Perry Downen
Reviews By Author
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A-10 Thunderbolt II – 21st Century WarthogPublished:
The anticipation of Neil Dunridge's new book A-10 Thunderbolt II 21st Century Warthog was very high among modelers and enthusiasts alike. They certainly were not disappointed. From the eye-opening front cover to the awesome back cover, the author documents the A-10's present life at home and in Afghanistan and Iraq. The author presents his material in chapters – each chapter a unit flying the A-10. The chapters include seven active U. S. Air Force units, three Air Force Reserve units, six Air National Guard units, and a chapter on the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center. Once the reader gets past the Introduction, all the chapters are basically laid out in the same format. The chapters begin with the unit's name, location, and pictures of the unit's… more |
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Classic Warbirds No. 13 – D-Day to BerlinPublished:
This book is number 13 in the Classic Warbirds softcover series. As the title From D-Day to Berlin indicates, it covers the European Theater from mid 1944 to the post-war occupation. It is basically a reprint of book No. 5 – From D-Day to Victory! Fighters in Europe 1944-'45 with some added material. The book is formatted into nine chapters covering various aspects of the air war as described by the individuals involved at the time. While most of the material involves New Zealand and Australian personnel, their stories are just as exciting as any others. Many of these stories are told in the first person, which makes for exciting reading. Beginning the book is the Chapter called D-Day Gun Spotters. Some other chapters address Spitfire… more |
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P-38 Lightning Aces of the 82nd Fighter GroupPublished:
The Lockheed P-38 was one of the most recognizable and deadliest aircraft in World War II. It was originally conceived to meet a U.S. Army requirement in 1937 for a high-altitude fighter capable of 360 mph at 20,000 ft. and be capable of full-throttle endurance of one hour at this altitude. Lockheed’s winning design utilized a radical twin-engine, twin tail boom, tricycle landing gear configuration. Designed as a fighter that could fly faster and higher than any other fighter at the time, it was capable of carrying out several types of missions. It could perform as a bomber, a reconnaissance plane, and an escort. However, where it excelled was in the roll of a fighter. It had great success in the China-Burma-India and Pacific Theaters. It also played a vital role in the skies over… more |
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T-28 Trojan AirbrakePublished:
The North American T-28 Trojan began life as the primary trainer for the US Air Force in the 1950s. It was so successful that the US Navy and Marines soon obtained their own versions. In fact, the T-28 was such a good plane that they found their way into over 25 countries in one capacity or other. A total of 393 earlier versions were converted to the -D version. These were employed as a counter-insurgency aircraft by the USAF and South Vietnamese Air Force during the Vietnam War. They were also used by the CIA in parts of Africa, as well as other countries throughout the world. The -D version had a more powerful engine and stronger wings to support six underwing hardpoints carrying up to 4,000 pounds of stores. Quickboost has released a beautiful replacement of the airbrake on… more |
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T-28 Trojan EnginePublished:
The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9-cylinder radial engine was developed in 1927 from an earlier engine dating back to 1925. The R-1820 entered production in 1931 and became one of the most widely used aircraft engines ever. Aircraft builders liked it because of its excellent fuel economy, durability, low cost maintenance, and low weight/horsepower ratio. Since its introduction the R-1820 has powered thousands of military and civilian aircraft both past and present. One of these aircraft is the North American T-28 Trojan. Quickboost has released a new R-1820 recommended for use in the 1/48 Roden North American T-28D Trojan (Kit #450). This engine is molded in a medium gray resin. It is smooth, seamless and bubble free. Clean up is minimal. The cooling fins on each cylinder are very well… more |
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Allison-Engined P-51 MustangPublished:
Most books covering the P-51 Mustang begin with the design and development phase. It’s not uncommon for the books to mention briefly that Mustangs were sent to England early in the war and the deficiencies they had. The authors explain that soon after, the Rolls Royce Merlin replaced the original Allison engine. Generally, from this point forward, the authors describe what a great fighter the P-51 was – and rightfully so, but the original Allison-powered aircraft is all but ignored. Author Martyn Chorlton doesn’t take that path in his new book, Allison-Engined P-51 Mustang. He describes what a great airplane this was in operations other than those of the high-altitude fighter – e.g., dive-bombing, low-level reconnaissance, and ground-attack. This book is divided… more |
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MiG-21MF/MFN In Czechoslovak ServicePublished:
The MiG-21 Fishbed followed the series of jets that began with the MiG-15. It possessed the same characteristics as its predecessors. It was small, agile, and fast. Its maximum speed was 1,385 mph, range was 981 miles, and service ceiling was 62,335 ft. It was also a simple aircraft, making it reliable and easy to maintain. These attributes combined to make the MiG-21 the most-produced supersonic aircraft in aviation history with over 11,400 manufactured worldwide. It has seen service in over 45 countries across Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Some countries are still flying the MiG-21. Many variants were produced between 1959, when it was first introduced, and 1985, when production ended. The subject of this review is the MiG-21MF/MFN – "M" for "modernized", "F" for "… more |
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The Irish Artillery Corps Since 1922Published:
The birth of the Irish Republic that we know today began in 1916. The leadership and members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (forerunners of the Irish Republican Army) decided that the British parliament had delayed Irish home rule long enough. It was time for action. On Easter weekend in 1916 a group of approximately 1,600 armed rebels seized key locations in Dublin and proclaimed separation from Britain and established the Irish Republic. From the steps of the General Post Office a proclamation was read that announced the birth of a sovereign, self-determined Irish Republic. The proclamation established a legislature, a government, a court system, and a police force. At the same time, the Irish Volunteers, a military organization established in 1913 by Irish nationalists, became… more |
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MiG-21 SM/M/MF (Fishbed J) Pitot TubePublished:
A "Thank You" goes to Master Models for submitting this item for review and to IMPS/USA for allowing me to review it. The pitot tube is used to measure flow speed. Attached to an airplane it measures the "flow" of the aircraft through the air – an airspeed indicator. The pitot tube can be mounted on an airplane in a number of places and ways. Most propeller-driven aircraft have them mounted on the wings in some fashion. Most modern day jets have them mounted in the nose. Some are the very tip of the nose. Others are located on the side near the tip. Such is the case of the pitot tube of the MiG-21, the subject of this review. The Model Master pitot tube is designed to be used with Academy, Eduard, and Italeri kits. The parts come in a small sealed cellophane bag packaged… more |
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Allied – Axis 28, The Photo Journal of the Second World WarPublished:
Ampersand Publishing offers a quarterly photo-magazine featuring dozens of black and white photographs of armor, military vehicles, personnel, etc. Many are rare or seldom seen pictures. Each photograph is accompanied by a caption explaining what is depicted and the historical context. The reader will also see original line drawings and pictures from technical publications. These softbound publications contain from four to six articles. The subject of this review is Issue 28. This 96-page issue contains five articles. They are:
An example of what is found… more |