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Modellers Data File #36 - The F-104 Starfighter (9781838045807) MA Publications The F-104 Starfighter (or missile with a man in it) was Lockheed's & Kelly Johnson's attempt to reverse the trend for large more complex fighters then being developed. It was basically an engine with very little airframe surrounding it. The aircraft had a short life in the US with them going towards heavier and more complex aircraft. The Starfighter did have much more success with NATO nations, though it would later transpire that this success was gained someway by Lockheed bribing officials in some of those countries. The G model was the most numerous model made with over 1100 being built, many under licence. This book is the 36th in the long line of books in the Modeller’s Datafile series, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ book in portrait format with 184 pages within the card cover. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know the content is split between the real aircraft and modelling them, but here’s a more thorough breakdown: Introduction Chapter I Seeing Starts - The Birth of the Starfighter Chapter II The F-104A to F-104D - Starfighters in US Service Chapter III The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter - Canadian Built F-104s Chapter IV Export Starfighters - The F/TF/RF-104F to F-104S Chapter V International Users - Starfighters worldwide Colour Side Views Eight pages of colour side profiles of various types and operators Modelling the Starfighter Vietnam Warrior - 1:48 Hasegawa F-104C (Andy Renshaw) Sleek Greek - 1:48 Hasegawa TF-104S (George Roidis) Supersonic Starfigher - 1:72 Revell F-104G (Jezz Coleman) Bunesfighter - 1:48 Eduard F-104G (Rene Van Der Hart) Marineflieger Startfighter - 1:48 Eduard F-104G (Oliver Soulley) Super Star - 1:48 Kinetic F-104G (James Ashton) Marineflieger Missile - 1:48 Kinetic F-104G (Jezz Coleman) Samurai Starfighter - 1:48 Kinetic F-104J (Dawid Branski) Dutch Master - 1:48 Kinetic F-104G (Barry Koerver) Tiny TF-104G - 1:144 Revell Tf-104G (Tomasz Lubczynski) Danish Star - 1:48 Kinetic F-104G (Marcin Torbinski) Appendix I - Technical Diagrams 10 pages with pictures Appendix II - Walkarounds Belgian F-104G (luc Colin) Japanese F-104J (Z Tanuki) (The text calls ts an F-105J !) Luftwaffe TF-104G Appendix III - Understanding the Subject 4 pages of Aircraft Profiles Appendix IV - Kitography Available accessories, kits & decals at time of writing Appendix V - Starfighter Variants 4 pages concerning the different variants of the Starfighter Startfighter Gallery 22 pages of colour photos of the Starfighter Plans 2 Pages of 1/72 plans. There is a lot of text on the type during the first half of the book that cover the airframe beginning through prototype, the initial in-service details, followed by the subsequent upgrades to capabilities. After the US Aircraft there is more consideration to the other nations which then went on to use the type The modelling side of the book begins now, and extends to 11 builds of mostly 1:48 Kinetic & Hasegawa kits, with a 1:72 Revell kit; and a 1:144 Revell Kit for a little variation, that are carried out by various modellers, the names of whom you can see in brackets in the list above. My only criticism of the book would be that it would be better to maybe have less more detailed builds of the main 1:48 kits as a couple are quite spares in modelling details. The next section consists of a number of walk around photos printed on a cream background that shows the airframes in close-up detail, all of which is grist for the mill for us modellers, and includes some nice photos of the landing gear, airframe and sensors all in suitable sizes. The final sections are the Kitography, which I’ve always felt is a tiny bit redundant as things change so quickly in our hobby, as we now have helpful sites like Scalemates that are updated constantly. It’s only three pages though, so nothing to fret about if that’s not your thing. lastly the Gallery section could be considered padding given the large number of photos available on-line now. Conclusion It’s a good reference for the Starfighter as a whole, and is a handy one-stop source of information for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the type. There is a lot of information within and a lot of excellent photos in full colour, which one of the bonuses of a book about a modern fast jet over a WWII type. Well worth a read, and it will be good source of reference down the line. As a modelling book I feel that more time devoted to modelling might help the perceived customer base more than the more numerous but less detailed builds included. Still overall recomended. Review sample courtesy of

