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Sherman - The M4 Tank in WWII Casemate Illustrated Special ISBN : 9781612007397 The Sherman, its hard to think of a more iconic allied tank of WWII. There were plenty of different tanks out there but the M4 Medium Tank was the most numerous. It was used in all theaters of WWII by all the allied nations. While the Sherman may have been out gunned by the heavier Axis Armour the sheer force of numbers combined with the way it was deployed and supported won the day. This book from Casemate in their Illustrated Special range is just slightly smaller than A4 in size, hard back with 240 pages. The book is illustrated throughout with black and white photos, with some colour photos, plates & drawings towards the back of the book. The book looks all aspects of the Sherman in service, all the tank variants, and other uses,; along with post war use by other nations. Full contents of this expanded Casemate Illustrated Special are; Origins Production The Chassis Turrets Armament & Ammunition Crew Evolution for the Sherman Logistics, Supply and Backup Numbering and Markings Unit Composition & Organisation The Success of the Sherman Sherman since 1945 Conclusion This is a quality publication looking at this most important of Tanks in WWII. All aspectrs of the tank, its development, use and support are considered. There are great photos throughout which will be of interest to the modeller and WWII buff alike. Very Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Paradise Afire Volume 3 The Sri Lankan War 1990-1994 ISBN : 9781912390342 Helion & Company via Casemate UK While Sri Lanka is indeed a tropical paradise, it is also one of those areas that seemed to be in the news for a very long tome due to its long running internal conflicts. In 1971 the country was in political turmoil when the JVP (Jatiya Vimukthi Peramuna) a Sinhalese militant group tried to snatch power. The government at this time appealed for help and Pakistan airlifted troops and military equipment to help. The Pakistani forces took over external defence allowing the local forces to perform internal duties. At the same time India sent Naval Forces to block routes to Colombo, with some 150 Indian troops sent to guard the airport there. Due to initial Indian delays Pakistani forces were entrenched, plus the Indians were less than enthusiastic about the Tamil issue. This help from Pakistan lead to them supporting Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. Further internal conflict would follow in Sri Lanka, however like many things the influence and agendas of other nations would have a great bearing on this small nation. India supported the Tamils from the 60s through to the 1980 (which in History the British had brought to the then Ceylon as workers). The Tamils built up support and following the riots in "Black July" 1983 a major struggle would begin. Indian intervention this time would be needed to turn the tide against the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). India troops would leave in 1990 and at the same time the Tamil National Army faced total defeat. leaving the LTTE (The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) as the main Tamil Force. The Sri Lankan forces in this period had though developed into proper armed forces. Conflict would continue until a ceasefire was brokered with the help of international politicians which came into effect on 8th Jan 1995. However this peace would only last a few short months before the war returned. The book looks at all aspects of the air war as well as the conflict in general. It is A4 softcover in format with 64 pages. Black and white photographs feature throughout the text. There are 2 pages of aircraft profiles, three of AFVs, along with other photos, maps and profiles. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a understanding of the military operations in these 4 years of this civil war, Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

US Army Ambulances & Medical Vehicles in WWII Casemate Illustrated ISBN : 9781612008653 Ambulances might not be the most glamorous or well know military vehicles, bit you can be sure of one thing, if you need one you will be surely glad when it turns up. the US in WWII develped an unparalled Medical infrastructure to ensue the best care and survivability of its combatants. Originally using civilian ambulances, troops in the field often made their own conversions in order to transport their wounded comrades; some would become official vehicles while others would not. This book from Casemate in their Illustrated Special range is just slightly smaller than A4 in size, hard back with 160 pages. The book is illustrated throughout with black and white photos, with some colour plates & drawings towards the back of the book. The book looks all types of ambulances and other vehicles adopted for medical use such as mobile labs, and even mobile dentists. As well as the vehicles them selves the book considers vehicle markings, vehicles co-opted for other use, and those used by the American Red Cross. In an interesting twist to lend lease it would appear that the UK supplied medical vehicles back to the US of British origin and those supplied from US Stocks. Conclusion This is a quality publication looking at this important part of WWII There are great photos throughout which will be of interest to the modeller and WWII buff alike. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #99 Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf.B Tiger II (9788366148703) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK Hitler's obsession with "bigger is better" is well understood, and that coupled with his constant interference in things he knew little about hampered their attempts to take over Europe. The Tiger tank and its even larger sibling the King Tiger or Tiger II were both part of that escalating size battle, and even before the Tiger design was completed the original drive-train that was used in both tanks was under too much strain that would result in many abandoned or scuttled Tigers and Tiger IIs on the battlefield due to mechanical breakdowns. When either tank wasn’t broken however, they were a terrible foe for the Allies with the Tiger II having almost impregnable sloped frontal armour and a powerful 88mm cannon that could out-range almost every tank on the battlefield. It played havoc with the poor Shermans until the British 17-pounder was fitted to the Firefly, but the Sherman's thin armour was still no match for it and they had to use a tactic of sending several Shermans to try to outflank them and penetrate their thinner side and rear armour. Thanks to a complex design that was never fully streamlined, they weren't able to put Tigers or Tiger IIs into the field in sufficient numbers to halt the tide of defeat, with a small number of the beasts prominently displayed in propaganda films to terrorise the enemy, and very few reaching the frontline. Overall, it could be argued that the Panther was a more successful design than either Tiger when every aspect was taken into account, but they were the most feared on the battlefield despite their shortcomings. Most manufacturers with AFV kits in their range have offerings of this iron beast in all the main scales, as other people's King Tigers don't make money for them, and it's still an amazingly popular subject today as my stash in 1:35 will attest. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals, loose-leaf plans or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand. With this edition, you get an A3 sheet of double-sided isometric drawings of Porsche and Henschel turreted King Tigers from various angles. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover with 22 pages, and the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of two tanks in interesting Dunkelgelb-based late war schemes. The first half of the plans begin with the Henschel turreted production machines, then the more complex Porsche turreted tanks that had the curved sides and tubular commander’s cupola side panel. The Porsche turrets were dropped after the simpler Henschel design was implemented, which leads to them sometimes being referred to as “Early”. After this the colour profiles show eight vehicles in differing ’44 dark yellow-based schemes, most wearing the mine-resistant Zimmerit coating that was initially applied from the factory, and includes a mix of Porsche and Henschel turrets. After the break there is another set of plans that focuses on the turrets both inside and out, then the complex wheel arrangement that also plagued the Tiger I, but without rubber tyres to reduce reliance of the scarce rubber of earlier designs. There are also cross-sectional drawings of the turret, detailed scrap drawings of the various aspects of the hull, as well as a detailed view of the running gear from below, showing the orientation of the interleaved wheels. The larger drawings are in 1:35 scale, but some are printed in 1:48 and 1:72 for convenience, and there are numerous front and rear views as well as some overhead and the aforementioned view from below to give a better look at the King Tiger's form. