Home  |  What's New  |  Features  |  Gallery  |  Reviews  |  Reference  |  Forum  |  Search

TBM/TBF Avenger
Walk Around

by Lou Drendel
Color by Lou Drendel, Don Greer
and Richard Hudson

 

     

 

Squadron/Signal Publications

 

S u m m a r y
Catalogue Number: Walk Around Number 25
ISBN: 0-89747-424-4
Media: Soft cover, landscape format, 80 pages plus covers (incl. 40 pages in full colour).
Price: US$11.96
Review Type: First Read
Advantages: Perfect format for modellers; extravagant use of colour; packed with images; useful captions; excellent mix of wartime and present-day photos; scrap-views and line drawings support the subject well; nice range of colours and markings in 12 colour profiles.
Disadvantages:  
Recommendation: Highly Recommended as a one-stop reference for anyone building an Avenger

 

Reviewed by Brett Green

 

F i r s t   L o o k

 

Squadron/Signal's "Walk Around" series might just be the perfect format for scale modellers. As a breed, we are hungry for detail, often skimming many books in search of the perfect photograph for a particular aspect of our modelling subject.

The "Walk Around" series addresses this hunger with a lavish feast of photographs in a concise package. "TBF/TBM Avenger Walk Around" is no exception.

TBF/TBM Avenger Walk Around is presented in landscape format with 80 semi-gloss pages between its soft cardboard covers. Half of these pages are in full colour.

The book wastes little time on words, permitting the photos and captions to carry the narrative. A half page of close-typed text covers the history of the aircraft from its design in 1939, to its post-war service. 

Several pages of overall shots make way for the detail. We are presented with multiple views on different aircraft, wartime and present day. The book is arranged logically by sections of the aircraft. The detail commences with the engine and cowl, moving in through the canopy to the cockpit (which is very well covered), to the rear turret, the fuselage interior, bomb bay and ordnance, wings, hard-points, flaps, wing folds, wing guns, landing gear, wheel wells, empennage, tail surfaces and tail wheel. Between one and four photos appear on each page. The photos are generally quite large, with fine detail clearly visible. 

Lou Drendel's captions reflect his long experience as a pilot and an author, providing insights into the operation of the aircraft and drawing attention to subtle points of interest. They add genuine value to the excellent photos.

The Walk Around section is followed by eight pages of colour profiles and "in-service" operational photos.

 

 

Conclusion

 

This book will be an essential aid to the modeller planning to build Accurate Miniatures' Avenger in 1/48 scale, or the Hasegawa or Academy kits in 1/72. 

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Squadron for the review sample.


TBF/TBM Avenger Walk Around is available online from Squadron.com

Review Copyright © 2001 by Brett Green
This Page Created on 28 April, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page