Modeller’s Datafile #34 - The McDonnell Douglas Hornet (9781999661670) F/A-18A/B/C/D & International Versions MA Publications The F-18 originally lost out to the F-16 in the light-weight fighter programme under the name of YF-17 Cobra, but was revitalised as the F/A-18 by the US Navy and Marines to replace their ageing and disparate fleet of warplanes such as the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair. There were a lot of noses put out of joint by the retirement of the Tomcat especially, as it was well-loved in the modelling and spotting communities, but the Hornet has won people over in the various conflicts it has taken part in, especially thanks to their ruggedness and successful execution of their duties. The type began with the single-seat A and two-seat B models, which were upgraded later to the C and D models respectively. A new programme to upgrade the capabilities of this robust fighter was instigated that resulted in a substantially larger airframe with the new name Super Hornet that can easily be differentiated from its smaller sibling by the rectangular intakes, if the difference in size isn’t immediately obvious. The A-D models became “Legacy Hornets” when the new design went into service, and the last of them were drawn down by the US Navy in 2019, but have continued in Marine service who are holding out for the F-35C and don’t want to expend their limited resources on Super Hornets that they see as a stop-gap. Other nations have bought Hornets to use in their own air forces, and there are still plenty of legacy Hornets out there now, although none of them are getting any younger. This book is the 34th in the long line of books in the Modeller’s Datafile series, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ book in portrait format with 192 pages within the card cover. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know the content is split between the real aircraft and modelling them, but here’s a more thorough breakdown: Glossary of Terms Introduction Design and Development The F/A-18A, F/A-18A+ and F/A-18B The F/A-18C, F/A-18D and F/A-18D(RC) International Versions Colour Side Views Modelling the F/A-18 Hornet in popular scales Desert Storm ‘Delta’ - 1:48 F/A-18D USMC Green Knights (Ian Gaskell) Omar’s Aggressor - 1:48 F/A-18B US Navy Aggressor (Alan Kelley) War Party - 1:48 F/A-18C US Navy War Party (Alan Kelley) Maple Leaf Hornet - 1:48 CF-188 RCAF Maple Hornet (Gerry Doyle) ‘Moonlighters’ Striker - 1:72 F/A-18D USMC Moonlighters (Danumurthi Mahendra) CAG Bat - 1:32 F/A-18D USMC CAG Bat (Toby Knight) Super-Sized Stinger - 1:32 F/A-18C Fist of the Fleet (James Ashton) NORAD Hornet 1:48 CF-188A NORAD Hornet (Ashley Dunn) Appendices i Walk Arounds F/A-18C 164067 of VFA-94 (James Eberling) F/A-18C 164716 of VFA-151 (James Eberling) F/-18 Cockpits F/A-18D Swiss Air Force (Andy Evans) F/A-18D Finnish Air Force (Andy Evans) F/A-18A A21-6 Royal Australian Air Force (Andy Evans) ii Understanding the Subject iii Technical Diagrams iv Hornet Squadrons v Kitography vi General Characteristics vii Hornet Gallery Scale Plans in 1:72 There is a lot of text on the subject in the book, and some of it makes heavy use of acronyms, so the glossary at the beginning could come in handy during the following pages that covers the airframe beginning with its redesign from the unsuccessful prototype into the tough carrier-based fighter that it became in single and two-seater guises, plus subsequent upgrades to its capabilities in the plus and later the C and D variants, as well as the numerous overseas operators, some of whom are still flying them at time of writing. After the discussion of the airframe comes 12 pages of side profiles of various marks and operators with some colourful schemes on display, including Blue Angels and a NASA airframe. The modelling side of the book begins now, and extends to eight builds of various kits in 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 scales that are carried out by various modellers, the names of whom you can see in brackets in the list above. There are lots of different techniques on display to accomplish the often-weathered look of the Hornet, and with plenty of pictures and text to guide us along, we can all learn something from the builds here. As you can imagine, the recent Kinetic kit in 1:48 and 1:32 makes more than a few appearances, with a couple of Academy kits filling the gaps. The next section consists of a number of walk around photos printed on a cream background that shows the airframes close-up and sometimes in gory detail, all of which is grist for the mill for us modellers, and includes some nice photos of the glass cockpit in suitable sizes that won’t tax ageing eyes like mine, with credits to the photographers where available, which you can again see in brackets above. The “Understanding the Subject” section, although it may sound a little condescending, covers the differences between the types, using my favourite quick-reference style that helps the forgetful folks like me by marking the differences between types in grey, with various invisible changes such as radar and engines helpfully pointed out with arrows and text. The Technical drawings show the various systems and controls of the fighter, including aspects of the ejection seat and how the pilot is connected to it, as well as the flight stick and the effects its various buttons and functions have on the flight envelope. Finally, there is a diagram showing the take-off and landing cycle of the type, alongside the ejection sequence should the need arise as well as all the hand-signals that allow the pilot and ground crew to communicate effectively over the din of the engines when they don’t have comms. A list of Hornet squadrons is next, interspersed with some appropriately appealing pictures, then it’s on to the Kitography, which I’ve always felt is a tiny bit redundant as things change so quickly in our hobby and we now have helpful sites