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the loose drawings a pleasant addition. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings 100 Nakajima B5N Kate B5N1, B5N2 (9788366148635) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Nakajima B5N was a torpedo bomber nicknamed “Kate” by the Allies to ease identification by crews with simple, familiar names that were easier to pronounce. It was an interwar design that first flew in 1937, and saw service in the Day of Infamy at Pearl Harbour that brought the US into WWII, as well as some other major battles later in the war, despite its increasing obsolescence in the rapidly developing battle-space of WWII. It soldiered on until the end of the war due to the delay of its successor, the B6N which saw little service due to the deteriorating circumstances toward the end of the war in the Pacific. It was a three-crew monoplane with folding wingtips for stowage on an aircraft carrier, which was its main operating base. The mechanism that folded the tips was so unreliable that it was eventually replaced by a manual version, a truly retrograde step that showed something about the engineering situation in Japan at that time. By the time of Pearl Harbour, the B5N2 was the current model, with the B5N1 involved in the earlier war with China where its shortcomings were first discovered, leading to the B6N’s commencement in a search for higher speed and greater range. We have kits in all scales down to 1:350 for your carrier models, with many manufacturers getting in on the act in all the major scales, showing that it's a popular subject along with the usual brace of Zeroes. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and a separate A2 sheet printed on both sides with drawings in 1:32 and another A3 sheet in 1:72 of sub-variants of the aircraft. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, and the rear cover is devoted to additional profiles of two B5N2s. After the introduction the first half of the plans show the initial B5N1 in 1:72. Following this are the colour profiles with four pages of profiles of B5N2s wearing some interesting and varied camo schemes with copious scribble pattern applied to the sides of some. After the break there is another set of plans for the B5N1 and B5N2s in 1:48, showing the differences between the two types and exhibiting clearly the streamlined cowling of the later model. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show the aircraft from front and rear, scrap diagrams for weapons, profiles with weapons slung under, and cross-sectional drawings of the fuselage and wings. There are also drawings of the engines used on the Kate, and some more detailed drawings of the torpedoes and bombs that were carried by the type. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate large-scale plans quite useful, especially if you model in 1:32 and 1:72 or have a couple of stains on the wall that could be hidden by posting the plans over it to enjoy. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings 96 Messerschmitt Bf.109T (9788366148888) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK When Germany first laid down the ill-fated Aircraft Carrier DKM Graf Zeppelin in 1936, the question of its complement of aircraft was already settled. It would carry a variant of the Bf.109 as a fighter, and the doughty Ju.87 Stuka as its bomber complement, and as such was engineered with those airframes in mind, removing the need to have folding wings that add weight to any aircraft. The 109 was given the variant T for Träger, which mean Carrier in English. It had extended wings with larger flying surfaces, plus a tail-hook and catapult launch gear for taking off and landing on carriers. The T-1 was the first airframe to be completed, and underwent catapult tests before it was ordered in small numbers. With the cancellation of the carrier, those airframes were apportioned elsewhere, and a T-2 variant was created without the carrier specific components. Some of the T-1s were cross-graded to T-2 standard, which found their way to Norway with 11./JG 11, and when the carrier project was temporarily re-started it was decided that the T was outdated by then, so an alternative was sought. That too was re-assigned in a remarkable chronologically close case of history repeating itself, while the T-2s continued in service in Norway until mid-1944, after which time any remaining airframes were used as trainers. As far as we know none of them survived the war or the culling of Axis hardware that followed it, but if you extended the wings of a Bf.109E-4/N that you happened to have lying around with the DB601N engine, you’d be 90% of the way there. We have kits in some scales, with some minor manufacturers getting in on the act, showing that it's a fairly popular subject given the fact that it didn’t really see much service due to the to-and-fro with the carrier and the steady march of technology that rendered its basic airframe obsolete. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and separate an A2 sheet printed on both sides with drawings of sub-variants of the aircraft. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, and the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of two 109T-2s. After the introduction, the first half of the plans show the prototypes from the V-series, E-0s, and some T-2s in 1:72. After this are the colour profiles with four pages of profiles of T-2s wearing some interesting high demarcation camo schemes with copious mottle applied to the sides. After the break there is another set of plans for the T-2 and T-1s in 1:48, including a number of top views that show off the elongated wingspan. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show the aircraft from front and rear, although there are no scrap diagrams for weapons fits as it only saw limited service and trainer use. A few of the drawings show the aircraft with a long-range fuel tanks, and little else. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate large-scale plans quite useful, especially if you model in 1:32 or have a big crack in the wall that could be hidden by posting the plans over it to enjoy. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

M3 Lee/Grant ISBN: 9780993564680 AFV Modeller Publications via Casemate UK In the years before WWII America realised that they were lagging behind in respect of armour, a fact that became especially clear when Germany came out from under a veil of secrecy to throw off the shackles of the Versailles treaty to show off and then use their new tanks and Blitzkrieg tactics. The M3 Lee was conceived in 1940 as a medium tank carrying a powerful 75mm gun, partly for manning by their own crews, but also because Britain had requested a large number of tanks to make good their losses from Dunkirk. The Lee was a decent tank but suffered from a high silhouette and limited traverse of the sponson-mounted 75mm gun, but was still widely used. In British service it was known as the Lee if it was fitted with the original American turret, or the Grant when using the lower-profiled British specification turrets. The Lee was used primarily in Africa and the Pacific theatres where the 2nd line equipment seemed to be fielded (for the most part) by the enemy, and against the Japanese who were far behind with their tank designs and tactics. It underwent some substantial changes including cast, welded and back to riveted hulls plus changes in the power pack and loss of the side doors to stiffen the hull. The riveted hulls suffered from rivets popping off and becoming projectiles when hit, which could be just as lethal as a penetrating round and was never fully eliminated. Lots of oddities and projects used the basic chassis, even after the Sherman supplanted it in general