Trumpeter TU05304

USS Constellation CV-64 PART I (designed to be used with Trumpeter kits) This BiG-Ed set includes all these Eduard sets..... ED53281 USS Constellation CV-64 part 1 - lifeboats 1/350 ED53282 USS Constellation CV-64 part 2 - aircraft 1/350 ED53283 USS Constellation CV-64 part 3 - railings & safety nets

More

USS Nimitz CVN-68 PART II (designed to be used with Trumpeter kits) This BiG-Ed set includes all these Eduard sets.... ED53298 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 4 1/350 ED53299 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 5 1/350 ED53300 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 6 1/350 ED53301 USS Nimitz CVN-68 part 7 1/350

More

How To Build The Leopard MBT Family In 1:35 A comprehensive guide to modelling this famous vehicle in its many forms. From battle tanks to recovery vehicles, homeland protectors, to battle-hardened veterans, you'll find much to enjoy and inspire within the pages of this exciting new book. Along with the work of the author, you will also find guest features from Brett Green, Marcel Jussen and John Murphy, who's combined talents help tell the story of the seven models, including the Leopard MBT 1 A3, 2A4NL, 2A5, AEV, 2A6 and as a specially extended section, the incredible Canadian, C2 MEXAS. Each of the chapters tells the story of a model using in-depth construction and painting guides, as well as hints and tips on detailing, conversions, sculpting and figure painting. Add to that some exclusive, full-sized reference material and the reasons to add this book to your library, are there for all to see.

More

Army in Focus 1. 72 pages and it has 70 photos, 26 of them original color-photos. THE FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!!! Heer im Focus No 1 72 pages, 70 photos - thereof 26 in colourFarbe, 5 colourprofiles, 5 coloured emblemes, 1 coloured document, 9 coloured maps Photos with a Story: The 18. Panzer-Division in the Eastern Campaign" Part 1 22 June 1941-The Attack across the River Bug Were Submersible Tanks Actually Used? Camouflage Schemes: Striped Camouflage; Often Used but Still Rare Scenery: A Picture that Gets Under One's Skin Patrol from the 61. Infanterie-Division under Fire - A unique photograph from the Tikhvin Front Sign Jungles: The "T-34 Sign Jungle" in the Centre of Minsk Camouflage: Helmet Camouflage-Mobile Cabbages Emblems: The Emblem of the Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505 in Detail - A Colour Drawing on an Original Document Reveals Every Detail Vehicles of the Wehrmacht: A Wanderer Convertible with Civilian Number Plate Motorcycles: They Were Indispensable! Fates: An Example of Identifying a Location and a Graveyard Based on a Photograph Wearer of the Knight's Cross: Oberst Michael Bauer - The Knight's Cross Holder from Herzogenaurach Signs: The "Frontline Shower Bath" Unusual: The "Lili Marleen Barracks" in a Russian Village Slapstick by the Train of the 18. Panzer-Division

More

Duke Hawkins: Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound This is a 108 page book and the first time that a really close look is offered of the MiG-31 Foxhound. Some 250 photos show the fuselage, wings, air intakes, landing gear, gear bays and different cockpits. A lot of great action photos and air-to-air photos are included of aircraft of the Air Forces of Russia and Kazakhstan. A unique view of the 50 ton interceptor, capable of flying at speeds to up to 3.000 km/h.

More

Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker E - 116 pages For the first time, a book offering a complete look at one of Russia's most modern fighter jets, the Su-35S Flanker E. This ultimate evolution of the Flanker is equipped with powerful engines with thrust vectoring exhausts, a glass cockpit and many new flight and defence systems. The book shows every detail of the aircraft, from the forward fuselage to the wings, landing gear and vertical tails. 8 pages of cockpit photos are included! Action photos picture the aircraft in flight and during operations. It is filled with over 250 spectacular photos, never before published.

More

Luftwaffe im Focus Edition No 19 - 50 pages, about 67 photos - thereof 8 in colour, 3 colour profiles, 1 coloured map, 1 coloured document, 4 coloured emblems, Readerforum - Yellow or orange-the never-ending discussion: Colour slides provide new insight - Aircraft in Focus: The Junkers Ju-88 Flamethrower Aircraft of I./KG 51 - The Staffel Emblem of 3./JG52: One of the last unknown fighter emblems is identified - The history of the Savoia Staffel - Unusual: The Taxiway Bridge - Tails: Hptm. Hans-Christian Schafer, 4./JG5 - The fate of a close-support pilot on the Somme - as well as articles and photos to more topics...

