Squadron/Signal Publications

By Michael Benolkin

Squadron/Signal has released two more titles, one in the 'In Action' and one in the 'Walk Around' series. These are:

H-53 Sea Stallion In Action,
By C.M. Reed,
ISBN 0-89747-417-1,
49 pages

This latest installment covers Sikorsky's largest operational airlifter. Developed as the Sea Stallion for the US Navy and USMC, the story begins with the CH-53A. I remember the first time seeing a footage of a helicopter doing an 'aileron roll', and it was the Sea Stallion! The USAF soon after adopted their first H-53 version into service, the HH-53B Super Jolly Green Giant. This title follows the development and history of this aircraft through the three-engined powerhouse of the CH-53E and the special operations aircraft, the MH-53J Pave Low III. One of the many interesting black & white photos shows an H-53 stuffed inside the cargo compartment of a C-5 Galaxy! As with all of the 'In Action' series, there are color profiles in the center of the book that illustrate the colors and markings of the H-53 as operated by the USN, USMC, USAF, Israel, Germany, and Japan.

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Walk Around F-105 Thunderchief,
By Ken Neubeck,
ISBN 0-89747-418-X,
79 pages

This title is a very welcome addition to the Walk Around series, loaded with color and black & white detail photos of the F-105B, F-105D, F-105F and F-105G versions of the Thunderchief. Three-view line drawings are included for each version as are the performance and dimensional specifications. Most of the photos have not been published before (at least I haven't seen many of these before) and there are some spectacular shots of the rare USAF Thunderbirds F-105B aircraft. With the re-release of the Monogram 1/48 F-105D kit, the Cobra Company 1/48 'Rolling Thunder' detail set for the F-105D, and Albatros' latest F-105 decals, this book will be essential to pull all of it together into a contest winner.

Conclusion

These titles are two more examples from Squadron/Signal Publications' growing line of military aviation historical references. These are a must have for the aviation historian and the modeler alike. My sincere thanks to Squadron/Signal Publications for these review samples.