Jim Pearsall
Reviews By Author
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Listening In - RAF Electronic Intelligence Gathering since 1945Published: November 13, 2014 Since I spent a lot of time in Air Force radio, some time in AF intelligence, and being generally interested in communications (I have an extra-class Amateur Radio license) this book was right down my alley. Additionally, being interested in post WW2 British aircraft is also a plus with this book. The theme here is airborne ELINT, electronic intelligence. You can learn a lot by… more |
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Su-24 Fencer Landing GearPublished: October 8, 2014 Back in 2008 I built a Dragon Su-24, with the Zvezda nose to review Olimp’s Fencer decal sheet. In the ensuing years, the landing gear was broken on the kit. The Fencer was otherwise OK, but the nose gear was trashed. So when they offered Scale Aircraft Conversions’ new Su-24 metal landing gear for review, I jumped at the chance. What you get is a new nose gear leg, and two main… more |
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Harrier Vacu Canopy (Revell)Published: October 1, 2014 Many of us have had the distinct displeasure of ruining a canopy. I once dropped one on the floor and stepped on it. There is also the great possibility of getting CA fumes on the inside or some other adhesive which will either melt, craze or deform the canopy into uselessness. And then there’s the one where you open a kit you bought at a swap meet to find no clear parts inside. You… more |
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Boeing 377 Stratocruiser and KC-97 StratofreighterPublished: September 28, 2014 Every once in a while a book shows up on the “available for review” list which grabs my interest. This book is one of those. I was able to convince Dave Morrissette to send it to me because I have a personal interest in the KC-97. It was a KC-97 which took me on my first military flight, from Peoria Air National Guard Base to Lackland Air Force Base to begin basic training. I’ve had a lot of… more |
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Kawasaki OH-6J CayusePublished: September 24, 2014 The AircraftHughes Aircraft originally developed the OH-6 series of helicopters. With corporate takeovers and sales, the MD 500 series is built in Mesa Arizona by MD Helicopters. The OH-6J was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan. The original OH-6 was called the “Light Observation Helicopter”, which became “Loach”. The reason for the OH-6 was that in 1964 the US Army… more |
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AV-8B Harrier II Units of Operation Enduring FreedomPublished: September 11, 2014 This book is the third in Osprey’s series on the Marine Corps’ Harriers in combat. It is of great interest to me, as I spent over 20 years involved in the Tactical Air Control System, as a radio repairman and comm. maintenance officer. The Marines bought the AV-8 knowing it would be used for CAS (Close Air Support), and very little else. But that’s what they want and need. The Harrier… more |
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A-6E Vacu Canopy (Dragon)Published: August 31, 2014 One of the most annoying problems I have run into in building aircraft models, almost any type, almost any scale, is losing or ruining the canopy. Windows can be fixed, small parts like wheels or gear legs can be faked in, but the canopy just can’t be fixed after it’s lost, broken or damaged. And here’s the fix for that problem. A replacement canopy. There are a number of available… more |
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RAF Canberra Units of the Cold WarPublished: August 18, 2014 I knew that Canberras had been used in the 1956 Suez Campaign, the 1990-91 Gulf War, the 1995-96 Bosnia affair and the Operation Telic, the 2003 Iraq war. This book showed me a number of facets of the Canberra’s career as the longest lasting RAF aircraft, from the first production in 1951 to the retirement of the PR.9s in 2006. Yes, 55 years. The Canberra replaced Lancasters, Lincolns and… more |
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Lockheed SR-71A BlackbirdPublished: August 2, 2014 The AircraftThe SR-71 was a flying legend. Anyone who wasn’t directly involved with the aircraft knew little about it, and those who were involved weren’t talking. The aircraft’s existence was declassified in 1964, but not much else was said. The problem the SR-71 was created to solve was that the U-2 was too slow, and thus Soviet SAMs could reach it and shoot it down. The SR-71 was… more |
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Yokosuka MXY7 OKHA Model 11Published: July 20, 2014 The AircraftIn 1945, Japan had their backs against the wall. The Allies were about to invade Okinawa, part of Japan, and the situation was becoming desperate. In October of 1944 much of the Imperial Japanese Fleet had been destroyed at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Kamikaze suicide aircraft had been used during the Leyte Gulf battle, and it appeared that this might be the weapon that… more |