More

Russian Aviation Colours 1909-1922. Volume 3 Red Stars. WAS £40.00. NOW BEING CLEARED!! SAVE 1/3RD!!! The third volume of the Russian Aviation Colours series. Books describe the history of the little-known emblems and distinctive markings of Russian military aviation from its early origins up to the Russian exit from World War One. The authors have managed to collect, and in some cases partially reconstruct, most emblems and signs used in Russia during this period by military aviation units. The collected material is presented in a clear and attractive form - colour plates, reconstructed logos, and original photographs from public and private archives. This profusely illustrated book covers all the aircraft used, with brief details of their service use and comprehensive details of the colours and markings they carried. Besides the many photographs, full colour profiles illustrate the markings applied. Detailed colour notes and precise descriptions and illustration of national markings over the period complete a book that will be invaluable to aircraft enthusiasts, historians and modellers. Vol 3 describes aircraft used by early Soviet aviation.

More

BIRTH OF A LEGEND McDONNELL F4H-1 PHANTOM II 185-pages, 69-color photos, 251-b&w photos, 127-illustrations. In late 1953, McDonnell Aircraft made an unsolicited proposal to the U.S. Navy for a big, carrier-based, supersonic, "All-Weather Attack Fighter". After not much more than a cursory review, it was rejected. That inauspicious beginning subsequently resulted in one of the world's best known jet fighters, the F-4H/F-4 Phantom. This book covers the 1st 47 F4H-1/F-4A aircraft. This monograph by highly regarded U.S. Naval aircraft historian Tommy H. Thomason documents in well-illustrated detail how the Phantom came to be, including previously unpublished information about the Bureau of Aeronautics evaluation in 1954 of unsolicited proposals from other manufacturers competing for the Navy's fighter business that resulted in the award of a development contract to McDonnell for the AH-1; the conflict within the Navy over the decision to convert it to a all missile-armed, fleet-air-defense fighter, the F4H; and the fly-off between the F4H and the Vought F8U-3. Also illustrated in three-view drawings and photographs are the evolution of the configuration from the proposal to the final one that took flight in 1958. The most significant steps in the process of designing , developing, and evaluating the Phantom in the late 1950s are highlighted, with a discussion and depictions of the most significant new technology incorporated and the changes that rested. A description of each of the flights that resulted in records and two that tragically didn't is included. At least one photograph is provided of each of the first 47 F4Hs, along with a summary history of each one from its first flight to the circumstances of its withdrawal from service and the location of the 10 known survivors. Other sections provide a matrix by Bureau Number of configurations, cockpit and technical illustrations of interest to modelers, a summary of model kits/conversions available, and color photographs of notable F4Hs and test pilots. cover NF108 ads.jpg Naval Fighters Number 108

