Once again, Eduard steps up with an innovative photo etch accessory to add realism and context to 1/72 scale aircraft. In the tradition of their superb PE sets to go in and on aircraft kits, the growing series of pre-painted PE flight deck and airfield operating surfaces adds this little beauty to its ranks.

Pre-painted in the wood stain flight deck color, this little gem provides a convincing and contrasting base to the blues of US Navy aircraft of the period. A few snips, and a tiny bit of filing or sanding, and the deck section is ready to mount to a firm base or slide underneath a favorite WW II Navy carrier plane. The only drawback is the small size, as larger aircraft like TBF/TBM Avengers and SB2C Helldivers may seem to dwarf the piece – it seems better-suited for the smaller types like the F4F Wildcats, F6F Hellcats, and SBD Dauntlesses.

The US Navy’s most widely-used torpedo bomber of World War II, the Grumman TBF Avenger, filled a critical gap in combat capability shortly after the United States’ immersion into the war. The Grumman TBF’s and license-built General Motors TBM’s replaced the aging and obsolete Douglas TBD Devastator. Avengers operated in a host of roles through 1954, including torpedo bomber, level bomber, and anti-submarine duties.

Academy proudly rolls out the first of its recently licensed Accurate Miniatures (AM) classics in the form of the TBM-3 Avenger. First introduced to the market under the Accurate Miniatures brand in 1996, this kit is truly a “Sweet 16” (year-old) work of art. The hallmark AM tooling’s detail and precision rivals that of Tamiya’s, with exceptional fit and minimal fuss.

After receiving this review sample, I have to say I have yet another favorite publisher. I have a particular interest in the Pacific theater of WWII, and this book succinctly discusses the history of the air war between the start of the conflict at Pearl Harbor through the battle of Coral Sea. It also discusses many of the battles in between. The book includes not just the US and Japanese forces, but also sections dedicated to Allied forces from Russia, England, the Netherlands, and the AVG in China.

There are ten sections to the book: