Reviews of books or magazines relating to scale modeling.

Book Author(s)
Wen Jiang Chung
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
February 23, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This is the fourth book in the War in Ukraine series (currently at five volumes). The first two volumes were reviewed by Orlando Reyes of the IPMS/USA Review Corps:

Book Author(s)
Michał A. Piegzik
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
February 20, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

“In far Alaska’s icy spray, I stand beside my binnacle
And scan the waters through the fog for fear some rocky pinnacle
Projecting from unfathomed depths may break my hull asunder
And place my name upon the list of those who made a blunder
Volcanic peaks beneath the waves are likely any morning
To smash my ships to tiny bits without the slightest warning
I dread the toll from reef and shoal that rip off keel and rudder
And send our bones to Davey Jones – the prospect
makes me shudder
The Bering Sea is not for me nor my fleet headquarters
In mortal dread I look ahead in wild Aleutian waters
Where hidden reefs and williwaws and terrifying critters
Unnerve me quite with woeful fright and give me fits and jitters.”

Book Author(s)
Richard A. Franks
Illustrators: Richard J. Caruana, Wojciech Sankowski, and Jerry Boucher
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
February 17, 2024
Company
Valiant Wings Publishing
MSRP
$60.00

Valiant Wings Publishing was founded in 2010 under the guidance of Richard A. Franks and Mark Peacock. Valiant Wings has released several series of primarily airplane monographs [Airframe & Miniature, Airframe Album and Airframe Detail series] with the first Airframe Album dedicated to the Heinkel He 219 ‘Uhu’ released in 2012.

Book Author(s)
Matthew M. Hurley & Jose Augusto Matos
Review Author
Mr. Greg Kittinger
Published on
February 17, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

When it comes to the military history of Africa, it is a checkerboard of a multitude of generally smaller conflicts precipitated by a host of issues, from civil war to ethnic tensions to the demise of colonialism. Having an interest in military history, especially air warfare, I am intrigued by what lies hidden from my knowledge of the people, equipment, motivations, strategies, and the shaping of the history of this continent.

The Africa@War series divides this vast topic into bite-sized, localized fare that brings all of these nuances of the movement of history to light. This title brings to light the erosion of Portugal’s colonial hold on Portuguese Guinea, and the role of air warfare in the conflict.

Book Author(s)
Ralph Ricco, Mario Pier and Danielle Guglielmi
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
February 16, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$59.95

The book was written by Ralph Ricco, Mario Pier and Danielle Guglielmi and is the first volume in a series on an area not covered very well before.

This volume covers military vehicles from 1920’s until the end of WW2 within the types of Motorcycles, Cars, and Light Trucks. The book has so many great pictures and technical drawings. The details covered are very in-depth even including tire types and treads.

Every vehicle is covered as to its development and service history, technical description, and full specifications. There are also a few color profile pictures in the center of the book.

There are so many vehicles that I was not aware of and gives a lot of ideas for kits for the future.

I must admit I was amazed at the content of the photos.

I highly recommend this book!

Thanks go to Helion & Company for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Book Author(s): José Augusto Matos and Zelia Oliveira
Illustrators: Paulo Alegria, David Bocquelet, Luca Canossa, Tom Cooper, and Anderson Subtil
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
February 15, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This is the second book about Portuguese forces that I have read, authored by José Augusto Matos (he co-authored Sanctuary Lost, Portugal’s Air War for Guinea 1961-1974, Volume 1, with Matthew M. Hurley). Having read both books, I now better understand the author’s style and attention to detail. This is Zelia Oliveira’s first book in the series. As the title states, this book is the road to the Portuguese Coup of 1974 and covers primarily the period from 1961 to 12 March 1974 in amazing detail (there are ten pages of sources, bibliography, and notes).

Book Author(s)
N/A
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
February 14, 2024
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$45.23

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK-based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. Issues are available as printed as well as digital copies (or both). They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.

Book Author(s)
Chris Goss
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
February 14, 2024
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$28.95

The FW-190, or Butcher Bird, is quite a fascinating aircraft, fast, robust and extremely versatile. This aircraft served from its development in 1941 right through the end of the war. It continued to evolve from just a fighter to a ground attack and a night fighter. It seemed to develop over the war from short and stubby to sleek and sexy in the form of the D-9 and Ta-152. This book concentrates on the short nosed radial engine versions from the V-1 prototype to the A-9 and S-8.

Book Author(s)
Ian Baxter
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
February 10, 2024
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$28.95

Founded in 2001, Casemate is a major specialist publisher and book distributor in the North American market. Casemate offers print and digital books to the public and to libraries through a variety of channels, platforms, and vendors, as well as traditional and online retailers.Casemate has grown to become the leading publisher in the fields of military history, defense studies, and military science in the USA. Casemate has a burgeoning publishing list covering subjects as diverse as Roman History and today's current conflicts. This series, Casemate Illustrated Specials is focused on offering focused text and detailed photographs and illustrations into the weapons, equipment, and machinery of war.