There’s an apocryphal conversation that supposedly took place in World War 2 between a German captive and his guard:

German Prisoner: “Not meaning to insult, but in battle, any German tank is the equal to any ten of your Shermans.”

Guard: “Really?”

German Prisoner: “Yes, but you always have eleven.”

It’s no joke that American tankers fighting in Europe had to contend with a host of powerful German tanks, using a tank design that although noted for its maneuverability, ease of maintenance and automotive reliability, suffered from inadequate armor and even less adequate firepower. Enter the M10, America’s first serious attempt to level the playing field a bit.

This softcover publication is 80 pages of useful information about the swept-wing F-84F and RF-84F jets from Republic Aircraft. It’s also Warpaint’s 100th book, so they’ve put a flashy block at the top of the front cover with a large 100 to let you know.

The F-84F and its stable mate the reconnaissance RF-84F were supposed to be Republic’s answer to the fact that the earlier F-84s could not compete evenly with the MiG-15s they met in the skies over Korea. Engine development and reliability issues meant the aircraft wasn’t fielded until after the end of the conflict. Even then, the aircraft was somewhat underpowered and required a very long takeoff roll, ensuring the nickname of ‘Hog.’ This also contributed to the aircraft being utilized more as a fighter/bomber than a pure fighter.

As with most injection molded kits, the Academy F-4B ejection seats have no lap belts or shoulder harnesses, and are also very basic. The shape of the cushions is also very questionable. Eduard comes to the rescue with their Brassin line of products and gives us some very detailed ejection seats. There are five pieces of resin and a very busy photo etch seat for each of the two seats provided. The seats without any belts or harnesses are impressive. When you add all of the belts, handles, levers and wires to the seats, they are really quite nice.

It’s hard to believe that after more than fifty years of modeling, I’ve never built a car before now. But somewhere between “you’re never too old to learn” and “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, I found myself with my first car model. I’ve always liked the aesthetics of the 1930s, particularly where technology was applied. Vehicle designers were just starting to appreciate the value of aerodynamics, and automobiles of the mid-to-late 30s were showing that influence, with teardrop shapes replacing flat surfaces and hard angles. Compared to cars of just half a generation earlier, especially two-seater coupes, cars of the late 30s looked fast just sitting still. The ‘37 Chevy was a prime example.

The book is divided into 8 chapters with an introduction, index, a Bibliography and Glossary & Abbreviations:

• Chronology
• Design and Development
• The Principles of Defense
• Tour of the Sites
• The Living Site
• Operational History
• Aftermath
• The Sites Today

This illustrated volume analyses the different defensive elements of the East Wall, the phases of their construction, the shifting strategic focus, and what life was like for those manning the defenses in the final days of the war.

Conclusion

The book is a quick read and is well researched and documented. From the modelers perspective this will not give you many ideas for dioramas, but as a quick review of the East Wall German fortifications it does the job.

Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review copy and to IPMS/USA for the review space.