usage. The Book This is a new volume from AFV Modeller Publishing, and it is a weighty tome in a hard back binding with 471 real pages inside and a couple of blank ones in the rear to even things up. On the front is a stylised version of a wartime picture of a crew posing with live rounds in front of their tank, plus a small pile of “lightly used” spent brass in front of them. At first glance it appears to be a model, but later on I stumbled on the original picture at which time the cogs started turning and I took another look at the cover. It’s really well executed, I have to say. The pages are a satin finish and almost all of them are printed with contemporary photos, which are predominantly black and white, although a few are in colour. The best way to describe the book is an M3 Lee/Grant bible, as it covers the type from before its birth back to the T5 prototype that… well, let’s be frank, looks hideous and outdated even viewed through a mid-30s lens. The book is broken down as follows: Chapter 1 - Setting the stage, the T5/M2 3 Chapter 2 - Preparing for war 4 Chapter 3 - An overview of the M3 Medium Tank series 15 Chapter 4 - The radial engine tanks – M3, M3A1 and M3A2 30 Chapter 5 - The Diesel tanks – M3A3 and M3A5 38 Chapter 6 - The Multi-bank tanks – M3A4 116 Chapter 7 - Production and modification 138 Chapter 8 - M3-based conversions 148 Chapter 9 - North American use 247 Chapter 10 - The M3 in the British Isles 340 Chapter 11 - Combat debut – North Africa 366 Chapter 12 - The M3 in the Far East 420 Chapter 13 - The M3 in Australia 430 Chapter 14 - The M3 in Soviet service 442 Appendix - Tabulated data 452 The book is a goldmine of information, with every photo having an informative caption, with the main text expounding the history and major events of the tank’s development, from a rather angular beast to the shapelier M3 Lee and Grants that we know and sort-of love. The photos have been drawn from a number of private collections, and include many that are likely new or rare to print, with tons of pictures from the development, building of the tanks in the various factories and foundries that made the type, and at the proving grounds during tests. The depth of information in the pages is amazing, and some of the pictures are posed, while others are more candid both in the factories and in service. There is a great deal of inspiration for dioramas of course and so much detail that it would be of great value to modellers and history buffs alike. Conclusion You can imagine from the page count that the amount of information held within is comprehensive, and the photographs are of excellent quality both in terms of sharpness and content. If you’re interested in the type, you really should consider this book a must-have. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1939-42 (ISBN: 9781612008486) Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943-45 (ISBN: 9781612008790) Casemate Publishers Pilots are a competitive lot, and there won’t be many of them that would deny that fact. Many aimed to become an Ace, an appellation that was achieved by shooting down five enemy aircraft or more, which is a lot more difficult than it sounds in warfare where the pilot’s lifespan is measured in weeks, days or even hours of combat. At the beginning of WWII the German Luftwaffe were pitched against a number of countries and their aircraft, with the latter often deciding the battle. The Germans had excellent fighters in the Bf.109 and later the Fw.190 and their opponents were often poorly equipped, a situation that would prove fatal for many of the Nazi's opponents, regardless of their flying skills. There were many Luftwaffe aces during WWII, but only a few of them survived the war, as continuous combat took a toll on even the best of them, with random chance or “bad luck” also conspiring against them the more sorties they flew. The Books These two books are best looked at and owned as a set, but as it’s a set of two it won’t break the bank. Because of the sheer number of aces within the Luftwaffe during WWII it has been split into two volumes that cover the time between the outbreak of WWII in 1939 to 1942, then 1943 to the end of the war in 1945, by which point the Luftwaffe was a faint shadow of their former glory and were essentially a spent force with few serviceable aircraft, even though time and money was still being spent by the RLM on development of new wunderwaffe that might have had an effect earlier in the war, and ignoring the fact that the German war machine was in tatters at that point. The books are perfect bound in attractive covers that match, and each has 128 pages of satin colour printed paper within. Both are written by Neil Page and illustrated by Vincent Dhorne with an appealing look to the pages and layout. Each book is laid out in a similar manner as you’d expect, as follows: Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1939-42 Table of Contents Timeline of Events Introduction The Polish Campaign and the Phoney War The Campaign in the West, 1940 Over England, 1940 Waiting for Barbarossa, 1941 Barbarossa, 1941 Africa, 1941 On the English Channel, 1941 Over the USSR, 1942 In the West, 1942 The Mediterranean, 1942 Afterword Glossary Bibliography Index Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1943-45 Timeline of Events Introduction The USSR, 1943 The West and the Reich, 1943 The Mediterranean, 1943 The West and the Reich, 1944 Normandy and the Invasion of France, 1944 Defence of the Reich The East, 1944 The Mediterranean, 1944 1945 Afterword Glossary Bibliography Index The Timeline pages can be placed side-by-side for a complete overview of the war in simplified terms, in case you aren’t familiar already, and the introductions are appropriate to the time period, so differ between the two volumes and have a more downbeat theme for the second book. The book contents are broken down in the same manner to the Timeline, so within each section pages with details of the pilots that became aces, with photos of them in best dress posed photos as well as more candid photos in front of their aircraft or with colleagues around the airfields they were stationed at. There are also excepts from war diaries of many aces, which have been accented in Luftwaffe blue, or feldblau in German. The photographs are of high quality and large enough to be useful as references or inspiration for dioramas, with some quite poignant as they show the pilots and ground crew laughing and joking, more so during the early war but even when things are bad and getting worse there is always room for gallows humour. There are profiles in each volume on a background of feldblau again, and there are even a few contemporary photos in colour thanks to some wealthy pilots or official photographs using comparatively rare colour film. At the top corner of each odd page is a tab with the section name printed in white to ease finding of the sections, which uses different colours to differentiate between them. Conclusion This is a good ready-reckoner of notable Luftwaffe pilots, and if you are interested in their exploits these volumes place them firmly within the context of when during the War they were active. The bibliography should provide a starting point for a deeper dive, should you be inspired. Highly recommended. Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1939-42] Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1943-45] Review sample courtesy of

Across the Rhine January - May 1945 Casemate UK ISBN : 9781612008509 The last major hurdle for the Allied advance into Germany was crossing the formidable barrier that is the Rhine River. After defeat in France and Hitler's last throw of the dice in the Ardennes ending in failure; this would be the Allies pushing in to Germany itself. Towards the north a huge air drop and amphibious crossing crossed the Rhine. In the centre the famous bridge at Remagen allowed a great deal of traffic to cross it before it finally collapsed. Further south where the river is a lot narrower US forces were able to cross with ease. While there were still trying times ahead for the allies the forces on the whole facing them were Hitler youth and home guard, and it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed. This book from Casemate looks at the complete battlefield. It is A4 hardback with 192 pages. It is lavishly printed through out with Black and white contemporary photos, complemented by colour photos of the areas today; and many colour maps of the battles which took place. The authors have looked at all aspect of this last push into Germany Conclusion This is very much a complete look at the crossing of the Rhine, and the end game in Germany on 1945. The photos and maps show how the battles panned out, and the modern photos show in some cases how little things have changed. If you are interested in WWII history then this book is a must. For the military modeller the wealth of contemporary photos give a very good idea of how the vehicles and troops looked at this time. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

