This special Summer edition from Model Art Modeling Magazine is primarily dedicated to the IJN Myoko-class Heavy Cruiser. Fully 99 pages of the total 136 are devoted to photos, history, and kit reviews. Included is a magnificent set of 1/350th scale plans for the Myoko, and builds in 1/350th are reviewed for Myoko, Haguro and Nachi illustrating not only differences in sisters in the same class, but changes and upgrade through the years. A 1/700th review of a build of 4 cruisers is included with photo coverage and a number of pages devoted to the aircraft carried by this class from pre-war through to the end. There is also pull-out art work, and wartime photos to match kits reviewed.

The new kit section reviews CVE-73, a Japanese carrier, and the Revell SS Oriana in some detail.

From 1936 to 1939, nearly 19,000 German ‘volunteers’ (some of whom actually did volunteer) made up an aviation group known as the Legion Condor. Number 99 in Osprey’s ‘Aircraft of the Aces’ series provides an interesting and well-researched story of how Germany’s involvement in the Spanish Civil war came about, what the Luftwaffe volunteers experienced as member of the Legion Condor and how many of the pilots eventually achieved ace status. It is a fascinating story about a significant time in history.

Although I am a former carrier sailor, I have had a long-standing appreciation for submarines and underwater warfare, from the pioneers and early craft to the latest technology afforded to the submariners of today. It takes something special in a person to go out to sea in a vessel designed to sink, and built by the lowest bidder (I had to get that one in), but those who have answered the call in the past, and those will do so in the future, are nothing less than courageous. The submarine has been in existence in one form or another for centuries, and similar to any other weapon of war, has developed into something that would astound the early inventors.

I would like to thank Specialty Press for submitting this book for review and thank IPMS/USA for allowing me to do the review.

During the latter stages of World War II strategic bombing methods had become very effective. In Europe the USAAF was carpet-bombing targets in daylight and the RAF was bombing at night. The planes used on these missions carried out their tasks with brutal efficiency. But, in August 1945 the existing strategic bombing philosophy was made totally obsolete when a single B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

My oh My!!! By definition that men are visual creatures……I am men!!! I LOVE getting reference books that are FULL of pictures of vehicles. Save the reading and writing for another form of model builder. Give me a picture, obscure or basic, and I am a very happy camper. Squadron’s new series of walk arounds have not been a disappointment. They contain numerous pictures of preserved and restored vehicles. Some contain a few line drawings and color plates while come have a minimum of in actions shots as well. How can you go wrong with that? You can’t.