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With the release of the Zvezda Mi-24V/VP and P there was a need for a reference that could cover the rivet patterns. Enter MMP Books Scale Plans series. In particular, this book which is No.67 in the series highlights the Mi-24D/V Hind.
This is my second review of one of the Land Craft series books (the prior one covering the Land Rover and it’s many uses. This is the sixth in the series called “Land Craft”. As I read and reviewed the earlier book, this book covering HUMVEE no less rewarding in its comprehensive coverage of this ubiquitous vehicles. While I have seen a great many HUMVEEs I had no idea about the total numbers in service with Army (120,000) and the Marine Corps (20,000). These are very heavy, with the base weight of approximately 5,200 pounds, and the many other versions even heavier.
Tankcraft is series of books from Pen and Sword covering specific vehicles in a concise format and also covering the models associated with that specific vehicle also. This latest volume covers the Leopard 2 and notes that it’s NATO’s first line of defense and covers the years 1979-2020.
The table of contents gives a good look at the way the book is laid out:
American Panther Tanks: An Examination of the Five Surviving Panzer V Tanks Including the Rare Panther II might be considered as a strange title for a book; however, there are five Second World War examples in the US. It is believed that fourteen captured Panzer V Panther tanks were shipped to the United States after hostilities ended in 1945. Most were cut-up and scrapped after being used for testing and target practice on live firing ranges. The Panzer V Ausf.A Panther tank at the American Heritage Museum, Hudson, Massachusetts, near Boston, has been completely restored to an extremely high standard. The other four Panther tanks are at Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, under the care of the U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection (U.S. AACC). They are awaiting their turn to be restored. The first four chapters briefly cover the development and production of the Panzer V Panther tank from the first version, the Ausf.D, to the second version, the Ausf.A.
Aires began in 1995, making 2020 their 25th anniversary. They are based out of the Czech Republic and include not only the Aires brand name, but QuickBoost, Aerobonus, and Wheelliant.
A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus figure. This Soviet Pilot figure is designed to be used with any modern Russian trainer aircraft (Aero L-29, Aero L-39, MiG-29, MiG-AT, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, Yak-130, Yak-152, etc.). Aires Aerobonus provides you with a resin figure with separate arms, a helmet, and two heads (Cap and No Cap) on one pour stub with side bars to protect the figure. Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Aires Aerobonus uses that makes the parts easy to checkout before assembly and painting and then stuff back into the package securely. The supplied instructions provide color drawings for painting.