US Army Chevrolet Trucks in WWII Casemate Illustrated ISBN : 9781612008639 Trucks, certainly not the most glamours of Army vehicles, and probably not the first thing that springs to mind if you are asked about vital military equipment. However its not really a case of what trucks do, but what they dont do. Trucks move men, equipment, and supplies. They tow guns, carry wounded back from the battlefield, are converted into mobile workshops, radio stations, recovery vehicles, cable layers, field kitchens and even field chapels! In short Armies could not really do without trucks. This book from Casemate in their Illustrated Special range is just slightly smaller than A4 in size, hard back with 160 pages. The book is illustrated throughout with black and white photos, with some colour plates towards the back of the book. The book looks at the 1 1/2 ton Chevrolet 4x4 truck in its various guises. Types covered in the book include; Cargo trucks, pane; trucks, dump trucks, tractors, bomb service trucks, telephone trucks, chassis cabs, cab over trucks, and lowboys. The 1 ton trailers often pulled are also looked at. The book finishes with a look at trucks on operations, lend lease trucks, and there use after the war. Conclusion This is a quality publication looking at this important truck of WWII and its many uses. There are great photos throughout which will be of interest to the modeller and WWII buff alike. Highly recommended. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings 89 British Fighter Aircraft S.E.5a ISBN: 9788366148765 Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The S.E.5 stood for Scout Experimental 5, and was developed at around the same time as the Sopwith Camel, with similar performance, but some minor issues with the Hispano Suiza engine that put a crimp in production initially, with less than a hundred made before the improvements made resulted in the S.E.5a. It was a fast aircraft, and although it couldn’t turn quite as quickly as some, its stability made it a good platform from which to fire with accurate results from a skilled operator. It quickly gained favour with pilots and officials alike, and over 5,000 were made once the engine problem was resolved, with many powered by the Wolseley Viper and plenty of Aces achieving their tallies in S.E.5a airframes. A few US squadrons were also equipped with them by the end of the war, at which point the type was quickly retired from service with only one example of the more streamlined S.E.5b having been made. We have kits in almost every scale from 1:144 upwards, some old, some new with many major and some minor manufacturers getting in on the act, showing that it's still a popular subject over 100 years later. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and separate A4 sheets printed on both sides with drawings of various aspects of the aircraft. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, and the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of two S.E.5as in radically different schemes. After the introduction, the first half of the plans show the S.E.5 then S.E.5a aircraft from every angle in 1:48 with smaller detail drawings in 1:24. After this are the colour profiles with four pages of profiles wearing some interesting camo schemes, including one captured by the post-Czarist Bolsheiviks in 1920. After the break are more plans, including a number of minor variants with twin trainer cockpit openings and one with a single seat and a partial canopy over the front of the area. At the end are profile drawings of civilian variants, then two pages of detail pictures of the real thing. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show cross-sections, equipment layout such as the cockpit, armament, engine and prop. The loose sheets contain three more profiles of various airframes on one side, with the remaining three sides full of drawings that show the internal wooden structure of the wings, fuselage and tail, plus detail of the instrument panel. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the loose pages handy if you wanted to strip away some of the fabric of your model to show the inner workings and wooden structure. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #93 Panzer III (9788366148857) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Panzer III at the time it was developed was envisaged as the main medium tank for the German forces. At the time most other tanks were light and mainly thought of as infantry support vehicles. Initially they tank was to mount a 50mm gun, but the 37mm Pak 36 was chose to standardise with the infantry. This was to prove inadequate and so they were upgraded to a 50mm gun. Again this proved to be lacking and the 7.5cm gun was added in later versions. The Panzer III was used in just about every major campaign by the German forces. Unlike some of its more famous heavier brothers the tank was reliable and durable. However by 1945 they had largely been relegated away from the front line, an in a lot of cases the chassis converted to StuG III Assault guns. The book is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 24 pages,. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show equipment layout; as well as the sometime small differences between Marks. There are two A3 double-sided sheets of plans showing profiles and top views. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate scale plans quite useful. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

Ikarus IK-2 Monographs Special Edition in 3D ISBN: 9788366148628 Kagero via Casemate UK The IK-2, which I didn’t know a thing about until I had read the book, was the first native Yugoslavian designed and built aircraft, made by two dedicated engineers that weren’t being appreciated by their employers, so they decided to go it alone after work hours and created their own company, as well as the design that resulted in the IK-2. Initially they focused on a design called the IK-L1, which evolved substantially into the IK-02, which first flew in 1935. It became a high-wing monoplane with a Hispano-Suiza engine generating a little over 800hp and a 20mm cannon running straight through the centreline and exiting through the prop. By the time it reached limited production it was outclassed, and by the time the Nazis invaded they fought bravely but briefly, with some of the undamaged airframes being sold to Croatia's then puppet state as trainers or communications aircraft until they eventually went to the scrapyard. This goes a long way to explain why there are no extant airframes, and little in the way of documentation or photographs of the type available today. The Book This is #13 in the Monographs Special Edition in 3D series, and it of course covers the Ikarus IK-2 in great detail, providing information that hasn’t been seen before, and correcting many errors in the accepted understanding of this rare type. It is hard bound and extends to 198 pages plus a blank sheet at the start and end, so it's a weighty tome. It was written by Aleksandar M Ognjević and Branislav J Mirkov, the latter also being responsible for the lavish 3D artwork. In addition to the plans in the book, there are two loose sheets of double-sided A2 sheets of plans in 1:32, devoted to the first prototype and the production series. Introduction About Ikarus AD Ikarus IK-2 The First Prototype IK-1L The Second Prototype IK-02 The IK-2 Series Production Service before the 1941 war The 1941 April war In Croatian service Conclusion Camouflage, Markings and Inscriptions IK-2 Technical Information Cockpit Engine Fuel System Ignition System Lubrication System Coolant System Hydraulic System Compressed Air System Fuselage Wings Ailerons Flaps Horizontal Stabiliser Vertical Stabiliser Rudder Landing Gear Oxygen System Electrical System Lighting System Light Monitoring Instruments Radio Weapons Appendices i Weapons technical data