This is another colourful book (in a larger series) by the well-known aviation artist Richard J Caruana, who was born and lives in Malta. The well-known author/illustrator has a 15-volume history of the Italian Air Force to his name, numerous books on model making and ospreys (among others), and has designed 89 stamps for the country of Malta. You will also find many of his drawings and profiles in many other publications dedicated to aviation. At Stratus Publishers (-MMP-Books) he created two series. The first, titled "Fighting Colours of Richard J. Caruana," dealt with fighter planes, and each volume was devoted to a specific period or theater of war.

The second series is titled "Flying Colours of Richard J. Caruana" and offers a selection of interesting aviation topics that the author would like to share with us as readers.

The Stencel SEU-3/A ejection seat was used in the US Marine Corps’ AV-8A, later -S, as a cheaper and less capable replacement for the standard Martin-Baker MB.9 seat used by everyone else who operated first-generation Harriers.

This new product by Aires of the Czech Republic, will replace the IM seat from the Kinetic or Monogram AV-8A kits, or for anyone wishing to convert their Airfix Harrier GR.3 into an AV-8A (good luck with that). The product has 6 parts moulded in mid-grey resin, two in soft black resin, a small PE fret for belt buckles and other greeblies, plus a short length of very fine copper wire. The PE fret is tiny, but has 16 parts, some of which are barely over 1mm square! Be sure to get your maximum-strength optical visors out!

Detail on the parts is excellent and this is a light year ahead of the Kinetic kit parts and galaxies away from the comfy armchairs of earlier kits.

This latest sheet from Euro Decals is one that should please a lot of modelers. It contains nine different markings options for Spitfires that operated over Malta. The majority of them are Spitfire Vc with a few Vband a Mk.IX thrown in the mix. Each of the options provides an interesting camouflage scheme with many of them being quite non-standard with others more appropriate for Seafires. All of the Mk.V options have a sand filter so you’ll have to choose a kit that includes this feature.

Option one is coded SN*A and was with 243 Squadron in 1942. It is dark Mediterranean blue on the upper surface with azure blue on the underside and an identification blue spinner.

Next is 3*M as seen on the USS Wasp during 1942. This one is in deck blue and intermediat blue over azure blue. Note that this aircraft has four cannon.

GL*T is with 185 Squadron and painted deep sky and dark slate grey over sky blue.