The Airbus Atlas A-400M is a 4 engine, turbo prop, military transport filling a place (size wise) between the Boeing C-17 and Lockheed’s C-130. It is operated by the French, Italians, Britain and others.

This soft cover book is made using high quality paper and is superbly put together. It shows the aircraft in its various air force colors, variants and an extensive pictorial excursion around it. There are hundreds of beautifully detailed photographs of every part of the A-400M, from close ups to action shots of the aircraft on the ground and flying.

The reader of this book is taken on a “walk around” of the subject aircraft in pictorial form and each picture, or series of pictures includes a brief explanation of what we are looking at. The book starts with an introduction and history of the Airbus A-400M, followed by a few pages on the different variants produced and Air Forces that flew them.

As the pages are turned, the aircraft sections are presented in a logical format and a plethora of color photos.

The fuselage is broken down into the forward, the center and then rear fuselage sections. Pictures include the nose, steps, exits, cargo door, APU, electrical plugs and much more.

The wings follow and here we see the massive structure, flaps, spoilers, engines and propellors.

A climb up into the cockpit and crew rest area is next and nothing is missed. The cockpit layout is very similar to how Airbus sets up their A380 cockpit using all the latest technologies. The crew rest areas show bunks, a galley and other features to assist the crew during longer flights.

The wheels roll in next and show the hefty nose and main undercarriage. The massive size and robustness are needed to operate in any environment, from pavement to rugged dirt strips.

Heading to the rear of the aircraft, the tail and tailplanes are covered and their associated parts.

Moving inside we are taken on a tour of the huge cargo bay and loading ramp, as well as the interior structure, floor, walls, ceiling, folding seats, exits, plumbing and wiring.

Aircraft maintenance and a detailed look at the engines and giant propellors are covered in walk through the hanger.

As this is a military aircraft, it is only appropriate that it would include defensive systems, and we are shown what counter measures are installed.

The last section of this book covers the action side of the A-400M. It shows the aircraft in all its various air force liveries. These aircraft show little wear and tear as they are fairly new, but as can be seen in the numerous pictures dirt and grime will accumulate in certain areas like exits, hatches and access doors.

The last page is a dedication by the author, Duke Hawkins and his contribution to the book. He mentions that this Airbus is replacing the C-160 Transall and will serve faithfully for many years to come. Duke concludes with recognizing important people who helped with pictures and information.

I have the huge Revell 1/72 scale Airbus A-400M Atlas in my model stash and I found this to be a fantastic and valuable resource to use when I build that model. It is a book that would make a fine addition to any coffee table, or library. I would highly recommend this and other books in this series to any modeler or enthusiast who is interested in this aircraft.

Thank you to Casemates, HMH Publications and the guys at the IPMS USA for enabling me to review and enjoy this book.