The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | February 2019 | Title | The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Richard A. Franks | Publisher | Valiant Wings Publishing |
| Published | 2019 | ISBN | 978-0-9957773-7-8 |
| Format | 64 pages, softcover | MSRP (BP) | £13.95 |
Review
Despite failure to achieve widespread production and service, Focke-Wulf's Ta 154 – Nazi German's reply to Britain's legendary de Havilland Mosquito – remains a perennial favorite of WWII aircraft modelers.
Now Richard A. Franks offers a compact, captivating chronicle of the attractively sinister-looking design in The Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito – A Technical Guide – sixth installment in Valiant Wings' outstanding "Airframe Detail" range.
Spanning just 66 pages, the publisher's familiar, focused format nevertheless dissects Moskito in dazzling detail.
And what a ripping reference it is.
After a handy glossary, author Franks kick-starts coverage with an excellent historical précis of the design's troublesome development and testing – complete with copious technical minutiae and individual aircraft fates.
Text next turns to Ta 154 camouflage & markings – and thence to Steve Evans' superb build of HpH Models' 1/32nd Moskito.
Like every Valiant Wings title, expect lots of eye candy. The lavishly illustrated contents sport dozens of photos and vintage technical manual excerpts. Richard J. Caruana's color plates provide splendid painting guides. And a full page of Moskito stencils with location notes augments illustrations.
Extended, explanatory captions amplify all. And three appendices – kits, "accessories & masks", and references – conclude contents.
What a solid study! If you're tackling Dragon's 1:48-scale kit – or battling PM's ancient, 1:72-scale effort – this is the only resource you need.
Roundly recommended!
With thanks to Valiant Wings Publishing for this review copy.