Like a lot of modelers, I take this hobby a bit more seriously than I should at times. This kit is a reminder that it's actually fun to build models. Taking real-life subjects and “egg shaping” them into a whimsical mimic seems to be a growing sector based on the number of kits and subjects receiving this treatment. In this case, AFV Club has chosen the F-5E/N Tiger II. The F-5E/N series was an improved version of the F-5 Freedom fighter that incorporated modifications from the unsuccessful F-20 Tigershark. Leading-edge extensions and more powerful engines made it the perfect aggressor aircraft to simulate the MiG 21. This kit draws inspiration from the Navy’s VF 111 “Sundowners”. But enough of that serious stuff.

The good folks at Osprey Publishing just keep cranking out quality publications on all sorts of subjects, and this book is no exception. Author Chris Goss takes us through a well-written and well-researched history of the units that operated the Dornier Do-17 bomber in World War II.

The book starts with a short explanation of the development of the Do-17 from a transport plane into a military plane during the formative years of the Luftwaffe. The type served in the Spanish Civil War, like many of the early Luftwaffe aircraft, and proved to be a capable bomber. Lessons learned in Spain led to the redesign of the forward part of the fuselage into the version that most of us modelers are familiar with – the Do-17Z.

This is one of three books in Pen & Swords Land Craft series. The other books include the M2/M3 Half-Track and Bren Gun Carrier. The Land Craft books are good resources for modelers as they provide background on the design of vehicles, detailed descriptions, photos of variants, and include descriptions of completed models and available kits

The contents of The Jeep book are:

Introduction

This section describes the story of the jeep during its early years of 1940-45 as it played a significant role in the 2nd World War and went on to become an icon in the four wheel drive movement. The Jeep became a wartime hero and went on to inspire a brand, sparking today’s off-road and 4-wheel drive enthusiasts. The Jeep became the first four-wheel drive multipurpose vehicle and B&W photos are used to show some early variants. This book focuses on the wartime Jeep with a concise description for the enthusiast and modelers.