like Scalemates that are updated constantly. It’s only three pages though, so nothing to fret about, and it does include some boxtops, decal sheets and visuals of resin sets in the margin. A short section laying out the general specifications of later C/D marks follows, then we have a gallery of various schemes and operators, followed by some 1:72 scale plans of the F/A-18A and B plus their weapon load-outs. At the very end is an index of contents that is also interspersed with some handsome photos of the type. Conclusion It’s a good reference for the legacy Hornets, and is a handy one-stop source of information for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the type. There is a lot of information within and a lot of excellent photos in full colour, one of the bonuses of a book about a modern fast jet. Well worth a read, and a useful reference down the line. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

MDF Scaled Down #8 - The Dassault Mirage 2000 (9781999661625) 2000B/C/D/N & International versions[/b] MA Publications The Mirage was developed as a replacement for the Mirage III in the 70s, and after some changes to the project, including the French withdrawal from what was to become the Panavia Tornado and the consideration of variable geometry flight, the Mirage 2000 was born. There were several variants of the type, plus some overseas sales that increased the number of airframes in existence to just under 600, seeing active service in Armée de l'air as well as Egypt, Greek, Indian and Peruvian service and a number of others. The final Mirage came off the production line in 2007 and was delivered soon after to the Greek Air Force. Although the earlier versions have been in service for a some substantial length of time, the later variants are relatively new, and the overall design is considered to be 4th generation, so there is plenty of life left in the Mirage 2000 family yet. The Rafale was intended to be its replacement in some roles due to its wider range of capabilities, but the two types fly side-by-side in French service, with the beefed-up Rafale M launched from French carriers, which was a role that the Mirage 2000 could never perform. This book is the 8th in the Modeller’s Datafile Scaledown series, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ book in portrait format with 100 pages within the card cover. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know the content is split between the real aircraft and modelling them, but here’s a more thorough breakdown: Forward Chapter I Development – the Delta returns Chapter II In French service – the Mirage 2000B/C/D/N and the Mirage 2000 at war Chapter III Mirages for export – Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Taiwan, UAE, Brazil and Qatar Colour Side Views Four pages of colour side profiles of various types and operators Modelling the Mirage 2000 in popular scales Mirage 2000C Greek Ghost - 1:48 Kinetic (Jezz Coleman) Mirage 2000C Sting in the Tail - 1:48 Kinetic (James Ashton) Mirage 2000D Desert Striker - 1:48 Kinetic (George Roidis) Mirage 2000D Multi-role Mirage - 1:48 Kinetic (James Ashton) Mirage 2000 Delta Blues - 1:72 Tamiya (Mario Serelle) Mirage 2000B École de Chasse Fighter School - 1:48 Kinetic (René Van Der Hart) Appendix I - Walk arounds Mirage 2000B ‘12-KO’ of the Armée de L’air (Luc Colin) Mirage 2000 ‘4940’ of the Brazilian Air Force (Mario Serelle) Mirage 2000C ‘12-YM’ of the Armée de L’air (Luc Colin) Mirage 2000D ‘3-IU’ of the Armée de L’air (Luc Colin) Mirage 2000N ‘4-AG’ of the Armée de L’air (Luc Colin) Appendix II - Mirage 2000 variants 3 pages with pictures Appendix III - Colourful Mirages 8 pages of colour photos of special schemes Appendix IV - Kitography Available accessories, kits & decals at time of writing There is a lot of text on the type during the first half of the book that cover the airframe beginning through prototype, the initial in-service Mirage 2000, the subsequent upgrades to capabilities required by the native and overseas operators, as well as details of the sales to those operators. After the discussion of the airframe comes 12 pages of side profiles of various marks and operators with some varied schemes on display, including camouflage for desert and temperate climates, plus the ever-present grey jets of various forces. The modelling side of the book begins now, and extends to six builds of mostly 1:48 Kinetic kits, and a 1:72 Tamiya kit for a little variation, that are carried out by various modellers, the names of whom you can see in brackets in the list above. I have laid out the list as per the book, not the index page, as there are some differences in layout and titles, with mine being totally representative of the contents. There are lots of different modelling techniques on display to accomplish the sometimes weathered and dilapidated look of the Mirage 2000, especially when on deployment or in foreign service, with plenty of pictures and text to guide us along, we can all learn something from the builds here. The next section consists of a number of walk around photos printed on a cream background that shows the airframes in close-up detail, all of which is grist for the mill for us modellers, and includes some nice photos of the landing gear, airframe and sensors all in suitable sizes that won’t tax ageing eyes like mine, with