Over the years there have been many how to books published. I recall the first one I ever saw and read was by Kalmbach and it was 'How to build Plastic Model Airplanes', or something like that. It really opened my eyes to what could be done and directly influenced me as a much younger modeler.

The nice thing about our hobby is that there are always new ways of doing things that achieve the same results. Each person has their own favorites and new ones appear all the time. For example, using super glue as a filler. After decades of putty with its issues of shrinkage and chipping issues, I found something that works better.

This is Valiant Wings' first foray into a how to book and the first of what will undoubtedly be a longer series. It starts with aircraft and actually pigeon-holes itself even more by limiting the work to 1/72 scale. Of course, much if not all of what is in here is equally appropriate to the larger scales, but there it is. The author also tends to focus on certain brands of materials, in this cage Gunze Sangyo is his 'go-to' range of materials. Just like some prefer Tamiya and other people use other brands. Be aware that other manufacturers do provide similar products. Relying on Gunze makes the book a bit less useful in the US as several of their products are unavailable, such as their Aqueous paints.

The book itself is in a ringbound format so that it will always lay flat on your workbench when using it as a reference. The thicker paper is also a benefit on a book that will get a lot of use. I should mention that everything in the book is in full color.

There are nine sections to the book and it assumes that the modeler is already at an intermediate level so this wouldn't be the best for beginners. The sections are;  Rigging, Rescribing, Resin Kits, Rivets, Weathering paint, White distemper finishes, Fabric, Wood and Stripes, Natural Metal, and Kwik-building. Each section is color-coded with staggered tabs so that one can more easily reach a section. Each section also has a lot of examples and a kit that is underway is used to help illustrate the techniques shown.

In all it makes for an excellent book of its type. While you may not agree with everything written, I am sure you will find something in there you did not know or a technique you have not tried. It is a book that I can easily recommend to you and one that you will find very useful.

July 2015

For more on Valiant Wings, including getting this book, visit www.valiant-wings.co.uk. Thank you for the review copy.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.