Reviews of products for scale miscellaneous models.

Book Author(s)
The National Archive, Stephen Twigge
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$15.00

The Spy Tool Kit is a great book! It covers the tools and weapons used by secret operating agents working behind the lines for both sides (Axis and Allied) during WWII. It covers the organizations involved, the agents themselves and their training as well as all manner of description of their tasks and goals. All the pictures and devices shown in this book are derived from the National Archive where many of the items are contained.

The contents of the book are:

Book Author(s)
Philip S. Jowett
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.00

This publication is another edition to Osprey’s “Men-at-Arms” series, and follows author Jowett previous Osprey books, Men-at-Arms 306: Chinese Civil War Armies 1911-49; and his three-part sequence, “The Italian Army 1940-45 (Men-at-Arms 340, 349 and 353)”.

This book is illustrated by Stephen Walsh. Walsh has worked as a professional illustrator since 1988. His projects for Osprey include such diverse subjects as the battle of Otterburn, the Chinese army from 1937 to 1949, and the US Home Front in World War II.

The author lays out the primary goal of this publication as being, “to introduce the reader to the armies and wars of Mexico, Central America, and South America in this period.” He easily achieves that goal and much more. Mr. Walsh also provides an in-depth look at the root causes of these conflicts such as military influence, the power of oligarchies, and weak or divisive governments.

Book Author(s)
Compiled and Edited by: Stephen Bull
Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$15.00

With the centennial anniversary of the end of the “war to end all wars” approaching on November 11, Stephen Bull adds this new pocket manual to the list of Osprey publications covering this period. This new book, which is compiled using excerpts from the German Army as well as from the intelligence sections of the British and American armies, describes German tactics throughout the war. It is an interesting read on a fascinating period in history as the militaries of the world were developing new weapons and tactics at an incredible rate.

Book Author(s)
Dennis Showalter
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$16.00

There’s a sort of strange fascination within modeling circles for World War 1, which is hardly surprising. Taking place a hundred years ago now, it was a transitional period for the world at large on a number of levels – monarchies and ancient empires were crumbling, most of Europe was evolving sluggishly from a agricultural to an industrial base, and militarily, generals were still fighting 18th century wars with 20th century weapons.

Dennis Showalter delves into one major aspect of this war with intense academic furvor – the actions of the German high command and the ways and means of their decisions that hammered a generation of Germans and paved the way for the following war with a certain grim inevitability. If you’re looking for a light skimming over the topic of the German war machine for the First World War, this ain’t it.

Book Author(s)
David Campbell; Illustrator: Steve Noon
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

During the earlier stages of WW2, the German military demonstrated a new approach to warfare never really encountered before – the airborne assault force. In hotly contested battles in places such as Norway, Denmark and Belgium, they proved the effectiveness of a shock force that could appear virtually anywhere at virtually any time.

It wasn’t that long before the Allies took note and created their own versions of this elite force. Two units in the United States – the 82nd and 101st became the first large-scale units to develop the tactics and weapons necessary to serve as effective combat units in areas where they were likely to be surrounded and outnumbered by the enemy with little chance of immediate reinforcement.

Book Author(s)
David Greentree; Illustrator: Johnny Shumate
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$20.00

The grim conflicts that occurred along the edge of the Arctic Circle during World War Two are perhaps one of the least-publicized theaters in that sad war. It’s a fact that for someone like me who THINKS he knows history fairly well, virtually everything in this book by Osprey Publishing came as a surprise. Who knew that such struggles were suffered in this treeless, roadless, virtually empty region along the northern edges of Lapland, Finland and Norway?

Book Author(s)
Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
Review Author
Blaine Singleton
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$32.00

Introduction

In Tidal Wave from Leyte Gulf to Tokyo Bay, Thomas McKelvey Cleaver offers a deep analysis of the political and strategic situation in the last months of the Pacific War, interwoven with engaging accounts of kamikaze raids and aerial combat. He explains how the last months of the Pacific campaign constantly challenged the crews of the US Navy ships, whose pilots conducted continual bombing missions and aerial skirmishes, how the success or failure of the ship’s gunners spelled life or death for their vessels, and how the commanders had to protect their ships from the worst ravages of the Pacific Typhoons.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Eduard
MSRP
$9.95

This is a photoetch template set for use scribing/engraving square type features on any subject plastic model. This set with one sheet with 4 smaller templates within it.

In the packet includes

  • 1 photoetch sheet

Summary

This is a fantastic set for added some great additional details features to any kit or replacing engraved squares lost due to sanding and filling. They are easy to use and flexible to form around most shapes and surfaces.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this set to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Steven J. Zaloga
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$60.00

Introduction

This impressive volume is a beautifully bound book over an inch and a half thick, with 127 beautiful map illustrations and descriptive narratives. The maps are based on Osprey’s Campaign Series of books and describe the Allied European Campaign in 1944 and 1945. The maps focus almost entirely on land campaigns rather than air or naval campaigns. Osprey has also produced a separate volume, the Atlas of Eastern Front, 1941 to 1945, that covers the war between Germany and the Soviet Union.