credits to the photographers, which you can again see in brackets above. The short “Mirage 2000 Variants” section covers the differences between the types in short text summaries with a photo of most types next door for a quick visual cue. The “Colourful Mirages” extends to eight pages and shows lovely side-on photos of special schemes, many of which are for the Tigermeets that they often attend. Some colourful tails are also picked out in close-up photos, along with fuel tank and underside details for a few. The final section is the Kitography, which I’ve always felt is a tiny bit redundant as things change so quickly in our hobby, as we now have helpful sites like Scalemates that are updated constantly. It’s only three pages though, so nothing to fret about if that’s not your thing. Conclusion It’s a good reference for the Mirage 2000, and is a handy one-stop source of information for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the type. There is a lot of information within and a lot of excellent photos in full colour, which one of the bonuses of a book about a modern fast jet over a WWII type. Well worth a read, and it will be good source of reference down the line. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Modellers Data File #37 - The F-15 Eagle (9781838045814) MA Publications The need for a replacement to the F-4 was identified in the mid 1960s to counter the threat of existing and new aircraft that were being designed by the Soviet Union. Initially, the request was for an aircraft that had both air and ground capabilities and considerably heavier and faster than the F-4, however this was changed to focus on air superiority in both close and long range scenarios following analysis of air-to-air combat in the US Air Force in the 60s. With 4 manufacturers entering the competition to supply the USAF with an aircraft to meet their F-X requirement, the F-15 won with the decision being made in 1969. Powered by P&W F100 engines, it had a power weight ratio greater than 1, low wing loading to improve manoeuvrability, a radar that could identify low flying targets amongst ground clutter and operate beyond visual range and had all round visibility for the pilot improving visibility significantly compared to the F-4. Not least, one of the lessons learned was that a gun is necessary, so a Vulcan M-61 cannon was installed. With the first flight taking place in 1972 of the F-15A, the first of 483 F-15Cs flew in 1978 benefiting from additional internal fuel, ability to carry the ungainly conformal fuel tanks, the APG-63 PSP radar that could be reprogrammed to suit new weapons, stronger landing gear to cope with a greater maximum weight and new flight systems. In 1985, the F-15s coming off the production lines were to become part of the MSIP (Multi-stage Improvement Programme) that would allow ease of adaptation for developing weapons systems. Whilst the US are the largest operator of the F-15, first blood was achieved with the Israeli Air Force in 1979 developing an enviable reputation against Syrian Migs over Lebanon and went on to use the air-ground capability in the 80s. During the Gulf War, the US followed up this success with their F-15s again in combat with MiG 21s, 23s, 25s and 29s. Of the 39 air-air victories scored by the US Air Force in the Gulf War, the F-15Cs had claimed 34 of them. Over 170 F-15Cs will remain in service for many years to come yet. More recent upgrades to the aircraft are a new AN/APG Radar that link to the helmet mounted sighting system as well as the latest evolutions in armament to ensure that the F-15 remains a potent weapon. As well as Continuing service with the US and Israeli Air Forces, the F-15 also continues to operate with Japan and Saudi Arabia. The F-15E was developed in the 1980s for long range strike without requiring an escort. As well as retaining the capabilities of the single seat fighter conformal fuel tanks fitted with hard points enabled a wide variety of air-to-ground weapons to be carried. The F-15E has been further developed into the F-15I, K, S and SG. Further developments for Saudi Arabia and Qatar will include the SA and SQ, with a further upgrade in Israel being the IA. The USAF is currently purchasing new F-15s in the form of the F-15EX so there plenty of life left in the design yet. This book is the 37th in the long line of books in the Modeller’s Datafile series, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ book in portrait format with 184 pages within the card cover. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know the content is split between the real aircraft and modelling them, but here’s a more thorough breakdown: Introduction Chapter I Flight of the Eagle - A Formidable Fighter Chapter II Wings of the Eagle - The F-15A to F-15D Chapter III Striking Eagles - The F-15E Chapter IV International Eagles - Israel, South Korea, Singapore, Saudi Arabia & Japan Chapter V Specialised Eagles - Test, Evaluation and Proposed Versions. Colour Side Views Eight pages of colour side profiles of various types and operators Modelling the Starfighter Digital Eagle - 1:48 Academy F-15 C/D (Alan Kelly) Wolf Hounds Eagle - 1:48 Tamiya F-15C (Jos Jansen) Tiger Lead - 1:48 Revell F-15E (Dawid Branski) Updated Eagle - 1:72 Academy F-15C MISP (Danumurthi Mahendra) Eagle Strike - 1:48 Revell F-15E (Toby Knight) Thunder Struck - 1:72 Great Wall Hobby F-15I (Marie Serelle) Eagle School - 1:48 Hasegawa F-15D (Pascal Klasen) Euro Fighter - 1.48 Great Wall Hobby F-15C (Christian Gerard) Appendix I - Technical Diagrams 10 pages with pictures Appendix II - Walkarounds USAF F-15C IDF F-15I Ra'am JASDF F-15J UASF F-15E Appendix III - Understanding the Subject 4 pages of Aircraft Profiles Appendix IV - F-15 Variants 2 pages concerning the different variants of the Appendix V - F-15 Specifications 4 pages concerning the specifications Appendix VI- Kitography Available accessories, kits & decals at time of writing Startfighter Gallery 12 pages of colour photos of the Starfighter Plans 3 Pages of 1/72 plans. There is a lot of text on the type during the first half of the book that cover the airframe beginning through prototype, the initial in-service details, followed by the subsequent upgrades to capabilities. After the US Aircraft there is more consideration to the other nations which then went on to use the type The modelling side of the book begins now, and extends to 8 builds of mostly 1:48 kits, with two 1/72 kits for a little variation, that are carried out by various modellers, the names of whom you can see in brackets in the list above. My only criticism of the book would be that it would be better to maybe have less more detailed builds of the main 1:48 kits as a couple are quite spares in modelling details. The next section consists of a number of walk around photos printed on a cream background that shows the airframes in close-up detail, all of which is grist for the mill for us modellers, and includes some nice photos of the landing gear, airframe and sensors all in suitable sizes. The final sections are the Kitography, which I’ve always felt is a tiny bit redundant as things change so quickly in our hobby, as we now have helpful sites like Scalemates that are updated constantly. It’s only three pages though, so nothing to fret about if that’s not your thing. lastly the Gallery section could be considered padding given the large number of photos available on-line now. Conclusion It’s a good reference for the Eagle as a whole, and is a handy one-stop source of information for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the type. There is a lot of information within and a lot of excellent photos in full colour, which one of the bonuses of a book about a modern fast jet over a WWII type. Well worth a read, and it will be good source of reference down the line. As a modelling book I feel that more time devoted to modelling might help the perceived customer base more than the more numerous but less detailed builds included. Still overall recomended. Review sample courtesy of

MDF Scaled Down #11 - The A-6 Intruder (9781999661687) Including KA-6D, EA-6A & EA-6b MA Publications The Intruder was the eventual replacement for the successful and long-lived Skyraider (as was the A-4), and was unusual in having a side-by-side cockpit arrangement for the pilots, which meant a wide nose that became well known due to its involvement in operations and deployments around the world. Entering service in 1963 in the Vietnam war, it performed all-weather and night attack missions extensively throughout the conflict for the US Navy and the Marines, it had a long service life that was ended prematurely by the need to cut costs after the Gulf War. The A variant was the first into service, and incorporated some leading edge systems to enable it to fly low over terrain with little to no visibility. Due to the complexity of the systems, it was also equipped with a self-diagnosis system that could be used to test and report faults from within the aircraft without costly and time-consuming strip-downs, thus saving many hours in the hangar. The following variants showed the versatility of the airframe from buddy-buddy refueller to electronic warfare in the EA-6 Prowler, but the definitive variant is considered to be the later E, which was upgraded in the 70s with the TRAM (Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor) turret that allowed it to drop laser guided munitions, further extending its usefulness. The Prowler was the last Intruder based airframe to be drawn down in 2009 and was replaced by the EA-18G Growler that took over electronic warfare duties.. This book is the 11th in the Modeller’s Datafile Scaledown series, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ book in portrait format with 96 pages within the card cover. If you’re familiar with the series, you’ll know the content is split between the real aircraft and modelling them, but here’s a more thorough breakdown: Introduction Chapter I Design & Development - Birth of a Bomb Truck Chapter II Later Models - and specialised variants Chapter III The EA-6A Intruder - Early Electronic Warriors Chapter IV Beam Riders - The EA-6B Prowler Colour Side Views Four pages of colour side profiles of various types and operators Modelling the A6 and EA-6 Desert Strom Intruder - 1:48 Kinetic A-6E (Hong-Hwan Jang) Iron Works Bomber - 1:48 Kinetic A-6E (James Ashton) Flight of the Intruder - 1:48 Hobby Boss (Brian Wakeman) Green Machine - 1/72 Tamiya (Mike Williams) Jammin' Wizards - 1/48 Kinetic EA-6B (James Ashton) Scorpion on Deck - 1/48 Kinetic EA-6B (Hyun Soo Kim) Appendix I - Walkarounds A-6 Intruder EA-6B 160437 VAQ-142 Appendix II - Technical Diagrams 6 pages