Andy Taylor
Reviews By Author
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German Modern Luftwaffe/Marine Fighter PilotPublished:
For some reason, model manufacturers have been omitting pilot figures from their kits. Many after market producers have stepped in to fill the pilot seat void. Czech model manufacturer Aerobonus has a new release in its 1/72 Modern German Luftwaffe/ Marine Fighter Pilot. Like most pilot figures being released recently, this figure is standing, but can easily be made to sit with some razor saw surgery. The post-World War II German Air Force had its creation on 24 September 1956 when its first ten pilots earned their wings. As technology progresses, so does the human element. I am certainly not an expert in German flight suits, but this pilot looks the part of a Luftwaffe or Marineflieger pilot. The provided color call out guide states that this figure could pilot German fighters… more |
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The War in the Channel Islands Then and NowPublished:
The Channel Islands are an archipelago in the English Channel off the western French coast of Normandy’s Cotentin Peninsula, composed of two Crown Dependencies – the Bailiwicks of Jersey (the largest of the islands) and Guernsey, which consists of the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and some smaller islands. Historically, they are considered remnants of the Duchy of Normandy, and administered separately since the late 13th century. The only territory of the British Isles to fall under German occupation in World War II, were the Channel Islands. The British government determined that the islands were indefensible, and the islands were ordered to demilitarize. While some 17,000 citizens were evacuated to mainland Britain, most had no choice and were thus subjected to… more |
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AH-1G Cobra "US Marines/Navy"Published:
The United States military in Vietnam quickly realized the need for attack helicopters to support both ground forces and cargo helicopters. The AH-1G was the first specifically designed attack helicopter (it was originally designated the UH-1H, but the “A” was added for the attack designation, but when the ubiquitous “Huey” Iroquois UH-1D became the UH-1H, the Huey Cobra became the AH-1G) and made its combat debut in August 1967 with the US Army. The US Marine Corps also saw a need for attack helicopters and 38 AH-1Gs were transferred from the Army in 1969 as an interim measure until the USMC’s requirement for twin-engine Cobras (AH-1J) were available. This kit has markings for three of these AH-1G Cobras (the fourth is for a US Navy Test Pilot School aircraft). This 1/… more |
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TankArt 3: Modern ArmorPublished:
TankArt 3 Modern Armor was first released in 2014 (T-62M1 on the cover). Is this book simply a republished book and is it worth buying this edition (AMX-30B on the cover)? If you already have this book, then this second edition is 64 pages longer (from 224 to 288 pages), added a Technique Proficiency chapter, expanded, and updated sections on hair spray chipping, oil paint rendering (OPR), and pigment applications. TankArt 3 Modern Armor is not only a “how-to”, but it is also a “why” on how to use the highly visual artistic approach to modeling. This book is magical in its sequence from good builds to the painting, to hyper detailing using modern and time-tested techniques. Where this book excels is the progression with each step, letting the modeler peek behind the magician’s… more |
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Moscow’s Game of Poker – Russian Military Intervention in Syria, 2015-2017Published:
Author Tom Cooper is an Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian. What makes him qualified to author a book on a very non-linear and confusing chapter of history is the vast network of contacts he garnered throughout his time in the Middle East and Africa. He has authored/co-authored about 60 books, over 1,000 articles, and the Helion Series Editor for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Technology at War. When someone with Tom’s credentials writes a book about a topic that you’re interested in reading, you pick up the book and prepare to be educated. He is also the talented artist for the color profiles (pp i-xiv). Moscow’s Game of Poker – Russian Military Intervention in Syria, 2015-2017 is a revised edition (the original edition, Middle East @ War No.… more |
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Syrian Conflagration – The Syrian Civil War, 2011-2013Published:
Author Tom Cooper is an Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian. What makes him qualified to author a book on a very non-linear and confusing chapter of history is the vast network of contacts he garnered throughout his time in the Middle East and Africa. He has authored/co-authored about 60 books, over 1,000 articles, and is the Helion Series Editor for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Technology at War. When someone with Tom’s credentials writes a book about a topic that you’re interested in reading, you pick up the book and prepare to be educated. Syrian Conflagration – The Syrian Civil War, 2011-2013 is a revised edition (the original edition was published in January 2016; ISBN 9781910294109 and featured a T-62 tank and MiG 23 on its cover).… more |
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Red Army Weapons of the Second World WarPublished:
Red Army Weapons of the Second World War is a very well researched and written book that does a deep dive into the history of the Russian military’s ground forces weapons. This book is a departure from the usual Images of War format. Rather than a brief summary of the chapter to come with a dizzying number of great photographs, each of this book’s chapters opens with history, weapon type, development, etc, then follows with black and white photographs that are worth the price of the book alone. In the forward, US Army Tank-Automotive Command Historian (Retired) Randy Talbot writes, “During the First World War in an oft-told story, Russian infantrymen were on the line when an aeroplane flew overhead. They quickly fired upon the plane, shooting it down. There was no way… more |
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The Darkest Hour, Volume 2: The Japanese Naval Offensive in the Indian Ocean 1942- The Attack Against Ceylon and the Eastern FleetPublished:
This is the second of a two-series amazingly detailed books authored by a Polish Ph.D. in Law, living in Japan, writing about Japanese advances in the eastern Indian Ocean. As if that isn’t intriguing enough, author Michał A. Piegzik covers a little known (at least to most Americans) subject in a much larger backdrop of Allied defeats in the early Pacific War, focusing on ABDA (American, British, Dutch, Australian) forces as they reeled from Japanese attacks in Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dutch East Indies, the Philippines, Java, and Burma. For more background information on Michał A. Piegzik, please refer to my earlier review on The Darkest Hour, Volume 1. If you read my book review on Volume 1, then I apologize for repeating myself here; however, as a standalone review,… more |
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The Soviet Baltic Offensive, 1944-1945Published:
Ian Baxter is a prolific author and has an impressive collection of photographs, many unpublished previously. The book differs from Pen & Sword’s Images of War format as it is a softbound book in a smaller size. Each chapter begins with brief introductions followed by a lot of photographs, orders of battle, color illustrations and maps to tell the story. The Soviet Baltic Offensive, 1944-45 - German Defense of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is composed of nine chapters:
The German Baltic Offensive began with… more |
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A-10C Hoosier HawgsPublished:
Twobobs Aviation Graphics are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and keep producing outstanding decal sheets for modern military jet aircraft. A-10C Hoosier Hawgs (72-111/32-072) celebrates three “Blacksnakes” A-10s of the 163rd Fighter Squadron based at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Station, Indiana. This decal sheet reflects the commemoration of 100 years of aviation in the Indiana Air National Guard. This decal set has the option to build five aircraft – four in the traditional gray camouflage scheme (tail numbers 192, 213, 679, 692) , the remaining in the distinctive 100th anniversary black over gray camouflage (244), following the traditional A-10 gray pattern. There are two decal sheets that have enough decals for all five jets in both 1/72 and 1/32… more |