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Hallo If anybody wants to build one of theses a/c, so I suggest the book: Sukhoi to my opinion, the detailed background history and much details are just wow! Happy modelling

Has anyone ever come across the above hardback book? It was advertised back around 2002/2003 in the same series from Sutton Publishing as the Last of the Phantoms / The Last of The Lightnings / Buccaneers / Hunters. I duly bought all of the others but cannot recall ever seeing the 'Heavy Lifters' available for sale and it came to mind yesterday when I was clearing out some old magazines and saw an advert for the series , checked all the usual places and although they have an image of the cover all have it marked as unavailable with no second-hand copies on offer which suggests that it was maybe never released. Does anyone know otherwise?

Hi all, I could not find any section here regarding books so I post it here. I am looking for a good book that covers the events from DDay until the end of the Normandy battle. A general overview, so to speak. Not too brief, not specializing in tank warfare, but providing detailed accounts of the major events. Best with photographs. Can anyone recommend something like this? Ingo ps: written in English would be no problem

Hello Does any one know of a good book on Israeli armour ------------ history ,vehicles,battles Cheers D

They're not a lot of reference books about the French Fairey Gannet I mean the ASM aircraft Bréguet Br.1050 Alizé. If the history of this aircraft is of your interest here's a book for you. The first edition is already sold out. But by pre-booking (without pre-payment!) you could have it. Click here an fill the subscription form: https://sites.google.com/site/alizebreguet1050/contact - 296 pages and +/-1000 photos & illustrations. Preview: https://sites.google.com/site/alizebreguet1050/extraits Homepage: https://sites.google.com/site/alizebreguet1050/ V.P.

Mrs Loft-full tells me her friend, Helen Doe, has a biography of her father coming out on 15th May 2015. http://helendoe.co.uk/fighter-pilot-new-book/ Helen Doe is a professional historian and generally writes about maritime matters. On this occasion however she has applied her skills to write about her father W/Cdr Bob Doe. I'm very much looking forward to reading this book.

I'm looking for a book on the subject more directed to the modeller, that is, highlighting clearly the differences between versions with drawings, dimensions, and so on... I am interested also in the newer "Super Hercules" versions, both the "normal" and the stretched ones. What did exactly changed in the later versions? Wing profile? Once more I am interested from a modeller's view, not in wiring systems. Good scale drawings would be a must. Does this book exist? Opinions, please! Carlos

HAWKER HUNTER in RAF Service by AIRfile Hot on the heels of AIRfile's first 'single type' aircraft publication, the Fairey Swordfish, comes this book on the Hawker Hunter. This sleek and beautiful single engined jet has to be one of my all time favourite aircraft, ever since I first saw them in Borneo whilst on operations out there in the 1960's. The book is produced by Neil Robinson to his practical and visually impressive style of layout; starting with the a full colour photo on the A4 card cover, depicting a Hunter FGA.9 of 54 Sqn RAF. Within the book's 88 pages are chapters on the early Marks; the F.6 version, ground attack & fighter reconnaissance versions; and a final chapter all about the Hunter twin-seaters. As with all AIRfile publications, the book is profusely illustrated throughout to an extremely high quality with no less than 120 full colour side profile drawings. Each illustration, nicely produced by Jon Freeman, depicts a Hunter at a specific time and date within its airframe life. Information provided includes the version, serial & code, squadron, location plus any pertinent data such as operational theatre or tactical situation. The chapter on the F.6 fighter version covers fourteen pages and provides information on airframe serials plus the squadrons they were allocated; again being backed up with a whole load of colourful profile drawings. Another visually impressive chapter is that on the twin-seat version of the Hunter. Many of the illustrations are in full 4-view format which provides colour details on all aspects of the aircraft. This detail can be especially beneficial to anyone wishing to identify the colour demarcations when building a model kit of the Hunter. In additon to all the lovely colour illustrations, there are over 38 colour and 15 black & white photos of the Hunter in various theatres and locations. These provide additional visual clarity on colours and markings for the enthusiast. Conclusion Another fine book from the AIRfile stables, of a very fine and good looking aircraft in its time. The illustrations are really good and covers a whole multitude of colours and markings which can benefit anyone contemplating building a model of the Hunter. I have only had time to have a high level look through the 88 pages of impressive drawings and detail but have already found two or three 'must build' versions and I wish to thank Neil Robinson and Jon Freeman this choice of subject here. The layout is just right, with large colourful illustrations and just enough historical data to enlighten and interest the masses without getting unduly bogged down with reams of tabulated data etc. Review sample courtesy of Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or orders

