Hub Plott
Reviews By Author
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Japanese Secret Projects 2: X-Planes and Experimental Aircraft of the IJA and IJNPublished:
This book is the second in a series on Japanese prototypes and secret projects. It covers many different aircraft from pre-war types to right up till the end of World War II. In all 38 types are covered in this volume with an additional section covering the nuclear weapons programs of the IJA and IJN. The book begins with two Aichi designs. The B8A Mokusei (a slightly smaller B7A “Grace” with straight non-folding wings) and the S1A1 Denko are discussed. The Denko was a lovely design for a twin engine night fighter. Ordered into production, it would never take to the air as both prototypes and the Aichi factories were destroyed in raids by B-29s. Another area of interest is the influence of German designs. The Hitachi “He-type” heavy bomber was a He-177 powered by 4… more |
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Westland Whirlwind Metal Landing GearPublished:
What you get in the package is a full gear replacement in white metal for both main gear legs and the tail gear. In many cases SAC will assemble some of the kit parts prior to casting. In this case the replacement parts number is the same as the kit parts. They have cleaned up the gear and filled any imperfections that were present on the original plastic parts. They also have enhanced the level of detail on the gear well above that of the plastic parts The gear in the kit consists of five plastic parts. The metal replacement parts make up five pieces, two for each main gear and a single piece for the tail gear. Detail is crisper on the metal gear than on the kit’s plastic parts. One can also tell from the photos that the SAC gear is much beefier, especially on the main… more |
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BAC Strikemaster / Jet Provost Metal Landing GearPublished:
What you get in the package is a full gear replacement in white metal for both main gear legs and the nose gear. In many cases SAC will assemble some of the kit parts prior to casting . This is what they have done in this case. They have also cleaned up the gear and filled any imperfections that were present on the original plastic parts. The gear in the kit consists of six plastic and two resin parts. The metal replacement parts make up 5 pieces, two for each main gear and a single piece for the nose gear. Detail is crisper on the metal gear than on the kit’s plastic parts. The replacement parts are a drop fit with no issues what so ever. Given that the Fly kit contains a fair amount of resin and has a long tail there will need to be a fair amount of weight added to… more |
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Thunder Over the Reich: Flying the Luftwaffe’s He-162 Jet FighterPublished:
This book is written by one who was there. 1st Lt. Wolfgang Wollenweber flew for the Luftwaffe from 1943 till the surrender. Beginning his service in Me-110s and continuing on to Fw-190s, a brief training stint on Me-163s and finishing up in the He-162! The book begins with his assignment to 13. Zerostorerstaffel/Jagdgerschwader 5 in Salmijarvi. Where on earth is Salimijarvi you ask? So did Lt. Wollenweber! Having expected an assignment to warm North Africa he soon found himself heading to above the Artic Circle along the Artic Ocean to fight the Russians. A desolate area with stark living conditions and never ending day or night depending on the time of year. An area with little to do outside of combat and most depressing on those who served there. The first 10… more |
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Messerschmitt Bf 109 A-D SeriesPublished:
Messerschmitt Bf 109 A–D Series is the third book in the Air Vanguard series I have had the pleasure to review. The Messerschmitt Bf-109 is the Luftwaffe’s most storied fighter of WWII, yet much less has been published on the A-D models. This book covers these early models from development through their use in combat. The book begins with the earlier designs by Messerschmitt that lead up to the 109. One of the most crucial of these was the Bf 108! Many of the issues/flaws that could have plagued the 109 were discovered and worked out on the 108. The aircraft was designated the Bf-109 (designation for Bayerische Flugzeugwork). The official name of the company changed in July 1938 to Messerschmitt AG and all aircraft that were designed after this date were designated Me… more |
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Collecting Vintage Plastic Model Airplane KitsPublished:
This book covers model kit development during the 1950s and 1960s as well as the collectability of these kits and the current value of some. It gives the reader what to look for and to look out for when delving into the world of kit collecting. By default all model builders become kit collectors in some shape or fashion. Many of us buy more than we will build to ensure that we have that kit or marking set on hand. Or to be certain with some of the short run or resin kits that we don’t miss out on a subject. But for many they seek to build a collection of kits never to be built but amassed like others do with comic books, autographs. Militaria and the like! The book is broken down into nine chapters. Beginning with a rundown of all the major and minor model kit companies… more |
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Early Soviet Jet FightersPublished:
This book covers the development, specifications and history of the first Soviet jet fighters. It is a massive tome that provides a great deal of detailed information on its subjects. The authors are certainly the current experts in the field of Soviet/Russian aircraft and after reading this book it is easy to see why. I had really wanted to review this book as I have in my possession an ultra rare 1/48 Russian resin kit of the Mig-9 by Airkits. Since material on the Mig-9 and other early Soviet jets has been few and far in between, this is a welcome addition! The book is broken down into 5 chapters by manufacturer. The order of their presentation is by their importance to the Soviet Union both in development and usage. The order of coverage is Mikoyan Migs, Yakovlev,… more |
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Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft in AsiaPublished:
This book is the third in a series by these authors. It was preceded by volumes on the Middle East and Africa. In these pages the authors cover all Soviet/Russian built aircraft used by the various Asian nations from WWII to modern times. The book has twenty-one chapters and they are laid out alphabetically by country. With the start of the cold war, the Soviets began to try and influence the politics of the Asian continent. This was done in a large way by supplying arms to many other nations not only in Asia but worldwide, not only to their client states but to those that wanted to play both sides as well. We are treated to a nation by nation review of aircraft supplied to and used. Their combat records are covered as well as the service records for those not used in… more |
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Hitler’s War: World War II as Portrayed by “Signal,” the International Nazi Propaganda MagazinePublished:
Signal was a propaganda publication by the German Wehrmacht stylized after Life magazine and published from 1940–1945. It was aimed at those in occupied, neutral, and allied countries, but it was never sold in Germany itself. Published in almost 30 languages, it was even available in the USA until December 1941! The magazine was kept under the control of the army and thus was independent of the Nazi Propaganda Ministry. This did not prevent it from being a propaganda laden publication. While it chronicled the conditions faced in combat by Germany and her allies, it also had a strong political message advocating for a “united Europe” under the “New Order” and for supporting the fight against the communists—even highlighting those former enemy combatants that chose to fight for the Nazis… more |
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The Americans on D-Day, A Photographic History of the Normandy InvasionPublished:
This is a large, beautiful coffee table style photo-essay book. As the son of a D-Day veteran I was most anxious to read this book. 450 of the photos included are from the combat in Northern France. Some will seem familiar to the reader but many have never before been published. I especially like how in many cases the author has shown the original WWII photo and then beside or below that he has placed a modern photo of the same place taken at the same spot. The book is divided into eight chapters! The are: The Buildup, From the Air, From the Sea, On the Beached, Point du Hoc, La Fiere, Graignes and Aftermath. Each is filled with photos that show everything from the men, equipment and geography to the carnage of battle. I really liked this book. It shows to anyone who… more |