British Secret Projects 3: Fighters 1935-1950

Hood

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Tony Buttler's revised and expanded BSP Vol.3 is now out.
This is all the fighter material from the old BSP Vol.3 but as a stand-alone book (the bomber material forming the future BSP:4).

http://www.crecy.co.uk/british-secret-projects-3

I picked up a copy last weekend. Only had a chance to flick through but I thought I would share initial impressions.
Its very familiar for anyone who had the older volume, with the same layout and basic text. There are however larger reproductions of line drawings, some new drawings from the archives as well as more photographs with some in colour. The most obvious change is additional material on the jet-powered designs bridging to 1950 and the designs explored in BSP:1.

So is this a must have? If you already have older volume I think it makes an interesting update. For anyone who can't get hold of the original, then this volume will be of great interest. I'll be interested to see what changes are made to BSP:4, but I feel that having two volumes at a reasonable price was a better decision than one hefty volume that would have been quite expensive to keep fighters and bombers combined with the new larger format images and additional pictures.
 
Hood said:
Tony Buttler's revised and expanded BSP Vol.3 is now out.
This is all the fighter material from the old BSP Vol.3 but as a stand-alone book (the bomber material forming the future BSP:4).

http://www.crecy.co.uk/british-secret-projects-3

I picked up a copy last weekend. Only had a chance to flick through but I thought I would share initial impressions.
Its very familiar for anyone who had the older volume, with the same layout and basic text. There are however larger reproductions of line drawings, some new drawings from the archives as well as more photographs with some in colour. The most obvious change is additional material on the jet-powered designs bridging to 1950 and the designs explored in BSP:1.

So is this a must have? If you already have older volume I think it makes an interesting update. For anyone who can't get hold of the original, then this volume will be of great interest. I'll be interested to see what changes are made to BSP:4, but I feel that having two volumes at a reasonable price was a better decision than one hefty volume that would have been quite expensive to keep fighters and bombers combined with the new larger format images and additional pictures.
Click to expand...

Is it definitely out/ available to order? If so only directly from Crecy?
Amazon currently doesn’t have it available until 31/12/2018.
Important to know if going to be a Christmas gift, and not a IOU.
 
kaiserd said:
Is it definitely out/ available to order? If so only directly from Crecy?
Amazon currently doesn’t have it available until 31/12/2018.
Important to know if going to be a Christmas gift, and not a IOU.
Click to expand...

I can't comment for Amazon and the reliability of their release dates. I must admit I was surprised to see it on the stall at Telford (didn't see the new American transports SP book). I would think if its been printed that Amazon would be getting stocks soon.
 
Just to confirm, the text is the same as the first edition apart from new material on jet powered designs from late war to 1950. Is this correct?
 
I've only had a chance to skim it so far. It looks much the same but I'm sure Tony has added new info and corrections and there are some new additions too.
 
My pre-order is scheduled to arrive on December 31 :-\
 
I here in Germany have this issue since the last weekend. I ordered at Thalia.de . My review will follow later on.
 
Don't have any doubts about whether this is truly a major update on the fighter part of the previous book, it is much more than just a few additional, and larger, pictures. If you own the earlier book then it is time to donate it to your local charity shop and buy this new edition.

In the years since the original publication a great deal of new information has been located, and while some has alreday made its way into books and articles much has not.....until now. These new material can be found throughout the entire period covered by the book, 1935-1950, and is not restricted to any specific aircraft type, such as early jets. Everyone will find something new. I have a few questions here and there, but these are minor.

If the forthcoming bomber edition, due late next year (?) is as good we have a lot for which to look forward
 
I'm a little late to this party but my copy just came through. I intended to make a detailed comparison between the original British Secret Projects: Fights & Bombers 1935-1950 and British Secret Projects 3: Fighters 1935-1950 but in the end there was so much new material - whole chapters of it - that I just lost track. Initially the words seemed exactly the same, but early on I encountered an entry for a Gloster design that was about ten times longer than the original with lots more detail. There are some staggering new discoveries included and some wonderful period concept artworks. I can't wait to get BSP 4.
 

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How is it on unbuilt Supermarine material? There is a large gap of numbers from Mk 27 through Mk 44, and I do not want to use too many whifs to fill thegap.
 
It rather depends what you mean. It is fine on unbuilt projects, by which I mean those given official Type numbers by the company (for example the Spitfire I was Type 300 and so on) or concepts which had TD drawing numbers but were never developed to project status, such as possible Seafire replacements. Mk numbers often equate to new project Types, but not always. To what were you refering?
 
Long backstory here. Supermarine rarely used a clean sheet for its projects. Spiteful from Spitfire, Attacker from Spiteful, etc and with some paper projects thrown in all the way to the 559. Going back in fact, you can see some Spitfire ancestry in Mitchell's notional "fighter of the future" design from the mid-20s. So, I got the bright idea of modeling all variants from this 20s era fighter through the 559. I actually discovered 'Supermarine Spitfire" Mk 25 and 26 as Australian kitplanes. They have permission to use "Supermarine" and "Spitfire", so I am counting them. I could use a few more paper projects to fill in the mark number gap, so I was hoping this book would have some I could use, even though I realize that Mark numbers were not assigned. Anyway, I usually get an Amazon gift card from my daughter for Christmas, so I will probably get the book anyway. Currently, I have projects from the Supermarine type 178-10 through Spitfire Mk 21 completed or on the bench, with a few outliers like the above mentioned 20s project, the 305, 312, and 313.
,
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Oh no, I have to take issue with that. Supermarine more often than not did start with a clean sheet, although it is certainly true that the Spitfire 'family' - prototype right through the Swift Mk7 is a story of constant evolution. I hope you have a copy of Beyond the Spitfire: the unseen designs of R.J.Mitchell as that may let you fill a few gaps at the early end. For Spitfire varients and projects the 'bible' is still Morgan and Shaklady's History. The jet era had many projects but dominated by Attacker, Swift and Scimitar developments and adaptations with only limited visual difference although two-seat Swift and 545 would be easy to do, as would the Attacker on floats.

Do post photos of your models
 
Again Schneiderman, thank you. Perhaps I am having trouble with British English, but we are in agreement. I have "Beyond the Spitfire", but Morgan and Shacklady is too expensive for me. I will try to send some photos sometime, but this sort of thing is "White Man's Magic" for this old timer who still misses dial telephones.
 
Quick review; fantastic book, big improvement over the original (still excellent) 1st addition with extra info and far better pictures, illustrations and presention.
Big thanks to Tony Butler for another excellently book, long may they (and he) continue.
 
My copy arrived from Amazon-US today and my first impression, from a quick scan, echoes that of kaiserd above. I'm still keeping my original Vol. 3 edition, though.
 
I have pre-ordered this on Amazon.it but i think i must wait until last days of January to receive it .
 
Finally i have my copy .
Review

British Secret Projects3 is a deepening of fighters section of 2° Volume about projects of Bombers and Fighters 1935-1950 . There are more informations . An other volume to have . I hope to see in future British Secret Projects 4 : projects of Bombers 1935-1950 Tony .
 

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