Airframe & Miniature No 7 Owing to the mass of material that has got to be included Airframe & Miniature No 7 - The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Radial-engine Versions (including Fw 190A, B, C, F, G & S) – A Complete Guide To The Luftwaffe’s Butcher Bird by Richard A. Franks is going up in size to a massive 224 pages - their biggest book to date. Just to give you an idea of the scope of material, the picture art count alone exceeds 190 illustrations of all variants. However the even better news is that there will be no change to the cover price of £18.95 per copy, and all pre-order postage offers will be honoured at the current rates. If you want to make substantial savings on shipping now is the time to do it. Plus you get a chance to win one of two Eduard Fw 190A-8 or one of two Airfix Fw 190F-8 kits, as you will automatically be entered into a competition when ordering from Valiant Wings' website. they anticipate publication in early August. Order your copy now from www.valiant-wings.co.uk In response to demand they will also be reprinting Airframe & Miniature No 3- The Focke-Wulf Fw 190D & Ta 152 to accompany Airframe & Miniature No 7. Mike.

Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea Book by AIRfile The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii, by Japanese naval aircraft on the morning of December 7 1941 brought the United States into the war which, until then mainly involved the forces of Britain against Germany and Italy. Immediately following this attack, Japanese forces attacked Thailand, Malaya, the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island and Midway. These attacks brought Britain and the United States to declare war on Japan and became known as the Pacific War. Over the following weeks Japan extended its operations, invading Singapore, Sumatra, Hong Kong, Burma and New Guinea. They also mount attacks on Port Moresby which was only approximately 500 miles (800 Km) north of Australia. The Book This book describes the events of the first six months of the Pacific War; the Far Eastern element of World War Two, and the initial chapter covers the lead-up to and including the attack on Pearl Harbor. When the Pacific War is mentioned, the general theme points to the United States versus Japan, however many countries were involved in the fighting in that area. Within these pages the reader will find the colour schemes and markings of the aircraft of all the main combatants that were involved in the first six months of the Pacific War; from the pre-emptive strike against Pearl Harbor at the beginning of December 1941 to the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. There are explanatory texts, included with colour illustrations, describing the events; development of the colour schemes and markings of the aircraft of all main combatants that were involved in the first six months of the Pacific War from Dec 7 1941 to the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. These include British; US; Japanese; French Indo-Chinese; Thai; Dutch; Chinese and Australian air forces. Neil Robinson has set the layout in order to present the aircraft details by theatre of conflict; with encompassing sections on: Pearl Harbor; French-Indo China; Hong Kong, Malaya and Singapore; the Battle for the Philippines; Guam and Wake Island; the Dutch East Indies and New Guinea; China, Burma and the American Volunteer Group (AVG); and Australia – the Darwin Raids. The book finishes with the aircraft involved in the 5 day Battle of the Coral Sea. There is also a colour profile of a civilian Douglas DC-3, of Hawaiian Airlines, which was strafed at Honolulu Airport during the Pearl Harbor attacks. An additional chapter is incorporated within the sections above and describes the aircraft of the Doolittle Raid. This section includes a narrative, describing the reasoning and build up of the raid, plus the fates of the aircrew and aircraft. Five of the sixteen US Army’s B.25 Mitchell twin-engined bombers are shown in profile depicting their colours and markings. Conclusion This is a very well presented book and is designed with the modeller in mind. The subject aircraft, which are nicely illustrated by Peter Scott, are laid out in full colour profile, plus some have full 4-drawing profile and plan, and each incorporates a short history of the unit and squadron. There is also a breakdown of the colour scheme and markings included, many of them illustrated here for the first time. There are approximately 240 colour illustrations, consisting 77 Japanese; 75 United States; 43 British (inc Australian); 10 AVG; plus various Thai; French Indo-Chinese; Philippine aircraft and also one civilian airliner. The reference information, within the chapters and alongside the many illustrations, appears to be well researched and includes details from dozens of reference books; magazines and from private sources. There are plenty of different types of aircraft depicted here and should be a real asset for the modeller of WW2 aircraft, especially those of the Far Eastern campaign. It is informative and colourful and I thoroughly recommend it to be held in the modeller's reference library. Review sample courtesy of Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or orders .