More

Boeing F4B Biplane written by retired Navy Captain Richard S. Dann. With 408 b&w photos and 24 drawings filling its 160-pages. After three years of intensive research, author Richard S. Dann has finally produced the definitive history of the Boeing F4B, the Navy's iconic Golden Age fighting plane. The Boeing F4B, a favorite of pilots who flew it, still draws interest of hobbyists and historians alike, primarily due to the striking paint schemes worn by these aircraft during their service. Boeing, a company in existence since 1916, had produced a number of fighter aircraft for both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Derived from the company's successful PW-9 series for the Army, Boeing developed what can be considered the first truly successful carrier fighter with their FB series. First flown in 1925, the FB set the stage for the development of several follow-on aircraft for the Navy, namely the F2B and F3B. These aircraft were manufactured using state-of-the-art techniques, being constructed with welded tube fuselages and wooden wing structure, with fabric covered surfaces. These standard construction methods were also used in the Boeing Models 83 and 89, which were built on speculation, tested by the Navy in 1928 and subsequently purchased as the XF4B-1. Sufficiently impressed with their performance, the Navy ordered 27 F4B-1s with deliveries commencing in 1929. A second version, the F4B-2 was developed with improvements over the initial model and also put into production with 27 built. As the decade of the 1930s began, the use of traditional construction techniques of welded tube fuselages gave way to airframes manufactured using lightweight aluminum alloys. Use of semi-monocoque, stressed skin aluminum offered lighter airframes and subsequently, higher performance. In the F4B series, this was first seen on the company-funded Model 218 prototype, which bridged the gap between the earlier and later versions of the F4B. The later versions of the F4B, the F4B-3 and F4B-4 were partially constructed of aluminum alloys as first used on the Model 218 in place of steel tubes, offering high strength and light weight. Just 21 F4B-3s were built before Boeing switched production to the F4B-4, of which 92 were built. Boeing's F4B dominated U.S. Navy fighter and some bomber squadrons from 1931 to 1935, with the last squadrons of F4Bs transitioning in 1938. As F4Bs were phased out of front-line service, they were turned over to the training command, and later, as unmanned aerial targets used for training shipboard anti-aircraft gunnery crews as part of Project FOX. The last F4Bs were withdrawn from service in 1942. The first half of this 160-page monograph covers the developmental history of the F4B. Each version from F4B-1 to F4B-4 is covered, as well as the Boeing Model 218, which served as the prototype for the F4B-3 and F4B-4. 408 photographs and 24 drawings provide an in-depth study of each version. Much of the data for this section comes from period test reports and specification documents. In addition, a history of each airframe is provided, including squadron assignments, mishaps, strike dates, final disposition and total hours of flight time, if known. This is followed by an operational history of each Navy and Marine Corps squadron that operated the F4B as well as other Navy/Marine Corps commands that operated the type. Also included is a history of the Boeing Models 256 and 267, export variants that were sold to Brazil and the F4B-4A, which consisted of P-12s given to the Navy. Just two F4Bs found their way to civilian operators, and their civilian use is also included in this book. The final chapter dedicated to the aircraft discusses eight new-build Boeings that have been under construction in Gardnerville, Nevada since 1993. The first of these aircraft is expected to fly in late 2023 or early 2024. As with nearly all Ginter books, the final chapter is devoted to model kits. In the latest book of Steve Ginter's Naval Fighters series, you'll find many interesting facts you may not have known about the F4B.

More

SMOKIN' TIGERS A Pictorial History of Reconnaissance Attack Squadron ONE (RVAH-1)by Michael Grove and Angelo Romano On 1 Nov 1955, Heavy Attack Squadron ONE (HATRON ONE or VAH-1) was established and temporarily based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida. On the same day, CDR P.F. Stevens assumed the command of the squadron. He was a highly decorated patrol-bomber pilot during World War II. In 1956, VAH-1 underwent an intensive training schedule in anticipation of the receipt of the new jet, Douglas A3D-1 Skywarrior. Designed with an eye toward the Heavy Attack mission, the A3D was an atomic bomber, fully capable of carrier operations. On 31 Mar 1956, the squadron received five A3D-1s, thereby becoming the first fleet unit to take delivery of the jet-powered nuclear bomber. The squadron's initial deployments were to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic area onboard USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) and USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). Following their return from their Apr-Aug 1962 cruise, the SMOKIN' TIGERS began transitioning to the North-American A-5A Vigilante. On 22 Jan 1963, the first A-5A was accepted for service by the squadron at NAS Sanford, Florida, and in March of that year, VAH-1 became the first squadron to win a monthly bombing contest while flying the A-5A. The squadron also completed one deployment with the heavy attack version of the Vigilante on the INDEPENDENCE during Aug 1963-Mar 1964, participating on several NATO and Sixth Fleet exercises. Upon returning to Sanford, VAH-1 began transitioning to the RA-5C, with squadron skipper CDR J. W. Taft delivering the first example from the North-American plant at Columbus on 10 July 1964. On 1 Sep 1964, the squadron was redesignated RVAH-1. The SMOKIN' TIGERS logged their first combat deployment to Southeast Asia during May-Dec 1965, completing 308 combat missions. Over the course of the next 13 years, RVAH-1 alternated between the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, completing three additional combat cruises. Like all RA-5C squadrons, it shifted homeports from Sanford to NAS Albany, Georgia, in 1968, and in 1974 moved to NAS Key West, Florida. The second fleet squadron to operate the Vigilante, RVAH-1 disestablished on 29 Jan 1979. Pages: 120 Size: 8.5 X 11 (inches) Format: Soft bound Illustrations: 140 color and 93 B&W photos, 73 color profiles, 10 drawings and 24 patches.

