Stringbag!
A Modeller’s Guide to the Art of
WWI AircraftAUTHOR: J Veen & F Hendickx
YEAR: 2017
PUBLISHER: Inside the Armour
Publications
ISBN: 9780993258831
FOR M AT: 135pp SoftbackS
ince Wingnut Wings kits came
on the scene, almost 10 years
ago now, there has been an
upsurge of interest in modelling
First World War aircraft. This book
is written by two modellers who
came to First World War modelling
through Wingnut Wings kits. The
book features six full excellent
kit builds of Wingnut Wings kits
including the AEG G.IV and DH.9A.
As well as the builds the book has
seven technique sections, with
detailed easy to follow steps on
carving your own propellers,
painting wood, leather, linen and
castor oil stains, as well as rigging
and producing simple vignettes.The builds are all easy to
follow with excellent step by step
photography, some of the techniques
I am familiar with, others I will
be trying out on my next builds.
If you want to improve how you
build First World War aircraft and
learn some new ways of doing
things, then this book comes highly
recommended. I can see this book
being used on my bench a lot over
the coming years. My thanks to
Inside the Armour Publications for
supplying this book for review.
TMU-SReconnaissance Planes
Since 1945AUTHOR: Frank Schwede
YEAR: 2018
PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword Aviation
ISBN: 978-1-47389-133-3
FOR M AT: 127pp PaperbackT
his slim
volume is a
translation by
Geoffrey Brookes of
the German original,
which was first
published in 2014 as
Aufklarer Seit 1945.
The scope is strategic
and maritime
reconnaissance
aircraft during the
period since the
Second World War.
After a short introduction,
the author covers each individual
type within sections devoted to
the United States, Asia, Europe,
and the former USSR/Russia. The
subject scope is very wide, and
although a comprehensive selection
of representative types is covered,
there are many omissions. There
is no mention, for example, of the
RB-47, or the B-29 Washingtonsused by the RAF for ELINT/SIGINT
purposes. On the other hand, it
goes right up to date by including
the Kawasaki P-1, which entered
service with Japan is 2013.
For each aircraft that is included,
there is a short
description of the
development and
operational history,
a data table with key
statistics, and one
or more relevant
photographs,
making a short but
comprehensive
summary for each.
As the book was
originally written
in German, all
data values are
metric; this is understandable,
but it would have been helpful
to include relevant imperial
measurements as well, such as
heights in feet as well as metres.
This book is a useful introduction
to the wide-ranging, fascinating
world of Strategic Reconnaissance
aircraft. Thanks to Pen & Sword
Books Ltd for the review copy.
MJCAirframe & Miniature No.10
The de Havilland Mosquito
Part 2: Fighter, Fighter-Bomber
& Night-Fighter (including Sea
Mosquito)AUTHOR: Richard A. Franks
YEAR: 2017
PUBLISHER: Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 978-0-9935345-8-4
FOR M AT: 208pp SoftbackT
he Mosquito is one of
those aircraft that needs
no introduction... This
is part 2 of Valiant Wings look at
the Mosquito, which concentrates
on the Fighter, fighter-bomber,
night fighter and sea Mosquito.
The book follows the format
we have come to expect from this
publisher. The book opens with
introductory chapters on the
different versions covered by this
book, these sections are followed by
some excellent colour profiles and
details of colour schemes, including
foreign users. The next section
looks at the main available kits of
the type. This is followed by five
excellent builds, including a 1/48
scale Tamiya in BOAC markings, a
Tamiya 1/72 scale Czechoslovakian
air force B-36 and a conversion of
the venerable Airfix 1/48 scale kit
to a Chinese Nationalist FB Mk 26.
The next chapter has isometric
views of the type showing the
differences between the versions,this will be particularly useful if you
are building up a collection! The
last section comprises a number
of historic black and white images,
extracts from technical manuals
and colour photos of museum
examples. The appendices include
a kit list and lists of accessories
and decals available for the
Mosquito. The book is rounded
off with some rather fine pull out
plans on a thicker mat paper.
All in all, this is an excellent
addition to the work available on
the Mosquito and an excellent
companion to the first volume
from Valiant Wings. My thanks
to Valiant Wings for supplying
this book for review.
TMU-SMore Luck of a Lancaster
109 Operations, 315 Crew, 101 Killed in ActionAUTHOR: Gordon Thorburn
YEAR: 2017
PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword Aviation
ISBN: 978-1-47389-766-3
FOR M AT: 168 pp HardbackT
he concept of
this volume
is interesting
and different. It takes
a particular Lancaster
and tells the story of
the airmen who flew in
her and the operations
they flew on.
The Lancaster in
question was EE136, a
mark III. It joined no IX
Squadron as WS:R the
fourth IX Sqn Lancaster
to bear that code letter, in mid-1943
and flew its first operation on 11th June.
In October 1944 it was transferred to
189 Squadron as CA:R. Surviving the
war, it then went to the Radio School at
RAF Cranwell, and ended its career as
a practice hulk to train RAF firemen.
Taking R for Robert’s crews and
career as the central focus, the author
tells us about the various airmen andcrews who flew the aircraft, relating
not just their flights in R-Robert, but
also other operations. In doing so,
he gives us a fascinating perspective
on the night bomber offensive in the
latter half of World War
II. The narrative also
brings home just how
long-lived this aircraft
was compared to many:
during its service with IX
Sqn, 86 Lancasters were
assigned to the unit at
various times and only
24 of those were still
flying when R-Robert
transferred to 189 Sqn.
There is a selection
of period photographs
in the centre of the book;
an appendix listing all the crews who
flew R-Robert and the operations flown;
a Roll of Honour; and a bibliography.
This is an interesting read,
and merits a place on the shelf of
anyone with an interest in the RAF,
the bomber offensive, or WW II in
general. Thanks to Pen and Sword
Books Ltd for the review copy.
MJCBOOKS & MEDIA
WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • MAY 2018 • 79
078-79-Books-0518.indd 79 13/04/2018 14:12