The Waffen SS at Kharkov by Afiero offers a detailed and nuanced examination of the Waffen-SS’s role in the Battle of Kharkov, one of the key engagements on the Eastern Front during World War II. Through a combination of meticulously researched historical accounts and vivid battle descriptions, Afiero provides readers with an in-depth understanding of the SS units’ strategies, tactics, and actions, as well as the broader context of the conflict.

Kharkov, located in Ukraine, was the site of several significant battles during the war. The German forces, including the infamous Waffen-SS, faced off against the Soviet Red Army in a brutal struggle for control. Afiero’s book delves into the military operations, offering insight into the complexities of urban warfare, supply issues, and the harsh conditions the soldiers faced on both sides. It goes beyond just a tactical account, touching on the personal and psychological experiences of the soldiers who fought there.

From the Publisher:

On 10 May 1940, the Wehrmacht launched its assault on the West. One element of the West’s response was the dispatch of RAF Bomber Command ‘heavy’ bombers at night over German industrial centers. These raids had only limited effectiveness, but the inability of the Luftwaffe to chase down RAF bombers at night so annoyed Wolfgang Falck that it swiftly resulted in the creation of a credible night fighter force.

Initial trials had been flown with Bf 110s at dusk in Denmark on April 1. Nachtjagd Division was founded in the summer of 1940. Its first few months were chaotic, with constant reorganizations of units, and reassignment of aircraft, but soon enough the night fighter arm was achieving steady victories—and losing crews at a similarly steady rate.

This book contains 88 pages, 63 black and white photos, 16 color photos, 18 color profiles, 6 color maps, 5 black and white maps, and 2 tables. It covers war plans, policy, manufacturers, and the Strategic Air Command (SAC) from 1945 to 1990, and is divided into four chapters.

The bulk of this book covers the development of new weapons and aircraft, and how that led to the changes in US tactics, strategy, and doctrine. The changes were needed due to the ending of WWII and the developing Cold War along with the advent of nuclear weapons. These, coupled with the rapid development of jet aircraft, meant that the newly formed USAF would need to modernize its organization of squadrons, war planning, and overall approach on how to manage conflicts of the future. In addition, there were new, more powerful weapons along with lower numbers of more technologically superior aircraft than those that were used in WWII.

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) has a long history of creating great metal drop-in replacement landing gear for scale model aircraft. This set is for the 1/35 scale Border models B5N2 Kate. You can see in the review photos a side-by-side comparison of the kit gear and the replacement gear set. They are a spot-on match. Given the size of the model, it will benefit from a stronger set of metal gear legs.

In the blister pack you will find (2 each) main gear legs with associated scissor links as well as a tail wheel bracket. Like the kit polystyrene counterparts, you will want to start the prep process by removing any seam lines and gently straightening any bends introduced during the shipping process. Prep the parts with a metal-compatible primer and paint with your favorite hobby paint. As a reminder, metal parts can not be glued with plastic model cement and an epoxy or superglue will need to be used.

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) has provided the IPMS reviewer corps a set of 1/72nd scale metal landing gear for the Airfix DH Mosquito B.XVI/PR.XVI kits. These parts are drop-in replacements and provide a more robust landing gear set given its metal properties.

In the Package

The metal pieces are packaged in a clear blister package with cardboard backing. There are no instructions.

Review Process

The metal landing gear set is used as drop-in replacements for parts F1, F36, and F37 for the under wing gear and G1 and G18 for the tail wheel. The kit’s remaining plastic parts are needed to complete the rest of the landing gear assembly.

The metal used is malleable and has some give to allow for any minor bending that may be needed, since there is some slight deformation when coming out of the molds. Also, seam lines will need to be cleaned up before painting, just like the plastic kit parts.