Customer Reviews

World War 2 Luftwaffe Fighter Modelling

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I should have saved my money.

Don't get me wrong - it's an excellent book - a treasure trove, in fact, of techniques and tips. If you're an intermediate or beginner modeler, this is an excellent resource. Coughlin spends a good deal of time walking through the real basics - from figuring out what you want to do to making the piles of parts in the box come together into something that looks like a plane. His explanations are clear, concise and easy to follow, and everything is well illustrated with clear pictures of exactly what he's talking about. Though the focus of the book is Luftwaffe fighters, the information can be applied to almost any genre of scale modeling.

For me, this was a less than optimal expenditure of hard earned hobby moolah because I have a rather large library of books that do the same thing. Yes, I learned some new things and got a few ideas from the book, but I could have - should have - done that by borrowing from a library. The one thing I specifically wanted to learn about - spraying those mottles and complex squiggle patterns - is NOT covered (several references are made to Chapter 6 comntaining an explanation, but I never found one there).

Ah, well. Regardless of skill level, any aircraft modeler can find something of value in this book. I'd highly recommend it to beginners as a primer and reference. However, those of us who have been building for a while, and already have extensive piles of hobby-related publications, should probably pass it up.

This book, is really a good source of tips and suggestions to improve your skills in modelling very fast. Easy, clear comments, and exceptional photos. I strongly recommend it

Guido Azzari Guatemala City. C.A.

This book is so interesting. It covers all the essentials aspects of fighter modeling, and is for everyone, from the beginner to the more advanced modeler. I learned a lot of new tips reading it, even if i've been building planes for 8 years. It's a must for all luftwaffe fan. The tips can also be used for any other aircraft, from any nationality. The book is also all in color, with a LOT of pictures and a good quality paper, all this for a low price. Get it!

This book is not really bad, but very disappointing nonetheless.

It's made of 6 chapters: Getting Started, Reference Sources, Available Products, Basic Construction, Advanced Construction and Special Techniques. First half of the book is targeted at a novice, and does decent job explaining the basics. However - we're already half way through the book when anything interesting for an intermediate modeler appears, and the book is only 128 pages long.

Second part of the book explains mainly model construction, there's really nothing of painting, except for details (drybrushing, exhaust stains). What passes here for advanced topics / special techniques is using PE and resin aftermarket cockpit set, using mesh for intake screens, adding brake lines from foil and wire, making a bulkhead from plasticard, stretching sprue, sealing decals with clear coat, accentuating panel lines, replacing gun barrels with tubing, or adding exhaust stains.

Work presented in the book is decent for the most part, but several bloopers are included. There is a short part title "creating realistic display base", which shows what looks like magnification of a cake, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Honestly - how can anyone see it as a display base is a mystery to me. Bulkhead built from scratch does not conform to aircraft's interior. Paint job on one of the models includes visible overspray, caused by too thick paint.

To me this is all great for a book targeted at beginner to intermediate, but does not belong in series called MASTERCLASS. I'm not trying to belittle work presented in this book, but it's not what I'd masterpieces. Sorry.

My second problem is with the "Luftwaffe" part of the title. To me it means inclusion of some sort of discussion of colors schemes employed by LW. There actually is such part in the book - but it consists of photos of several models in various camouflage, with no hint on how to achieve presented finish. Colors used on different models vary greatly, which I find confusing since it's left without explanation; this includes curious mauve color that I guess is supposed to be RLM 75. There is also no attempt of making models more accurate, for example Trimaster Fw-190 D-9 is left with enclosed wheel wells. One of the 109 models also has strange contraption holding shoulder belts - did it come from looking at a museum example?

To sum it up, it's a decent book if you want to learn basic / intermediate airplane model building techniques (it lacks advanced building topics). But it falls short in explanation of painting, and would be no better or worse if all the models shown in the book were Spitfires and Hurricanes. Mottling, omnipresent on fuselage of LW aircraft from 1940/41 on is ignored; squiggles, although admittedly not part of a standard finish on fighters, are ignored; spotted finish is shown on Do-335 and He-219, but its creation is not explained. Quality of work is overall good, but not remarkable. As is two stars is all I can give it - title is misleading, and contents bound to disappoint.