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Book Author(s)
Daniel Taylor
Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$52.95

The book comes in three distinct sections - the first is an in-depth analysis of the German "Westwall" defense system built between 1936 and 1944. This includes the build phases, the organization of the workforce and the political background.

The second section looks at the Allied campaign to overcome the defenses of the Siegfried Line through the winter of 1944/45, focusing on three major operations by the US, British and Canadian armies.

The third section deals with the perception of the Westwall in the eighty years since the war and then outlines a battlefield tour guide of those elements that still survive.

Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$50.00

Arma Hobby is a new company to me, so I jumped at the chance to build and review one of their new Hurricanes, the MKIIc. In the box you get 4 plastic sprues (one clear), canopy masks and a decal sheet.

Construction starts with the wheel well and continues with the cockpit seat. Then you are guided to kind of cram the wheel well between the upper and lower wing parts and to assemble the rest of the cockpit. There are little slots for the wheel well to kinda slide the part on top, be sure you get that part aligned just right, or you will have trouble with the cockpit and closing the fuselage halves later.

Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$24.99

Another large and informative decal set from AOA yet again with a wonderful decal set for Naval Search and Rescue birds for the US Navy H-60 Seahawk/Knighthawk family that covers, MH-60S helicopter family.

This 1/35th scale decal sheet Search and Rescue bird covers the following squadrons for the Kitty Hawk family of kits (now owned by Zimi models in China):

MH-60S

  • HSC-2 Fleet Angel
  • NAS Patuxent River
  • NAS Patuxent River Option #2
  • NAS Fallon
  • NAS Fallon Option #2
  • NAS Whidbey Island
  • NAS Lemoore
  • NAS Key West
  • NAS China Lake

In the Package

There are a total of 2 decal sheets provided that have been printed by Microscale Industries. 9 versions of Search and Rescue birds are in this set! The main sheets provide bureau numbers, navy, and special markings. The second sheet has air frame data and stencil markings in low-viz.

Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$24.99

AOA Decals has done it yet again with a wonderful decal set for low-viz options (Part 2) for the US Navy H-60 Seahawk/Knighthawk family that covers MH-60S helicopters.

This 1/35th scale decal sheet of the Low-Viz Seahawk Family, Part 2, covers the following squadrons for the Kitty-hawk family of kits (now owned by Zimi models in China):

MH-60R

Book Author(s)
Ronny Bar
Review Author
Paul Bradley
Published on
Company
Tempest Books
MSRP
$70.00

Many will know Ronny Bar’s artwork from Wingnut Wings and Kotare Models kit sets; this new book highlights his talents with a vast selection of full-colour profiles of that most famous of WWII fighter aircraft, the Spitfire, and specifically the Merlin-engined versions. These range from the original 1936 prototype K5054 through to the late-War Spitfire Mk.16 and into the 1950s.

The landscape-oriented book has 232 pages and features 260+ different aircraft; there are 25 4-views, 4 3-views and 18 2-views. All operators seem to be covered including some unusual foreign-marked Spitfires. Also included are machines belonging to such aces as Stanford Tuck, Deere and Malan. The side profiles are to approximately 1/38 scale, so are of a good size. Some of the profiles will be familiar to those who have built one, or more, of the Kotare kits, and perhaps there are some clues as to what machines will be featured in future Mk.V kits?