entice model-makers both here and in Australia to complete some of them.
MUSTANGS OF THE SKIES
Mustangs of the R.A.A.F. and R.N.Z.A.F. By Peter N. Anderson. A. H. and A. W. Reed. 108 pp. N.Z. price $10.50.
Without doubt one of the greatest of all fighter aircraft, the North American Mustang served with great distinction in two major wars, the Second World War and the Korean War, and a large number of air forces. In this book Peter N. Anderson, an Australian aviation enthusiast, examines in considerable detail the use made of the Mustang by the R.A.A.F. and R.N.Z.A.F.
Neither air force made use of particularly large numbers of the fighter — indeed the R.N.Z.A.F. must have been one of the smallest users of all with a mere 30 aircraft ever on charge — but in each case the Mustang served long and honourably, and secured a place of distinction, worthy of record. It is good that Mr Anderson has undertaken the task of setting that record down.
How well does he do it? On the whole very well indeed. About Australian and New Zealand Mustangs he seems to know all that there is to know, and he is eager to pass his knowledge on, and to communicate his enthusiasm for the fighter and the units that flew it.
If there is a heavy weighting in favour of the Australian Mustangs (heavier, that is, than comparative numbers used would, dictate) then he must be forgiven, as an Australian, for letting his preferences show.
In any case, he can claim that only the R.A.A.F. used its fighters operationally, and that the activities of the New Zealand territorial units which flew the Mustang between 1951 and 1955 make less than compelling reading, save in the high rate of attrition (33 per cent of the aircraft were written off during that four year period) and the number of spectacular crashes that contributed to that rate.
Nevertheless, Mr Anderson does full justice to the R.N.Z.A.F. Mustangs in his illustrations and in the very handsome coloured side-views which are a feature of the book. These will entice model-makers both here and in Australia to complete some of them.
