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I can almost hear it, an aircraft book review on Track-Link? Well, the fact is that while armor exists in scales traditionally dominated by aircraft (such as 1/72nd and 1/48th) several companies have released helicopters in 1/35th scale. The oldest in my stash being Heller's Super Frelon.
This Wings & Wheels publication is the perfect companion to anyone building Trumpeter's Mi-24 Hind kits. Inside the softcover, we find 168 pages full of in focus photos. Seven hundred seventy eight (yes, 778) color photos and thirteen B&W photos cover every detail of the helicopter in all its guises. There are also two three-view color profiles, 24 detail sketches, and sixteen side views.
The book measures 9 by 9.5 inches in a landscape format with heavy card stock covers. The heavy pages have a semi matte finish which reproduces details well.
The first nine pages of the book begins with a simplified history of the helicopter and proceeds to introduce each of the versions it will cover. Then the book goes into a walk around of each version:
Mi-24A Hind B and Hind A pp. 10-17
Mi-24DU Hind D Trainer pp. 18-23
Mi-24D Hind D pp. 24-33
Mi-24V Hind E pp. 34-47
Mi-24P Hind F pp. 48-57
Mi-24D & V in hangar workshop pp. 58-147
Mi-24RKhR Hind G1 pp. 156-159
Mi-24K Hind G2 p. 160
Mi-24VP p. 161
Mi-24M pp. 162-165
Mi-24 Mission 24 (Israeli Modification) pp. 166-168
Pages 148 through 153 cover photos and color profiles of various users of the Mil product. The hangar workshop photos go into great detail of the various systems of the helicopter including in depth looks at the weapons and how they are mounted.
The various photos in the hangar are also inspirational for those daring enough to pull off a maintenance setting and some good information is gleaned from the text. While it is not perfect English, the gist of the information is there.
This book represents and excellent value for hard to find large format photos of the Hind and is a great companion to 4 Plus Publications book on the same helicopter. The latter book provides very good drawings which illustrate the twist of the helicopter's fuselage which is not prevalent in most scale plans.
More images can be found on Wings & Wheels web site.
http://www.wwpbooks.com/index.php?lang=en&page=showbook&book=42
I bought my copy from the North American exclusive distributor; 4+ Publications North America.
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