This is the first book in a new series by SAM Publications called COMBAT EDGE and it covers the AV-8B Harrier. 8 chapters, 82 pages with a short text and VERY nice color pictures including 15 color profiles to boot! The chapters cover:

1. Harrier Origins
2. The AV-8B
3. The AV-8b (NA)-Night Attack
4. Harrier Walkaround
5. The AV-8B Harrier II Plus
6. Color Profiles
7. The TAV-8B
8. Harrier in Scale

The chapters cover exactly what they are titled starting with ‘Origins’ which covers the need to upgrade the AV-8A/C so that it could carry a bigger punch. ‘AV-8B’ covers the development of the aircraft and even includes a couple pictures of the YAV-8B and, for me anyway, a cool picture of one of the Harriers that was with us in the Med back in 88. (Marking targets for the Harriers and A-10s was always pretty cool!)

The walkaround chapter has, quite simply, stunning pictures and covers the entire aircraft exterior in detail plus walkarounds of The Litening II Pod, Harriers in Maintenance and Weaponry. The quality of these are second to none and I wish there had been some cockpit pictures also. (There is only one picture of an ‘AV-8B II Plus’ control panel and that is all for cockpit detail.)

The final chapter has an outstanding build of the Hasegawa 1:48 AV-8B II Plus with some aftermarket items in the markings of a VMA-214 bird by James DiCesare. VERY nicely done!!

Conclusion

A very nice book and I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to build an AV-8B.

I would like to thank SAM Publications for this book to review, the review corps for letting me do it and all of you for reading my ramblings. Now get back to the work bench! Those kits don’t build themselves!!