Cover of the Week War Picture Library 8 Wings Over The Navy

If it's war you want then it's war you're going to get! And what do we get from the cover of War Picture Library 8 Wings Over the Navy? We get plenty of action!

To start with there's an aircraft carrier under attack. A British Swordfish is doing its best to get into the air, a stoic gun crew is giving it all they've got and the incoming nasties are looking to do some more damage. The sky is full of flak bursts and smoke trails of downed aircraft, meanwhile on the flight there's no where to hide for a few unfortunate good guys.

There's so much going on in War Picture Library 8 Wings Over the Navy I'm not sure where to look.

There's not a lot of subtlety in this picture.

There's also a bit of awkwardness as my eye keeps on getting drawn to that damn 652 that's just not siting in the right perspective.

On thing is for certain - the story had better live up to the promise that the cover is trying to make.

Amalgamated Press published this great looking story just in time for Christmas back in 1958. As covers go it doesn't have the sophistication of later editions. However style has to start somewhere. The colours are great and I like the way that lumbering biplane is coming off the deck and up out of the cover. This is one of the first War Picture Libraries and I feel honour bound to give it an 8/10.