Now that the Osprey member\'s area is four months old I\'ve decided to see what our Gold and Silver members have been viewing in the map and plane databases. It was quite interesting to see that half of the plane profiles and maps had been viewed by at least one of our members. With a combined database of over 9,000 images I find this very impressive!

For all you non-members, the Osprey membership area gives you access to 2025 maps and 6834 plane profiles. The maps and plane profile databases are updated on a monthly basis. The maps in the member\'s area come in a large flash format that allows you to zoom in and out as well as scroll over the entire map detail; all the maps are printable. The plane profiles on the other hand are large printable jpegs that will assist you when painting your favourite plane camouflage scheme.

In addition to accessing the database all Gold members receive 30% and Silver members 15% discount off all titles that feature on our website. For more information click here.

So here they are the most popular map and plane profile. I have indicated the book they appear in for your reference. If you have a favourite Osprey plane profile or map then please comment as I would love to hear from you.


FOR 73 Hittite Fortifications c.1650-700 BC

9781846032073M1

A plan of the site of Hattusha
 

The map details the fortress-city of Hattusha which was the Hittite empire\'s seat of power, the core of their military empire and a mighty fastness which occupied a vast area near the modern-day village of Bogazkale in central Anatolia. Hattusha is one of the best-preserved examples we have of Hittite fortresses, with long stretches of fortification which not only survive, but have been excavated and reconstructed. As a result, it remains an invaluable insight into the fortifications of the 13th century BC and into the culture of the Hittites themselves.



AEU 25 Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik-As'

9781846032042P24


Bf 109G-4/trop \'Black 1\' of Oberleutnant Franz Schiess, Staffelkapitan 8./JG 53, Trapani/Sicily, February 1943

 

Jadgeschwader 53, also known as the \'Pik-As\' (Ace of Spades) Geschwader was one of the most famous of the Luftwaffe\'s fighter wings, carving out an impressive reputation between their formation from the hardened veterans of the Condor Legion to their final disbandment mere days before VE Day. This plane, shown during the defence of Sicily in December 1942, was the mount of Oberleutnant Gustav Scheiss, a 37-kill ace who had modified his Bf 109 into a \'Kanonenboot\', replacing the machine\'s wing-mounted machine guns with heavy cannons.