ii Abbreviations iii Air Force rank comparison iv VVKJ unit structure v VG structure on 6 April 1941 vi Ikarus IK-2 individual airplane history as known so far vii Ikarus IK-2 technical Data viii Technical data comparison of the Ikarus IK-2 against two most modern Royal Yugoslavian Army Air Force fighters ix Geographical locations with coordinates Bibliography Acknowledgements The first 56 pages are a mixture of text and pictures, detailing the beginning of the company, its design goals and how it went about achieving them, as well as the history of the aircraft as you’d imagine. After that comes 25 sides of plans in 1:48 and 1:72, which have been religiously researched from all available sources and should represent the most accurate plans out there due to the fastidious nature of their interest, using fresh research as their baseline rather than trusting the common “understanding” that has been passed down through the years. Following on are 117 pages of 3D computer renderings that take you deep into the heart of the machine, peeling it away like layers of an onion. The detail shown here is extremely impressive and would be an absolute boon for the modeller with an eye for it that perhaps wants to strip away some of the skin to reveal what's underneath. This will be especially of interest to anyone with the few kits that are available in 1:72 and 1:48 from Azur Ffrom, CMK and Aeropoxy. Conclusion The IK-2 is an unusual aircraft, and perhaps not well known because of its relatively short service and the fact that only 12 production aircraft were ever built. Well worth a read for the history of it, even if you never expect to be able to lay your hands on a kit. At time of writing, this title is on substantial discount at UK Distributors, Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #92 Medium Tank M3 Lee / Grant (9788366148796) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK In the years before WWII America realised that they were lagging behind in respect of armour, a fact that became especially clear when Germany came out from under the Versailles treaty to show off and then use their new tanks and Blitzkrieg tactics. The M3 Lee was conceived in 1940 as a medium tank carrying a powerful 75mm gun, partly for manning by their own crews, but also because Britain had requested a large number of tanks to make good their losses from Dunkirk. The Lee was a decent tank but suffered from a high silhouette and limited traverse of the sponson-mounted 75mm gun, but was still widely used. In British service it was known as the Lee if it was fitted with the original American turret, or the Grant when using the lower-profiled British specification turrets. The Grant eschewed the mini-turret on the commander's cupola that resulted in a reduction in height and a minor simplification of construction and maintenance for very little loss in flexibility, due to the coaxially mounted Browning machine gun in the turret. It was used primarily in Africa and the Pacific theatres where the 2nd line equipment seemed to be fielded (for the most part) by the enemy, and against the Japanese who were far behind with their tank designs and tactics. The book ideals with the the M3A1, M3A2, M3A4 and M3A5. It is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 28 pages,. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show equipment layout; as well as the sometime small differences between Marks, here is also one A3 double sided sheet of profiles and top views. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate scale plans quite useful. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #91 Jagdpanther (9788366148772) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Jadgpanther (Hunting Panther) was developed mid war as the third attempt at mounting the very successful Pak 43 88 mm gun into a self propelled chassis for anti tank purposes as opposed to being a tank. The panther chassis was extended up to bring about a turretless vehicle that had 60mm armour on the sides and 80 to100m at the front. The gun was mounted centrally and able to traverse 20 degrees to each side, Due to the design the vehicle actually had a better power to weight ratio than the panther and suffered less from mechanical breakdowns. A total of 415 were built over two variants. In service they served with heavy antitank units mainly on the eastern front though some were seen on the western front. Post war after the British captured the factory they produced nine vehicles which were then shipped back to the UK for evaluation. One of these is currently on display at the Bovington Tank Museum. The book is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 34 pages,. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show equipment layout; as well as the sometime small differences between Marks. There is one double sided A2 pull out plan. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate large scale plans quite useful. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #94 Gloster Gladiator (9788366148864) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Gladiator was the last biplane fighter used by the RAF due to the introduction of more modern monoplanes. The Gladiator was designed in response to an Air Ministry requirements for an aircraft capable of 250mph armed with at least four machines guns. Gloster decided that rather than developing a brand new fighter they could capitalise on their Gauntlet design. This modified design would dispense with a pair of interplane struts to reduce drag and follow a wing design developed by Hawkers. The "new" aircraft would use the 700 hp Bristol Mercury engine. The prototype flew in 1934, with the first production aircraft being delivered in 1937. The Gladiator was probably the pinnacle of biplane design with its streamlining, closed cockpit and heavier armament. The Mk II would be powered by a Bristol Mercury VIIIA engine. The Sea Gladiator was developed for the Fleet Air Arm, it featured the 3 blade propeller, arrestor hook, and onboard dingy stowage. They operated from HMS Glorious, Furious, and Eagle; as well as airfields including at Malta, While the RAF ordered 180 aircraft the biplane design was really at the end of its life with more modern types being introduced. The type saw service in France in 1940, and on the home front in the Orkneys. Overseas they were used in Norway and most famously in the defence of Malta. Here these aircraft managed to defend the Island against superior Italian forces. Gladiators also saw service in North and East Africa as well as in Greece and the Middle East. Gladiators would also see combat service in Belgium, China and lastly Finland. By 1941 the aircraft had been retired from front line service, though continued to serve in communications and weather research roles. We have great kits of the Gladiator available in all scales with the new 1/32 Kits from ICM being very welcome. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and separate A2 sheets printed on both sides with drawings of various versions of the aircraft. This new publication covers the Mark I, I Tropical, II, II Meteo, Sea Gladiator and J-8. The book is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, and the rear cover is devoted to additional profiles of an RAF Machine. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show equipment layout such as the cockpit, landing gear, engines and props; as well as the sometime small differences between Marks/ Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate large scale plans quite useful. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

