I love late war 109s so this book was right up my alley. This book is printed in MMP’s White series which is an A4 sized softbound book with 112 pages.

The book focuses on late war 109s starting with the Bf-109G-5/AS to the K-4. The book starts off with a discussion of the tail units used on 109s. I found the differences very interesting and easily understood. Then a small section on late war Erla Haube canopy is discussed. A discussion of the colors and a color chart is next and especially helpful is the callout for CMYK and RGB colors. The first thing I noticed was the great drawings and color profiles. Gunther’s Speck G-5/AS is particularly striking.

One benefit of the larger format book is that 1/48^th scale drawings are provided for each version. This will prove invaluable to the modeler.

This volume of the Osprey New Vanguard series highlights perhaps the most enduring class of fighting ships of the 20^th century. Considering that transformation in warships during the last 70 years, the longevity of the Iowa class battleships is noteworthy and a testament to their design and construction.

The book is basically divided in to two sections. The first deals with design and construction of the four units of the class (U.S.S Iowa, U.S.S. New Jersey, U.S.S Wisconsin and U.S.S. Missouri) with particular emphasis on how design parameters of previous battleships (of both U.S and foreign navies) as defined by the Washington Naval Treaty influenced the development of the Iowas. These considerations had a direct bearing on such things as armament, protection and speed. The author also goes into some detail describing the brains of these heavyweights – the fire control systems. The use of radar as well as aircraft for gunfire spotting is also detailed here.

This decal provides markings for several different aircraft used by the Aeronaval/L’Armee de L’Air in the years following World War Two. Included are markings for two P-39's used in Algeria in 1945, a captured Fieseler 156 C Storch, two Grumman F6F Hellcats, an SBD-5, an Fw190-A5 and a Dewoitine D.520. The decals are very colorful and in perfect registry.

Aires has added a set of 1/32 Spitfire resin wheels/tires (with paint masks) to their continually growing line of detail parts. Although labeled for Mk.IX Spitfires, these wheels are appropriate replacements for those found on most marks. The set features the early four-spoke wheels with typical smooth tires. They easily will fit the new Tamiya kits as well as the PCH kits and the earlier offerings from Hasegawa and Revell. Detail is exquisite…the hubs even exhibit the recessed valve stem and the tires have a realistic flat bottom with just the hint of a bulge. All appears to be spot on, as our friends in the UK might say.

When I was given the opportunity to review this book, I thought back to a time when I was growing up in Ohio. Our family lived near Fairborn, Ohio which is home to the U.S. Air Force Museum. My father served in the Air Force and would often take our family to the museum. The one exhibit that always captured my attention was the B-36 on display inside the museum. Having read through “Cold War Peacemaker…” I have certainly have gained in knowledge about the history, design, and use of this mighty aircraft.

Don Pyeatt and Dennis R. Jenkins have done an admirable job in describing for readers the history of the B-36. There are also throughout the 240 pages, both color and black & white photographs of both the exterior and interior of this historic jet. This is something I believe would be of value to most modelers. The book also describes the changes the B-36 brought to Fort Worth, Texas.