Valiant Wings Publishing | Airframe Extra No. 11: The Falklands War

Reviewed by Kevin Futter

UK-based publisher Valiant Wings Publishing has just released the 11th title in Airframe Extra series. Issue No. 11, entitled The Falklands War: 2nd April to 14th June 1982, combines historical narrative, profile artwork, and seven model builds, and clocks in at 84 pages.

The specific structure of the contents is as follows:

History
1/72 Airfix A-4 Skyhawk Build
1/72 Italeri Wessex HU.5 Build
1/72 Modelsvit Mirage IIIEA Build
RAF & RN Camouflage & Markings
1/48 Kinetic Mirage III/Dagger Build
1/48 Kinetic FMA Pucara Build
1/48 Tamiya Sea Harrier FRS.1 Build
AAF Camouflage & Markings

History

This 21-page section is written by Patrick Branly, and covers the background and conduct of the Falklands War, with an understandable emphasis on the British side of the conflict. The format follows a basic chronological description of events, with context given where appropriate. It includes a smattering of interesting period photographs, and represents a handy primer for the events of the conflict itself, as well as being a good starting point for further historical research.

1/72 Airfix A-4 Skyhawk Build

The first of the title's six model builds sees Libor Jekl build the Airfix 1/72 scale A-4B/P Skyhawk kit. Like all the builds in this book, it's a typical magazine-style photo-essay of the build, covering eight pages of hints, tips, and advice. Jekl augments the build with a couple of aftermarket resin sets.

As with the other builds in this book, it features a section entitled "Historical Significance", wherein that particular aircraft's role in the battle is elucidated. It's a nice touch, and saves the historical section from becoming bogged down with such tangents.

1/72 Italeri Wessex HU.5 Build

Libor Jekl tackles the book's second build, featuring the Italeri 1/72 Wessex HU.5 kit. The style of this eight-page build is similar to the preceding one, as is the result! Libor Jekl's builds for Valiant Wings publications have single-handedly persuaded me that 1/72 models can in fact appear as convincing as those from larger scales. Bravo!

1/72 Modelsvit Mirage IIIEA Build

The third build featured in the book is a two-page gallery showcasing Libor Jekl's finished build of the Modelsvit 1/72 Mirage IIIEA. The result is excellent, though there are of course no build tips or guides here, which is a pity.

RAF & RN Camouflage & Markings

Sandwiched between the builds are eight pages of colour profiles by Richard Caruana, featuring aircraft used in the conflict the RAF and Royal Navy. Lots of Harriers and Sea Harriers as expected, but also smattering of helicopters, Vulcans, and even a Nimrod and a VC.10. The artwork is excellent, with plenty of topical inspiration.

1/48 Kinetic Mirage III/Dagger Build

Steve Evans takes the reigns for the book's fourth build with an eight-page build of the Kinetic 1/48 Mirage III/5 kit, building it as an Argentinean Dagger. The result is predictably superb. Lots of hints and tips for getting the most out of this kit, too.

1/48 Kinetic FMA Pucara Build

Steve Evans is back with a build of Kinetic's 1/48 Pucara kit, noting how good it is to have a modern, high-quality kit available of an otherwise largely neglected subject. The build itself is excellent of course, finished as an Argentinean machine at the time of the conflict. A handy inclusion is a list of paints used to represent the distinctive camouflage colours.

1/48 Tamiya Sea Harrier FRS.1 Build

The final build in the book sees Steve Evans return to tackle the infamous Tamiya 1/48 Sea Harrier kit. His goal was to use no aftermarket accessories to improve the model, though he did replace the ejection seat with one from a Kinetic kit. The result is truly impressive given the kit and the self-imposed circumstances of the build, which is well worth checking out to see what can be achieved with this particular model.

Sample Pages

Here's a small selection of sample pages, courtesy of Valiant Wings:

Conclusion

I enjoyed this title a great deal. Its blend of interesting history, attractive artwork, and impressive model builds is nearly perfect. The magazine format is highly accessible, and can be used as a launching pad for more comprehensive research into the period covered. My only lament is the total lack of LSP builds, but given the constraints of the format, and the specialities of the featured modellers, it's understandable.

I think this is a fine starting point for modelling aircraft of the Falklands War, and has much to recommend it.

Thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for the review sample.