The origin of Pen & Sword Books is closely linked with its sister company, the Barnsley Chronicle; one of the UK's oldest provincial newspapers, established in 1858, and one of the few weeklies still in private ownership. The first books published by the company were in response to public demand following of a series of articles published in the newspaper: Dark Peak Aircraft Wrecks told the story of crash sites in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, and a further weekly feature on the history of two Kitchener battalions, known as the Barnsley Pals, aroused a thirst for more information. Following on from the success of those books, a number of local history paperbacks were produced along with a series of battlefield guidebooks. Battleground Europe proved immediately successful, and the company made the decision to launch a book publishing arm of the group.

The non-profit UK based group known as the Great War Aviation Society publishes their journal, Cross & Cockade International, four times a year. Issues are available in English as printed [Softbound, A4 (8.27” x 11.69”), 80 pages plus a centerfold, as well as digital copies (or both). A new magazine, Contact!, is now available in both print and digital download. Society also provides a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph, which I reviewed earlier for the IPMS-USA. This UK Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front. The Great War Aviation Society also hosts a lecture series available through Zoom. If interested, you will need to register early as the call is limited in attendance. The Great War Aviation Society also is on Facebook and on X [Twitter].

This book contains 82 pages, 84 b/w photos, 32 color profiles, 1 color map, and 6 tables. It covers the USSR’s military aviation in the Baltics in 1941. It is number 63 in the Europe at War series and is Volume one of three.

After beating Finland in the Winter War, the Soviets had also taken over part of Poland as well as Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. The false sense of superiority this instilled would come to light when the Germans invaded the USSR in Operation Barbarossa! Through the author’s access to many heretofore restricted files, especially those from the former Soviet Union, he can give a thorough accounting of situation.

One of the newer suppliers for the IPMS-USA Review Corps is DXM Decals, the DXM stands for Double Excellent Models. While as the name implies, the company specializes in decals, they also produce detail parts and paint masks for airbrushing aircraft. The company produces their products for 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 scale aircraft. The decals are printed by Cartograf, who is known for their quality work. Any modeler that has applied water-slide decals will have no issues with using this set.

Quickboost products are part of the Aires line of resin and 3D printed detail items known to many modelers over the years. One of the latest products is labeled as “Antennas” but consists of both antennas and sensors for use on the Tamiya F-14D Tomcat. Modelers with some experience with small resin parts should have no problem utilizing this set.

This set contains a total of ten resin parts held on a single block. The set will replace kit parts J2/3/4/5 and 6 as well as a molded in conical AOA probe that will require removal. The resin block conveniently spells out which kit part is replaced by the resin ones. There is also a single-page instruction sheet to assist the modeler in using the replacement parts.