This monograph is compilations of the 4-view colour profile, scale plans and photo details of the single variant of the McDonnel F-4B Phantom II Scale plans in 1/72 scale plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also photos of the details in B&W and color.

The book is primarily composed of ‘walk-around” type photos, with some inflight pictures as well. The scale plans are nicely done, and appear to be true to scale. The photos are an absolute must for anyone modeling this aircraft, which so many of us are in the stages of doing (Tamiya). Four of the photos are “owner’s manual” type diagram photos of the plane’s instrument panels with all components labeled. There are two similar ones specific to the Martin-Baker Mk. H7 ejection seat. Again, super helpful to the modeler whose eye is drawn to details.

This is a revised and updated edition of the book originally published in 2018. The book covers the most modern of fighter aircraft currently in use and development. It is divided into nineteen chapters.

The first six chapters of the book cover the development of Jet fighters after WWII along with advances in armament, the use of missiles attempting to replace dogfighting as well as avionics and radar improvements and the development of stealth technologies.

The next nine chapters are aircraft specific, each covering one of the types flying at time of publication. First up is the first of the fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 covering its successes and problems, including the issues with the environmental systems that led to pilots having issues after landing with memory loss and alertness. Next is the F-35 which is hoped to eventually replace the F-16 and A-10 as well as be more mass produced than the F-22.

For those that have never heard of FOXBOT, they are a decal and mask manufacturer from the Ukraine and have a series of decals and masks in scales from 1/32 down to 1/144. They specialize in planes from their region such as MiG and Sukhoi but they do have markings for other planes such as B-25 and P-38’s. Needless to say, this company could use some support at this time. The set includes markings for four MiG-25RB’s of the Ukrainian Air Force:

I received this book as a big fan of the MiG-3 WWII fighter and hoped to get more info on the subject.

There has not been much written on the actual aircraft and even fewer photos.

This is volume 1 in the MiG-3 Monograph Series #80 and deals mainly with the development of the aircraft.

Most of the first half of the book deals with other aircraft in Soviet development and concentrates on the designers and design boroughs of the VVS and others.

The majority of the book talks about the disjointed workings of the soviet government under Stalin and how designers of early soviet aircraft were shuffled around and sometimes imprisoned.

This book shows how the early designers cared about only speed and not much on aircraft strength and maneuverability. Many pages talk about the development of just early soviet power plants and engines.

I have been using enamels for many years (a couple of decades) now. Enamel hobby paints are getting hard to find and there are the health considerations on enamels, so I have been exploring different acrylic options out there. I was surprised to find out that ICM Models from Ukraine has released an extensive set of paints that are acrylic and water thinnable.

The 80-Color boxing includes 77 actual colors and 3 varnishes: matt, satin and gloss. There is no thinner included in the boxing, but that is nitpicking. The box says that you can thin the paint using water.

The full list of colors follows