Reviews

Book Author(s)
Yves Buffetaut
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$24.95

Due to the nature of our armament, and the tactics in which we shall perfect ourselves, we shall be called upon to carry out operations of far-reaching military importance, and we shall habitually go into action when the need is immediate and extreme. Let me call your attention to the fact that our badge is the great American eagle. This is a fitting emblem for a division that will crush its enemies by falling upon them like a thunderbolt from the skies.

The 101st Airborne Division…has no history, but it has a rendezvous with destiny.

Book Author(s)
Mikhail Timin
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This book contains 82 pages, 84 b/w photos, 32 color profiles, 1 color map, and 6 tables. It covers the USSR’s military aviation in the Baltics in 1941. It is number 63 in the Europe at War series and is Volume one of three.

After beating Finland in the Winter War, the Soviets had also taken over part of Poland as well as Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. The false sense of superiority this instilled would come to light when the Germans invaded the USSR in Operation Barbarossa! Through the author’s access to many heretofore restricted files, especially those from the former Soviet Union, he can give a thorough accounting of situation.

Review Author
Doug Hamilton
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$2.46

Produced by UMM-USA (Unique Master Models-USA), these three shapes are part of a larger catalog that contains an extensive number of profiles and sizes made from extruded lead. The shapes and various sizes are useful to the modeler in a variety of applications. I’ve been using the Round Lead Wire (RLW) 0.2 as vertical railing sections for quite a few years. The Half Round lead wire (HRLW) and Flat Lead Wire (FLW), are all shapes that are nicely extruded and have the same profile dimension throughout with measurements bearing out the high quality of the extrusion process.

Book Author(s)
Kevin Wright
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$45.00

This is part of a series of books by Helion on Technology and War. The book is unique in that on many of the pages they have printed bar codes that can be used to view online videos. This is a great idea, and I loved the ability to watch the videos as I read the book.

This book covers the growth and use of Combat cameras from World War two up to 1991, it is lavishly illustrated with many great pictures, many of which are stunning.

The book has a lot of content which provides a lot of history and background to the camera unit and the way they worked and development the use of cameras in the US Air Force.

It was interesting to see the involvement of Hollywood In the early days of the program. Also, how technology and its uses grow in war time and in peace time.

While reading it reveals a lot of history and acts of heroism by the crew. They have the quote “The Brave ones shoot bullets; the crazy ones shoot film” which says it all.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
David Doyle Books
MSRP
$19.99

David Doyle's book on the German Light Armored Cars of WWII : Sd.Kfz. 221, 222, 223, 247, 260, and 261 is one of the latest entries in the 'Legends of Warfare' series with entries in Ground, Naval, and Aviation. Schiffer Publishing’s The Legends of Warfare series has expanded rapidly since its 2017 debut in the market with now over 100 titles released. This hard cover series covers a wide variety of monographs at a good price point. Catch up with Schiffer Publishing on Facebook.

Book Author(s)
Jean Paul Pallud
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$32.95

The Third US Army conquered the Brittany peninsula by August 1944, and isolated German forces into Lorient, Brest and St Nazaire. The strategic objective, stated above, was the capture of the ports and their harbors. The Third US Army’s role in the first phases of this battle were covered in a previous book in this series, The Battle for Brittany Then and Now, The Third US Army First Battle. On 5 September 1944, the Ninth US Army took command of the VIII Corps with the mission of taking Brest and, with it, Brittany.

Brest featured largely in the Allied plans for the capture of Normandy. Once the beachhead was secured, ports were necessary for the continuation of offensive operations to dislodge the Germans from France. From the introduction,

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
JH Models
Scale
1/32 to 1/24
MSRP
$69.95

I have known John Vojtech since the 1990s when he was building models with incredible detail and was starting to sell his razor saws. While I still use my original saw frequently, he has in the decades since branched out to provide a myriad of tools for the modeler as well as some model kits under the UMM-USA name (also known as Unique Master Models). One of the items he provided at the recent IPMS-USA Nationals was this stand created for 1/32 to 1/24 scale aircraft. Modelers who build on larger scales should find multiple uses for this stand.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$8.95

UMM-USA is dedicated to fine-scale modeling, encompassing model kits, accessories, and specialized tools. Owned by John Vojtech, a fine-scale modeling veteran. UMM-USA is an online store, importing and exports kits, modeling tools, and supplies, and seeks and offers solutions to technical issues. In addition, his services currently include design and production of master parts, casting of original masters, photo-etched masks, decals, and building made-to-order models for customers. You can see a sampling of John Vojtech's finished projects in the Our Gallery section of his website.

Review Author
Tomasz Menert
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$62.03

From Italeri Website

The Opel Blitz medium truck formed the backbone of the logistics and transport system of the German Army during the Second World War. Produced in significant numbers, it was characterized by its flexibility and robustness in service, enhanced by the rear axle combined with twin wheels, which ensured greater payload capacity under all operating conditions. Designed to be easy to manufacture, repair, and maintain, it was effectively employed by the Wehrmacht on all major operational fronts, from North Africa to Russia, demonstrating the soundness of its design. It was produced in numerous configurations and versions, including the effective 4x4 variant capable of ensuring good performance even on difficult terrain.

Review Author
Paul Dunham
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$9.25

Tamiya’s new 1/35th scale Fukuiraptor kit depicts a Cretaceous-era dinosaur that was found near Fukui Japan. It seems that this kit is intended to be an easy model for young or inexperienced builders. There are only a dozen parts, and at a price of $9.25 can be had for pocket money. With this kit, Tamiya introduces what they call “Clic Loc” design. The parts of this kit press-fit together so that no glue is required.

Included in the kit box are two trees of plastic parts and a small brochure. One tree of parts contains all the parts for the dinosaur. The second tree has the base and a silhouette of two people to serve as a scale reference. The brochure is printed in Japanese, English, German, and French. One side of the brochure has information about the history and ecology of Fukuiraptor, the other side has instructions for constructing the model.