Publisher: Kagero
Authors: Tomasz J. Kowalski and Marek Rys
Series: Legends of Aviation in 3D No.1
ISBN: 978-83-62878-09-3
Review by: Geoff Coughlin (Feb 2012)
Our thanks to Kagero for supplying our review sample.
Presentation…
140 pages; soft back, profusely illustrated with black and white images; colour profiles and drawings; 3d drawings with red/blue 3D glasses for viewing; cut-away colour drawings and English text throughout.
Chapter Breakdown…
- How the legend was born
- Dreideckers in combat
- The aircraft construction
- Painting schemes and markings
- Bibliography
- Appendices
- Tables
- Fokker Dr.I in 3D
- 3D Anaglyphs
Contents…
For anyone even remotely interested in the Dreidecker Dr.I, this title from Kagero will provide a feast of high quality reference and historical information. Kagero have achieved great heights with their titles aimed largely at the modelling community and this book is going to fill a bit of a gap, to say the least.
The chapters above give you a clear idea of what to expect and the book starts from the Sopwith Triplane, exploring how that aircraft inspired the Fokker Dr.I through the Fokker D.VI, the first prototype to the eventual Dr.I.
The book truly inspires, with a large number of period images that will provide endless possibilities in terms of presenting your completed Fokker Dr.I models, whatever their scale.
These aircraft weathered heavily and, together with many airframes featuring that streaked (filtered-look) camouflage, you can set yourself up for a real modelling challenge.
The chapter dealing with the Fokker Dr.I in 3D has excellent colour plates and profiles, together with highly authentic-looking line drawings that illustrate every aspect of the airframe and equipment fit. Simply stunning, it has to be said.
Many of the drawings show weathered aircraft and comparing these to representative airframes in pics of the real machines shows they can be used to great effect in your scale modelling.
The final section has a number of 3D drawings that are designed to be viewed using the 3D glasses supplied, which works quite effectively.
This recent innovative move does add an interactive element not really seen before (although MMP also sell books with the feature).
To be honest, I’m not so sure this feature adds a great deal, but some of you will doubtless like it. Maybe I’m just getting old – the last 3D film I saw was Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks narrating!
To sum up…
Simply stunning. Quality is of the highest order in every respect, from the paper to the profiles and period images.
Highly Recommended to all.
Geoff C.