Fiat CR.42 Falco

This is the latest book in Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) Orange Series. It is in their usual 6 ½” x 9” soft-cover format. The book is 144 pages long.

The book tells the story of the Italian Fiat CR.42, one of the last biplane fighters to be built and to see active service in WWII. The developmental history of the type is described, with details of all production and prototype versions.

It is illustrated with 92 black and white wartime photos. Some of these photos show pictures of some of the Italian pilots. There is one 1/72nd scale 4-view line drawing, one two-view and nine side views. These line drawings show the CR.42 on wheels, skis and pontoons. There are 112 color photos of CR.42’s in various museums. These are of the walk-around type. New to this series of books, and also a bonus, is a loose sheet that folds out four times the size of the books pages. It contains 1/48th scale line drawings. You get one two-view, 11 side views and one three-view in this scale.

The book has six information charts and 14 illustrations from the CR.42’s tech manual. In the rear of the book are 30 color profile paintings of the CR.42 in various camouflage schemes. Two of these paintings are three-views. Markings and schemes are shown for Italy, Belgium, Sweden, the Luftwaffe, Hungary and a captured one in RAF marks.

The service history of the “Falco” flying for these countries is also covered, including details of Allied and Luftwaffe use of the type.

This is definitely essential reading for all those interested in WWII military aviation history, and for aircraft modelers. This attractive, but anachronistic aircraft has long been a favorite aircraft of enthusiasts, and this book provides a compact and authoritative account of its history.

Very highly recommended.

I wish to thank Roger M. Wallsgrove, Editor-in-Chief of Mushroom Model Publications for this review copy.