More

Re-printed! The McDonnell F-4A/F-4B/F-4N/F-4J/F-4S & RF-4B Phantom US Navy and Marine Corps Versions By Andy Evans 84 Pages Full Colour The iconic F-4 Phantom is one of the most recognisable aircraft ever produced. Initially built for the US Navy, its multi-role abilities as an interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance platform were quickly adopted by the Marine Corps and first entered service in 1961. So impressed with the Navy's new aircraft, the US Air Force also ordered the Phantom, and production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history, and cementing its position as an iconic combat aircraft of the Cold War. A total of forty-five F-4As were built, however, none saw combat, and most ended up as test or training aircraft. The USN and USMC received the first definitive Phantom, the F-4B which was equipped with the Westinghouse APQ-72 radar, a Texas Instruments AAA-4 Infrared search and track pod under the nose, an AN/AJB-3 bombing system in 1961 and VF-121 'Pacemakers' taking the first examples at NAS Miramar. The F-4J improved both air-to-air and ground-attack capabilities and deliveries began in 1966 and ended in 1972 with 522 built. It was equipped with the Westinghouse AN/AWG-10 Fire Control System (making the F-4J the first fighter in the world with operational look-down/shoot-down capability), a new integrated missile control system and the AN/AJB-7 bombing system for expanded ground attack capability. The F-4N (updated F-4B) with smokeless engines and F-4J aerodynamic improvements started in 1972 under a Navy-initiated refurbishment program called 'Project Bee Line'. The F-4S model resulted from the refurbishment of 265 F-4Js with J79-GE-17 smokeless engines, an AWG-10B radar with digitised circuitry for improved performance and reliability, a Honeywell AN/AVG-8 Visual Target Acquisition Set or VTAS (world's first operational Helmet Sighting System), avionics improvements, airframe reinforcement and leading-edge slats for enhanced manoeuvring. With the introduction of the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, by 1987 the last F-4Ss were being retired from deployable USN squadrons, and on 25 March 1986, an F-4S belonging to the VF-151 'Vigilantes' became the last active-duty US Navy Phantom to launch from an aircraft carrier, in this case the USS Midway. On 18 October 1986, an F-4S from the VF-202 'Superheats', made the last-ever Phantom carrier landing while operating aboard USS America, and in 1987 the last of the Naval Reserve-operated F-4S aircraft were replaced by F-14As. The last Phantoms in service with the Navy were QF-4N and QF- 4S target drones operated by the Naval Air Warfare Center at NAS Point Mugu. Likewise, in the early 1980s, US Marine Corps Phantom squadrons began to transition to the F/A-18 and in January 1992, the last Marine Corps F-4S Phantom was retired by the 'Cowboys' of VMFA-112 at NAS Dallas, after which the squadron re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets. This is the first of a five book collectable series that will build into a comprehensive library on the F-4 Phantom in US Navy and Marine Corps Service, US Air Force Service, European Operators, Middle Eastern Operators and Asian Operators. Each book has comprehensive historic information on each Phantom variant, its operators and combat roles, with colour profiles and full model builds included. This will be a must have series for the Phantom aficionado and modeller alike.

More

USN Insignia May 1942 to June 1943. Set contains an assortment of commonly used sizes used by aircraft serving in USN Carrier Air Groups serving in the South Pacific Battles in late 1942. Set includes insignia only. Enough to mark at least one complete Air Group (75 aircraft) Designed with the new Merit 1/350 USS Yorktown kits in mind. Can be used with any 1/350 USN Aircraft. Enough decals for an entire USN Air Group from June 1942 until Early 1943 Recommended placement guide included.

More

Lockheed S-3B Vikings. Set includes markings for 8 aircraft from VS-24 Scouts/Duty Cats from the 1977-78 cruise with CVW-8 aboard the USS Nimitz CVN-68. Trumpeter kit of the S-3 Viking recommended.

