This book describing the success story of the EMB Tucano is a joy to read and a marvelous photo book showing the Tucano in all his executions and paintings that were used by the different air forces it served.
The Tucano was developed as successor of the different basic and light jet trainers in use throughout the world’s air forces. Because of its characteristics it handled like a jet and offered considerable cheaper maintenance. Its profile and aggressive paintings attracted a lot of attention at demonstrations and air shows.
The author describes the who’s and why’s of the development phase and all the modifications before the Tucano could start its operational life. Beside its basic design as a military trainer it operated also as air defence, close air support, border patrol and interceptor plane. Especially in the South American countries like Columbia and Honduras the Tucano operated to fight drugs and criminal orientated organizations and the plane was also widely used in display formations.
In the book there is widely attention to the different air forces the Tucano was delivered and a description of types and execution and what tasks they were ordered for to fulfill. Its history was not completely free of design problems so some fatal accidents were part of its operational life and described. Nevertheless 660 airplanes were produced and served in 16 countries. The RAF also ordered the Tucano as successor of the Jet Provost and that was of course one of the most important and biggest customers for Embraer as the RAF was very traditional in its selections for their air force.
Many case stories are told in this book but what makes it outstanding is the high quality of the cover and printing and the many beautiful colored photos with at the end more then 30 pages with schematic pictures of the Tucano in all its executions with the different squadron schemes and emblems.
Containing 256 pages with information it is a nice showpiece to possess and to browse through it regularly.
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