FAR EASTERN MARITIME AVIATION
80 pages
Modern Chinese Warplanes
By: Andreas Rupprecht
ISBN: 978-09973092-5-6
Price: £19.99 Format: 280 x 210mm
Web: www.casematepublishing.co.uk
This is the third in Harpia’s examination of Chinese air power, following previous volumes on Army Air Force assets and Flashpoint China, and covers the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF). Rather than just provide a list of aircraft types organized by role, a broader approach is taken, starting with an overview of the PLANAF’s history and its blue-water aspirations. The latter aspect pervades the narrative, with informative graphics highlighting the service’s operational reach. A brief explanation of aircraft markings and serials follows, before examinations of aircraft and weapons. Focus then shifts to how naval aviators are trained, followed by a description and analysis of Chinese aircraft carrier developments. Arguably the order-of-battle section is the most interesting, as this details strategic tasks, from Eastern Theatre Command’s responsibility for Taiwan (regarded as a renegade province by mainland China), and Southern Theatre Command Navy’s role regarding disputed territories in the South China Sea (Paracel and Spratly Islands). Whether one seeks an understanding of PLANAF’s equipment, roles or organisation, this is an ideal reference, while also providing modellers with insight into the colours and markings of its fixedand rotary-wing assets
ARMOUR PERIODICAL
56 pages
Militär Fahrzeug
By: Jochen Vollert
ISSN: 5724-4099
Price: £9.99 Format: A4
Web: www.tankograd.com
Tankograd’s quarterly magazine is intended for armour fans of all forms, and provides a mix of modern and historical features and photo montages. Each issue includes a ‘cover star’, and for 2-2018, it’s the German Leguan mobile-bridge crossing system, which comes in 14m and 26m lengths and equips the Leopard 2-based armoured-vehicle bridge layer. The trackways, Iveco transporter and Leopard 2 chassis are covered in detail and there’s much to savour in terms of equipment and weathering. There’s a report on the 1st Cavalry Division Museum at Fort Hood, Texas (including its miniature Oshkosh HEMTT-themed barbecue), plus overviews of Australian UNIMOG trucks and mine-strike procedures for US Army M1 Abrams. Fighting Herald 88 was a major NATO exercise, and this report focuses on British and West German participants, but includes nuggets such as how an 11th (UK) Armoured Brigade Tank Squadron is organized. Historical aspects include a review of the M48A1 in West German service, the World War One Lancia 1zM armoured car, and 1939 prototype of the Versuchs-Panzerkampfwagen III ZW.40 (which featured interleaved road wheels). There might not be enough space for in-depth articles, but this is a great taster!
BIG GUN ON WHEELS
66 pages
M1128 Stryker MGS
By: C Mrosko, B Avants, P Browning
ISBN: 978-0-9973774-7-7
Price: US$24.99
Format: 217 x 280mm
Web: www.sabotpub.com
Since bursting onto the hobby scene with its comprehensive modelling-orientated photographic reference books, Sabot has established itself as one of the ‘go-to’ sources for modern US armour subjects. Its treatise on the 105mm gun-armed Stryker variant (known officially as the M1128 Mobile Gun System), is a case in point, providing highquality colour photos of the vehicle and its equipment. With urban operations a key element of recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, much attention (in both general and walk-round shots) is paid to the additional protective measures fitted to deployed Strykers, notably the bar (known as ‘slat’ in US-parlance) and spaced armour systems. As highlighted in the captions, these vehicles gather dust and sand in prodigious amounts, turning an overall green vehicle into a heavily streaked sandy tone; surely manna from heaven for those wanting to weather their models. While it’s hard to select an individual highlight, arguably the most useful element for modellers is the two sections of close-up photos. The closing ‘In the Field’ segment depicts another aspect, that of participation in US Army and multi-national training exercises from 2010, 2012 and 2015. SF
UNDERWATER CARRIER KILLERS
48 pages
Soviet Cruise Missile Submarines of the Cold War
By: Edward Hampshire
ISBN: 978-1-4728-2499-8
Price: £10.99 Format: 185 x 248mm
Several navies have operated cruisemissile carrying submarines (SSGNs), but just the Soviet Union/Russia has employed them in numbers and with a primary ship-killing role (rather than land-attack). As explained in this delightful paperback, the Soviet philosophy initially used them as nuclear missile launchers, but (as true ballistic missile systems were developed) then turned to targeting surface vessels, in response to the perceived threat from US Navy carrier battle groups. The narrative overs four generations of SSGNs developed to date, starting with basic conversions and just two or four missiles (Whiskey variants), to dedicated platforms capable of launching 24 long-range supersonic missiles (Oscar), with the latest (Severodvinsk) combining SSGN and attack submarine roles. Each class and associated missile system receives a detailed overview. Most were capable of carrying just a single type although, as detailed here, several received refits for later weapons, boosting their complement and threat radius considerably. This is a fascinating read, and deals with a subject that seems to have received little attention, and the text is backed by period photos plus colour artwork, with these likely being of most use to ship modellers. SF
LAST OF THE PROPS
116 pages
