Introduction

Growing up building all genres of AMT/ERTL/MPC kits – cars to aircraft to space ships to monster figures – it was a sad day when ERTL reduced AMT to a shell of its former self. Being a particularly big Star Trek fan and with AMT being the only game in town for Star Trek models (before this “internet” thing became such a big deal), it was a sad time indeed.

Then, a few years ago after much finagling, along came Round2, acquiring the AMT/MPC molds, fine-tuning them, and re-releasing most of the old kits we all remember. Many are being re-released with Retro-Style packaging, while others are being issued with all-new box art and packaging. The old Star Trek kits are back, in style. Among those are the Cadet Series – the 1/2500 scale ships of the line in the Star Trek universe as well as their nemeses from all parts of the series’ timeline.

This is a revised and updated reprint of a title by the same author, published in 1999 by Hikoki. A quick internet search revealed that copy to have only 99 pages, as compared to the 192 in this edition, so this is quite an update!

The production quality on this book is first rate. Thick, matte-finished pages are enclosed in even stiffer color covers.

The first 15 or so pages describe the background and possible rationale for the proliferation of unit emblems in the Luftwaffe. After this, the next 175+ pages are devoted to lists of each and every unit that used some form of an emblem on its aircraft. Sections are broken down by aircraft type, such as fighter units, bomber units, etc.

History

The Curtiss SOC Seagull was one of the classic biplanes of World War II. The early models entered service as the Navy’s ship- and shore-based scouting-observation airplane in 1935, replacing the Vought O3U Corsair biplanes during the late thirties. Although the prototype SOC, designated XO3C-1, was an amphibian, all subsequent models were either floatplanes or landplanes, and the type was used everywhere the Navy operated before and during the war. A total of slightly over 300 were built, including Curtiss-built SOCs and Navy-built SONs. The book outlines the history of the type’s design and service, even to the point of identifying its competitors and why they failed to make the grade. Another significant fact is that the author explains some of the aerodynamic qualities of the wing which had slots and flaps, improving slow flying characteristics.