Prior to reading this book, I had no particular interest in the Valiant, and was only vaguely aware of this aircraft. But because of my previous positive experiences with Osprey publications, I began to read the book with the knowledge that I would soon know more about the Valiant and its role in the Cold War than I did at the outset.

This book is written by Andrew Brookes, author of over a dozen books related to aviation and recipient of the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Award in 2004 and 2006. Mr. Brookes also has some expertise in the subject of aviation, amassing some 3500 flying hours Victors, Canberras, and Vulcans. The man knows what he is talking about.

Valiant Units contains about 30 original color side-views of the Valiant, the work of Chris Davey, Mr. Davey is no stranger to readers of the Osprey series of Combat Aircraft. His work appears in a number of previously published Osprey books.

Master Model from Poland has earned the reputation as the source for exquisite metal pitot tubes, gun barrels, and numerous other machined metal detail parts for all scales. As the promotional message on their packaging suggests, their products provide “reality in miniature”…and they are miniature masterpieces.

Master Model also is proving to be very prolific. They now have added to their growing line of detail parts a 1/72 scale version of their beautiful multi-part pitot tube for the MiG-21. It is virtually a downsized version of those they offer in both 1/48 and 1/32 scales. And, like the larger scale versions, this one comes packaged in multiple plastic pouches, stapled to a display card, and includes two turned metal parts, a thin photo-etch fret, and a small instruction sheet.

This latest release in the Duel series by Osprey examines the conflict between the American M4A3 and Japan’s best tank of WWII, the Type 97-kai Shinhoto Chi-ha. As is typical for this series, this book provides detailed descriptions of the tanks and the men who operated and fought in them.

Not a lot has been written on tank battles in the Pacific theater. The region’s diverse terrain required a change in tactics, to where tanks were used as infantry support weapons as opposed to the maneuver warfare that usually led to major tank-vs.-tank battles. This book starts with the early encounters between the Japanese and the US in the Philippines in 1941, where US M3 Stuarts fought Japanese Type 95 light tanks. By 1944, both sides were deploying large numbers of tanks in combat. The Japanese committed an entire tank division to Luzon while the US Army had nearly a third of its armored battalions committed to the Pacific.