The Hawker Sea Fury
By: Richard A Franks
ISBN: 978-0-9957773-3-0
Price: £16.95
Format: A4
Valiant has expanded and updated its guide to the Royal Navy’s final piston engine fighter, the Hawker Sea Fury, offering 116 pages crammed with information, diagrams, period photographs, pilots’ and engineers’ manuals and colour profiles. New sections include full build articles on Airfix’s newly tooled 1/48 FB.11 and AMG’s 1/48 two-seat T.20 by Steve Evans, plus revised survivor airframe listings and appendices cataloguing available kits, accessories and decals. The familiar division of pages starts with an instruction to the type and its operational history, followed by a technical description; this combines extracts from manuals with museum and period phots to provide a combined walk-round and close-up montage, and is a superdetailer’s dream. ‘Evolution’ deals with the type’s variants, of which there were comparatively few, and highlights the principle differences, while the camouflage and markings section is enhanced by a collection of 30 colour profiles. Modellers will find the build section most useful, as it points out the pros and cons of the two featured kits, along with any ‘gotchas’ and handy assembly/ painting techniques along the way. The first edition of this Airframe Album was regarded as an excellent reference, and the improved Version is even better, providing a useful and informative reference. SF
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
184 pages
TSR2 Britain’s Lost Cold War Strike Aircraft
By: Tim McLelland, Tony Buttler
ISBN: 978-1-91080-913-6
Price: £24.99
Format: 225 x 290mm
Web: www.crecy.co.uk
Few aircraft evoke as much emotion or controversy as Britain’s TSR.2, acknowledged widely as being ahead of its time, but cancelled ignominiously, with all jigs and most airframes destroyed to prevent re-use. This revised and expanded edition features a new chapter on the type’s intended successor, the F-111K (and addresses one or two urban myths), by acclaimed author and historian Tony Buttler, plus extracts from previously classified documents. Otherwise, the rest of the text remains unchanged, bar a few corrections, describing its background, genesis as a ‘supersonic Canberra’ and premature death of what was an outstanding piece of aviation engineering. A full account of the TSR.2’s trials and tribulations at the hands of politicians and inter-service rivalries is given, along with the many notable successes enjoyed by the programme, many of which informed the Concorde and Anglo-French Variably Geometry Aircraft (which eventually morphed in to the Tornado). Perhaps ironically, as described in the new chapter, the F-111K would fall victim to similar issues as the TSR.2, with politics (albeit on the US side) and cost leading to its cancellation. However, ‘what-if’ modellers are left with perhaps a new focus, a list of potential units mooted as being the lead F-111K squadrons…what a flight line that would make. SF
FIGHTING IN THE BALTIC
144 pages
The Forgotten War of the Royal Navy
By: Michał Glock
ISBN: 978-83-65281-77-7
Price: £25 Format: A4
Web: www.mmpbooks.biz
When most people think of 1918, they remember it was the year of peace as World War One ended, but in the Baltic, it was the beginning of a little-known struggle in which the Royal Navy would find itself immersed. This engrossing volume provides detailed explanation of events in the Baltic where British forces would find themselves in action against the newly formed Soviets and their navy. There’s also an explanation of the circumstances behind the shot fired by the protected cruiser Aurora, often claimed to be the first of the October Revolution. Events are described chronologically, starting close to the Estonian coastline, but gradually moving towards the Gulf of Finland, with air and sea operations mounted against the Bolshevik forces as they attempted to capitalize on regional instability following the signing of the Armistice in November 1918. Clear charts and a selection of period photographs help to illustrate events, covering British as well as Soviet and Estonian units, all of which creates an impression of the difficulties of operating in that part of the Baltic Sea. Arguably, this is more for historians than modeller, although the line drawings of ships involved will be of use, along with the many period photos. SF
BENT-WINGED BIRD
16 pages
Chance Vought F4U Corsair
By: Maciej Noszczak
ISBN: 978-83-65437-81-5
Price: £17.95 Format: A4
Regardless of which Corsair might be on your build list, this useful set of scale plans published in Kagero’s softback Topdrawings series are worth considering. This item offers more than 20 views in 1/48 scale, supported by the occasional scrap study in 1/24 and 1/32 (focusing on the engine, cockpit area, bombs/ racks and centreline fuel tank). Variants covered comprise the XF4U, F4U-1/1A and F4U-2, and there are additional drawings in 1/72 to highlight structural type differences, such as the style of canopy, engine cowling, wing panels, leading edge radar pod and more. The centre-four pages carry convincing colour profiles and plan/underside views, and a bonus set of vinyl canopy masks are also provided for Tamiya’s 1/72 and 1/48 Corsair kits. Scale plans are handy for checking dimensions, and to serve as templates in creating camouflage masks, and the quality here is excellent. And the provision of a separate folded A3 sheet, which offers yet more 1/48 plans, only boosts the handiness of the book. It’s a relatively cheap reference and well worth a look, particularly if one has several Corsair projects in mind. CC
