“Special Forces” was a fairly new concept in World War II. There were some who thought outside the military box and saw that another war like World War I would probably destroy Europe, if not the rest of the world, both economically and from population loss. The generals in the military establishment were far from enthusiastic about the idea that a few soldiers with skill and cunning could do what whole battalions couldn’t.

This is the story of twelve of those guys who thought that hitting the enemy in unconventional ways could do more damage for far less cost than huge armies sitting in trenches throwing high explosives at each other.

The twelve chosen as representative for this book are:

Like many modelers, my knowledge of history is never as complete as I want it to be, and when MMP issued The Sino-French Naval War, I found a great opportunity to learn more about the conflict that occurred in 1884-1885.

For those of you unfamiliar with these actions, during this time colonization was the policy that many countries pursued to expand growth, secure mineral and trade rights, and protect their people and interests. In this case, the French wanted Vietnam also to protect their Catholic Missions.

The early Phantoms had their pitot tube and ram air inlet mounted on the leading edge of the tails. It is hard not to break them off, especially when you are sanding the seam line, but now you don’t have to worry about it. Master Model provides you with three milled brass pieces: a pitot tube, a ram air inlet, and the angle of attack probe. Beautifully milled, they are flawless. You get three pieces of brass that require no cleanup. Adding them is as simple as drilling a .8mm and a 1.0mm hole and inserting the brass parts with super glue. The brass parts will provide you with plenty of strength and a realistic finish with no seam or mold lines to deal with.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Master and IPMS/USA for the review copy and review space.