INTRODUCTION

This is a review by Randy L Harvey of the Kalmbach Publishing Company bookModeling World War II in Europe, edited by Aaron Skinner.

BODY OF THE TEXT

** Inspiring ideas for your models.

Readers will find score of useful tips and techniques in the 18 projects taken from the battlefields, seas, and skies of the European Theater.

From the Polish response to the German invasion of September 1939 through the Allied landings of D-Day through the eastern Front and the last throes of the Axis in 1945, expert modelers from the staff and stable of FineScale Modeler share their skills so you can improve your modeling.

You’ll also find inspiring ideas for dioramas, learn scratchbuilding techniques for ships and figures, find out how to deal with multi-media kits and detail parts, and see the results of advanced weathering methods in clear, step-by-step photos. **

THE BOOK

Kalmbach Publishing Company has released Modeling World War II in Europe as a soft cover book with 144 pages. It has a 2019 copyright, a publication date of June 24, 2019 and the ISBN is 978-1-62700-591-3. The book features 18 individual projects that contain several relevant color photographs with well written step-by-step accompanying captions in English text.

THE CONTENTS

Introduction – Aaron Skinner

1. Poland’s PZL P.11 racks up a pair of firsts – Anders Isaksson
- The gull-wing fighter was the first Allied air loss in World War II
2. Keep a Graf Spee in your pocket – Bill Plunk
- This pocket battleship didn’t last long in the war
3. Building and finishing Tamiya’s Spitfire – Aaron Skinner
- How to groom Supermarine early-war thoroughbred
4. Building an Sdkfz 222 serving in North Africa – Bill Plunk
- The 222 was a bucket-list project
5. Dress up a snappy Italian fighter – Vladimir Kafka
- Detailing and painting HobbyBoss’s easy assembly C.22 Saetta
6. Building IMA’s Valentine Bridgelayer – Andy Cooper
- This unusual vehicle was constructed on an AFV Club Mk.II Valentine kit
7. Scratchbuilding the Duca d’Aosta – Ulf Lundberg
- If you want a model of this ship, there’s only one way to get it
8. Riveting gets attention – John Maher
- Impressing extra detail on Tamiya’s 1/48 scale Shturmovik
9. Sending a landing craft to the beach – Aaron Skinner
- Building Italeri’s 1/35 scale LCVP on a watery base
10. Dressing a Marauder for D-Day – Chuck Davis
- Detailing and painting Hasegawa’s B-26C
11. Using metal to detail a T-34 – Rick Lawler
- Photoetched-metal gives this tank a well-worn look
12. Destroying a Hetzer – Chris Ludwick
- Building “A Custer’s last stand in ‘44” diorama
13. Building LZ’s M29c Weasel amphibian – Andy Cooper
- A decal sheet in hand led to a search for the kit
14. Sculpt a ‘Platerowka’ riflewoman of WWII – Kamil Feliks Sztarbala
- This 54mm figure honors the Polish female support unit
15. Superdetail a Messerschmitt Me 410B-2/U4 – Ricardo Dacoba
- Meng’s ‘Hornet’ benefits from a few tweaks
16. Building an American Icon – John Bonanni
- Nearly 50,000 Sherman tanks were produced during World War II
17. In defense of the Hetzer – John Maher
- While flawed, these vehicles were well-suited to their late-war defensive tasks
18. The Final Parade – Joe Hudson
- At the end of the war, MPS were in charge if moving POWs

THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Each of the projects are shown in a step-by-step format in a series of detailed photographs with each having its own caption detailing what is being shown in the photograph.

1. Poland’s PZL P.11 racks up a pair of firsts.
- Contains a total of 17 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
2. Keep a Graf Spee in your pocket
- Contains a total of 68 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
3. Building and finishing Tamiya’s Spitfire
- Contains a total of 41 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
4. Building an Sdkfz 222 serving in North Africa
- Contains a total of 60 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
5. Dress up a snappy Italian fighter
- Contains a total of 56 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
6. Building IMA’s Valentine Bridgelayer
- Contains a total of 42 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
7. Scratchbuilding the Duca d’Aosta
- Contains a total of 39 step-by step color photographs with 3 photographs of the finished project shown with 2 of them shown with other completed ships.
8. Riveting gets attention
- Contains a total of 27 step-by step color photographs with 4 photographs of the finished project.
9. Sending a landing craft to the beach
- Contains a total of 69 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
10. Dressing a Marauder for D-Day
- Contains a total of 32 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
11. Using metal to detail a T-34
- Contains a total of 48 step-by step color photographs with 1 photograph of the finished project.
12. Destroying a Hetzer
- Contains a total of 26 step-by step color photographs with 1 photograph of the finished project.
13. Building LZ’s M29c Weasel amphibian
- Contains a total of 43 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
14. Sculpt a ‘Platerowka’ riflewoman of WWII
- Contains a total of 22 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
15. Superdetail a Messerschmitt Me 410B-2/U4
- Contains a total of 56 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
16. Building an American Icon
- Contains a total of 40 step-by step color photographs with 2 photographs of the finished project.
17. In defense of the Hetzer
- Contains a total of 37 step-by step color photographs with 1 photograph of the finished project.
18. The Final Parade
- Contains a total of 48 step-by step color photographs with 1 photograph of the finished project. This article also contains a U.S. soldiers painting chart detailing uniform painting and colors used.

The photographs range from wide angle photographs to close-up detailed photographs. The majority of the photographs are clear and easily viewable. The majority, if not all, of the photographs will prove to be a wealth of information to anyone that choses to model the same project that is featured or anyone who wants to use the processes detailed on a project of their own choosing.

THE CAPTIONS

Each of the projects contained in this volume are accompanied with detailed step-by-step captions in English text that accompany each of the featured photographs. The captions are well written and explain the accompanying photographs in great detail. The captions go into very specific detail as to the specific kit shown, brands of paint used, additional detailed items such as photoetched brass, types of masks and stencils used, and other such pertinent information as well as individual processes used by the individual modelers.

In addition to the captions each of the projects contains an introduction written by the modeler explaining their project.

EDITOR

Aaron Skinner - Kalmbach Publishing Company Senior Editor

Aaron has been making models of one kind or another since he was six and built his first model -- a race car of some sort put together with help from his grandfather. He grew up in Australia and graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane with a degree in journalism and history. After moving back to the United States in 1994, Aaron worked as a reporter and photographer for newspapers in Texas and Arkansas, before joining the FSM staff in August 2006. He will build anything that grabs his fancy, particularly commercial airliners, Russian armor, and anything science fiction.

CONCLUSION

This is a very nice reference book that contains excellent reference photographs and well written step-by-step informative captions that will assist the modeler in several types of modeling projects.

This book was provided to me by Kalmbach Media. Please be sure to mention that you saw the book reviewed here on the KitMaker Network when you make your purchase. Thank you.


PRICE:

US $24.99

** Quoted from the back cover of the book.