Osprey Macchi Units in Combat

[Edie1971]

Has anybody gotten this new book on the Macchi Units by Osprey. They kind of contradict themselves in the drawings. Richard Caruana, who is a great illustrator, makes the ANR 74/75/76 schemed C.205's with 74/75 on the fuselage. Then in the description the author notes that is should only be 75 on the fuselage. I always thought it was just 75 as well there, but I noticed a lot of books show a 74/75 scheme. Anybody notice this?

[Editor]

ANR C.205V RLM colors: top of forward fuselage and spine RLM 75; RLM 74/75 splinter pattern on upper wings and horizontal stabilizers/elevators; 74/75 mottles on fuselage sides and rudder and 76 undersurfaces and lower sides of the fuselage and rudder. Here's a famous shot of 23-1 where 74/75 mottle scheme is clearly visible on the fuselage sides.

[Edie1971]

Thanks Vince. When you get a chance take a peek at that book if you haven't already. I agree with you on that post above. Even D'Amico says that as well....

[Editor]

I don't have the reference and I don't know the author although likely he's been here before, I just don't recall. D'Amico's last book (Camouflage & Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-45) is reliable. I wish Ferdinando was still around, he was a top-notch researcher and his book could have used a 2nd addition to clean up some minor stuff.

[dznr]

Has anybody gotten this new book on the Macchi Units by Osprey. They kind of contradict themselves in the drawings. Richard Caruana, who is a great illustrator, makes the ANR 74/75/76 schemed C.205's with 74/75 on the fuselage. Then in the description the author notes that is should only be 75 on the fuselage. I always thought it was just 75 as well there, but I noticed a lot of books show a 74/75 scheme. Anybody notice this?

I have the book, but am not knowledgeable enough to know whether the illustrations are correct or not.

[Edie1971]

I don't have the reference and I don't know the author although likely he's been here before, I just don't recall. D'Amico's last book (Camouflage & Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-45) is reliable. I wish Ferdinando was still around, he was a top-notch researcher and his book could have used a 2nd addition to clean up some minor stuff.

Does his co-author still write anything, Gabriele Valentini?

[Editor]

Valentini was responsible for the artwork in all their books, the research was conducted primarily by Ferdinando.

[MDriskill]

I can't add much to the specific camo question, but I recently got this new book, and definitely recommend it.

Very well-written history, a few pics I haven't seen before, new info on some details, and of course Mr. Caruana's lovely color profiles. The comments on photo recce variants are particularly interesting.