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Last Updated: Nov 17th, 2009 - 17:02:08 |
I've just been given Ventura Publications "Classic Warbirds" - Nr 6 & 7 - fresh from the printers. These latest issues mark a major departure from his usual theme in that they don’t concentrate on a single aircraft or tight theme as the first five issues did. Malcolm has decided to switch to a magazine-style theme combining a number of non-related aircraft and aircraft themes. This allows him to use a lot of very interesting accumulated material that is not of sufficient quantity to justify a separate publication on it. He has also switched back to the original (Israeli & ANZAC Spits) style of fold-flat binding (rather than the squared-edge variety) to allow for plans to flow across the centre pages.
Classic Warbirds Nr 6 has 66 pages - ten of which are in colour including front and back covers. Three major themes are covered - 20 pages of Foliage Green RAAF Beaufighters (with ten colour illustrations plus front cover), 17 pages on early-production RAF Mk 9 Spitfires (with ten colour illustrations of Kiwi, Polish & Norwegian schemes) and the balance of the issue covers RNZAF Corsairs in the Pacific (10 colour illustrations). Loads of interesting new material, new photos and new colours/markings illustrations. Worth the price of admission alone are the superb centrefold side-view plans of early Mk 9 Spits showing all the subtle variations of panels, intakes, bulges and altered cowlings. Pity a certain Japanese kit producer couldn't have accessed these plans when doing a certain new 1/48 Mk 9 Spit! Malcolm SURE knows his Spitfires!
Classic Warbirds Nr 7 continues the European Spits and Pacific RAAF theme of Nr 6.
The 22 pages of Spitfire coverage covers the stories of two major Kiwi Spit pilots (Warren Schrader and Jeff West) plus more coverage of USAAF Mk Vs & PR.XIs plus SAAF Mk 9s. Included in the Kiwi section is a very interesting account of Douglas Bader's shooting-down (Jeff West was his Nr 2) plus Bader's colours/markings are colour-illustrated here for the first time. Shark-mouth lovers are SURE going to love the USAAF Mk Vc in desert colours illustrated - oh, for a decal option for this beauty!! There is a brief chapter (8 pages) on Japanese surrender schemes including a number of colour illustrations. The rest of the issue is devoted to major chapters on the RAAF Boomerang and B-24 Liberator with very interesting schemes not illustrated in colour before. Those of you familiar with the quality of previous Ventura publications will already know what to expect with these two new titles. Get them while you can as the print-run is strictly limited. Have already seen much of the material that will appear in Nr 8 & 9 and cant wait to see them in print too! More Spitfires? You betcha! Plus a number of other interesting subjects. Mmmmmm - I LOVE the smell of printer's ink!
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