Frank Landrus

IPMS Number
35035

Reviews By Author

Front cover

Cleveland Tank Plant

Published:
Book Author(s): David Doyle
Company: G-104 Press

David Doyle’s latest book is with a brand new publisher, G-104 Press. Founded by Scott and Kim Taylor of London, Ontario, this volume represents a new concept and approach by David Doyle. Rather than his customary monograph on a single (or series of) vehicle, ship, or aircraft, this volume focuses on the history of a facility: Cleveland Plant 2 that originally was built in 1942 to construct the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. This book is presented in landscape and includes 112 gloss pages. G-104 Press does not yet have a website, but they are planning on one. Presently, the book is sold through David Doyle’s website. Scott and Kim Taylor are hopeful to bring additional books addressing military vehicles geared towards the enthusiast, historian, and modeler. Scott and Kim Taylor can be… more

Book cover

U.S. Half-Track Vehicles

Published:
Book Author(s): David Doyle
Company: Squadron Signal Publications

David Doyle’s latest book continues to expand on Squadron Signal’s long standing In Action series that initiated back in 1971. This is a completely updated and expanded edition over Squadron’s earlier Armor in Action 34, M3 Half-Track by Jim Mesko that was published in 1996 with 50 pages.

After many years of being published in enthusiast publications focused on military vehicle restorations, David Doyle ‘graduated’ to full-fledged books in 2003. His first book was a hefty 512 page history of US military vehicles. He has now had more than 100 books published in military vehicles, aviation and naval topics. David and his wife Denise have amassed a collection of ten Vietnam era military vehicles that they still display at shows. In June 2015, he was… more

Box Art

Sci-Fi 09 Display Base

Published:
Company: Coastal Kits

Coastal Kits was founded in 2011 and is based in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. It is a family-run business that originally retailed model kits and their associated supplies. Coastal Kits began marketing their own range of display bases at the end of 2012 after their bases were well received at Telford’s Scale Model World. The Business soon decided to concentrate solely on their display base product line. The range currently exceeds 220 bases in multiple scales and subjects. They also provide custom bases upon request.

The display bases are manufactured from 3mm Foamex board which is a rigid, waterproof plastic. Laminated matte vinyl is used to print the subject with the latest odorless latex ink providing a permanent and waterproof finish. The benefit over alternatives like paper-… more

Model Base

Ground Blur 02 Display Base

Published:
Company: Coastal Kits

Coastal Kits was founded in 2011 and is based in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. It is a family-run business that originally retailed model kits and their associated supplies. Coastal Kits began marketing their own range of display bases at the end of 2012 after their bases were well received at Telford’s Scale Model World. The Business soon decided to concentrate solely on their display base product line. The range currently exceeds 220 bases in multiple scales and subjects. They also provide custom bases upon request.

The display bases are manufactured from 3mm Foamex board which is a rigid, waterproof plastic. Laminated matte vinyl is used to print the subject with the latest odorless latex ink providing a permanent and waterproof finish. The benefit over alternatives like paper-… more

Front cover

Luftwaffe Emergency Fighters

Published:
Book Author(s): Robert Forsyth
Company: Osprey Publishing

Robert Forsyth, born in Berkshire, England, has studied the history and operations of the Luftwaffe since his school days. Based in East Sussex with his wife, he runs an aviation and military publishing business full-time. He has written articles for the magazines Aeroplane, Aviation News, FlyPast, and The Aviation Historian, and is a member of the Editorial Board of the latter publication. He is the author of several hardbound books, including: JV 44 – The Galland Circus (1996), Battle over Bavaria – The B-26 versus the German Jets (Classic, 1998), Mistel – German Composite Aircraft and Operations 1942-1945 (Classic, 2001), Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerikabomber (Classic, 2006, with Eddie Creek); He 162 Volksjäger (Classic, 2009, with Eddie Creek); Heinkel He 111 (Crecy, 2014); Junkers Ju… more

Front Cover

Storm of Eagles: The Greatest Aviation Photographs of World War II

Published:
Book Author(s): John Dibbs, Kent Ramsey, Robert "Cricket" Renner
Company: Osprey Publishing

Bios from Osprey:

John Dibbs is unquestionably the world's premier aerial photographer, having flown over 1,150 aerial sorties in 125 different types. John has published 19 books including the acclaimed Spitfire: The Legend Live s On. His award-winning work has graced hundreds of magazine covers over the last 25 years. Raised in London, his interest in aviation was passed on by his father who grew up during the Battle of Britain near Northolt aerodrome. John now lives in Seattle, and is serving on the Board of the National Museum of World War II Aviation in Colorado Springs. His work can be viewed at www.planepicture.com .

World War II aviation history has been a lifelong passion for Kent Austin Ramsey, and… more

Front cover

Russo-Turkish Naval War 1877-1878

Published:
Book Author(s): Piotr Olender, Robert Panek
Company: Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books

This is Mushroom Model Publications’ seventh book in their Maritime series. A video trailer of the book can be seen on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQq9l4pRwjk. I counted 183 black and white photos and woodcuts, two black and white line drawings, and 33 black and white line ship profiles. Additionally, there are 13 tables and twelve maps. The cover painting is by Grzegorz Nawrocki and is what I believe to be of the Russian armed steamer Vesta and her running battle with the Turkish ironclad Feth-i-Bulend near Constanca on July 22, 1877.

Piotr Olender dives into the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, focusing primarily on the naval elements, although the land battles are included to provide… more

Front Cover

Wings Over Mesopotamia, Air War in Iraq 1914-18

Published:
Book Author(s): Mark Lax, Mike O'Connor, Ray Vann
Company: Cross & Cockade International

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Lawrence of Arabia book I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.

This book is the expansion of a combination of four articles published by Mark Lax in the Australian Society of WW1 Aero Historians ’14-’18 Journal between 2005 and 2013. Additional text and the majority of photographs were from the Ray Vann / Mike O’Connor Mesopotamia collection. Mike O’Connor, Ray Vann, and Colin Waugh spent over forty years researching the RFC/… more

Book cover

UH-1 Huey in Action

Published:
Book Author(s): David Doyle
Company: Squadron Signal Publications

David Doyle’s latest book continues to expand on Squadron Signal’s long standing In Action series that initiated back in 1971. This is a completely updated and expanded edition over Squadron’s earlier Aircraft In Action number 75, a 50-pager on the Bell UH-1 Huey by Wayne Mutza that was published in 1986.

After many years of being published in enthusiast publications focused on military vehicle restorations, David Doyle ‘graduated’ to full-fledged books in 2003. His first book was a hefty 512 page history of US military vehicles. He has now had more than 100 books published in military vehicles, aviation and naval topics. David and his wife Denise have amassed a collection of ten Vietnam era military vehicles that still displays at shows. In June 2015, was honored with the… more

Box Art

Tales from the Apocalypse - The Biker

Published:
Company: Gecco

The Biker is the last figure in Gecco’s second series and follows the three figures in series one in their Tales From the Apocalypse that I believe are sculpted by Shojiro Kasai. This second series creates Scene 2: Day 1, 1:27 pm at the Diner’ and goes with two other figures, a cook who was attempting to save his daughter, Cindy from the infected but who gets bitten and his daughter, Cindy, the diner’s waitress and the sister of the heroine in the first series. The Biker’s Tale From the Apocalypse:

“The Biker was driving on the freeway when the outbreak started and the dead began walking the streets.
Losing control of his bike, he veered into the opposite lane of traffic and crashed into a car, shattering his skull and neck upon impact. His body went reeling across the… more