Camouflage & Markings, Eastern Front 1943 Scale Armour Modelling This is a first for SAM Publications, a book on the armoured fighting vehicles of the Eastern Front in the Spring and Summer of 1943, which is when the Battle of Kursk took place. Starting with the background of 1943, it moves on to explain tank production of both sides, including numbers built, numbers of lend lease etc. Of particular interest is the chapter concerning German regulations over colours and their usage. The photographs are refreshingly new, some are familiar but the majority are not to this reviewer at least. There is even a Willis jeep in yellow camouflage and in use by the German army. The colour plates are scattered throughout the book and show familiar vehicles such as Tigers, T-34s, and Panthers, but there are also SPG’s, halftracks, anyone fancy building a green Matilda? There are a number plates for tanks used at Kursk, with their unit markings, camouflage and charts of army components for both sides. There is also a summary of events of how the battle was fought. Conclusion Although this book only has sixty five pages it is packed with useful information, particularly for the modeller with some very unusually coloured vehicles that would make great subjects to model. As a first publication in this field SAM have set the bar high and I look forward to seeing what else they decide to publish. Highly recommended. My thanks to Dave Wardle, (Panzer Vor!!!) for reviewing this book. Sample provided with thanks from SAM Publications

RAF Trainers - Volume 2 : 1945 - 2012 Book by AIRfile AIRfile AIRfile produces a very nice range of illustrated guides which are, in their own words "covering camouflage and markings, full of well-researched, clear and unambiguous full colour illustrations, with detailed informative captions, produced by a cooperative of well-known aviation enthusiasts, authors and illustrators, designed to provide comprehensive camouflage scheme and markings coverage culled from a variety of areas including previously published material, official and private documents and photo collections, and primary sources". The author and illustrator, Peter Freeman, along with co-author Tim Walsh have obviously worked hard to get as much detail and information together for this, the second volume on the subject of trainer aircraft used by the Royal Air Force, and that effort shows in the range, diversity and colours of aircraft types covered in this volume. Additional expert help has been provided by such esteemed contributors as Mike Starmer, Paul Lister and Peter's son Jon Freeman. The Book This is the second volume in a two-volume set in which Volume 1 covered RAF Trainers of the period 1918 to 1945. As before, this new book covers the aircraft types used by the RAF for the purposes of all types of training; including basic, conversion, continuation, advanced and cross-training for their pilots and aircrews; plus operational evaluation of new aircraft types. A fairly general consensus is that trainer aircraft are viewed as typically yellow or red/white coloured aircraft however this book shows just how diversified the colour schemes are for the various training elements within the Royal Air Force, including some of the civilian subsidiaries involved with this training. This 84 page book, including card covers, is produced in A4 softback format and starts with a one page introduction/preamble on the history of training aircraft requirements, the constraints under post-war austerity and the issues concerned with the advancements of fast and ever changing technology. The rest of the book is wonderfully illustrated with 77 actual pages of aircraft views and includes 169 views of different aircraft in full colour. Of these, 123 illustrations are of side profiles, usually showing four aircraft to a page, however some of those are supplemented with plan views to highlight markings/colours on or under the wings as necessary to assist the modeller with details. The remaining 46 views, which are virtually every second page, show full page 4-aspect views of each aircraft (top and bottom plans plus left and right profiles) and these full page views take up over half of the book's contents. Each illustrated aircraft has a narrative; as shown in the above image, comprising of a title depicting aircraft builder and type; version; serial and marking; Squadron and location; and date when these markings were in use/applied to the relevant airframe. The narrative itself gives historical information as to where and when the aircraft was built, plus a chronological listing of stations and squadrons this aircraft was attached during its service life etc. The descriptions go on to give examples and details about the colour schemes used; any interesting or unique uses of the aircraft codes and also lists the ultimate fate of the depicted airframe. The narrative also provides a source reference on where the data for this illustration and narrative has been derived. The 4-view illustrations can be really useful to the modeller in that all four sides of the aircraft are shown, as in the above Lightning T4 of 226 OCU in 1963. The colours are sharp and even show tone changes where the fuselage shape changes etc. There is no evidence of colour-bleed or alignment issues to be seen throughout the book. Some of the pages are in the four aircraft to a page format and the range of aircraft covers rotary wing as well as fixed wing, plus there is even a remote UAV illustrated on one of the pages in the form of the MQ-9 Reaper. While these side profile views only show one aspect of the aircraft described, there are occasions when the specific placement of special markings or colours on or under the wings need to be shown for effect. These views are included as additional inserts alongside the relevant aircraft image as in the views of the Meteor, Gnat and Canberra above. Further elaborations on the markings are the squadron badges and motifs, many of which are also included as small inserts alongside the particular aircraft. Not all trainer aircraft are bright and colourful, some of the tactical training units and squadrons adorn the current camouflage pattern in use at that time, although they look to be enhanced with squadron motifs and, in the case of the Typhoon above, has a Wing Commander's rank emblem shown in detail. The aircraft covered are not just the standard British aircraft but also some foreign types as well, as depicted above by the SAAB Gripen, on loan to the Empire Test Pilot School in 2008, which was used to train pilots on 4th generation jets. Other aircraft types to be seen in this book are gliders as seen by the example above belonging to the Air Cadets. There are also shared military/civilian contract aircraft described within these excellent pages as can be seen by the Squirrel, of Defence Helicopter Flying School, above as depicted in 2009. There is also the Harrier T4, belonging to QinetiQ, illustrated as it looked in 2008. Incidently it is one of these aircraft which achieved the first unmanned approach and landing aboard an aircraft carrier while underway. Conclusion AIRfile continues to produce informative and colourful publications for the modeller and this looks to be no exception. The full colour images have been researched and produced in a well laid out format and includes a short, but fully informative, narrative with each aircraft illustration. They have been excellently illustrated by Peter Freeman and Tim Walsh, both well known in the field of aviation research. The illustrations contained in this book should be of great value for the modeller who may be looking for inspiration on the subject of RAF trainer aircraft or to enhance their model builds with specific colours, markings and details. Add to this the very informative narratives which accompany each illustration and again we have a winning publication. This is one book which I will keep handy as a guide to modern trainer aircraft colours and markings and I am sure it will become an essential reference for aircraft modellers of all scales. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Buy it Now Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or placing orders

