Publications

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.

Have you ever struggled over a problem or edited your own writing, only to have someone look at it and see the thing that you couldn’t find or solve in seconds? That’s how I felt reading this book. The Greeks dominated the fourth and fifth century BC battlefields with the Phalanx form of warfare, which combined the use of specially armed and armored soldiers (or Hoplites) in specialized formations. As the title implies, the author has taken a fresh look at old evidence of ancient Greek writers and artists and coupled that with modern research, primarily in the form of re-enactors who put on the Panopy, (or armor) and the weapons – in this case, the thrusting spear of the Greek solders – and tests his theories of methods and tactics. In the process, some interesting and groundbreaking developments emerge that shed new light on just what the ancient writers meant and how much artistic license was used in creating the vase paintings we envision when we think of this period of history. This is a serious work of intellectual pursuit. Mr. Matthew generated the material in this book while working on his Masters thesis, and that’s the level of research reflected in this volume.

The Nov/Dec 2012 issue of Windsock Worldwide concludes Volume 28 and serves as further proof that Albatross Productions continues to publish the best WW I aircraft modeling magazine available anywhere.  This issue of the bi-monthly publication provides a number of exclusives for WW I aircraft model builders and historians.  The cover photos provide a look at two of them: Wingnut Wings’ new Fokker D.VII kits, and TVAL’s third full-size replica, an Albatros D.Va.

Inside, the first regular column; the READER’S GALLERY, presents six featured models in 1/48 and 1/32 scale…with one, a Roland D.II cleverly constructed from LEGO pieces.  Then, LOGBOOK ENTRIES reviews a new book titled Nachtflugzeug! German N-Types of WW I, and the latest issue of Cross and Cockade International (Vol.43, No.3).  Following that, photo coverage is provided of one of the subjects on the cover, TVAL’s replica Albatros D.Va.

This is Model Art Magazine’s special quarterly issue that focuses on naval subjects. As with the regular Model Art Magazine, this is printed in Japanese with some English subtitles.

In this issue, the main focus is on the IJN Unryu-class aircraft carrier.  There is a multitude of color and black and white photographs that show both models and period photos of the ships in this class.

The rest of the issue is a series of smaller articles mainly dealing with IJN subjects. One of the other articles covers models of three Japanese Coast Guard vessels by Pit Road Models. The last non-IJN article covers Revell’s USS Flasher, Growler, and Lionfish submarine model kits. This is not three different kits — it’s the same one marked differently over the lifespan of its molds.

Overall if you have an interest in naval vessels, especially IJN subjects you would find this issue interesting.

I would like to thank Model Art Magazine and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this fine magazine.
 

The book Ferdinand/Elefant: Detail In Action by David Doyle is a nice addition to the library of any German armor modeler. It is packed with 80 pages of drawings, photos, and information on the Ferdinand and Elefant tank destroyers. This book also contains a small part in the front covering the Porsche Tiger, which was the predecessor of the Ferdinand/Elefant. In fact, Ferdinand Porsche designed the suspension of these three behemoths.

My favorite part of these In Action books is always looking at the pictures of the actual vehicles during the war. From these photos you can get a sense of how used these tanks were, and how the paint schemes look as compared to the museum specimens. I enjoyed looking at the photos of these giant monsters. An interesting comparison is the photos of the damaged Ferdinand #501 as seen during its capture and, later, in modern times at the museum.

There are a lot of great pictures and information in the book which will give you an insight into the making of these tank destroyers. The book also contains photos of museum pieces from the Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia and the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum.

From the Philippines to Okinawa, the unthinkable Kamikaze generated surprise and fear across the US Pacific fleet that outweighed the actual combat effectiveness of these Special Attack units. The new title in the Osprey aces series focuses on the Navy, Marine, and USAAF commands that confronted this new threat. The IJN and IJA lost some 900 aircraft in these mass attacks. 91 pilots from the Navy, Marines and USAAF became aces during these campaigns (most aces were from the Navy).

Edward M Young walks you through the development and first use of the Special Attack units right up to VE day. The Navy’s response and tactics to counter this new threat is very well chronicled. Each ace is covered with his individual tallies and the circumstances of each victory.

This book looks at the RAF and Britain’s air defense, post-World War II. More specifically, it looks at the defense of Britain from nuclear strikes.

This book is broken down into ten chapters, beginning at the end of WWII when the British defenses were set up to protect her from massive raids by piston-engined bomber aircraft and the post-war realization that the advent of the V-1 and V-2 missiles and the jet engine had rendered all of this obsolete. Add the atomic bomb to this, and the RAF was scrambling to devise new defenses.

The author does a good job of discussing the Soviet threat, as well as all of the various programs that were being devised to deal with it. Those that made it to reality, as well as those that never made it off paper, are all covered. All of the aircraft projects, as well as those involving missile defense, are discussed, with coverage even given to dealing with hijacked airliners.

The Lockheed P-38 was one of the most recognizable and deadliest aircraft in World War II.  It was originally conceived to meet a U.S. Army requirement in 1937 for a high-altitude fighter capable of 360 mph at 20,000 ft. and be capable of full-throttle endurance of one hour at this altitude.  Lockheed’s winning design utilized a radical twin-engine, twin tail boom, tricycle landing gear configuration.  Designed as a fighter that could fly faster and higher than any other fighter at the time, it was capable of carrying out several types of missions.  It could perform as a bomber, a reconnaissance plane, and an escort.  However, where it excelled was in the roll of a fighter.  It had great success in the China-Burma-India and Pacific Theaters.  It also played a vital role in the skies over North Africa and the European Theater.  Many pilots became an ace flying the P-38.  The subject of this review tells the story of the 82nd Fighter Group and its pilots as they fought across North Africa and Italy.