Valiant Wings has just released the 26^th volume in it’s Airframe and Miniature series, which is a much expanded and revised edition of the Beaufighter book published in 2018 (Volume 14).

This new edition consists of 264 pages, including over 200 photos (of operational as well as museum aircraft), scale line drawings, color profiles, several model builds, a set of 1/48 plans and more. The contents are printed on high-quality, semi-gloss pages, with heavier stock covers. This book follows a similar format to others in the series. There is a brief publisher’s note on the first page explaining the decision to cover this topic a second time, specifically mentioning that Volume 14 has been out of print for quite some years!

As I have come to expect from the Airframe and Miniature series, the ‘preface’ is an in-depth summary of the development and deployment of the Beaufighter, within the RAF as well as Commonwealth and other countries’ Air Forces.

Once past that lengthy introduction, the “Airframe” is presented. This consists of 5 chapters (totaling about 36 pages). The first 4 cover various Marks of the aircraft and overseas (Australian) production. Page by page, each of these chapters shows the evolution of the aircraft, with small side profiles (and photos) of each sub-variant. The author is very clear and concise in explaining the changes, upgrades, and modifications. The chapter covering the Australian production and use is quite interesting, as the RAAF was a major operator of Beaufighters. The final chapter in this section covers camouflage and markings, with several photos (some in color) as well as a generous amount of side profiles (also in color). There are even a few pages dedicated to nose/tail art as well as stencils! Color schemes of not only the RAF, but pretty much every nation that operated the aircraft are described and depicted in detail with both text and profiles. A great modeling resource!

Next up is the “Miniature” section. Here is a list of every Beaufighter kit currently in production (as of 2026), as well as those considered the best in each scale (whether in or out of production). This is broken down by scale, and every kit has a full description of parts, decal options, accuracy issues (with some correction suggestions), and a good general evaluation. This is the perfect place to turn if you are considering what kit you might want to purchase. Directly after this the reader will find two full-build articles – the Airfix 1/72 TF Mk X and the Revell 1/48 TF Mk X. The next chapter, titled “Building a Collection,” walks through every variant, step by step, with accompanying isometric drawings that highlight the changes with each new variant or armament change. The final chapter in this section, “In Detail,” is 77 pages worth of a treasure trove for the modeler. Every possible physical aspect of the Beaufighter is covered here in a combination of detail photos (museum and operational aircraft), drawings reproduced from original manuals, and descriptive text. Airframe details, cockpit layouts, engine wiring, armament configurations, etc. are all covered in depth.

The appendices are just as useful as everything else in this book – they consist of a listing of all kits ever produced of the Beaufighter, all accessories, and all decal sets available. There is also an extensive bibliography. Finally, there is a beautiful set of 1/48 scale plans inserted at the very end of the book.

If a modeler is interested in having one reference on this aircraft, this would be the one. This is aimed squarely at the modeler. It has in-depth coverage of details modelers are interested in, as well as a serious look at the kits and accessories available. I do not own the earlier edition, so cannot advise if there is enough new information in this edition to own both, but for those who do not own the original, I can say this is highly recommended!

Many thanks to Valiant for providing the review copy, and to IPMS for allowing me to review it!