Hawker Siddeley/British Aerospace First Generation Harrier In Worldwide Service Volume 1: 1960-2000 Book by AIRfile AIRfile AIRfile produces a very nice range of illustrated guides which should be very useful for anyone seeking detailed information and colour references, whether for a model build or for general aviation research, on specific aircraft types or theatres of operation. This book is the eighth in AIRfile's current series of colourful and beautifully illustrated aircraft and is primarily geared for the aircraft model builder. The combination of well researched written detail, accompanied with full colour profile and plan illustrations, with contributions by experts from a broad sphere in all subjects of aviation, make these guides an essential aspect in any modellers toolkit. The Book This is the first of a two volume set about the HS/BAe Harrier and details the history of the first generation version of the Harrier; from the Hawker P.1127 and Kestrel; progressing with the fist production aircraft in the form of the Harrier GR.1 and continues to the last of the type in the Harriers GR.3 and FRS.2. There are additional chapters on the two seat trainer versions plus export aircraft including the U.S. Harrier AV-8 series as well as Spanish, Indian and Thai air force aircraft. Volume two is in the planning stage and will detail the second generation Harriers when published. The author, Glenn Ashley, has provided a concise history, within the 72 pages of this book, of the first generation Harrier; and details the camouflage and markings carried on Harries of the various air arms which operated this iconic aircraft. Encompassing and complementing the Glenn's writing are the colourful and explicitly detailed illustrations, which are professionally produced by Jon Freeman. A second volume is in preparation which will cover the second generation aircraft of the Harrier family.. The format of the book is of A4 portrait layout with card covers front and back. Within the book there are no less than 166 images; covering 124 Harriers ( I didn't even realise so many first generation aircraft had been built.) of which 99 are profile views and a further 25 are full 4-view illustrations which show the top, underneath, left and right aspects of the aircraft depicted in full colour. These illustrations are interspersed with knowledgeable and well researched data and backed up with over 40 black/white and colour photographs of the respective aircraft. This book, along with it's future sister companion volume, will be a welcome addition for the Harrier enthusiast and should help modelling enthusiasts in their quest to build or improve their Harrier models. This volume starts with a short history of the design and development of the prototype, and includes some nice black and white photographs of the P.1127 and the subsequently named Kestrel as shown in the above image, The narrative itself gives historical information as to where and when these aircraft were built, including their progression requiring onward transfer to Dunsfold for final assembly and flight testing etc. The fully coloured illustrations are laid out either as a single profile image of a particular aircraft, formatted as four separate aircraft to a page as above; or as a 4-view profile and plan of a single aircraft as shown in the illustration below. Each illustration has a short heading beside it, providing additional detailed information relevant to the aircraft at a specific time in that aircraft's life. Details include type; serial; code; Squadron; location and date. This is followed by a narrative highlighting some interesting data which would be of interest to the modeller and aviation historian alike. Photographs are included at various sections of the book and help to confirm camouflage and markings as shown in the illustrations. The book is divided into sections, covering prototypes; operational Royal Air Force aircraft; Operational Fleet Air Arm aircraft; Trainer/Two seat versions and Export aircraft. An example of a Sea Harrier (SHAR) FRS.1 is shown below. Some particulars to note, as in the page highlighted below, that alongside the aircraft illustrations and narrative there are also additional images, in higher resolution, showing particular markings and aspects of the aircraft being illustrated The book moves on to provide details and examples of the two-seat, trainer, version; again the views can be either four to a page profiles or a single page giving a 4-view plan and profile set of illustrations and details. Glen and Jon have not just been researching and writing about the fairly commonplace camouflaged versions of these aircraft but also some of the more unusual, and interesting, colour schemes to be found on these aircraft. This 4-view depiction of a Harrier T.2A of No.1 Squadron, RAF Wittering would make quite an eye-catching model if built and displayed a model shows around the country. Following on from the UK built and operated aircraft sections, the book then moves on to cover export aircraft. As with the previous sections, there are some fine, unusual and very interesting colours and markings to be seen on these aircraft as can be seen in these U.S. Marine Corps types below. The accompanying photographs could also inspire some ideas for diorama layouts! Additional information, as with the aircraft motif's detailed below, has been included in a larger format allowing a more detailed and is presented alongside the specific aircraft that adorns it. Each narrative is accompanied, at the end, with reference data and shows where that particular piece of data has been sourced from. Conclusion This latest publication from AIRfile should be a real treasure for Harrier enthusiasts. The vast amount of information and colour markings of so many aircraft should mean that loads of different Harrier models can be built. This is yet another fine compilation from Neil Robinson and the team at AIRfile for the benefit of modellers and Harrier enthusiasts alike. This is yet another book which should become a handy guide for identifying specific colours and markings of particular aircraft for the modeller. I have already found some great ideas for future builds after reading this well detailed book on the first generation Harrier aircraft and I am already keenly looking forward to seeing volume 2 being produced for the second generation aircraft. I personally rate this book and highly recommend it for all builders of Harrier model kits. Review sample courtesy of Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or placing orders

