I will not hide the fact I've always been a huge fan of the Supermarine Spitfire and specifically the Merlin-engined marks. Kagero has released volume #27 in the Topcolors series and this one certainly does not disappoint. This publication is dedicated to Polish Spitfires, specifically to eight machines ranging from a Mk I to a Mk XVI.

What your money buys you is a stunning publication with a beautifully printed glossy cover and 18 stunning pages of profile drawings of the eight Polish machines. Also included is a sheet of decals representing all eight schemes presented in the book. I shouldn't forget to mention the fact the decals are printed by Cartograf. The publication and decal set arrives in a re-sealable plastic bag which I thought to be a nice touch to preserve and protect your investment. I would hope more companies would provide this type of service like Kagero.

None of the eight aircraft represented are simply plain-Jane in style. All have something distinctive about them, whether it be nose art or a girl's name painted around the nose. Each machine does, of course, include the standard Polish checkers found on all their aircraft. What I like about the book is the artist has nicely represented each machine from both the port and starboard sides, as well as a full top view with the lower wings represented. How many times have you been left guessing about the opposite side of an aircraft? Included with each aircraft is a paragraph or two about the machine that certainly will aid the modeler in his understanding of the history of the aircraft. This information is presented in both English and Polish.

The decals from each of the eight machines are provided in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale. Conceivably, you could model all eight aircraft in each of the three scales. The decal sheet provides only the items unique to each aircraft, so you will have to look elsewhere for roundels and standard Spitfire stencils. Since most kits include these items and plenty are available from other sources, this isn't a big deal. As I stated before, they are printed by Cartograf and the quality appears to be up to their usual standards.

The eight aircraft presented in the book are as follows:

• Spitfire I (X4828) RF-K of No. 303 squadron
• Spitfire IIa (P8387) PK-H of No 315 squadron
• Spitfire Vb (AA853) WX-C of No 302 squadron
• Spitfire F.IX (BS456) UZ-Z of No. 306 squadron
• Spitfire F.IX (EN179) SZ-J of No 316 squadron
• Spitfire F.IX (MH353) WX-K of No 302 squadron
• Spitfire LF.IX (TA864) LW-L of No 318 squadron
• Spitfire LF.XVI (TB898) JH-L of No 317 squadron

Are you a fan of the Spitfire or are you looking for something a bit out of the ordinary? You certainly will not be disappointed with the Polish Spitfire publication with decal set published by Kagero. I would like to sincerely thank IPMS USA and Kagero Publishing for the opportunity to review this fine product.