with pictures Appendix III - Intruder and Prowler Squadrons 2 pages of Squadron Details Appendix IV - A-6 Intruder General Characteristics 2 Pages of technical information. Appendix V - Kitography Available accessories, kits & decals at time of writing Plans 2 Pages of 1/72 A-6 Palnsa, and 2 pages of 1/72 EA-6B Plans There is a lot of text on the type during the first half of the book that cover the airframe beginning through prototype, the initial in-service details, followed by the subsequent upgrades to capabilities. After the discussion of the airframe comes 12 pages of side profiles of various marks and operators with some varied schemes on display, including camouflage for desert and special schemes, plus the ever-present grey jets. The modelling side of the book begins now, and extends to six builds of mostly 1:48 Kinetic kits, and a 1:72 Tamiya kit for a little variation, that are carried out by various modellers, the names of whom you can see in brackets in the list above. There are lots of different modelling techniques on display to accomplish the sometimes weathered looks carrier based aircraft acquired, with plenty of pictures and text to guide us along, we can all learn something from the builds here. The next section consists of a number of walk around photos printed on a cream background that shows the airframes in close-up detail, all of which is grist for the mill for us modellers, and includes some nice photos of the landing gear, airframe and sensors all in suitable sizes, strangely no credits to the photographers are included here? The final section is the Kitography, which I’ve always felt is a tiny bit redundant as things change so quickly in our hobby, as we now have helpful sites like Scalemates that are updated constantly. It’s only three pages though, so nothing to fret about if that’s not your thing. Conclusion It’s a good reference for the A-6 and later EA-6, and is a handy one-stop source of information for anyone wanting to improve their knowledge of the type. There is a lot of information within and a lot of excellent photos in full colour, which one of the bonuses of a book about a modern fast jet over a WWII type. Well worth a read, and it will be good source of reference down the line. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

IDF Armour Modelling (9781838045838) MA Publications Ever since the state of Israel was created after WWII, they have been using cast-off and hand-me-down equipment for their defence forces, utilising their ingenuity to prolong the service life of vehicles that should have been retired long ago. A lot of Israeli equipment was provided by the US, but they have never been afraid of pressing captured armour into service, often after substantial modification to suit their needs. Through the years they have begun to be more self-sufficient from the US and other countries, producing more of their own indigenous products, such as the Merkava range of tanks that is now on its fourth iteration. They have also made inroads into weapons manufacturing in both the armour and air warfare arenas, which has put them alongside some of the best in their respective industries and opened up markets for their products. Whilst you may not be familiar with the name MA Publications, you’ll surely know some of their magazines, such as Model Aircraft Monthly, Scale Aviation Modeller International, and Scale Military Modeller International. This book is perfect-bound A4+ portrait formatted, with 80 pages of genuine content within, covering a substantial 21 builds of various types of armour, some using conversion sets, in great detail. It is printed in full colour on glossy paper with masses of large photos throughout, accompanied by a lot of text to keep you busily reading, while assimilating a whole raft of modelling techniques, some of which you might have heard of, others you might not. The book begins with an index of the builds so that you can flip to any particular build if you’re so minded, after which there is a brief two-page history of the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) with some interesting photos of various types mixed in. Then the builds begin, in the following order: Isherman – Jerusalem Chariot, Dragon M51 (Andy Renshaw) Desert Whip – Sho’t Kal Gimel with Explosive Reactive Armour, AFV Club (Matt Edwards) Battlefield Engineering – Academy M113 with Mr Modellbau, Friul & Eduard accessories (Jan-Willem Fischer) Urban Stinger – Academy M163A/1 Vulcan SPAAG with Legend conversion (Keith Forsyth) Up-Gunned Workhorse – Cyber Hobby M50 Super Sherman (Jan-Willem Fischer) Urban Monster – Tiger Models Nagmachon with Doghouse (David Francis) Blazer Armour – Magach 6B Gal Batash, Academy M60 with Legend conversion (Rob Andrews) Israeli Re-Engineering – Tamiya Tiran 5 (Keith Forsyth) Magach Magic – Academy Magach 7C Gimel (Matt Edwards) Ramming Hit – Magach 6B Gal Batash, Italeri M60 with Legend conversion (Keith Forsyth) Desert Lightning – Legend Productions Merkava IIIB Baz (Keith Forsyth) Nagmachon – Clearance Under Fire – AFV Club kit with Legend conversion (Keith Forsyth) Merkava 3D – Meng Model built with Blast Models, Legend & Model Miniature Upgrades (Maxime Levesque) Desert Chariot – Hobby Boss Merkava IV (Ray Deakin) Clearing the Way – Academy Merkava III with Mine-Rollers (Rick Saucier) Battlefield Support – Meng Model Achzarit (Keith Forsyth) Ultimate M113 Zelda – Academy M113 with HK Models conversion (Lee Hoe Yen) Yom Kippur Warrior – Tamiya M113 with Eduard and Model Kasten accessories (Patrick Brown) Modular Armour – Magach 7C – Academy M60 with Legend conversion (Keith Forsyth) Kasman – Urban Protection – Blast Models Kit with Friul tracks (Jan-Willem Fischer) Access All Areas – AFV Club M109A2 Doher with Black Dog, Real Model & Friul upgrades (Keith Forsyth) Each build spans several pages and has good sized pictures so that you can see the detail well enough to be useful. The builds use a variety of techniques to achieve their effects, so if you’re still learning (aren’t we all?) then you might pick up some new things to try, and even if you think the schemes depicted are over- or under-done, your next model can use a modulation of those techniques to achieve the effect that you want. It’s nice to see the use of older kits with a variable quantity of aftermarket, as well as some unusual conversions from various companies. Conclusion The disparate and home-made, sometimes Heath-Robinson appearance of some Israeli armour makes for interesting viewing, and while it doesn’t necessarily appeal to everyone, it does to many, and in recent years there has been a big increase in available kits as well as conversions, many of which you can see in this book. We can all learn a little bit more about the IDF and their wide range of AFVs that have been devised for some very specific purposes at times. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Airkraft Modelling Guide Fighters & Attack Aircraft of the Vietnam War (9780995546080) MA Publications The Vietnam war saw the heavy use of aircraft and is one of the most modelled with lots of available kits, and source material. All braches of the US Military fielded aircraft in the war as well as their allies, and both armies of Vietnam. This new magazine style publication from MA publication give us a look at different aircraft use and 19 builds across the two most popular scales of 1/72 & 1/48., plus an odd 1:100 kit, There are information panels along side each build and a small history section at the beginning of the book (through one photo of Crusaders on a bombing run is actually taken in the 1970s over a range in the US! The builds featured are; US Navy F-4J - 1:48 Eduard (Academy kit) F-104 Starfighter - 1:48 Hasegawa F-104C US Navy F-4B - 1:48 Eduard (Academy kit) Arc Light Escort - 1:72 F-102 Meng Army Air - 1:48 Roden JOV-1A Mowhawk Fighter for Freedom - 1:48 VNAF F-5B Kinetic Gunfighters over Vietnam - 1:48 F-8E Monogram Fighting Fishbed - 1:48 MiG-21MF Academy Spook Shooter - 1:72 F-4D Italeri Green Machine - 1:72 A-6E Tamiya (Italeri kit) Hun On the Hunt - 1:48 F-100C Trumpeter Night Intruder - 1:72 B-57B Italeri Fresco Fighter - 1:49 MiG-17 HobbyBoss Sky Spotter - 1:72 O-1 Bird Dog Airfix Scooter Strike - 1:48 A-4 Eduard (Hasegawa kit) Dragons Teeth - 1:48 A-37A Trumpeter Flying Gas Station - 1:48 KA-6D Fujimi Jungle Viper - 1:100 AH-1G Revell Aussie Bomber - 1:48 Canberra Airfix It is good to see different kits are used which are readily available, reasonably priced; and in terms of the older kits it is good to see them not forgotten. The different modellers also use difference techniques and products on the various models so its good to be able to see them, and contrast their use. The reader will then be able to try a couple and see what works for them. The downside here is that this is a sponsored publication from HATAKA so only their paints are used with the obligatory recommendations. Conclusion This is a well put together publication for the modeller thinking of their next Vietnam war build. There is a good range of kits and techniques on show, as well photos of the real thing. Their is not too much history in this publication as most of it is devoted to the builds. When looking at the builds it also seems that some of the content here has been "recycled" into other MA Publications titles. In particular in this one I see that the A-6 build is in their A-6 Guide, and the F-104 is in their F-104 guide, as not having access to any other publications. Recommended if you want a book on modelling aircraft from Vietnam, though with the caveats that it is a sponsored publication with some of the builds appearing in other titles also. Review sample courtesy of

Building the Spitfire (9781916100558) Model Aircraft (Extra) Special #6 MA Publications Whilst you may not be familiar with the name MA Publications, you’ll surely know some of their magazines, such as Model Aircraft Monthly, Scale Aviation Modeller International, and Scale Military Modeller International. This book from their Model Aircraft Special range is the sixth in the series of course, and arrives as a perfect-bound A4+ portrait formatted book, with 112 pages of genuine content within, covering a massive 24 builds of the illustrious Supermarine Spitfire in great detail. It is printed in full colour on glossy paper with masses of large photos throughout, accompanied by a lot of text to keep you busy reading, while assimilating a gamut of modelling techniques, some of which you might have heard of, others you might not. The book begins with an index of the builds so that you can flip to any particular build if you’re so minded, after which there is a not-so-brief history of