Diamond T 4 Ton Truck Squadron Publications Walk Around Originally designed for the Quartermasters Corps’ need for a prime mover for the 155mm howitzer, the Diamond T truck featured robust construction and a powerful Hercules engine. The Corps found the truck well suited to their needs, in particular as a dump truck, and strongly favoured the Diamond T over the ubiquitous 2.5ton GMC CCKW cargo dump. Unfortunately the Diamond T cost almost twice as much as the CCKW, a considerable hindrance to mass procurement. In addition to the short wheel base prime movers, dump trucks and general cargo trucks, a long wheel base version of the Diamond T was built for use by the Canadian forces, and the widely used Diamond T 4 ton wrecker shared the shore wheelbase chassis. Serving as the standard US Army wrecker, the Diamond T featured a twin boom wrecker bed, which allowed side recoveries to be made. The book is printed in Squadron Publications standard landscape format with a short history of the type, but only a couple of photographs of WWII vintage. The rest of the book is dedicated to the very detailed walk rounds of four restored vehicles that are still drivable today. These are the closed cab short wheel base cargo, open cab cargo, closed cab wrecker and open cab wrecker. All the photographs are in full colour and well annotated giving not only descriptions of what’s in the photo, but also explanations on how certain parts worked. The book is very well laid out and printed to a high standard. The condition of the depicted vehicles allows the modeller to build their projects with a high attention to detail, after which they can weather the models to whatever degree they wish. Conclusion This is another superb book from Squadron Publications. It’s just a shame that there are so very few kits released to make full use of the detail and information held within the pages. Maybe one day this will be rectified. I can still recommend this book as the quality of the photographs is so good.

