Paul Mahoney
Reviews By Author
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Wings of the Black Cross #11Published:
This volume, #11, like all others in the series consists of pages and pages of clear photos, printed nicely on semi-gloss paper between laminated stiff covers. Eagle Editions consistently puts out first-rate publications. Most photos in the Wings of the Black Cross series are previously unpublished, and this issue carries on that tradition. The entire booklet is chock full, starting with the cover (photos are identified on the inside of the cover). Also, in keeping with the tradition of ever-evolving information, errata regarding previous volumes are also printed on the inside cover. The contents consist of 2 black and white photos per page, each with detailed captions. It begins with photos of Henschel 123 aircraft in the Condor Legion and ends with photos of sabotaged… more |
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Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-FPublished:
This is the 2nd volume in a revived series from Kagero. According to the editor the series was originally launched in 2001, but decal production issues caused the cessation of publication. They have now restarted this series, and so far, have issued 3 volumes (“Eastern Front” armor, “Japanese Fighters”, and the subject of this review). “Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-F” jumps right in with color profiles on the very first page. This is followed by 38 more pages of profiles, and a final page with a table of RLM colors produced by various model paint manufacturers. The back cover has an additional two profiles. Side profiles are provided for Bf 109s starting with Spanish Civil War markings and culminating in schemes from the Eastern Front. The artwork is superb and… more |
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Model Aircraft Extra No.7 – Building the P-47 ThunderboltPublished:
This is the 7th volume in a newish series from MA Publications, the British publisher of Scale Aviation Modeller International, Model Aircraft, and Scale Military Modeller. Each of the issues of this series includes multiple build articles, centered on one particular aircraft type. In this case, the P-47 is covered in 1/72, 1/48, 1/32 and 1/24 scales. The booklet starts out with a six-page history of the P-47, including some good photos of operational aircraft. This is followed by 16 build articles. Each of the articles reads very much like the build reviews one can find in magazines by the same publisher. A good variety of scales and markings are presented, and the kits used are from Revell, Monogram, Hasegawa, Tamiya, Academy, Trumpeter and Kinetic. Some… more |
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Henschel Hs 126B-1Published:
Upon opening the narrow, softcover book, one is immediately presented with several pages of scale plans (in 1/72 and 1/48). No introductory history or anything like that, just right into the plans. This is followed by about 15 pages of photos, interspersed with snippets from the original aircraft manual. While there is no body of text, each photo has a generous caption. The wartime photos show several aircraft on different fronts, and not only show some great details, but give a sense of the conditions in which these aircraft operated. There are also several pages of drawings from the technical manual (augmented by photos) showing many of the cockpit details. The last several pages consist of color photos of the Hs 126’s engine (from a museum), a color rendition of the instrument panel… more |
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Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943-45Published:
This is the second of a 2-volume set covering, as the title suggests, the day-fighter aces of the Luftwaffe. Picking up where the first volume ends, this book covers the time period from the peak of Germany’s victories through to its defeat in 1945. Casemate’s typical high production values are present, including stiff glossy outer covers and glossy pages on heavy stock within.
The book is organized by campaigns and theaters of war, going chronologically through each area. There is a good mixture of individual aces’ stories interspersed among the historical narrative. Almost every page has good-sized, clear photos. There are plenty of color… more |
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Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2Published:
This edition of MMP’s “Single” covers the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2, and anyone familiar with this series will know the format. For those who are not, these are very “to the point” booklets, homing in on a particular variant of an aircraft. Upon opening the narrow, softcover book, one is immediately presented with several pages of scale plans (in 1/72 and 1/48). No introductory history or anything like that, just right into the plans. This is followed by about 15 pages of photos that are a mix of wartime snapshots and modern museum aircraft, interspersed with snippets from the original aircraft manual. While there is no body of text, each photo has a pretty generous caption. The wartime pictures focus primarily on Finnish-used Bf109s, but there are a few other shots of German and… more |
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Wooden Airfield BasePublished:
As an aircraft modeler, I was unfamiliar with this company that is primarily focused on 1/35 resin armor accessories. According to the box inserts and website, they are under new management and are expanding the current line. This base fit right into my area of focus, so I was pleased to have a chance to write a review. The first thing I noticed was how hefty and sturdy the packing box was. It is made of thick cardboard and has a few images of the product on the top. Inside, the resin base is wrapped in a plastic bag and tucked very securely between foam blocks. This is definitely not going to move around in box during shipping or handling! The base itself is a good-sized chunk of resin (approximate 10” x 11”), and thus relatively heavy. It will not be sliding around on… more |
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Lockheed P-38G-15-LO LightningPublished:
One of the latest in MMP’s “Single” series covers the P-38G-15-LO, and with the relatively new Tamiya 1/48 kit of the P-38 F/G the timing of this release is perfect. The idea behind this series of books (more like booklets) seems to be to get right to the point and show scale plan views, photos, profiles, etc. Upon opening the narrow, softcover book, one is immediately presented with several pages of scale plans (in 1/72 and 1/48). No introductory history or anything like that, just right into the plans. This is followed by about 15 pages of photos that are a mix of wartime snapshots and modern museum aircraft, interspersed with snippets from the original aircraft manual. While there is no body of text, each photo has a pretty generous caption. The wartime photos show several… more |
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Scale Aviation Modeller International Magazine, January 2020Published:
Scale Aviation Modeller is one of several magazines I used to subscribe to over the years, but have pared back that list and it was refreshing to once again see the content of this magazine. The quality of the magazine is just as I had remembered – Nice, glossy stiff covers and equally glossy, but thinner, content pages. Excellent quality photos and detailed articles are consistent throughout this issue. Contents of this issue include at least 6 build articles, several pages of color profiles, an article on the 2019 Telford model show, and another several pages devoted to news of new kits, books and decals. SAMI builds have always been done to a high level, and this is indeed the case here. Excellent builds, combined with high-quality photos and detailed text… more |
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Scale Military Modeller International Magazine, December 2019Published:
Having ‘gone digital’ over the last several years, I have severely curtailed my physical magazine subscriptions. As a result, this title was entirely new to me and thus was very keen to review it and have a chance to read through another publication. Despite the above commentary, Scale Military Modeller International has been around for a while. The quality of the magazine is like many others from the publisher – Nice, glossy stiff covers and equally glossy, but thinner, content pages. Excellent quality photos and detailed articles are consistent throughout this issue. Contents of Issue #585 include at least 9 build articles (8 military vehicles ranging from WW2 to present-day, and 1 Schnellboot ). Several pages of new product descriptions (covering armor and figures)… more |