Publications

Scale Aircraft Modelling is an excellent monthly publication focusing on modeling scale aircraft. Averaging just under 100 pages, SAM is filled with build articles featuring some of the newer kits on the market, as well as projects based on old favorites. Printed on glossy paper in full color, this magazine is a treasure chest of information about modeling techniques as well as a great source of information on new products.

The cover article in this issue is entitled, “Kaleidoscope Cod” referring to the Kinetic C-2 Greyhound. Mike Williams does an absolutely stunning job on the C-2. The article includes a list of additional items used in the project, which paints produced the beautiful paint job, and those weathering agents which Mike used. The article is a great resource for anyone attempting the C-2.

Patrice Sublemontier authored “IndoCat-The Bearcat in the French Air Force”. The article includes five pages of full-color profile illustrations of the Bearcat in various paint schemes, and a page featuring a 3-view drawing. Several pages contain some black and while images, and the text is a collection of Group/Squadron histories.

Osprey Publishing continues expanding its New Vanguard Collection. This is the issue 195 of this line and it is devoted to the Italian Medium Tank.

The book sections covers the characteristics of the Medium Tanks (M 11/39, M 13/40, and M 14/41), plus a brief section on the Heavy Tank (P 40). It also includes the self-propelled guns that were based on the above-listed chassis. Later in the book there are two sections devoted to Italian armor in combat (both with the Italian Army and under German service). It finalizes with a brief chapter devoted to camouflage and markings and a section on surviving vehicles at different museums.

The Italian Medium tank design during WWII was greatly affected by the military thinking of the pre-war years. During the 1930s, the Italian Army expected to fight a war against France and/or into Yugoslavia in the northern part of Italy. As such, the designs limited the weight of the tank to approximately 7 tons, considering the load limit for bridges in Northern Italy. The design of those tanks was inadequate for fighting in the desert, the ultimate main battlefield for the Italian armored units.

The anticipation of Neil Dunridge's new book A-10 Thunderbolt II 21st Century Warthog was very high among modelers and enthusiasts alike.  They certainly were not disappointed.  From the eye-opening front cover to the awesome back cover, the author documents the A-10's present life at home and in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The author presents his material in chapters – each chapter a unit flying the A-10.  The chapters include seven active U. S. Air Force units, three Air Force Reserve units, six Air National Guard units, and a chapter on the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center.

History

We are all familiar with the success stories of British World War II aircraft. but the author of this work examines the careers of some of the types that either didn’t make it to the production line or were never intended for service use.  The author has made a life study of British aviation history, having worked in the industry for many years, and he has published numerous articles and books on the subject.

This book is number 13 in the Classic Warbirds softcover series.  As the title From D-Day to Berlin indicates, it covers the European Theater from mid 1944 to the post-war occupation.  It is basically a reprint of book No. 5 – From D-Day to Victory! Fighters in Europe 1944-'45 with some added material.

The book is formatted into nine chapters covering various aspects of the air war as described by the individuals involved at the time.  While most of the material involves New Zealand and Australian personnel, their stories are just as exciting as any others.  Many of these stories are told in the first person, which makes for exciting reading.

Available in the USA from Casemate Publishing at http://www.casematepublishing.com

This book looks at the only enemy aircraft actually to drop bombs on the continental United States, the Kugisho E14Y “Glen”. We are given the history of its development and its technical details, as well as the details of the two bombing missions over the Oregon coast and other operations across the Pacific. It should be noted that the Japanese were the only nation to use submarine-based aircraft in any quantity.

This book begins with a discussion of the first Japanese experiments with submarine-based aircraft, as well as the aircraft preceding the E14Y in service. A nice overview of the E14Y follows, with discussions of its operations for the IJN. One thing of interest is the joint operations of both Japanese and German submarines from the base at Penang (part of modern Malaysia). It even appears that there was a possible exchange between the Axis powers with an E14Y being traded for an Arado Ar-196.

Windsock Datafiles from Albatros Productions are very familiar to most of those who have been building WW I aircraft models for some time.  And, a number of those who have been awakened to that era by the recent introduction of 1/32 scale kits from Wingnut Wings, Roden, Special Hobby, and others have discovering the value of collecting these publications.  Number 156 in the series has just been published and it is the second Datafile about the AVRO 504.  However, it is a companion to the earlier title because, unlike Datafile 28, this volume focuses attention on the types that preceded the 504K.

This is the newest title in Osprey Publishing’s Modelling Masterclass series.  Written primarily by Brett Green (author of several other Osprey books and webmaster of the Hyperscale website), this book covers several model builds of Luftwaffe jets, as well as some historical information.

The book itself is in a very sturdy format.  The covers are thick, glossy, and hard, and they enclose over 180 pages of text and photos.  The pages are spiral bound, so this book lies completely flat when opened to any page – a very nice feature if you are using this reference at the model desk.  All the pages are of medium-weight paper, and in a satin finish.  All the model photos are in full color, and there are also many black and white photos in the historical sections.

There are 7 chapters in this book, as well as tables at the end listing references and available kits of the subject.

Squadron has done it again.  They have provided us with another volume included in their outstanding Walk Around series.  This particular one deals with the F9F Cougar and all its variants.  It is written and laid out in the typical Squadron Walk Around fashion.

The book introduction starts with a brief but comprehensive history of the development and deployment of the Cougar.  There are tables that show the differences between each version and a section on the different nose and canopy variations.  The rest of the book is high quality black & white and color photos with captions.  The majority of pictures are color.  All photos have a very comprehensive caption that explains what you are looking at.  I would say that half the photos are from display aircraft and the other half from archive photos.

Lockheed was awarded the contract for development of the S-3 Viking in August, 1969. The S-3 started being delivered to squadrons in 1974 as a replacement for the S-2G. The phase-out of the Viking began in late 2003, with the last Viking squadron VS-22 disestablished in January, 2009.

Squadron/MMD printed their first In Action series book in 1971. This one follows in the long line of its predecessors. The book covers the S-3 Viking from development through the disestablishment of the last Viking squadron. There is a great mix of color and black and white photos, along with plenty of good captions. In addition, included are pages of colored drawings.

I highly recommend this to fans of ASW or Naval aircraft. Squadron again has done a great job with printing of this book and presenting this information to aircraft fans.

I would like to thank Squadron, Squadron Signal Publications, and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this fine book.