Detail and Scale is an iconic brand in the aircraft modeling world. Bert Kinzey and friends have been putting out top quality aircraft books for decades and this latest release covering the F/A-18E & F/A-18F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler is no exception. Also, this is version two as the original was released back in the early 2000’s. The book is available in two formats- traditional book and electronic e-book. This review covers the paperback version. Let’s dive in and see why these books are meant for both aircraft enthusiasts and modelers.

Let’s start with the table of contents:

• Introduction
• Super Hornet Origins and Development
• Aircraft and Systems Overview
• The EA-18G Growler
• Flight Test and Operational History
• On the Horizon: Super Hornets and Growlers for the 2020s & Beyond
• Super Hornet Gallery
  • Super Hornet Sukhoi Killer
• Growler Gallery
• Super Hornet Details
  • Cockpit Details
  • Windscreen and Canopy Details
  • Fuselage Details
  • Wing & Wing Fold Details
  • Tail Details
  • Landing Gear and Gear Wells Details
  • Engine Details
  • External Stores Pylon Details
  • Weapons Detail
  • Pod & Tank Details
  • SHARP &IRST21 Details
  • EA-18G Details
• Modelers Section

Overall, each section is lavishly illustrated and contains excellent color photos, great references and in depth detail about the section being discussed. Let’s look in depth at a couple sections.

The Super Hornet Gallery was the first section that caught my eye. This part includes 15 pictures of mostly CAG Super Hornets with very cool and highly visible markings. One of my favorites is the red, white and blue scheme for F/A-18F BuNo. 166804 from VFA-2 Bounty Hunters. The picture is great but below it is contained great info such as background on the unit’s history, where the “Langley Stripe” came from, and its home base of NAS Lemoore. Each picture has the same wonderful information, and for me it is a great assist in picking one of the many schemes for a build. This same treatment is given to six of the EA-18G Growlers in their own section.

The Super Hornet Detail section is a modeler’s dream and starts with the cockpit and ends with the weapons and Growler Details. There are 46 (yes forty-six!) pages of detail shots of all parts of the plane, its weapons, pods, landing gear, etc. Each detail shot contains a written paragraph covering any details for that section. For example, the section covering the cockpit covers different block versions of the aircraft with details for which each panel is used for and the differences in the blocks. Photography is perfect. Super detailers will need this section.

Lastly, I wanted to take a look at Modelers Section which is specific to the Detail & Scale world. In this section, there are reviews of the available kits in scales ranging from 1/144 all the way to 1/32. They are sorted by manufacturer and reviewed for accuracy. Each scale also gives a recommended kit as the “best” and why. Interspersed in the words are eleven spectacular builds with details about the kit, modeler, and what the kit represents. For the first time builder, this gives great information about each kit, its advantages and shortcomings, and will allow the modeler to address them if they choose.

Wow! This is an excellent addition to the Detail & Scale legacy. For history buffs, it’s there; for modelers, there is everything you need to pick a kit, super detail a kit, or pick a set of markings to use. Highly recommended and I would even say mandatory for Super Hornet/Growler builders.

My thanks to Bert Kinzey and all the excellent people at Detail & Scale for the opportunity to review this book.