IPMS/USA Reviews

Released in time to be added to Christmas wish lists, this latest offering from Detail and Scale covers every jet fighter aircraft used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the F-8 Crusader to the new F-35 Lightning II.  This book contains 208 photographs (188 in color) and 10 full color aircraft profiles, and picks up where Part 1 left off.  I would highly recommend this book to all fans of modern Naval/Marine Aviation, whether a modeler or not.

IPMS members are likely familiar with Bert Kinzey, and have probably seen him in person when attending the Nationals, or some regional events.  In his latest book, he covers what most would consider modern aircraft, starting with Vietnam-era planes and including everything up to the newest planes being flown today.  Thirteen different airframes are discussed including the F-8; F-11F-1F; F5D; F-4; XF8U-3; F-111B; F-14; F-5E, F-5F, and F-5N; F-21A; F-16N, F-16A, and F-16B; F/A-18A, F/A-18B, F/A-18C, and F/A-18D; F/A-18E and F/A-18F; and F-35B and F-35C.

This the second volume in a series devoted to the uniforms and equipment of Napoleon's Imperial Guard. The first volume concentrated on the Infantry and I have not seen it. This volume focuses on the cavalry. The Imperial Guard, as the name suggests, was Napoleon's personal guard that expanded into the elite regiments of the French Army. The material culture of the military through the ages has always attracted buffs, historians, and modelers. The author, rather than relying on secondary sources has dipped into archives and museum collections to understand the nitty gritty details, in particular colors and construction. As the author points out, despite the evidence that does exist, in many cases, we will never know many of the details that made up the uniforms of Napoleon's elite guard. I can only assume that the first volume is a similar layout.

When HobbyBoss released a 1/72 kit of the German super siege gun known as 'Dora' I knew I wanted one. Unfortunately, I still do not have one in my stash (if anyone get me one cheap I am all ears!) so this book will have to do! As with most Osprey titles, they combine well reproduced historical photographs with artist's renderings. This book is no different. The broad focus of the book are the super siege guns but it is split between those manufactured by Germany and those from foreign manufacturers that were absorbed by the Wehrmacht. The final part of the book concentrates on their operational history.

MMP Books continues its series of  "Colours of..." Eastern European Air Forces. This time the Yugoslav Air Force in the 1919-1941 period is covered. The first volume covers the period immediate to the end of World War I up to a few years before World War II.

In particular this book covers the following airframes

• Nieuport 24 & 27
• Spad S.7
• Albatross D.III
• Phonix D.I & D.II
• Aviatik D.I
• Ansaldo SVA 5
• Bristol F.2b
• Dewoitine D.1
• Dewoitine D.9
• Dewoitine D.27
• Avia BH-33E
• Potez 25 A2

The book has chapters for each aircraft type in detail, including an introduction of how the airframe entered service. It finishes each section with a sub-chapter devoted to the camouflage colors, patterns and gorgeous color profiles (sometime even 3-view) of different aircrafts, next to a historical picture of the airplane.

Review

MMP Books continues its series of  "Colours of..." Smaller European Air Forces. This time, the Bombers of the Swedish Air Force in the 1924-1058 period are covered. This period cover the critical years of World War II when these aircraft performed a critical job of protecting Swedish neutrality.

Don't let the word "Colours... " in the title fool you. This book is not just about color profiles and camouflages -a topic which is certainly covered extensively.

This book also has plenty of historical facts, operational details, plus some stories like when a Ca.313 was being tested as a dive-bomber by the Swedish pilots and an Italian engineer came up crawling to the pilot to say: "Please, signor - I have a wife and ten children to provide for!"