OPERATION 'TORCH' The Anglo-American Invasion of Vichy French North Africa Book by AIRfile Following the invasion by German forces into France in 1940, the armed forces of that country became split as to their alliances. To the north and west the French capitulated to the Germans under the overwhelming power that the axis forces projected. The case was different in the Vichy area of south-east France, along with other French controlled areas bounding the Mediterranean; namely Morocco, Algiers and Tunisia. These areas became known as the Vichy French controlled areas The Vichy French aligned themselves with Germany, as part of an agreement not to divide France up to the axis nations at the end of the war. This meant that access to the Mediterranean was threatened, not only from German and Italian forces but now also Vichy French forces. This situation was exacerbated by the French anger at Britain's attacks on the French naval bases in 1940, to prevent the French warships being taken over by the axis forces. In Britain, plans were drawn up to invade the Vichy French controlled areas of North Africa and the invasion began in November 1942. Three operational sectors were allocated to the Allied invasion force: Morocco in the west was fully US controlled, with the US landing force being supported by P-40F Warhawks flying off from 4 US carriers. Oran, in Algieria was the central sector and this consisted of US landing forces transported by Royal Navy carriers. The eastern sector was Algiers and consisted of an Anglo-American landing force, also carried and supported by British carriers and warships. The Book This book is produced in the now familiar, A4 portrait layout and softback cover, similar to previous AIRfile publications. It is compiled by, well respected and renown in the modelling world, Neil Robinson and it is profusely illustrated by equally respected Peter Scott. The first thing one notices when initially flicking through these pages, is the array of colour that adorns the aircraft during this campaign. The Second World War usually portrays an impression of aircraft in subdued camouflage patterns, especially for British aircraft, of browns or greys and greens etc., however the Vichy French aircraft contrast immensely with that concept and the first few pages of the book appear to be a profusion of brightly coloured aircraft. This will surely generate an interest in building and painting something just that little bit different from that war period. Some pages are dedicated to a single aircraft. These show a four-sided view of the aircraft, along with the description and historical notes. These layouts can be especially useful for the modeller as they depict an all round view of the colours and markings for that particular aircraft. Other pages show up to four profile views of aircraft, with a narrative depicting the history, colours and markings for that specific airframe. The next section in the book covers the British aircraft taking part in this operation and is further divided between aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force . It is interesting to note that all the current, operational, front-line Fleet Air Arm aircraft types were involved, from the newly introduced Seafire, to Sea Hurricanes, Fulmars, Martlets, Albacores and Swordfish; from the carriers, plus the ubiquitous Walrus which was launched from the battleships and cruisers taking part. It is noted in the book that Fleet Air Arm fighters commitment was 130 fighters and 30 Albacore and Swordfish torpedo bombers. From a Royal Air Force perspective, the aircraft covered include the Spitfire, Hurricane, Blenheim, Hudson and Beaufighter. These aircraft show the 'American style' white star markings, in place of the standard British roundels, the reason for this being two-fold. Firstly, it was to avoid confusion of identifying allied and axis aircraft as the Vichy French had similar shaped roundels on their aircraft and, secondly, to give the impression that this was an all US operation; mainly due to the French feelings about the British shelling their ships at Mers-el-Kebir and other French controlled ports. The image below is an enlarged view from a page and shows the narrative which accompanies each excellently illustrated aircraft. The next section of the book depicts aircraft from the US Navy and US Army Air Force which took part in this operation. The identification markings, of white star over dark blue circle background was accentuated by a thick yellow ring surrounding the standard symbols. Some of the illustrations which adorn these pages are of full four sided views of a single aircraft, along with the narrative which is placed in a convenient area between the drawings. These 4-view illustrations should be of particular help in a model build as they show the demarcations of the camouflage, as well as the separation lines between upper and lower fuselage colouring. Another salient feature is that the placement of markings, such as the US Flag, in the illustrations which are another helpful aid for the modeller. Approximately two-thirds is taken up with details of the aircraft of the allied invasion forces, with the remainder of this fine book is being dedicated to aircraft of the axis forces which were deployed in defence of the invasion. The section on Luftwaffe aircraft comes first and, like the previous sections, is profusely illustrated with well researched colour drawings of German aircraft. This starts with fighters and is followed by the various bombers in use at the time. It is interesting to note within these illustrations how the aircraft camouflage patterns differ across the region; such as the dark European theatre type camouflage of the Ju-87's above which were based in Tunisia; to the sand/desert type such as these Ju-88's below based at Sicily. The final part of this book describes the aircraft of the Italian air force in that area at the time. These drawings include some nice representations of the nose-arts that were painted on the aircraft. Most illustrations are in portrait format however, due to their size, some of the illustrations of bombers; as with the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 & 84 below, have been displayed in landscape format. This is not just a book of excellently researched and illustrated pictures of aircraft; it also contains pages of interesting information. An example which is illustrated below depicts the structure and breakdown of the RAF colour schemes and details of the RAF Wings/Squadrons at Gibraltar during this operation Similarly, within the Axis forces sections, there is informative data on the Luftwaffe and Italian air forces and their aircraft. Conclusion This is a very well documented book concerning the aircraft involved, on both sides, during Operation Torch - the invasion of Vichy French controlled territory in North Africa. Within its pages are details of 152 different aircraft. The breakdown of illustrations is: Vichy French 36; US Navy 18; USAAF 25; Fleet Air Arm 26; Royal Air Force 15; Luftwaffe 36 and Regia Aeronautica 7. There is so much choice here and this should be of great benefit for the modeller wishing to research and build an aircraft of this period and theatre of combat. AIRfile continue to produce informative and colourful publications for the modeller and this is no exception. Neil Robinson has compiled yet another really useful book which is not only informative but should also be a very an essential reference tool, especially with the many full colour illustrations produced by Peter Scott. The data supplied in the narrative of each aircraft, details the colours and specific markings which will help the modeller to super detail their particular model. The illustrations, which I have scanned and produced here, have been reduced in size and quality to fit in the with the review layout and do not do the book enough justice. If you are intending to build a model aircraft depicting this period and theatre of operation then this book would be a very useful research tool. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Buy it Now Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or orders

