The Hawker Typhoon:
A Complete Guide to the RAF’s Classic Ground-Attack Fighter

by Richard Franks

Valiant Wings Publishing
Airframe & Miniature No.2

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

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The Hawker Typhoon was an aircraft with more grunt than glamour – a replacement for the Hurricane that largely failed as an interceptor but excelled at ground attack, particularly after D-Day in 1944.

Notwithstanding later research which showed that RAF ground attack didn’t destroy as many German vehicles in Normandy as was initially thought, the Typhoon’s effectiveness in reducing enemy movement and morale remains undoubted. And when the Typhoon did meet the Luftwaffe on its terms, at low altitude, the Germans had little that could outrun it or withstand its heavy armament; a number of RAF pilots became aces on the type.

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The characteristics which made the Typhoon such a success in its niche role are covered in detail in this second Airframe and Miniature publication from Valiant Wings, which follows last year’s successful debut release on the Messerschmitt Me 262. Like the earlier book, this volume is written by veteran aviation author Richard A. Franks, who covers his subject over the following ten chapters:

1. Evolution – Tornado. A look at the Typhoon’s unsuccessful Rolls-Royce Vulture-powered stablemate, including a description of key airframes.

2. Evolution – Typhoon. A similar examination of the early Typhoon prototypes.

3. Typhoon production variants - A detailed breakdown of the differences between Typhoon sub-types.

4. Projects and drawing-board projects - A look at some of the more unusual Typhoon prototypes and test-beds.

5. Camouflage and markings - Includes a clearly illustrated guide to the evolution of RAF markings between 1942 and 1945.

6. Survivor - Outlines the interesting career of the only surviving Typhoon airframe, MN235, which was sent to the United States for evaluation in 1944 before being returned to the UK in 1967 for restoration and display at the RAF Museum in Hendon, London.

7. Hawker Typhoon kits - The focus turns to modeling with comprehensive reviews of all 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 Typhoon kits that have been produced to date.

8. Building a selection - Talented and well-known modelers Libor Jekl and Steve A. Evans build several of the reviewed kits to a very high standard.

9. Building a collection - 10 pages of drawings which clearly point out the differences between every Typhoon variant.

10. In detail: the Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib - A super-walkaround that looks at the Typhoon from every angle through a combination of technical drawings and contemporary and period photographs.

As if all this isn’t enough, there are also eight pages of colour profiles and three-view drawings, a pull-out section at the rear of the book featuring four-view drawings of early and late mark Typhoons, and the following five appendices:

1. Tornado and Typhoon kit list

2. Tornado and Typhoon accessory list

3. Typhoon decal list

4. Tornado and Typhoon production

5. Bibliography

I should also make special mention of the superb illustrations throughout the book. These are as important – probably more important – than the accompanying text, and will leave the modeler in no doubt as to the specific characteristics of any Typhoon variant, and in many cases airframe, in which they are interested.

Have you ever picked up a book on an aircraft about which you knew little and which you had no intention of ever modeling, and by the time you put it down, had changed your mind completely?

For me, this is one of those books.

While more information on the Typhoon’s wartime contribution would have been nice, there are other publications which cover this subject (and they are listed in the bibliography). There are, however, no other books which examine the Typhoon’s evolution and airframe as comprehensively as this one does; it’s hard to imagine how it could be surpassed, particularly from a modeller’s perspective.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2011 by Brad Fallen
This Page Created on 8 September, 2011
Last updated 8 September, 2011

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