Book Author(s)
Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
February 7, 2018
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$22.00

The book is a part of MMP books “Inside” series and is an illustrated guide to some of the RAF WWII most famous fighters.

The book contains so fantastic illustrations which give any modeler a great reference guide for completing cockpit instruments.

This book is a very good reference guide and idea for all modelers.

I recommend this book to everyone with an interest in the aircraft and modeling them.

Thanks go to Mushroom Model Publishing for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Vector
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.95

The new Zvezda kit picks up where the excellent Bf-109F kit leaves off. The new kit shares many of the same sprues and because of this it has some similar issues. Notably the kit needs some help in a few areas, namely the ailerons, exhausts and wheel wells. Well Vector has stepped up to the plate and provided some exquisite resin corrections.

Packaged in a small ziplock bag with a paper label at the top, Vector provides you with some beautifully cast light grey resin that is blemish free. You get two new wheel wells, two ailerons, exhausts, cockpit shelf and bulged battery box.

The kit ailerons feature some exquisite fabric representation on the top side, but only on the top side. The bottom is missing the fabric detail. Not a horrible thing but a noticeable oversight. It is a shame that Zvezda didn’t take the time to correct this but Vector provides you with two new ailerons with beautiful detail on both sides.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
February 6, 2018
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$49.95

The website Deagel.com describes the MOAB as follows: the GBU-43/B, also known as Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) or Mother Of All Bombs, is a 20,000-pound class bomb designed to hit large areas of enemy territory to achieve a terrifying psychological impact. It uses a GPS-based navigation system and a single blast-type warhead. The yield of this weapon is equivalent to 11-tons of TNT, obliterating an area of 200-250 meters radius.

The MOAB bomb was developed to be available for the Iraq campaign in 2003 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), but it was not deployed. It has been designed to be dropped by an MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft. The final developmental test was carried out on March 11, 2003. It was employed for the first time by the US Air Force to fight the Islamic State in Afghanistan on April 13, 2017.

Book Author(s)
Marco Mattioli
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
February 6, 2018
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$23.00

Marco Mattioli was born January 1, 1966 in Rome. Marco has been interested in military history since he was a teenager. In 1992 he joined the Italian National Journalist Order, after which he was employed as a writer for several leading Italian history publishers. A contributor to many important Italian history and defense magazines, as well as the author of a number of books on Italian military aviation, he wrote Osprey Aviation Elite Units 38: 53° Stormo and Osprey Combat Aircraft 106: Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units.

Book Author(s)
Jay Sherlock
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
February 10, 2020
Company
Aero Research
MSRP
$13.95

Ever wonder if there was ever a decal made for a particular aircraft by a particular company? Then this CD is for you! Totaling 861 pages of information, this CD lists aircraft decals from 1960 through late 2017. Did they miss any? Probably but they do promise updates as more information becomes available. The amount of research and work involved here is staggering.

The CD-book begins with a table of contents listing every decal maker they have found. These are listed alphabetically and cover 6 pages.

Next comes the explanation of the listings, giving you the name of the manufacturer, Home country, is the manufacturer active, inactive or out of print, explanatory material, scale, stock number, sheet title and finally aircraft types if not contained in the title.

Book Author(s)
Peter van Lune
Review Author
Ron Bell
Published on
February 6, 2018
Company
Peter van Lune
MSRP
$36.00

Frog was one of the first manufacturers of all plastic model kits in the world, pre-dating most U.S. companies by almost 20 years. Unlike other manufacturers, they did not start off building toys or other items, but rather their first product was the “Interceptor”, a rubber band powered model aircraft. It was distinguished by two things. One is that when those gliders you knew as a kid were being made of balsa wood, the Interceptor was metal. The other is that you did not launch it or throw it, it took off from the ground. Mr. van Lune goes into an extensive discussion of this aspect as it led to the company’s name, FROG, which in various legends came from Flies Right Off the Ground.

Mr. van Lune is obviously devoted to Frog model kits and in this case the Penguin line of Frog kits. He has done meticulous research and has an extensive personal collection of Frog kits as well, so he knows that of which he speaks.

Book Author(s)
Julian Hale
Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
February 4, 2018
Company
Shire Books (Bloomsbury Publishing)
MSRP
$14.00

This small volume is a primer in every sense of the word. Nevertheless, author Julian Hale has managed to admirably condense the 100 year history of the Royal Air Force down to sixty-four short pages. The value of this volume lies in introducing the reader, who may be familiar enough with the RAF’s participation in the Second World War or the RFC’s struggles through WWI, with some of the lesser known highlights of the “World’s Oldest Air Force”.

The books main chapters include:

Review Author
Michael Novosad
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$69.00

Brief History

The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet main battle tanks introduced in the years following the Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945. Initial production ramp up settled for 1947 at Nizhny Tagil, and 1948 for Kharkov were halted and curtailed as many problems were uncovered; the T-34-85 still accounted for 88 percent of production through the 50's. The T-54 eventually became the main tank for armoured units of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and many others. T-54s and T-55s have been involved in many of the world's armed conflicts since the later part of the 20th century.

Book Author(s)
Jared A. Zichek
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
February 3, 2018
Company
Retromechanix
MSRP
$18.49

Jared A. Zichek is a freelance writer and illustrator specializing in aviation and automotive history. He lives in La Jolla, California. You can find him at on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/retromechanix, and on Twitter @retromechanix. RetroMechanix.com is devoted to innovative and unusual flying machines from earlier decades, with special emphasis on U.S. prototype and project aircraft from the 1930’s through the 1950’s. Featuring hundreds of previously unpublished high resolution photographs, drawings and artist’s impressions, along with original primary documents scanned directly from the U.S. National Archives, RetroMechanix.com is the definitive resource for yesterday’s wings of tomorrow.