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153Zealander) and the cowled and spatted Wapiti illustrated on page 16 isplainly a Wallace.I suspect that the latter is K3672 of No 501 Sqn but the serial is tooindistinct to read with confidence, which brings me to the onlysubstantial reservation that I have about this book %u2013 the photographs. Itwas only to be expected that faded, sepia-tinted prints of snapshotsinexpertly taken with a Brownie box camera more than half-a-centuryago would leave something to be desired. Despite this, I am sure that,with just a little more TLC, some of them could have been reproduced toa higher standard than they have been. As it is, many of the pictures arevery lacking in contrast, making them disappointingly flat and %u2018muddy%u2019.But I should not overstate the down side. A participant in the Battle ofBritain with Spitfires, No 603 Sqn went on to defend Malta beforeswitching to the maritime strike role, operating Beaufighters over theMediterranean, finally returning to the UK to end the war, back onSpitfires, and flying attack missions. The authors tell this story inconsiderable detail and provide, along the way, thumbnail sketches ofmany of the squadron%u2019s more prominent personalities, particularly itsBattle of Britain pilots. All of the expected annexes are there, coveringaeroplanes used, nominal rolls, victory claims, medal citations and so on.The authors are also to be commended for the objectivity with whichthey have told their tale. All squadrons have skeletons in their cupboards,and they have not been afraid to take 603%u2019s out and rattle them. Thus,while we read, for instance, of the unit%u2019s involvement in thereinforcement of Malta, by the remarkable expedient of flying Spitfiresfrom the deck of the USS Wasp, we are also reminded that one of itspilots promptly turned right and took himself off to French North Africa.The book is not exclusively dedicated to WW II, however, andconsiderable space is devoted to the pre-war and post-war eras whichsheds a good deal of light on the nature of life on an auxiliary squadronin peacetime.Highly recommended as an admirable contribution to the recording ofRAF history and a credit to the authors and the Squadron Association.This book provides a standard which the writers of any forthcomingsquadron histories would do well to emulate.CGJNorth American F-100 Super Sabre by Peter E Davies with David W

