Introduction

I am sure many of you are familiar with the Kagero titles as part of their Top Drawings series. The latest one of these to hit the shelf looks at the Soviet Fighter Yakovlev YAK3. For those that are not familiar with this series are in for a treat if there is a Yak 3 in their future.

Review

This offering from Kagero follows a winning format that seems to work well for them. You get a card covered book of 20 pages plus two fold out inserts. There is a short written introduction in both English and Polish provided by Anirudh Rao. The text is short and to the point but it does provide some good information on the highs and lows of this Soviet fighter.

After the short introduction you will find some very well reproduced scale line drawings that are reproduced in 1/48th and 1/72nd scale. These will enable the modeller to quickly check the accuracy of parts visually and so requires no special skills to work with. Some further nice inclusions are line drawings of the engine, undercarriage and cockpit, these are not of any particular scale but are very helpful inclusions none the less. I find myself really pleased with the undercarriage detail as it is an area that is rarely covered or easy to see.

In the centre of the title there are a small number of multi directional coloured drawings that are well reproduced and may give you some ideas for finishing a model. The fold out sheets provided cover the aircraft in 1/32nd scale and provide the detail that may otherwise be missed; the structure of the aircraft is shown and is a detail that will enable the modeller to go as far as they want with a build within reason.

Conclusion

This book is small compared to what you will find in most publications, but this is a dedicated title for the modeller who wants to throw detail at their builds and strive for the highest levels of accuracy. The content provided pleases me and the largescale drawing of specific aspects hold a great level of appeal to me. If you are looking to make a Yak 3 at any time then pick this title up as it will answer a lot of questions.