Andy Taylor
Reviews By Author
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PE/Resin Set for M5A1 Stuart (Tamiya)Published:
Tamiya kits are known for their ease of building and detail. There are some tradeoffs that come with that philosophy, particularly with engine screens and other small metal parts on the real vehicle. While the base Tamiya kit is great out of the box, there is always room for more detail, and this Hauler kit does not disappoint. This PE set fills that void and takes the Tamiya 1/48 M5A1 Stuart (Kit No. 32606) to the next level. This set includes two PE frets (A (1 5/8” x 2 ¼”) containing the M1919 MG mount, ammo can, periscope cages, spare track hangers, light guards, grab handles, etc.; and B (1 3/16” x 1 5/16”) containing the four engine screens and tool tie downs, and a resin sprue with onboard tools and M2 HMG… more |
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Curtiss Kittyhawks in the Soviet Far North 1941-45: Volume 1 - Origins and Early Combat Operations, 1942–May 1944Published:
Author Andrey Latkin writes,
This 76-page book is a part of Helion & Company’s @War Series. Curtiss Kittyhawks in the Soviet Far North 1941-45: Volume 1 -Origins and Early Combat Operations, 1942–May 1944 (Helion No. HEL2004) is outlined in the familiar @War format and is a little light in black and white photographs (not surprising given how… more |
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Araguaia War, Volume 2: Counterinsurgency Operations Against the Communist Guerilla in Brazil, 1967-1974. Counterinsurgency and Legacy: The Struggle for Control in AraguaiaPublished:
This is the second volume on the Brazil’s Araguaia War. The author, Antonio Luis Sapienza wrote,
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Acrylic Paint Set for US Special Operations AircraftPublished:
ICM continues to be prolific with both kits and paint sets. The Acrylic Paint Set for US Special Operations Aircraft continues this trend and consists of six 12ml wide mouthed paint bottles. These paints are designed to be used with the following ICM kits (48290 – Cessna O-2A Skymaster; 48278 – B-26K Counter Invader (Early); and 48279 – B-26K Counter Invader). The colors include:
Painting instructions are on the side of the packaging, stating
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The Crimean Offensive, 1944 - The Russian Battle for the CrimeaPublished:
The Crimean Campaign was fought by German and Romanian forces as a part of Operation Barbarossa in late September 1941. While most Soviet forces were defeated, the Siege of Sevastopol lasted until early July 1942. The German 17th Army garrisoned Crimea with assistance from Romanian troops until the 4th… more |
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Acrylic Paint Set for Special ForcesPublished:
ICM continues to be prolific with both kits and paint sets. The Acrylic Paint Set for Special Forces is no exception and consists of six 12ml paint bottles that are surprisingly not dropper-top style but are rather wide-mouthed. These paints are designed to be used with the following ICM kits (16101 – S.W.A.T. Team Leader; 16102 – IDF K-9 Unitz “OKETZ”; and 16103 – Delta Force Fighter, Mogadishu, 1993). The colors include:
Painting instructions are on the side of the packaging, stating
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The Waffen-SS in Poland, 1939Published:
This book does a lot to dispel some of the myths of the “easy” German invasion of Poland. While it does so, it is also not the focus of the book, but rather the nascent Waffen-SS evolving into a military arm of the Nazi war machine. Author Massimiliano Afiero writes,
By 1937 the SS was divided into three branches: the… more |
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Tank Craft 45: Nashorn Self-Propelled Tank Destroyer, German Army, Eastern Front 1943-1945Published:
Tank Craft 45: Nashorn Self-Propelled Tank Destroyer, German Army, Eastern Front 1943-1945 outlines the history, development, and use of this dedicated self-propelled gun. Initially named the Hornisse (Hornet - also the name of the Me-410 heavy fighter/fast bomber), it was soon renamed the Nashorn (pronounced Nahz-horn – Rhinoceros). From the earliest days of Operation Barbarossa, it became apparent that the German anti-tank guns of the time were underpowered, and towing them into position was problematic. The 88mm flak guns were soon given the successful anti-tank gun role. In June 1942, the 8.8cm Flak 41 entered production, and it had superior range and performance to… more |
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TankCraft 44: StuG III Assault Gun – German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944Published:
TankCraft 44, StuG III Assault Gun – German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 breaks the StuG III’s (Sturmgeschütz, abbreviated as StuG, also known as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161) long service life into the closing struggles in the Eastern Front in 1944. Older and newer StuG IIIs and IVs fought side by side on all fronts as the Allied ring closed in on Germany. This book focuses on the StuG IIIs on the Eastern Front, which is fantastic as it complements an already published book of StuGs on the Western Front (TankCraft 19: StuG III & IV, German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe, Western Front 1944-1945) and hints at a StuG IV book. This 64-page book is outlined in the familiar TankCraft format and is loaded with incredible black and white photographs, color… more |
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Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.BPublished:
The Sd.Kfz.251 half-track armored personnel carrier was the primary-armored transport vehicle of the German Wehrmacht. It was developed by the company Hanomag in 1938, based on the artillery tractor Sd.Kfz.11, with serial production starting in the summer of the following year. The Sd.Kfz.251 armored personnel carriers were produced in four main variants—Ausf. A, B, C, and D—and there were 23 different versions for various army needs, differentiated by their armament and equipment. The 251/1 variant was the standard transport vehicle for the German motorized infantry, capable of carrying one squad of soldiers. These combat vehicles were in service with the German Army throughout World War II and were used in all theaters of combat, with a total of 15,252 units produced in various… more |