USS Arizona Kagero Super Drawings in 3D The USS Arizona must rank as one of the most famous battleships of all time, not because of any heroic actions, but remembered due to the manner of her demise on that fateful day, 7th December 1941. This new publication from Kagero is in the same format as the previous titles in the series, some of which have been reviewed here on Britmodeller. The first few pages include the introduction and quite a comprehensive history of the ship plus an interesting analysis of what happened to her at Pearl Harbour, including a couple of theories on how the foreward magazine was penetrated, causing the massive explosion which sank the ship, taking many of her crew with her. The rest of the book is filled with full and half page computer generated renditions of the ship from top to bottom and stem to stern. The details shown will be an absolute boon to any modeller wishing to add as much detail as possible to any of the current kit releases, particularly the big Trumpeter 1:200 where such details have more chance of being seen. The 3D renditions take up the last 18 pages and look quite weird initially, but really do pop out of the page when using the 3D glasses included. This may be a bit of a gimmick, but it really does work gives a good view of how the ship looked in the metal. Another nice inclusion is a set of plans on both sides of an A3 sheet. One side shows close up drawings of the foreward superstructure, main and secondary control stations on the foremast, the funnel and the searchlight batteries and weapon control stations on the main mast. On the reverse are the main plans in 1:350 scale. These show port side, starboards side, top view, bow and stern on views, and are particularly useful as they show the full rigging, which is not always easy to find. Conclusion This isn’t a book for a quick flip and to put it away. I’ve been through it a few times now and am still seeing new details and bits I didn’t see first time round. The forward and history were also very interesting and I learned some information about what may or may not have happened at Pearl. So if you have a kit of the USS Arizona you’d like to build or are just interested in these great ships, then I can highly recommend this book for you. Review sample courtesy of

