Mention of Mitchell bombers brings to mind USAAF B-25s plowing through flak-filled European skies or skip-bombing enemy shipping in the Pacific. Yet the Marine Corps took on 700+ B-25s, forming 16 squadrons of which seven saw action in the PTO. Jerry Scutts tells the fascinating story of these 'Gyrene Mitchells' in this Osprey "Combat Aircraft" volume.

The Marines' need for longer-ranging aircraft surfaced as early as 1941, the U.S. Navy eventually funneling 706 Mitchells to Marine VMB squadrons. VMB-413 introduced the now-renamed PBJ to combat in March 1944. Marine units operated various Mitchell models comparable to AAF B-25Cs, -Ds, -Gs, etc. though USMC models carried APS-3 search radar in a special ventral mounting. Later models mounted the radar in a special, pug-ugly "hose nose" mounting.

Using machine guns, bombs and rockets including massive 'Tiny Tim' rockets, VMB-413, -423, -433, -443, -611, -612 and -613 fought across the Pacific, flying conventional bombing hops, CAS, night heckling missions, shipping strikes, etc. Scutts does a fine job of relating the diverse and exciting combat experiences of each unit.

The narrative is illustrated with over 80 black and white photographs of aircrew, aircraft, weapons and combat scenes along with eight pages of color profiles of various PBJ aircraft by Jim Laurier. Laurier is a fine artist and his work in this volume is top-notch. Likewise, the cover art by Mark Postlethwaite is super, being a dramaric night-time scene of a PBJ dueling with Japanese AAA batteries.

All in all, a very well done effort by author and artists alike. Highly recommended.