More

VMAQ-2 USS Nimitz CVW-8 1981. Tamiya or Trumpter Set of 4 decals for the Grumman EA-6B Prowler used in VMAQ-2. (designed to be used with Trumpeter kits)

More

Markings for 8 F-14 Tomcats from VF-213 assigned to CVW-11 aboard the USS Enterprise during her WESTPAC cruises in the 1980's Marking options for 11 aircraft total. These are the High Vis versions on the markings. Combined with 350-203 you can replicate a full squadron used by CVW-11 during this time frame. Placement guide included.

More

VA-22 Fighting Redcocks CVW-11 1980's Designed for the Tamiya 1/350 A-7s Markings for 6 A-7 aircraft from VA-22 Fighting Redcocks assigned to CVW-11 aboard the USS Enterprise during the WESTPAC cruises in the 1980's. This set contains High vis markings only. Low-vis are sold separately. Placement guide included.

More

VAW-117 and VQ-1 CVW-11 1980s Designed for the Tamiya E-2C and Trumpeter A-3 Set contains markings for 4 E-2C from VAW-117 and a EA-3B from the "World Watchers" assigned to CVW-11 aboard the USS Enterprise from her WESTPAC cruises in the 1980's. Placement guide included.

More

To The Gates of Moscow with the 3rd Panzer Division (Part 1) A Medical Officer in the Campaign against Russia Text completely German/English Authors: Axel Urbanke ISBN: 978-3-941437-51-7 Pages: 312 Photos: 291 photos, thereof 135 coloured Maps: 17 coloured maps Format: 24 x 28,5 cm " large format How did the soldiers of the Wehrmacht really experience the attack on the Soviet Union and the battles that followed? Few of the books on the subject of the war in Russia provide an honest answer. This book (two volumes this is the first) delivers a real view of events. Assistenzsarzt Dr. Turk's unabbreviated diary entries from the year 1941, supplemented by documentary supporting text, 40 color maps, and a large number of his color slides represent a unique documentation. It provides an exemplary and genuine view, unaffected by postwar influences or a selective choice of materials, of how many soldiers of the Wehrmacht perceived the first half year of the campaign in the east. Take part in the attack near Brest-Litovsk, experience the fierce fighting at the Beresina and the Dniepr, march south with the division to close the Kiev pocket, and prepare for the assault on Moscow. Then follows the advance on Orel, and the arrival of the snow and cold. You stand with the soldiers in the icy trenches in front of Tula and witness the house-to-house fighting in the mining town of Bolokhovka. One cannot escape Dr. Turk's haunting diary entries. They do not spare the reader, instead they provide extraordinary insights and allow the reader to feel the events as they were. Thew reworked book will be is published in two volumes with much more pages and photos. Here one can read what father and grandfather experienced in the Russian campaign but never spoke of at home. This book will hopefully spur those born later, those who were spared this inferno, to reflect, for the majority of the frontline soldiers in Russia did not go voluntarily into this struggle.

More

Warpaint Aviation #1 - Fall of Iron Edited by Gary Hatcher & Chris Meddings. Fall of Iron is the first in a series of compendium volumes covering military aircraft with a focus on some of the less well-covered subjects. The series is designed to offer a brief one-stop historical reference combined with colour artwork and is aimed primarily scale modellers but offers plenty for the general aviation enthusiast too. This first volume looks at some of the twin-engined medium bombers of World War Two and includes a selection of profiles written by Richard Mason, as well as a ground-breaking piece of research on the early B-25 Mitchell by Brian Derbyshire that offers an incisive look into the business of wartime mass-production and the vast number of changes to the ensuing airframes brought about as a result of ongoing combat experience. Other aircraft covered include the rarely discussed Tupolev SB-2, the Mitsubishi G4M Betty, Bristol Blenheim, Savoia-Marchetti SM.79, Petylyakov Pe-2 and the Handley Page Hampden. Many of these aircraft have been overlooked as 'also-rans' by history and the scale modelling community but an examination of similar types designed for similar roles from various Axis and Allied air forces demonstrates just how much aircraft development kept pace during the conflict, and how despite their clear external differences aircraft designers all over the World were drawing the same conclusions as a result of experience gained in a shooting war. Comprehensive enough to inform but concise enough to be useful, Fall of Iron presents a picture of Wartime bomber development that will help the reader understand the essential role these unsung machines played and the sometimes remarkable use that was made of them. This books is 92 pages