the Spitfire that stretches across eight pages with some interesting photos of various types mixed in. Then the builds begin, in the following order: Photo Fighter - Airfix 1:48 Spitfire FR.XIV by Jezz Colman Jungle Shark! – Tamiya 1:32 Spitfire Mk.VIII by Andrew Root Black Spitfire in Egypt – Hasegawa 1:32 Spitfire Mk.Va by Andrew Root Silver Spitfire – Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Spitfire FR.18 (using conversion) by Chad Summers Step By Step Spitfire – Trumpeter 1:24 Spitfire Mk.Vb by Olivier Soulleys Janetka – Tamiya 1:32 Spitfire Mk.XVIe by Mark Casiglia PRU Blue Thai Spitfire – Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX by Gerry Doyle African Ace – Eduard 1:48 Spitfire Mk.IXc Early by Jay Blakemore Doodle-Bug Destroyer – Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Spitfire Mk.XIV by Andrew Root Spitfire Over the Sphinx – Eduard 1:48 Spitfire Mk.IXc by Alex Roughsedge Invasion Striped Spitfire – Revell 1:48 Spitfire Mk.XIc by Gerry Doyle American Spitfire – Ari 1:48 Spitfire Mk.VIII by Angel Exposito Tropical Times – Airfix 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb by James Ashton Maltese Mask – Tamiya Spitfire Mk.IXc by James Ashton Amphibious Spitfire – Airfix 1:48 Spitfire Mk.Vb with conversion by Gerry Doyle A Super-Detailed Spitfire – Airfix 1:72 Spitfire Mk.IX by Andy Bannister In the Pink – Revell 1:32 Spitfire Mk.IX as an FR.IX by Andrew Root Super Size Spitfire – Revell 1:32 Spitfire Mk.IIa by Alan Kelley Black Panther Spitfire – Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Spitfire Mk.XIVc by Andrew Root Seafire! – Revell 1:32 Spitfire Mk.22/24 with conversion by Andrew Root Fleet Air Arm Fighter – Airfix 1:48 Spitfire F.XVII by Chris McDowell A Civilian Spitfire – Tamiya 1:32 Spitfire Mk.XIc by Andrew Root Supermarine Bomber – Eduard 1:48 Spitfire Mk.XVI by Dirk Schmitz Spitfire Specifics – Airfix 1:48 Spitfire Mk.XIV by Alan Price I think I detect a possible theme here. Spitfires, maybe? Each build spans several pages and has good sized pictures so that you can see the detail in… detail! There are a few too many red crowbars on the entry door for the purists, but don’t let that put you off. I think they look rather nice personally. The builds use a variety of techniques to achieve their effects, so if you’re still learning (aren’t we all?) then you might pick up some new things to try, and even if you think the schemes depicted are over- or underdone, your next model can use a modulation of those techniques to achieve the effect that you want. I’d love to know if Andrew Root ever builds anything that’s not a spitfire! In jest of course. It’s nice to see the use of older kits with a variable quantity of aftermarket, as well as some unusual conversions from various companies. Conclusion If Spitfires are your thing, and for plenty of people they are (self included), there’s a lot of Spitfire action to be had in this book, and we can all learn a little bit more about modelling this thoroughbred fighter from our Darkest Hour. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Model Aircraft Extra - Building the Harrier (978191610541) MA Publications There can be no doubt the Harrier is one of Britain's iconic aircraft. The ability to take off and land vertically made it in a league of its own until the new F-35 arrived. While it was used by the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, US Marine Corps, The Spanish Navy, Indian Navy; and the Italian Navy. It is most famous for it's participation in the Falklands war. As well as this Harriers went on to serve in the Gulf War, over Bosnia, Libya and in Afghanistan. This new magazine style publication from MA publication give us a look at the harrier and 13 builds across the two most popular scales of 1/72 & 1/48. Inter spaced between the builds are articles on the different types of Harrier and their use in the different conflicts they have taken part in; containing many photos which will be of interest, and use to the modeller. There are also 2 pages of 1:72 plans towards the middle of the book. The builds are; First Generation Duo - 1:48 Mongram AV-8A Artic Harrier - 1:48 Eduard Gr.7/9 SHAR School - 1:48 Kinetic T.2/T.4 So Long SHAR - 1:48 Kinetic FA2 Vertical Reality - 1:48 Kinetic FA2 VSTOL Radar Raider - 1:48 Hasegawa AV-8B Falkland Fighter - 1:48 Kinetic FRS.1 Artic Training - 1:48 Kinetic T.2/T.4 Marines Jumper - 1:72 Airfix AV-8A Hover and Out - 1:48 Kinetic FA2 Spanish Matador - 1:72 Airfix GR.1 Harrier in Helmond - 1:72 Airfix GR.7A/GR.9A Step-by-Step SHAR- 1:48 Airfix FA2 One of the good things about this is that is is not a "sponsored" publication. Different kits are used which are readily available, reasonably priced; and in terms of the older kits it is good to see them not forgotten. The different modellers also use difference techniques and products on the various models so its good to be able to see them, and contrast their use. The reader will then be able to try a couple and see what works for them, rather than have the whole publication dedicated to a particular product or technique. Conclusion This is a well put together publication for the modeller thinking of a building a Harrier. There is a good range of kits and techniques on show, as well as scale plans, and photos of the real thing. Highly recommended . Review sample courtesy of