Paul Bradley
Reviews By Author
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Ronny Bar Profiles: Spitfire the Merlin VariantsPublished:
Many will know Ronny Bar’s artwork from Wingnut Wings and Kotare Models kit sets; this new book highlights his talents with a vast selection of full-colour profiles of that most famous of WWII fighter aircraft, the Spitfire, and specifically the Merlin-engined versions. These range from the original 1936 prototype K5054 through to the late-War Spitfire Mk.16 and into the 1950s. The landscape-oriented book has 232 pages and features 260+ different aircraft; there are 25 4-views, 4 3-views and 18 2-views. All operators seem to be covered including some unusual foreign-marked Spitfires. Also included are machines belonging to such aces as Stanford Tuck, Deere and Malan. The side profiles are to approximately 1/38 scale, so are of a good size. Some of the profiles will be familiar to… more |
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Potez 63-11 France 1940 Colour & Scale 05Published:
This latest slim volume of the MMP Colour and Scale series by artists Dariusz Karnas and Teodor Liviu Morosanu features the French Air Force Potez 63.11 during the 1940 Battle of France. A three-place, twin-engined reconnaissance aircraft derived from the classy Potez 630 fighter, the 63.11 had a distinctive ‘greenhouse’ nose to allow for better ground observation. As a combat aircraft, the 63.11 was pretty useless, but it has featured in several kits over the years, particularly from Heller and Azur in 1/72 and the latter in 1/48. Within this 16-page card cover book are a set of detailed 1/72 plans and full-colour profiles of 19 aircraft, including one 4-view and one 3-view. Captions are in English with a summary in Polish at the back. This content has been seen before as… more |
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Britains and Other Interesting Toy SoldiersPublished:
This new book by Pen and Sword explores a lifelong passion for collecting traditional toy soldiers, offering insights and anecdotes, with over four hundred color photographs that showcase a sixty-year journey of dedication and expertise in the hobby of toy soldier collecting, most specifically the famous Britain's range of hollow-cast lead figures dating from the1870s to the 1960s. In this book, author John Franklin shares some of the in-depth knowledge gained through experience and countless hours of careful research, but most of all, the passion and enthusiasm for his hobby. He explains how he was inspired to collect soldiers, like so many, in early boyhood during the1930s and how a hobby grew into an obsession. The various chapters then examine themes he followed in his… more |
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Battle for the Channel Ports, Then and NowPublished:
Following the Allied advance into eastern France and Belgium in August and September 1944, logistical support for the advancing armies was compromised by the need to rely on the Mulberry Harbour built off the Normandy beaches in the days following D-Day. Invasion planners had counted on being able to use one of the larger Normandy ports, such as Cherbourg, to alleviate the supply chain issues, but the Germans had done such a thorough job of demolishing that port that it wasn’t brought into productive use until late 1944 and in any case was even further from the Front. The top Allied commanders therefore put some emphasis on trying to capture ports further east. Their focus fell on Le Havre and Boulogne, two large pre-War ports. However, both were declared to be “Festung” (Fortresses)… more |
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WWII US Armoured Vehicles Acrylic Paint SetPublished:
Another in ICM’s range of paint sets, this time for use with any WWII US armoured vehicles. The set contains the following 12ml paint pots; I have listed what I believe to be their intended uses, with designations from Specification 3-1 1943:
The back of the box has a couple of drawings showing suggested uses for each colour. ICM’s standard dumpy little pots have deep lids with rims to prevent the paint drying in the screw-top thread, something I appreciate! The paint is very thick which is good… more |
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Supermarine Spitfires Mk.VbPublished:
The UK’s Fantasy Print Shop has released another set of 1/48 decals in their Euro Decals range, this one covering the Spitfire Vb. There are a very generous 11 options available – these are as follows:
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RAF North American Mustang MK.III CollectionPublished:
The UK’s Fantasy Print Shop has released another set of 1/48 decals in their Euro Decals range, this one covering the Mustang III (P-51B/C) in RAF service. There are a very generous 11 options available – these are as follows:
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Vought Corsair CollectionPublished:
The UK’s Fantasy Print Shop has released another set of 1/48 decals in their Euro Decals range, this one covering the F4U-1 and F4U-1A Corsair in US Navy, RNZAF and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm service. Seven options are offered on a single sheet. These are:
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Montgomery’s Staff Figures SetPublished:
Here’s a new figure set from ICM, this time featuring the British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and his staff. According to the box top, the four figures represent Field Marshal Mongomery, a Lieutenant General, a Major and a radio operator or soldier. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery was one of the most prominent and successful British commanders of World War II. In December 1943, Montgomery was appointed as the commander of the 21st Army Group and the overall commander of Allied ground forces in Europe, also participating in the planning of Operation Overlord. In the autumn of 1944, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. A controversial figure for many reasons, he was nevertheless one of the greatest of Allied Generals during the War, guiding the largely conscript… more |
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JASDF F-15J Eagle Aggressor #903 Tactical Fighter Training SquadronPublished:
The F-15C has been license built for and used by the Japanese Air Self Defence Force as the Mitsubishi F-15J since 1981 and is still a mainstay of that force. One unit, currently known as the Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, was formed in 1981 to act as an aggressor squadron and has been equipped with the F-15J for some years. This model is based on one of their F-15Js, airframe 903, with markings from the time when it was based at Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture from 2014 to 2016. The Platz 1/72 F-15J has been around for some years now, first being released in 2015, and subsequently released in a bewildering variety of boxings – Scalemates lists 36! - the vast majority of which are unchanged except for special decal options. Such a ubiquitous kit would seem to… more |