C-47/R4D Units of the ETO and MTO.

Isby, David. C-47/R4D Units of the ETO and MTO. Osprey Publishing, 1st Floor Elms Court, Chapel Way, Botley, Oxford, OX2 9LP, UK 2005. 96 pp. Ill. $19.95.

Number 54 of the Osprey Combat Aircraft series, this book is a labor of love and one of the more unusual subjects in this lineup. The author dedicates the book to his father who flew as an enlisted, then commissioned, member of Army C-47 crews during the war.

When we think of combat aircraft we naturally think of the bomb-droppers and the bullet-shooters, not cargo and personnel transports. However, the Douglas C-47 and its Navy and Marine Corps equivalent, the R4D, was actually a primary "weapon" in the Allies' arsenal. Thus, this new book is a particularly welcome change from traditional aircraft usually described and as such, it fills a long-standing gap in coverage.

The only real problem I have is the rather small space devoted to the Navy variants and their record. It is likely that the reason for this lack of coverage is that they operated in the European and Mediterranean theaters, where naval units played a relatively small part as compared to their Army counterparts. A volume dealing with Pacific operations would provide much more coverage of Navy and Marine Corps R4Ds.

As expected, the C-47's role in the D-Day invasion of 6 June 1944, as well as other operations in Italy, southern France, and North Africa, are well described. There are also interesting details on special ops and American theater activities.

A striking cover and the usual folio of well-done color profiles provide great graphic support to the text. Those who have ever flown in either an R4D or a DC-3 will enjoy the photos and stories. For everyone else, this little volume will give an idea of what it was like.