Grumman F-14 Tomcat - Kit Build #1 ISBN: 9788366148567 Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK There are a lot of modellers that have a soft spot for the F-14 Tomcat, and with a raft of new tooling having been released over the last few years, we’re spoiled for choice. Anyone that has watched Top Gun (it’s best not to listen to the dialogue) will also have a soft spot for them, and probably Goose too. In case it had escaped you, the Tomcat was a fleet carrier fighter of immense proportions, with all the Cold War trimmings including twin engines and fins, variable geometry wings, and lots of hard-points to store weapons on. It first deployed at the beginning of the 70s, stopping briefly to become a movie star in the 80s, and flying on until retirement in 2006, much to the disgust of many a Tomcat fan, who couldn’t quite come to terms with the loss. The US aircraft that weren’t earmarked for museums were destroyed along with their spares to ensure that those nasty Iranian F-14s wouldn’t get hold of them to keep their ageing Tomcats flying, which they still seem to be anyway. The Book This is the first edition of a new series from Kagero, the descriptive Kit Build series, which doesn’t need much more explanation unless you don’t speak or read English. In which case, how did you get this far? It is printed in full colour in a card cover, which are often referred to as a “bookazine” these days. It has 66 matt-finished pages within, and is bursting with colour on every one, ignoring the fact that the Tomcat was a grey jet. There are two builds within the book, one of the 1:48 Tamiya F-14D by Adrian Wolnicki, the other in 1:72 of the Fine Molds F-14A by Robert Skałbania, the latter not being a grey jet at all. The 1:48 Tamiya Tomcat is built as a care-worn airframe of VF-101 Grim Reapers, who were at NAS Oceana in 2004 when it wore this scheme with red-tipped black fins with their eponymous emblem in white holding his scythe above his hooded head. Over 23 pages of step-by-step instructions, the various techniques employed to give the surface of the aircraft the appearance of wear, plus a few trips through the anti-corrosion “barn” are explained in words and pictures, showing just how to achieve very realistic effects. The 1:72 Fine Molds kit is depicted as an earlier F-14A in service at NSAWC (Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center(sic)) at Fallon Nevada, wearing a rather unusual three-tone sand/green/brown camouflage over a grey underside, with matching loviz markings in opposing colours used in the scheme. Both models are built to a very high standard with small amounts of aftermarket and scratch-building used to further improve the detail of the models. If you’re one of those weirdos that counts pages in reviews and can’t get them to add up in this review, the majority of the missing pages are used to show off the finished models in high definition, demonstrating the finish you can achieve with some hard work and at least 30ml of talent. The final 6 pages are devoted to side profiles of various airframes over the years, as well as two pages devoted to the aircraft that can be built using the decals supplied with the book(azine). Markings Markings in a book? It’s a decal sheet included with the book that allows you to portray an F-14A BuNo. 160678, No.207, VF-111 Sundowners, USS Carl Vinson, November 1982. The sheet is printed in 1:72 and 1:48 scale, and the printers are Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion As long as you order a 30ml bottle of “talent” to go with your Tomcat, this book should give any modeller with a little experience a raft of techniques to try or adapt to their way of doing things. At time of writing this title is on discount from casemate, with a healthy £5 off the usual price. Review sample courtesy of

TopColors #41 Beutepanzer (9788366148550) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK While many nations captured equipment in WWII the German Army were well know for re-using the large amount for equipment they captured in WWII from all of those they fought. Beutepanzer is the German for a captured armoured vehicle. Many of these served in combat roles often with foreign armour being used by German reconnaissance units. Equipment which could not be reused was kept in order to provide spare for those returned to use. The book is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 18 pages, and the rear cover is devoted to an additional profile of an Su-85. An addition to the book is a decal sheet featuring the captured markings; these are in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/35. There is no printer mentioned for the deals but they look to be good quality, with minmal carrier film, with solid whites, and no problems. Conclusion This is an interesting look at captured vehicles used by the Germany Army, the decl sheet is a good touch for those wanting to model one of these. Recommended. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

Hawker Siddeley (BAe), McDonnell-Douglas/Boeing Harrier AV-8S/TAV-8S & AV-8B/B+/TAV-8B - Monographs #70 (9788366148833) In the Spanish Navy Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Harrier began life in the 50s as the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, which was the proof of concept that led to the Harrier with the collaboration of McDonnel Douglas, working together to create the first GR.1 and AV-8 that was put into service with the RAF and the US Marines respectively, with subsequent upgrades eventually leading to the Harrier II and AV-8B with composite materials, an improved Pegasus engine and avionics, although it is renowned for having one of the highest pilot workloads in aviation, especially during hover. From the 1980s the Spanish Navy began taking on AV-8Bs from McDonnell Douglas’ factories in the US, with a total of 12 forming the day attack squadron and another tranche of the AV-8B+ with the night attack capability, plus a two-seat trainer aircraft that made them self-sufficient in the training of new pilots alongside simulators. The Book This is number 70 in the Monographs 3D edition from Kagero, with English used throughout. It is perfect-bound in a card cover and 138 pages in colour and black & white, and is written by Salvador Mafé Huertas. The book is packed with text interspersed with many pictures and their accompanying captions, mostly in colour, most of which is contemporary and some current. The last 7 pages plus the rear cover are devoted to some general arrangement drawings and a page of handsome side profiles of various airframes, with more on the rear colour. The chapters break down as follows: Acknowledgements The Origins First Generation Harriers in the Spanish Navy Landing at Gibraltar Royal Thai Navy AV-8S and TAV-8S Harriers Novena Escuadrilla, second generation Harriers Upgrading the Legacy Harriers Rover Constant Updates Upgrading the USMC Harriers The Two-Seat TAV-8B Air-to-Air combat with the “Radar” (AV-8B Plus) Air-Air Gunnery Exercise Carrier Pilot Training in Spain Third Plan Green Deck Night Vision Goggles Vertical Landing on Aircraft Carriers Anonymous Professionals: Maintenance of the Harrier Preventative Maintenance Phases Private Industry Commissions and Deployment Spanish Harriers in the Royal International Air Tattoo 2019 The best show in the world General Arrangement Drawings (6 pages) Side Profiles (1 page plus back cover) There is a substantial amount of text in the book which gives a lot of detail on the development, entry into service with its various sub-variants. The photographs are of great interest to anyone with a historical bent, and coupled with the captions there will be plenty of reading time after which you'll be a bit of an instant expert on the type in Spanish service, and ready to build some lesser seen Harriers. There are even a few pages devoted to the performance of the Spanish Harriers at RIAT in 2019, which will have been an absolute treat for the British contingent in the audience, who have been starved of Harrier displays for a long time now. Conclusion There has been a lot written on the subject of the Harrier, but perhaps not that much on the aircraft’s Spanish service, which this book does much to rectify. It is full to the brim of excellent photos, informative captions and text that will provide hours of entertainment for the reader, then serve as reference material for your builds. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #95 Fairey Swordfish (9788366148871) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The Swordfish began life in the early 30s as a speculative development by Fairey that was later re-designed to fit a 1933 specification that added the torpedo bomber role to its previous remit of spotter ‘plane. After many changes and tests that resulted in the loss of at least one airframe, an order was given for around 70 airframes, with production transferring to Blackburn as war become inevitable. The airframe was essentially outdated by outbreak of war, but improvements gave it longer legs, more power in what became known as the Swordfish I. The II added radar and hardpoints under the wings for rockets, the III adding a more capable radar, and the IV with an enclosed cockpit used as a trainer by the Canadians. the Stringbag outlived the Albacore that was intended to replace it with over 2,000 made, and was instead supplanted by the Barracuda, which kept it within the Fairey family. It saw substantial action in the torpedo bomber role, some more famously than others, and often suffered heavy losses due to in part to the task it was assigned, as well as its relatively slow speed, but it invariably got the job done and is credited with delivering the torpedo to the Bismark that disabled its rudder and allowed the British fleet to catch and subsequently destroyed it. It was well-loved then and is still a welcome performer at airshows, especially when the still-airborne crew stand and salute in tribute to its brave pilots and crew during the war. We have kits in almost every scale from 1:144 upwards, some old, some new with some major and minor manufacturers having releases in their arsneal, showing that it's a popular niche subject. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and separate A2 sheets printed on both sides with drawings of various versions of the aircraft. The book is written in English on the left of the page with Polish on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, and the rear cover is devoted to additional profiles of two Swordfish Is. After the introduction the first half of the plans show the Mark I from every angle with wings folded and deployed ready for flight. After this are the colour profiles with four pages of profiles of Mark Is and IIs wearing some interesting camo schemes, including one of the Bismark attackers. After the break there is another set of plans for the II and III, including many scrap diagrams of equipment, warloads, as well as fuselage cross-sectional shapes. The lesser known Seaplane version and Mark.IV with its bubble canopy are shown toward the end, and cross-sections of the wing ribs are given on the last page. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show equipment layout such as the cockpit, landing gear, engine and prop Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the separate large scale plans quite useful, especially if you model in 1:48 or have a large stain on the wall that could be beautified by posting the plans over it to enjoy. Currently (at time of writing) on offer at a discounted price from Casemate UK Review sample courtesy of

Sherman Firefly – Armor PhotoHistory ISBN: 9788360672327 Model Centrum Progres The Sherman was one of the most widely used Allied tanks during WWII, named after an American Civil War general when it entered service in the early part of the war. It was the mainstay of Allied armour, and was a reliable and rugged vehicle, but initially suffered from weak points that led to the Germans christening it the "Tommy cooker" because of the thin side armour that allowed a carefully placed shot to penetrate it and set the tank afire. Once identified, appliqué armour was added to the vulnerable spots to improve survivability. It became one of the most produced tanks of WWII, with over 50,000 made, 17,000+ of which were destined for British service. Originally fitted with a 75mm gun, the arrival of the Panther and Tiger tanks in the European Theatre led to tests for improving firepower to penetrate the thicker armour of these new foes. The American tests weren't as successful as the British forays into heavy armament, and it was the installation of the Ordnance QF 17-pounder gun in a standard turret that resulted in the Firefly. It was capable of knocking out a Panther and Tiger at combat ranges from then on, but the US Generals preferred to carry on with their M36 Tank Destroyer as the end results were broadly similar, although the M36 had to have a new turret installed. Although the Firefly concept was initially rejected, it proceeded anyway and the improved Shermans started reaching the front just in time for the work-up before D-Day where it gave a good account of itself. To hide the extra firepower the length of the barrel was sometimes disguised by adding a wavy camouflage to the underside in the hope the enemy would mistake it for the weaker 75mm gun and be less cautious to their peril. By war's end around 2,000 Fireflies had been produced, and had been used effectively as part of the larger Sherman force, evolving new tactics to protect the valuable Fireflies while making good use of their heavy hitting power. The Book This is a new publication from the Armor PhotoHistory series by Model Centrum Progres, distributed in the UK by Casemate UK. It’s a soft-backed perfect-bound book with a genuine 88 pages in portfolio format, printed on glossy paper with a black background for the photo portion of the book. It is broken down into sections that provide tons of photos, plans, drawings and profiles of the up-gunned Sherman that made taking on the dreaded Tigers and Panthers that were fielded by the Nazis. The book is laid out as follows: History Pages 1-17 A detailed telling of the story that resulted in the more powerful gun and expanded turret. Photogallery Pages 18-63 Tons of photos with informative captions of the tank in action in Europe after D-Day. Drawings Pages 64-79 Scale plans and detailed drawings of the Firefly and some of the important components of the vehicle. Colour Plates Pages 80-88 Eight pages of profiles and scrap drawings of the tank in various regiments. The inner covers are opportunistically printed with adverts for their other products and some of Gecko Models products. The prime focus of the book is of course the photographs, and those are first rate. Add the captions and the other sections and you have a very useful reference book that gives you tons of information and a bucket-load of diorama inspiration from the candid and even the posed photos. The drawings at the rear of the book will be invaluable to the detailer as well as those with interior kits to build, especially the smaller parts and the wiring that is found inside your average tank. Conclusion If you’re the proud owner of a Firefly kit or just an armour buff, this book will be of great interest and will also provide you with quite a bit of interesting reading along the way. The photos are all B&W because they were taken in the 1940s, and plans are also line drawings, so the first hint of colour is in the colour plates near the back – if you ignore the cover of course! Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Focke Wulf Fw.190A/S/F/G - Monographs Special Edition #12 ISBN: 9788366148727 Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK Focke-Wulf’s Fw.190 was initially designed as a replacement for the ageing Bf.109, which was thought to be approaching the end of its development potential. They managed to squeeze yet more performance for the old 109 though, and they often fought side-by-side in the defence of the Reich until the very end. The British were shocked by its first appearance, as at that time the Spitfire had the edge over the 109, so when they were outclassed by the new, diminutive fighter it spurred the Spitfire’s evolution in that endless game of leapfrog that war begets. The 190 went through many alterations and improvements too, until its airframe diverged so far from the original that it was renamed after its designed Kurt Tank, as the Ta.152. The Book This is number 12 in the Monographs Special Editions from Kagero, with English used throughout. It is hardcover bound and contains 264 pages in colour and black & white, plus two sheets purposely blank. It is written by Krzysztof Janowicz, with many of the photos sourced from private collections that are noted in brackets in the captions. The first 210 pages are text interspersed with many pictures and their accompanying captions, followed by a few pages of statistics in tables. The remainder is filled with drawings with a substantial number of 1:48 scale plans, and the last 8 pages plus another 8 near the centre are devoted to some handsome side profiles of various airframes. The chapters break down as follows: Introduction FW.190A-1 Fw.190A-2 Fw.190A-3 Fw.190A-4 Fw.190A-5 Fw.190A-6 Fw.190A-7 Fw.190A-8 Fw.190A-9 Fw.190F Fw.190F-1 & F-2 Fw.190F-3 Fw.190F-8 Fw.190F-9 Fw.190G Fw.190G-1 Fw.190G-2 Fw.190G-3 Fw.190G-8 Fw.190S Painting & Markings Operations in Western Europe Operations in Africa, the South & North of Europe Ostfront Profiles The Fighter of Many Faces Africa & Sicily All Straks’s Men “Fire Brigade” on the Eastern Front Re-organisation Jack of all Trades Hills, Mountains & Monte Cassino To Stop the Red Bear From Normandy to the Rhine Defeat in the East The Hungarian Ally Hunting by Night Over the Atlantic Mistel Evaluation of the Fw.190 Endnotes Bibliography Plans Profiles There is a substantial amount of text throughout the book which gives a lot of detail on the development, entry into service, combat experience and its various sub-variants. The photographs are of great interest to anyone with a historical bent, and coupled with the captions there will be plenty of reading time after which you'll be a bit of an instant expert on the type, and ready for the plans, which are in 1:48. In addition, there are three loose sheets, one A3 sheet in 1:48 showing an A3 with an A-8/R8 over the page. The other two sheets are on A2 in 1:32 showing an A-5 and A-5tp on one page, and an A-8 on the other. They’re all printed on both sides for maximum information of course. Conclusion The diminutive and combative Butcher Bird is a firm favourite amongst us aircraft enthusiasts, and this book has an absolute wealth of information within its hard cover, that can’t help but broaden your knowledge in the process. Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings #88 – M16 Half-Track (ISBN: 9788366148758) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK The M16 Half Track Multiple Gun Motor Carriage was usually known by the easier and shorter name M16 Half-Track, derived from the M3 Half-track and fitted with a quartet of heavy-barreled M2 Browning .50cal machine guns, the same type that were fitted to Allied fighters and bombers of the day. The quad mount was nicknamed the meat-chopper for obvious reasons later in its career as it became used as ground support rather than Anti-Aircraft when the German Luftwaffe ran out of aircraft, then after when the speed of jet-powered aircraft made accurate targeting a very chancy business. They served in WWII in substantial numbers as mobile air-defence units with over 3,000 new build and conversions seeing the battlefield, and after WWII they soldiered on to the early days of Vietnam as ground support. We have kits in scales from 1:72 through 1:35 from Tamiya and Dragon, all the way up to the 1:16 giant from Trumpeter, which explains the different scales used in the plans throughout the book. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand. With this edition, you get two double-sided A2 sheets of large folded loose-leaf plans in 1:16 and 1:35, plus another double-sided A3 sheet of drawings of the major parts. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Czech on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 24 pages, with the rear cover devoted to profiles of an M16 in Olive Drab, although it seems a little light, verging on yellow. The first page gives a written introduction, then launches straight into the plans that show the vehicle from each corner from the outside, with drawings of equipment and small parts taking up any white space. After this the interior compartments are drawn from various angles with the quad gun mount missing. The quad mount is then detailed over three pages along with the .50cals and the ammo boxes. Then the bodywork is stripped away and many aspects of the chassis, the White power pack, axles, track unit and gearbox are laid bare for us to see. The last four pages show many views of the vehicle with and without bodywork in 1:72 and 1:48 from all angles. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show pioneer tools, stowage, equipment, wheels, driver controls, and the White 160AX 6-cylinder engine. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the additional large sheets perfect for poring over on the dining room table or hanging on the wall. Highly recommended. At time of writing this book is available at a discounted price, making an even more tempting target! Review sample courtesy of

TopDrawings 87 – Sukhoi Su-24 (9788366148741) Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK What became the Su-24 Fencer began as a fixed-wing attempt at creating a short-takeoff all-weather bomber, similar to the tasks that were originally envisaged for the American F-111, but without the variable-geometry wings that were expected to bring potentially insurmountable issues and complexity. This resulted in a rather angular “artists impression” of the aircraft that eventually saw service, but with the entry of the F-111 into US use, they realised that swing-wings weren’t as problematic as they had thought, so it was back to the drawing board for the engineers at Sukhoi. The second prototype flew with the new wings, and despite some fairly costly crashes, they developed the airframe into the Su-24M, which was comparable in performance to its US competitor. It benefitted from one of the first digital war-fighting systems, as well as a capable terrain avoidance system that allowed them to fly at low and very low altitudes to evade radar of their enemies, which required fitting of the K-36D zero-zero ejection seat for emergency egress. Later variants made improvements to the airframe as well as to its weapon-carrying capabilities, and a glass cockpit with modern avionics was fitted to the reminder of their on-strength airframes that are still flying (not literally right this second) at time of writing. We have kits even in the smaller scales from a few manufacturers due to the appealing look of this monster even outside of the former Soviet Union, with modern toolings from Trumpeter in 1:72 and 1:48, with perhaps 1:32 lagging behind a little. The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand. With this edition, you get a set of loose 1:48 plans for the M and M2 variants. The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Czech on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within. The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, with the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of an MR and M airframe. The first half of the plans show the variants from the origin of the mature airframe, the M, and the later M2 (Fencer D). After this the colour profiles are printed on four pages in colour, augmented by the aforementioned two on the rear cover. After the break there is another set of plans of the MR (Fencer E), The MP and finally the MK (Fencer F). The final three pages show black and white detail photos of an airframe that will be very useful to modellers. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show cross-sections of the infrared threat detector dome on the spine, nose cone and pitot probe changes, landing gear arrangement, sensor and pylon placement, and examples of it loaded with weapons. Conclusion These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the pull-out plans tempting to put on the walls. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Biafran Army 1967 - 70 Build up and downfall of the secessionist military Africa @ War No.47 ISBN : 9781911628637 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The Biafran War, or more rightly the Nigerian Civil war was a civil war between the secessionist state of Biafra and the Nigerian Government. It is most remembered as the cause of the famine which became the first such disaster of its type to be televised. This was another conflict Bourne out of the decolonisation of Africa by the Western Powers, in Nigeria it was the British who were the former rulers. The southern state of Biafra felt they could not be ruled by the Northern Dominated Government, throw into this mix a coup, counter coup, and persecution of minorities and a civil war was bound to come. The fighting lasted until 1970 with the UK, and strangely USSR supporting Nigeria, and France & Israel mainly supporting Biafra. In the end the direct fighting led to over 100,000 causalities, but the blockade by Nigerian Forces lead to the starvation of over 2 million civilians. Much has been said about Air Operations in the region but the Army has been overlooked. This book as well as looking at the air power looks at the Army & Naval forces. The book is A4 Soft cover and 80 pages long. It is illustrated throughout by maps and many rare black and white photos many of which have not been published before. There are 5 pages of colour profiles, and 2 pages of colour photos in the centre of the book. This book is the first to really consider the build up, training, composition, equipment and combat operations of the Biafran armed forces during this time. Conclusion This book will give the reader a good understanding of the History of this bloody civil war and all it entailed. Review sample courtesy of