Cyber-Hobby has released a new helicopter, the Sea King HC.4 in 1/72 scale, that marks the 30th anniversary of its use by the English forces during the Falklands War (1982). The kit has 6 sprues for a part count of 151 pieces, of which 7 will not be used. In addition, a small photo-etch sheet of three parts is included, as well as a decal sheet printed by Cartograf that will allow six different ships to be depicted. The fuselage has delicate recessed panel lines and flush rivets molded in Dragon’s usual light gray styrene. Two types of rotor blades are also provided; one bending upward as in flight and one bending down as when on the ground. The kit also allows one to build the rotor blades in the stowed position; this is the option I chose to keep the shelf space down to the minimum. Back to the fuselage: it is made up of three parts, two halves and the fuselage’s bottom.

History Brief

The ultimate version of the Zero was the A6M5a type 52. Powered by one Mitsubishi NK1F Sakae 21, a fourteen cylinder air-cooled radial rated at 1130 hp for takeoff, 1100 hp at 9350 feet, 980 hp at 19,685 feet – amazing when compared to previous versions. The A6M5 also featured rounded non-folding wingtips, making a stronger wing for faster climbing and increased the diving speed to 460 mph. This Zero was better armed, with two 7.7-mm Type 97 machine guns in the fuselage and two 20-mm Type 99 cannon in the wings; these were belt feed instead of the older drum feed. Other less notable improvements, like thicker skin and added speed from exhaust thrust, were also implemented to the basic Zero design; however these improvements were still not good enough to compete with allied contemporaries, not to mention a shortage of skilled pilots. The Zero’s best days were now behind it; nonetheless, the IJN continued to upgrade the Zero until VJ day.

This book is the latest in the Walk Around series from Squadron. It is in the size and format that is oh so well known to modelers around the world. This book on the B-25 covers the D, H and J variants in color photographic essay format.

The book uses mainly restored warbirds as photographic subjects, and the author has been good about pointing out where the restorations have used non-standard parts. He has also provided B&W photos of wartime aircraft to show how they were originally equipped.

The first section covers the C/D model with many color photos of “Yankee Warrior,” owned by the Yankee Air Museum. The C and the D were identical, with the C being built in California and the D in Kansas City. Only exterior shots are featured on this model, and this is the shortest section in the book.

Prior to reading this book, I had no particular interest in the Valiant, and was only vaguely aware of this aircraft. But because of my previous positive experiences with Osprey publications, I began to read the book with the knowledge that I would soon know more about the Valiant and its role in the Cold War than I did at the outset.

This book is written by Andrew Brookes, author of over a dozen books related to aviation and recipient of the Aerospace Journalist of the Year Award in 2004 and 2006. Mr. Brookes also has some expertise in the subject of aviation, amassing some 3500 flying hours Victors, Canberras, and Vulcans. The man knows what he is talking about.

Valiant Units contains about 30 original color side-views of the Valiant, the work of Chris Davey, Mr. Davey is no stranger to readers of the Osprey series of Combat Aircraft. His work appears in a number of previously published Osprey books.

Master Model from Poland has earned the reputation as the source for exquisite metal pitot tubes, gun barrels, and numerous other machined metal detail parts for all scales. As the promotional message on their packaging suggests, their products provide “reality in miniature”…and they are miniature masterpieces.

Master Model also is proving to be very prolific. They now have added to their growing line of detail parts a 1/72 scale version of their beautiful multi-part pitot tube for the MiG-21. It is virtually a downsized version of those they offer in both 1/48 and 1/32 scales. And, like the larger scale versions, this one comes packaged in multiple plastic pouches, stapled to a display card, and includes two turned metal parts, a thin photo-etch fret, and a small instruction sheet.