Hi nimbus:
I?ve just finished reading this book.I?m sorry,I?m not able to answer all your questions (I?m not an expert) but I?ll try to help you.
Here are some questions on the new Osprey book. Concerning the color profiles: #30...since Golubev had 'white 13' changed to 'white 33' [his usual number],...
Profiles 30A and 30B assign Type 24 "white 13" to Vasiliy Golubev,7 IAP,Leningrad Front,but on page 88,there is a photo of this I-16 "white 13" and quoting the text below it "An I-16 Type 29 from and unidentified unit prepares to take off...".So my conclusion is that "white 13" is not Golubev bird as I?ve seen many times the same photo and it was never assigned to a pilot.And there are other profiles (#29 and #34) that need to be checked out.
Profile 38 text says Brinko's I-16 was a type 29, but has wing armament as does the cover and back cover that clearly show Golubev's I-16 is not a type 29...any ideas on what they might be [unless the artist just used common templates for all I-16 illustrations?]?
I think it?s a matter of modified tamplates.The profiles have the correct shape of the fuselage (they have the underside fairing for the MG) but the artist didn?t remove the wing armament.Anyway,Golubev?s "white 33" is shown as a Type 29 in the back cover profile and as another Type (Type 24?) on the front cover illustration.I really don?t know which Type is the right one.
Despite all the inaccuracies regarding the profiles,I really enjoyed the book.Greetings.
Martin