More

Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-15. Long overdue in the Warpaint range, the MiG-15 is one of the most important and influential aircraft to come out of the early years of the Cold War and was to see active service in a wide range of theatres and with a great many Soviet client states. The MiG-15 was a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich for the Soviet Union and was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate swept wings to achieve high transonic speeds. In combat over Korea, it outclassed straight-winged jet day fighters, which were largely relegated to ground-attack roles, and was quickly countered by the similar American swept-wing North-American F-86 Sabre. The MiG-15 is often mentioned, along with the F-86 Sabre, as the best fighter aircraft of the Korean War. The MiG-15 is believed to have been one of the most produced jet aircraft ever, with in excess of 13,000 manufactured. Licensed foreign production may have raised the production total to almost 18,000. This latest addition to the Warpaint list by Nikolay Yakubovich has been sourced direct from Russian sources and includes a great many rare or previously unpublished photographs collated by the author, along with accurate scale drawings and colour profiles by Andrey Yurgenson.

More

Grumman F-14 Tomcat By Charles Stafrace. The US Navy embarked on the VFX fighter programme when it became obvious that the weight, engine and manoeuvrability issues plaguing F-111B, the naval variant of the Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX), would not be resolved to the Navy's satisfaction. The Navy requirement was for a fleet air defence fighter whose primary role was intercepting Soviet bombers before they could launch missiles against the carrier battle group. The Navy strenuously opposed the TFX, which incorporated the US Air Force's requirements for a low-level attack aircraft that were not required by the Navy. Grumman came up with a solution in the form of their F-14 Tomcat, a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing aircraft. But what made the Tomcat head and shoulders above all other fighters was its AWG-9 weapons control radar married to the superlative AIM-54A Phoenix air-to-air missile. The Tomcat was all the US Navy required, and the F-111B episode was soon forgotten. The F-14A was the first version of the Tomcat, and it entered US Navy service in 1972 with VF-1 and VF-2 and first deployed overseas on USS Enterprise in 1974, gradually replacing the later versions of the F-4 Phantom on the US carriers' decks. The F-14A served only with one foreign air force, the Imperial Iranian Air Force which, after the 1978 revolution, came to be known as the Iranian Islamic Iranian Air Force. The Tomcat's role in Iran's war against Iraq from 1980 to 1988 is explained in detail. The Iranian, in its locally-improvised versions, is still in service. The F-14A version of the Tomcat inherited not only the AWG-9/AIM-54 system from the ill-fated F-111B but also its troublesome TF30 engine. In the US Navy it was only when the F-14B was re-engined with the more powerful and more reliable F-110-GE-400, as was also the F-14D, that the Tomcat really showed its true potential in the air. The Tomcat went on to serve on all US carriers of the Forrestal and Kitty Hawk Class of carriers and on all nuclear powered carriers built until 2006, the year when the Tomcat was retired from service. During the years it spent on deck, the Tomcat, in its F-14A, F-14B and F-14D versions, participated in all US interventions of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Horn of Africa, and distinguished itself not only as an interceptor fighter, but later also as a ground support and reconnaissance aircraft when the need for these two new roles were needed and when equipped with the LANTIRN and TARPS systems. The Tomcat's story was immortalised by the Hollywood production that made 'Tomcat' and 'Top Gun' household names, but in real life the Tomcat was truly a confirmed 'MiG-killer' and a 'Sukhoi-killer' in encounters with hostile Libyan opposition. Its exit from the US Navy scene in 2006 was a controversial one, as the aircraft was still considered a valuable asset to the fleet. However, its astronomical maintenance hours per flight hours and its ageing systems compared with the newer F/A-18 Hornet worked against it. All this is explained in detail in this new Warpaint title, a 124-page account of America's most famous fighter of recent times, that contains no fewer than 280 photos, ten pages of colour profiles, scale plans, fourteen information tables and a text that give exact details of every squadrons, details of all deployments with carrier, CVW, dates and destination, conversions to later versions, and many other information as now expected from titles by author Charles Stafrace, supported by superb artwork by John Fox.

