When I heard that IPMS had this book for review, I begged and pleaded to get it, for two reasons; I was in the process of building the Anigrand 1/144 PB2Y-5, and I know a WW2 veteran who flew PB2Ys in the war. Ed Cooper has a lot to say about the quality and factual content of the book. Since he still has his log book from 1944-45, he was able to check facts and dates. Also, he has that great comeback about how something happened: “Have I heard about it? I was THERE!!”

Ed Cooper: The Pilot’s Perspective.

Hi, I’m Ed Cooper, and I flew the PB2Y-5 in both VPB-4 and VPB-13. My good friend, Jim Pearsall, how is building a model of the PB2Y, has allowed me to review this book. How exciting and what a joy I have experienced. In the short time allowed, I have skimmed this book, and hope to read every word and study every photo.

Dragon has countered Academy’s recent M7 release with their own excellent release of a mid-production Priest with a combination of the early suspension and additional armor. Coming in the usually sized Dragon box, this kit only clocks in with 260 parts as there are no individual track links or many left-over parts.

Those of you used to many of Dragon’s German subject that fatten the spares box will be disappointed with only about 10 left over parts! An entire sprue utilizes common parts from the previously released 105mm gun. The moldings are crisp and flash free with fine detail. The DS tracks are also well detailed and really pop when painted and weathered. I really won’t have much to say about assembly except that it was straightforward with excellent fit of the parts.

I chose to replace the prominent weld beads with styrene rod to replace the weld details that I lost due to some ham handed sanding.

Different modeling books tend to have a “tools round-up” in their introduction chapter. This book includes which probably is the more important tool: “The modelers’ eye”. What is meant here is that you have to study the subject, look at it several times, noticing details each time you look at the subject in order to take notes and attempt to recreate and model whatever you “see” when you are looking at pictures or the real thing you are planning to model.

The following chapter briefly covers the basic techniques of model weathering and then the book dives into very well photographed and highly detailed construction of 11 models, ranging from 1/32nd to 1/72^ndscale. Markings range from USAF, to Chilenean and Israeli Air Forces.