New Publications from these prolific publishers are always welcome; each one sets new boundaries and standards for others to follow.

This new series Inside & Out, Why Don’t I build standard kits? I by Milan Kosek’s is one of these. Sub titles A Modeller’s guide to improving scale model kits No 2. It is bilingual in English and Czech. Price unknown as it is a review copy, so check out with your local book store.

It is printed on a large format 32cm by 24 cm larger than standard A4, it has 64 pages and this allows for very good quality full colour photographs of outstanding quality, a total of 277 in all.

The Subjects in this edition are all wrecks of tanks and soft skins and armoured cars all are 1/35 in scale, they include the following Tamiya Strumtiger, Italeri Hetzer, Tamiya Jagdpanther, Italeri RSO, Tamiya Tiger old model, Italeri Puma, H.K resin S.W.S Tamiya Marder original 30 year old kit, Tamiya panther again the original kit, Italeri Sd Kfz 234/4, Tamiya Sd Kfz 251/9, and lastly Italeri Opel Blitz.

Each subject is covered in a photomontage of the actual kit after it is built up and painted it truly shows the level of detail and skill that the modeller has for his subject. In each section there is a explanation of what has been done to the kit and the add on details from resin or photo etch used and some brief outlines in text only of the parts scratch built or super detailed.

The actual kits are outstanding and I could see many of them winning in major international competitions up to best of show or gold medal.

The modeller has achieved just the right amount of wrecking to make it realistic and more important believable, in many of the models it is in the knowing when to stop to achieve the end result, he has done this superbly in my mind at the right moment in each case.

Each model has been treated to a different approach and style which show the model to its best advantage. This is reflected in the final photographs of the models you can see how his style has altered and improved. If I had to pick one that gives me the most satisfaction it has to be the RSO on page 20.  

However there is one down side and I hope the author will take this on board as a constructive criticism, unless you have encyclopaedia knowledge of resin accessories and photo etch. In the completed models it is near impossible to see what is not his work and the work of bought items.  I would like to have seen at least half of the photographs devoted to the construction stages to show the level of detail in the models before final painting.

Conclusions, a very well presented book by a master model maker, the photographs are stunning, a good read, inspirational to those who are ready to take on the hard mile in super detailing an unusual subject.

For our American readers who like to see points awarded, over all I give it 8 out of 10 for content , photographs it has to be 10 out of 10 , ease of read  10 out of 10. selection of subjects and scales I have to give 10 out of 10 , my overall mark is a high 9 out of ten, had it had the early construction photographs in it would have been a full set of marks all round .

For those who have read my review of the No1 on the aircraft models in this series   they will note I have made the exact same comments and conclusions, this is because to both cases the same apply. To be fair to both authors they have set themselves very high standards for first time books but to achieve that extra yard they need constructive criticism and that is what I hope I have done.

Go out and order your copy now you will not be disappointed.

Many thanks to Franti for the advance review copy handed to me at Scale Model World 03.

Ian Sadler

2003 Nov ©