Summary

This can be considered a “diorama-in-a-box” in that it contains everything one would need to create a nice airfield diorama. There are some frustrating fit issues, so I would recommend this kit to any modeler with a good dose of patience.

Background

The Spitfire MkVII airframe was based off of the MkV. It incorporated the improved Merlin 61 series engine. It was designed as a high-altitude interceptor and thus had a pressurized cockpit. It also had extended wing tips and the later large (pointed) rudder.

The MkIX was a later variant incorporating the Merlin 66 and later engines. Armament consisted of two 20mm Hispano cannon in the inboard position and four .303 browning machine guns in the outer positions. While most had the standard round wing tip they could be fitted with the clipped wing tip for low level operations. This variant could also carry a 90-Imperial gallon slipper tank as well as bombs and rockets.

This volume covers the Fw-190D and Ta-152 variants. It is presented in the familiar fashion of this publisher, with a column on each page in Polish and English. Captions and drawing explanations are also in both languages.

Text and photos make up the first seventy-five pages of this volume. These pages cover both technical development, changes between variants, and operational use. A serial list of all productions as well as some of the most successful pilots are also covered. There is a wealth of scale drawing both in the book as well as a couple of extra loose ones. The four pages of diagrams showing all the changes from the basic A9 version into the Ds and Ta-152s are quite illuminating. The color profiles are beautifully done as is always the case with this publisher.

To top everything off a lovely sheet of decals printed by Techmod are also included. This sheet has markings in 1/48 and 1/72 scale totaling eight sets of markings for:

Publisher’s Notes

“A comprehensive, accurate, and academically-supported reference of all of the major military and paramilitary camouflage patterns that have been in use around the world from the end of World War Two to today.

This book will be a one-stop, generalized reference illustrating as many patterns as have been researched into the present time period. It will surpass all previous efforts. In addition to color tiles illustrating camouflage patterns it will include photographs of the designs actually being worn by military and paramilitary personnel, something few other references have done in suitable combination.”