The “Images of War” book series that Pen & Sword offers has fast become a favorite of mine. Each volume has many wartime photos of the subject at hand, and always includes rare photos that the reader has probably never seen before. This issue is no exception. Covering the Germans’ motorcycle corps during WWII, the book is rife with 200 B&W period photos of the bikes in action. Most of the photos are crisp and clear, although a few are a little blurry.

Almost every photo has a caption written by the author describing the scene. In studying the photos, the reader can detect a myriad of details, which are invaluable to the modeler, or even to the motorcycle enthusiast. Seeing the details conveys a sense of what the Kradschützen Truppen put up with on a day-to-day basis. These bikes were used heavily as a reconnaissance platform, but also as up-gunned combat vehicles, and even stretcher-bearers to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield.

Box Art / Packaging

The IDF Eitan is presented in a rigid top opening box with glossy finish. The front picture depicts the Eitan in an urban combat environment trailed by several IDF soldiers. This 100% newly tooled kit is a brand-new 2024 release from Hobby Boss. The box contains a typical instruction manual with clear construction steps. The instructions were easy to follow, and no glaring omissions were noted. Also included is a glossy leaflet with painting and marking guidelines as well as some additional information about other Hobby Boss kits in the works.

Background: Before the outbreak of the Second World War, the German navy (Kriegsmarine)became fascinated with the notion of aircraft carrier use. The Germans started the construction of Graf Zeppelin carrier for the navy. They decided to use Messerschmitt Bf 109T fighters and Ju 87dive bombers with the carriers. The suffix 'T' standsfor ‘Träger’(a carrier) in German. An order for building 70 T-1 fighters (with added tail-hook, catapult fittings, and increased wingspan) was placed with the manufacturers, but after 7 T-1s were built, the carrier project was canceled and the remaining 63 of the 70 T-1s were built asT-2s without the carrier equipment. The performance of the T-2 was closely comparable to the E-4/N which had shorter takeoff and landing capabilities. The T-2 fighters were deployed in Norway. Bf 109T-2s remained in operation until 1944 with some fighter planes used in training units in Germany.

“The Spy Who Loved Me”. What does a classic James Bond film have to do with the Hunting-Percival Pembroke, Prince, and Sea Prince? The Pembroke was used as a spy plane.

The latest title in the Warpaint Series focuses on the Pembroke, Prince, and Sea Prince and provides a thorough look at this British, high-wing utility aircraft. The text is organized by headings, starting with a brief history of Hunting-Percival and then moving into the development of each type, foreign users, demobilized aircraft and aircraft for sale, and finally a survivors listing. Each section provides an in-depth look at each variant as well as the units that operated each type.

For those of us who model aircraft in the one true scale of 1/144, it is no secret that some details, particularly when it comes to cockpits, can be nonexistent at this scale. Most are often just a space with the occasional seat and maybe a control column included with the kit. Often that cockpit area isn't even there and is 'blank over' by the manufacturer. Just part and parcel for this scale.

Brengun has and continues to produce some lovely small-scale(144th) aircraft kits. They have also been in the habit of producing some after-market photo-etched/resin detail kits to address the lack of detail in those kits. Such is the case with the model accessories set (#144167) for their Me-309 aircraft kit(s).

The model kits are the Me-309V1/V4 (#144015) and the Me-309V4 (#144014), both in resin. These are neat, well-molded kits for an aircraft that has been largely overlooked by other mainstream manufacturers.