Thanks to DragonUSA for supplying the resin/PE set for review and IPMSUSA staff for handling the request and publishing this review. Special thanks to Dave Morrissette who forwarded this kit to me after I and everyone else refused to review it in 2014. I said it would take me a while to get to it, but better late than never! Apologies to DragonUSA for the delay. YD98 is still available!

In this volume, Kevin Wright picks up where we left off in Volume one (CIA U-2 Operations over Europe, the USSR and the Middle East, 1956-1960). You can read that review on this website. After the shootdown and public humiliation of the United States, western European allies became reluctant to continue supporting U-2 operations. In response the CIA turned its attention to the other emerging super power, China. Much like they had enlisted and trained British pilots the CIA now began a campaign to prepare Taiwanese aircrew to operate the U-2. The initial operations focused on determining if the Chinese were staging military forces to invade their Island. Once it was determined that the threat wasn’t immediate, deeper overflights with a strategic purpose of tracking Chinas nuclear development and testing progress were conducted. It was a costly program for the Taiwanese pilots as four U-2 were shot down.

Valiant Wings Publishing's next title in the ever-popular Airframe & Miniature series is an updated, revised and expanded second edition of The Messerschmitt Bf 109 (Early versions V1 to E-9 including T-series) – A Complete Guide to The Luftwaffe's Famous Fighter by Richard A. Franks.

From the Publisher: This fifth book in our much-acclaimed series has been out of print for a while now. With new early Bf 109 kits now available in all scales, plus a mass of associated accessories and decals, it seemed right to make this book available once again.

It will contain:

This is Brengun released of a 1/72 Tiny Tin Rocket. This was the first air to ground missile developed and used by the US forces at the end of World War Two.

In the bag is:

• 2 x light grey resin main rocket bodies
• 10 x light grey resin tail fins
• 1 instruction sheet

The resin is well molded with very no flash and are well detailed. The resin parts are to allow you to make the two Tiny Tim Rockets and 2 spare tail fins.

Construction

First is the removal of the parts from Resin. You should be careful removing the main tail fins as they are easily damaged and hence two additional parts are provided.

The build is very easy and simple. The only thing to be aware of is that tail fins tabs are too big wide for the slots in the resin mating rocket body. So, you will need to file them down.

As one might guess from the company’s name, Yellow-Wings Decals specializes in decals for American military aircraft from the period when they sported some very colorful markings.

Sheet 48-044 titled: “USN OS2U Kingfisher, VO-1 USS Arizona BB-39, Inshore Patrol Squadron, Sitka Alaska” provides marking for two colorful Kingfishers. The sheet is intended for the Monogram Kingfisher 1/48th scale kit. The kit is no longer in production but is not expensive or hard to find on ebay or at swap-meets. The Yellow-Wings artwork recommends the “Kitty Hawk OS2U Kingfisher” but this is a 1/32nd scale kit and won’t work with these decals. The decal sheet provides enough markings to build two complete models: one from VO-1 of the USS Arizona, and one stationed in Sitka Alaska. The instructions include a list of recommended model paints to match the colors used on pre-war U.S. aircraft.