With the text printed in Japanese, we are basically presented with a large picture book. Featuring extractions serialized in the Monthly Model Art magazine. Looking at the beautiful illustrations of the Japanese land, naval aircraft and the equipment one can easily tell it has been diligently researched with documented detail and precisely reproduced. I’ve listed a small sample of the topics:

• Type 98 gun sight in several variations
• Type 100 gun sight in several variations
• Torpedo sights and sighting equipment
• Specific drop tanks for fighters
• Wooden rose tank construction
• Type 89 gun camera
• Type 1 gun camera
• Mitsubishi F1M auxiliary floats and construction
• Hasegawa 1/32 Shoki

The Bottom Line: It’s a great reference book, I highly recommend it. I would like to thank Model Art and IPMS for the opportunity to present this fine publication.

Dick Taylor is a recently-retired British Army Lieutenant Colonel who has been deployed in many areas of the world, including Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan and lately, in Sierra Leone in the fight against Ebola. Joining the army as a junior soldier in 1976, he has served exclusively in the Royal Tank Regiment. Commissioned in 2000, he has specialized in tank gunnery instruction, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear operations, Psychological Operations, and defense exporting. He has a First Class degree in History, a Master of Philosophy degree in Historical Research, and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science. He is married with two sons and lives in Blandford Forum, Dorset. Dick Taylor has authored, or co-authored, at least 16 books on armored fighting vehicles, primarily with Mushroom Model Publications.

When I was offered the opportunity to review this kit, I jumped at the chance. Growing up in the UK, the Wessex was a familiar sight at airshows and at Airports. The kit looks great and when you open the box the size and amount of detail is fantastic!

In the box is:

• 7 x light grey sprues
• 2 x clear sprues
• 2 x Photoetched details parts
• 1 printed paper set of seats and seat belts
• 1 decal sheet
• 1 instruction booklet
• A lot of resin parts!

All the sprues are extremely well molded with super fine details. The plastic is a little softer than I like. A big drawback is the sprues have no part numbers on them so you have to keep turn back to the front of the instruction manual to ensure you are getting the right part from the right sprue!