Warpaint Series:
Avro Vulcan & F-4K/M Phantoms
Warpaint #30: Avro Vulcan
Kev Darling
Hall Park Books, ©2001
Softbound, 40 Pages
Warpaint #31: F-4K/M Phantom
Steve Hazell
Hall Park Books, ©2001
Softbound, 56 Pages
Reviewed by Jim Schubert
If you are familiar with the Warpaint series of softbound books, you already know what to expect in a new issue and these two do not disappoint. The Vulcan book in 42 pages and the Phantom book in 58 pages give you well written, easy to read, design, development and service histories of the subject types. The "Warpaint", colors and markings, are covered by the many very well printed color and B&W photos and line and colored drawings in each volume. Both provide detailed 1/72nd scale general arrangement drawings. Due to the great size of the Vulcan (~18 5/16" wingspan in 1/72nd scale) the six-view general arrangement drawing is provided on a 14 1/4" x 22 1/2" foldout, removable sheet stapled into the center of the book. The Phantom GA fits handily onto three pages in the center spread of the book.
These are the first two "Warpaints" I've looked at critically. The only other one that I have skimmed is the recent release on the Hawker Sea Hawk. They're much better than I expected. I read completely through the two of them in one go late at night and then got out my own references for cross checking. Didn't find anything amiss and learned quite a bit. These books provide a lot of good solid red meat for research enthusiasts like me. Both books include a table of kits, decals and accessories available to modelers. Unfortunately, I'm not interested enough in Vulcans or UK Phantoms to imagine I'd ever build one; I do like the research though. I've seen Vulcans at air shows in the US and Canada and the UK and Vulcan operations at Waddington and Cranfield; it is a big and impressive airplane. I've also marveled at RN Phantom operations at Yeovilton.
US retail prices for "Warpaints" run from about $18 to about $30. They are not cheap! At these prices you will have to make a very careful value analysis in the course of deciding whether or not to buy. Warpaint titles are available at many hobby shops, or online at https://www.warpaint-books.com.
