Hub Plott
Reviews By Author
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Convair Deltas From Sea Dart to HustlerPublished:
The delta wing design configuration is synonymous with Convair. No other aircraft company had as many delta designs as they did. Convair designed America’s first jet with delta wings, first and only seaplane supersonic jet fighter as well as the phenomenal B-58 Hustler! This is a new paperback version of a book previously released in hardback. The book is broken down into 20 chapters. The first two explain what delta wings are and the history of Convair and its predecessors. Chapter three covers the XF-92 which was the first US jet aircraft of Delta configuration. It covers the history of this aircraft and is accompanied with many photos several in color. The next five chapters are devoted to the F-102 Delta Dagger and cover it from inception through combat in Vietnam and on… more |
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Dornier Do 24 Units / Combat Aircraft #110Published:
If ever a seaplane design could be called elegant it is the Do- 24! The Dornier Do- 24 outlived its Third Reich users by 24 years. What was probably the best seaplane in the Nazi inventory was designed to meet specifications from the Dutch Navy. The competition for the Luftwaffe’s next seaplane was fierce between the Blohm und Voss Bv -138 and the Dornier Do-24. Even though the test pilots declared the Do-24 the best handling seaplane they had ever flown, it lost out to the Bv-138. The RLM favored diesel engines on its flying boats and thus even though it was less powerful and an all around lesser aircraft, the RLM chose the diesel powered Bv-138. The first chapter covers a supply mission to Narvik. The three Bv-138s heavily loaded with ammo and medicine could not… more |
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Yakovlev Fighters of World War IIPublished:
This book is the comprehensive history of the fighters produced by the Yakolev Design Bureau during World War Two. The Yak-1 first flew in 1940 under the designation I-26, changing to the now familiar Yak-1 when production began at the end of that year. The authors trace the development of these designs and offer the reader a comprehensive history from drawing board to final use. Ever wonder why the Yak-3 was actually produced after the Yak-9? It is all here. The book is divided into 9 chapters. Chapter one is comprised of 58 pages and deals with the design, development and use of the Yak1. This begins with the I-26 initial variant and the loss and death of Yakolev’s chief test pilot Yulian Piontkovsky. Each variant and weapons system is covered. Chapter two covers the… more |
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Fouga MagisterPublished:
This book takes a look at one of the most famous French training aircraft of all time. There is a brief history of its development and use and then the book moves into an extreme detail photo essay. The book begins with the type’s development including the explanation for why all Magisters built were done with out ejection seats. We are provided with scale drawings in both 1/72 and 1/48 as well. There is a brief overview of all the variants of the design before going into the production of the aircraft and coverage of all nations that used the Magister. This section is accompanied by 40 color profiles of these various users. Want to see what a Ugandan or El Salvadorian Magister looked like? They are here. The bulk of the book, approximately 70 pages gives the reader an… more |
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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 |