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The de Havilland Hornet & Sea Hornet

Valiant Wings Publishing
Airframe Album No.8

S u m m a r y
Publisher and Title:

Valiant Wings Publications – Airframe Album 8 - The de Havilland Hornet & Sea Hornet

Author: Richard A. Franks, Libor Jekl (1/72 kit build) & Steve A. Evans (1/48 kit build). Illustrator: Richard J. Caruana
ISBN: 978-0-9930908-0-6
Media:

Soft Cover, A4 portrait format, 146 pages, numerous black & white images plus a few in colour, extensive detail sketches, isometric drawings, colour profiles, technical description and variant details, and a modelling section.
Price: Available on-line from Valiant Wings Publishing and Hannants for £17.95, and stockists worldwide.
Review Type: First Read
Advantages: An abundance of useful images, informative on variants, very modeller-focused.
Disadvantages: None noted.
Conclusion:

This is a superb reference for anyone interested in the innermost details of the Hornet & Sea Hornet’s airframe and its camouflage and markings. It has the added benefit of two detailed and informative build articles on the leading kits in 1/72 and 1/48 scale, plus a list of kits, accessories and decals released to date.

Aimed very much at modellers, this book should not be overlooked by the pure plane enthusiast with an interest in the nuts and bolts aspects of these most interesting aircraft. I highly recommend this Airframe Album, and look forward to more in the series


Reviewed by Mark Davies



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FirstRead

 

Valiant Wings’ Airframe Albums are unashamedly pitched at modellers with their visual emphasis on airframe details, focus on variant differences, colour schemes, and modellers’ information section. Nonetheless, they should also appeal to aircraft enthusiasts as well, provided that they are not seeking any sort detailed operational accounts or service history.

 

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  • Valiant Wings Publications – Airframe Album 8 - The de Havilland Hornet & Sea Hornet Book Review by : Image
  • Valiant Wings Publications – Airframe Album 8 - The de Havilland Hornet & Sea Hornet Book Review by : Image
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I am being pedantic, but the title should really read twin piston engined fighter to be strictly correct, since the RAF & FAA have both operated twin-engined jet fighters subsequent to the Hornet & Sea Hornet respectively.

 

 

The graphic design of the book is most pleasing, and it is laid out in the following sections:

  • Glossary.

  • Introduction – Provides a precis of the Hornet’s development and operational use, details the various marks, has period photos, and lists technical specifications.

  • Technical Description – Divided into different airframe sections, this is “the meat” of the book, dealing with every aspect of the Hornets’s & Sea Hornet’s anatomy. It is replete with numerous photos and detail sketches from technical manuals, with useful and interesting notes accompanying these.  

  • Evolution – Isometric drawings by Wojciech Sankowski, with detailed notes on prototype and production variants.

  • Camouflage & Markings – Thorough discussion and notes dealing with finishes and markings; plus of course numerous colour profiles by Richard J. Caruana.

  • Models – Detailed build articles covering the 1/72 Special Hobby Sea Hornet kit by Libor Jekl, and 1/48 Trumpeter Hornet kit by Steve A. Evans. There are also appendices to this section covering available kits, accessories, and decals in multiple scales, plus a bibliography which even includes rival publications.

The overall quality of production is very good, logically laid out, and easy to read.

 

 

Conclusion

 

This is a superb reference for anyone interested in the innermost details of the Hornet & Sea Hornet’s airframe and its camouflage and markings. It has the added benefit of two detailed and informative build articles on the leading kits in 1/72 and 1/48 scale, plus a list of kits, accessories and decals released to date.

Aimed very much at modellers, this book should not be overlooked by the pure plane enthusiast with an interest in the nuts and bolts aspects of these most interesting aircraft. I highly recommend this Airframe Album, and look forward to more in the series.

Thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for the sample.

Review Copyright © 2016 by Mark Davies
This Page Created on 10 March, 2016
Last updated 10 March, 2016

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