Ferdinand/Elefant Detail in Action Squadron Signal The Ferdinand was a development of the unsuccessful entry in the contest for a new heavy tank which led to the Tiger. Nicknamed the Porsche Tiger, Porsche were left with 100 chassis that now had nothing to do. Instead of resting on their laurels, Porsche began developing a large tank hunter that would use the chassis, with a new fixed superstructure to house the gun, which was to be the long barrelled Pak 43/2 L/71 gun, which had a limited travel and elevation. It wasn't a huge success, and in 1943, the lot were recalled and improved with the addition of the commander's cupola from a Stug III, a crew operated MG34 machine gun, zimmerit anti-magnetic mine paste, and some minor armour changes. It became known as the Elefant, and although it was an effective tank killer, its weight and lack of available spares counted against it. The book is split roughly in half, detailing the design changes, versions and so forth that resulted in the development of each vehicle. There are drawings of the main variants of both the Ferdinand and Elefant, followed by contemporary photos of it in action, and after the battle, showing knocked out vehicles in various states of destruction. The final section of each half is a photo-walkaround of each vehicle from the Kubinka tank museum for the Ferdinand, and the US Army Ordnance Museum's Elefant, the sole survivors of each type. As is to be expected with any book by Squadron, the picture quality is matched by the informative captioning, and the preserved examples are all reproduced in colour. The first few pages detailing the development on the Tiger (P) are especially interesting, as is the comparison between it and the Ferdinand. Conclusion A perfect-bound landscape A4 publication running to 80 pages, this will be an interesting reference for the armour fan and the armour modeller. The contemporary photos are very well presented, and should give inspiration for many a diorama in due course. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Hawker Tempest Valiant Wings Publishing The Tempest started life as an improved Typhoon, and was referred to as the Typhoon II, but in the process of squeezing more performance out of her, a new specification was created, and the Tempest was born. Five prototypes were ordered with different engines including various marks of the Griffon, Sabre and Centaurus, with varying degrees of success. This book covers both the gestation of the prototypes through to success or failure, various side-projects that weren't taken up, the eventual entry into service, various colour profiles, with lots of very interesting photos throughout. Just for this alone, the book is well worth a look. There is however more - we're not even half way through the 144 pages yet. The second section of the book details and discusses the available kits of the Tempest in every scale, from the old to the new, with a verdict of each one at the end. Boxtops and sprue shots are included for them all, and the section makes for interesting reading, as well as illustrating how plastic models have come on over the years. Following this section are a selection of builds, including three in 1:72, and one in 1:48 of the Eduard kit that was recently re-released to a buying frenzy. The quality of the builds is excellent, and the photography includes some in-progress pictures too, to help the modeller avoid some of the pitfalls. The following section is very much the type of content I like to see in books, as I have a terrible memory for the details. It's only a short section at 7 pages, but it shows the differences between the various marks and variants, including the contra-prop equipped Griffon engined Mark III LA610, and ducted spinner Mark V NV768. Very, very useful to people like me that don't live and breathe Tempests, in order to get our versions straight. Chapter 9 is the "In detail" section, and covers 38 pages of photos, drawings and diagrams of the Tempests innards, sufficient to satisfy the curious as to what made her tick. It covers the variations and Marks, and is a mine of information, with every photo or drawing captioned with additional information. The Appendices are just as useful, and cover the following: Kit list Accessory list Decal list Production Bibliography The final treat is inside the back cover, where you will find a four panel double-sided set of plans in 1:48 that cover the Mark V and the Mark II in great detail, including plenty of cross-sectional profiles to help with gauging the shape of each one. Conclusion The book is written by Richard A Franks, who will be known to most of us for his work in the hobby, and to this modeller at least, it has all the information I will need to do justice to my Eduard Tempest when I finally get around to it. At £17.95 it represents great value, not least because it caters directly to the modeller, and isn't just focused on the aircraft in isolation. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Oshkosh M-ATV Photo Walkaround AK Interactive (ISBN 8 436535 570978) This new walkaround book from Mig Jimenez' Ak Interactive is a very high quality reference manual for anyone with the new 1:35 Kinetic M-ATV reviewed here, or the Panda kit that is also available. It is perfect bound, and runs to 71 pages, all of which are devoted to photographs of this aggressive looking all-terrain vehicle. The book is divided into chapter, which deal with one side of the vehicle at a time, and a section on its deployment to Afghanistan brings up the rear to show the vehicle in-theatre. Chapters are as follows: Front side Right Side Left Side Rear Side Top Part Suspension Afghanistan Each chapter has a few sentences about the section of the vehicle it deals with, but apart from these introductory paragraphs, there are no captions to any of the pictures. This isn't a drawback for those simply requiring reference photos, but it could have been interesting to find out a little more about the various systems employed on the vehicle. All of the photos are in full colour, and very sharp, getting deep into the workings of the vehicle. Nothing is left in deep shadow and every angle seems to be covered. Conclusion A beautifully presented reference manual that will appeal to anyone building the new kits of this mine-resistant successor to the HUMVEE, and although I would have liked a few captions here and there, it's only a minor gripe that doesn't interfere with its intended purpose. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of