AMMO by Mig has recently started a reference guide line “Visual Modelers Guide”. This is the second installment on the line and is devoted to the IA 58 “Pucara”. The release of this book is matched with the 1/48 Kinetic Pucara and given that the Pucara reference guide material is pretty succinct, this book is a God-send, even more when considering the very affordable price of it (other reference materials for this airplane -being out of print- cost at least 5 times if not 10 times the price).

This book has a very brief historical section of the airframe in the first few pages before it turns into a “walk-around” book, with both external and internal pictures of wings, landing gear, fuselage, tail canopy and cockpit. All images are in full color, with very sharp and well-defined focus (not all the Pucara pictures you can see are as sharp as the ones in this book). It includes detail pictures of the onboard machine-guns and cannons but it does not cover the ordinance (rockets, free fall bombs, napalm canisters, etc).

One thing to mention is that most pictures of the book correspond to the IA-58D “Delta” version which is an improved version post-Falklands war. There are minimal differences between the “Alpha” (Falklands War-era) and “Delta”, mainly some antennas, navigation lights and hot-air exhaust in the fuselage for the climate control system of the cockpit.

I also want to mention that the book is fully bilingual in one of the best Spanish and English translations you can find.

If you are looking for a great walk-around reference of the Pucara for the new Kinetic kit, look no further. And while considering the very affordable price, you might want to have it on your reference library even if you never plan on building the kit.

Highly recommended.

I would like to thank AMMO by Mig and IPMS/USA for the review sample.