More

Douglas C-47 Skytrain/Dakota By Adrian M. Balch When the prototype Douglas DC-3 " actually a DST Douglas Sleeper Transport first flew from Clover Field, Santa Monica, California on Sunday 17 December 1935, Donald Wills Douglas never imagined that the production run would total more than 10,000, with more licence built in Russia and Japan, let alone many would be still be flying 86 years later, the C-47 being perpetuated by turbo-prop conversions, seeing the type probably still flying to see its 100th anniversary! Arguably the most famous transport aircraft of all time, the DC-3 and C-47 has been operated by just about every country in the world in service with their airlines and military air arms. This Warpaint has not skimped on the colour schemes and markings used by military operators, the C-47 being named by the USAAF as the Skytrain and the RAF and Commonwealth countries as the Dakota, both names being adopted worldwide. This lavish and extensive Warpaint by author Adrian Balch includes over 300 photographs of military C-47s, nearly all in colour, accompanied by 10 pages of colour profiles by artist Sam Pearson making this the most comprehensive reference to colours and markings for modellers and historians on the type to date.

More

Curtiss P-40. Derived from the earlier Curtiss 75 Hawk the P-40 Warhawk was an attempt to update the original design for more modern warfare. Unfortunately the aircraft that first emerged was seriously underpowered, undergunned and suffering from stability problems. Although not an auspicious start for a fighter design the Curtiss engineers and those of Allison, the engine builders, finally resulted in an aircraft that was worthy of the appellation fighter. While the P-40 would never really gain the fame of other aircraft destined to play their roles in the forthcoming global conflict it would carve out a niches for itself in the deserts of Arabia, the icy Arctic and across the Pacific. Thus in the hands of experienced pilots determined to wring the best out of tools to hand the P-40 was more than able to match the best that the enemy could throw at it. The first claim to fame for the P-40 was with the American Volunteer Group better known as the Flying Tigers created to support the Chinese Government in repulsing the Japanese invaders. Sporting shark mouths on the nose panels these early aircraft, sometimes working in desperate conditions, repulsed the invaders with great skill and held them at bay until America joined the war. With the air forces of other countries the P-40 made its mark. In the desert with the RAF and RAAF, across the Pacific with the RAAF and the RNZAF and in the frozen north with the RCAF the Curtiss roamed the skies. The P-40 saw service in other air forces with Brazil, Turkey and Russia operating the type with some success. . Written by Kev Darling this latest Warpaint covers all versions of this unique naval aircraft and is illustrated in colour by Richard J.Caruana. Unique 1:72nd scale plans are also included as well as a list of operators plus production details.

More

Building the Wingnut Wings Hannover Cl.II Albatros Productions have just published the eighth title in their acclaimed Modelling Special series. For all those serious enthusiasts seeking to get the very best from this excellent kit, WWI aero-historian and author Ray Rimell brings over 60 years of modelling experience to present a truly comprehensive guide for creating a perfect miniature in 54 colourful and inspiring pages. Profusely illustrated with over 190 images, his unique monograph carries an extensive build- log of WNW's Hannover kit with extended coverage on painting and decal application helping modellers to achieve a realistic and convincing finish. Each stage of the assembly is discussed in meticulous step-by-step detail with supportive archive photos and contemporary sketches along the way. Every key aspect is featured, from super-detailing cockpits, Argus engine, armament and observer's gun ring, to specialized treatment of 'lozenge' fabric covering and creating masks for the complex fuselage camouflage pattern. In addition there are nine new colour profiles from Ronny Bar including a multi-view centre-spread, along with a 12 page gallery of rare wartime images, most previously unpublished and reproduced to large area format highlighting the smallest of details. For modellers looking to convert the kit to Cl.III or Cl.IIIa variants, the book covers that too with 1:32 scale fuselage drawings of both aircraft. With comprehensive after -market accessory and decals listings, plus a jargon-buster and an extensive bibliography, the latest Special is a goldmine of modelling lore and full-size data for these famous German WWI two-seaters. Whilst the focus of attention is naturally on the WNW kit, this high-quality publication will also prove equally invaluable for those building model Hannovers to any scale.

More