Squadron/Signal Publications
have the latest in their series of Walkaround books - this time the subject is
the B-26 Marauder from WWII, and now it has been just released and we thought
that we would give it a read and tell you what we think as well as a few good pictures
of what to expect inside – read on Marauder fans…
B-26 Marauder Walk Around
by David Doyle.
Publisher: Squadron/Signal Publications
Photos: 220+ photographs (Colour + B/W) + Profiles
& line drawings
Paperback: 80 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0897476891
ISBN-13: 978-0897476898
Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches ( A4 Landscape)
SS65069 B-26Marauder Walk Around (Hardcover) $28.95
(Right now there is 10% off the above price on the Squadron/signal website)
(Right now there is 10% off the above price on the Squadron/signal website)
When you buy a book on a subject as a modeller you want
specificity – now I am not sure if that is a word but I mean you want a book
that covers a subject. What most modellers (other than someone who builds kits with
no shame and a blindfold) want is a book that leaves you in no doubt as to how
the aircraft looks/ed in real life. Modellers who need to make their kit
relevant and as life like as possible look to “Walkarounds” of their subjects
to bring that realism to their kits. There are several books specifically
showing detail in the scope modellers need – but on the subject of aircraft two
really are the crown jewels…
The two books in question
- well one of them is written in Japanese and called “Aero Detail” & Now out of print – these are expensive and rare
as hen’s teeth – they also only have about twenty titles…The other series of books
which I think is just as brilliant for detail up close are from Squadron/Signal Publications – this series is simply
called “Walk Around” and now is in the tens of titles published – so not only
is this book ;legible to many more readers, it covers so many more (it seems
like most military aircraft you can think of) and it is in print still – so it
is cheap to buy. This title is also in it’s second incarnation in many of these
titles.
This title – on the
B-26 “Marauder” (sometimes known as “the Widowmaker” because of it’s high
attrition rate early on) is released in this format for the first time. There
are the “In Action” series already but I like these better – as they have the
details that I as a modeller need – when I want to paint I look for the “In
Action” series for colours and diorama and general inspiration.
In the past this series has diverted just a little from what
I want in a walkaround book – to it’s credit David Doyle the author has made
sure this book is focused pretty much on just the pictures and details. Indeed
there is a short story on the aircraft’s genesis and you do learn the reason
why there were such mishaps and a high initial casualty rate with this ship –
but also you learn about the later variants in a page at a time for each major
variant. There are however only about five pages of full text in this book. The
other seventy-five pages are full of pictures of close up details of a few B-26’s
that are still in wartime condition and one or two period photographs.
Indeed there are some 220+ pictures in this book of the
Marauder and all of it’s parts from nose to tail including the important undercarriage
and internal areas. Squadron choose these pictures carefully and the quality of
them is excellent as is the relevance and the usefulness of each. There are not
really any new additions on these aircraft. Most of the parts are original or
added from other original sources – which is really important to modellers.
Indeed I have not seen these walkaround pictures on the net anywhere so already
you are a step ahead with this book.
When we move from one subject to another in the major series
of the B-26 we get the information of the changes and as a great inclusion here
several detailed line drawings and colour profiles of the aircraft. These again
are really import and when building your kit (usually great to make sense of
rubbish kit instructions) and invaluable tools (along with supporting
photographs in the book of the original parts. This is the total detailer’s
package. There is also a page of line drawings which show the difference in the
genesis from the off the drawing board B-26MA through succeeding variant till
the last B-26G.
There isn’t much to read in this book in the way of a story
and for a good reason – there is a STACK of information on each of the parts of
the aircraft instead. Each of the pictures is accompanied by an inch or so deep
caption which explains exactly what part of the aircraft you are looking at –
what it does and some of the eccentricities of that part. Always interesting
but sometimes a bit wordy it is however just what you need when wanting to
learn about the mechanics of the aircraft.
All in all an excellent and even an improved tittle in the
series – I you are interested in the working of this machine then you should
look no further - especially at the price and how quickly and easily you can
get the book from Squadron.
Ohh - and nice artwork on the cover and rear by Don Greer as well!
We thank the excellent
people at Squadron/Signal Products for
the book. Check out their great looking new website.
