MMP Books has a series called the Orange Series. This prolific publishing company has a number of series and this one is relatively new and the Blackburn Shark is one of three imprints in this series. In a sense it is a profile publication that highlights one model of aircraft. As with many publications of this genre, it is well illustrated with pictures contemporary to the aircraft’s service (very well produced), drawings, and color profiles.

In December of 2019, Academy released a newly tooled 1/72 scale F-14A Tomcat kit. Like many of Tomcat kits of recent years, the kit is clearly designed to maximize the use of the molds to enable the company to issue not only the “A” version of the Tomcat, but also the F-14A+/B and the ultimate Tomcat, the F-14D.

The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat, twin engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet fighter. The airframe was originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonald Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the Navy and was later adapted for use as a land-based aircraft. In 1968 the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), elected to replace the F-86F with a modified version of the F-4E. This new designation became the F-4EJ and became the main fighter of the JASDF until it was replaced with the F-15J. The last squadron to fly the F-4EJ Kai was the 7th Air Wing based in Ibaraki Prefecture. This new special edition kit from Zoukei-Mura depicts an aircraft in the commemorative markings for “Phantom Forever 2020”, this squadron’s final flight of this venerable aircraft.

This issue of the Spotlight On series deals with the three major types of fighter used by the Royal Air Force against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. The book is aimed primarily towards modelers who are interested in modeling the three major types used in that conflict, the Hurricane, Spitfire, and Defiant. The author begins with a one page summary of the battle, telling who was involved, and the types of aircraft used. The British, Canadians, New Zealanders, Australians, and South Africans are mentioned, along with the Poles, Czechs, and Belgians. Oddly, the Americans are not mentioned.

History

Built at a time when US fighter aircraft were getting more complex and expensive, the Northrop Grumman company decided to go against the grain and build a lightweight fighter based on their successful T-38 Talon design. The first F-5 Freedom Fighter flew on July 30, 1959. It proved to be a very nimble and adaptable aircraft but it was never widely adopted by the USAF. It did find willing operators in the several foreign air arms including the Republic of China (ROC) also known as Taiwan. The island nation produced their own licensed built F-5s including 66 of the two seat F5-F models. This kit presents four aircraft of the 46th Aggressor Squadron. As the name implies, this unit trains fighter pilots in air combat maneuvering by engaging in mock combats, recording the results and using those recordings to teach pilots how to prevail.