Research Books and Magazines

Intended to replace the proliferation of different small arms fielded by US forces during the American Civil War, the "Trapdoor Springfield" was designed in 1865-66 by Erskine S. Allin. Using metallic cartridges, it could be loaded in a single action, increasing the number of shots per minute as much as fivefold. The new weapon quickly proved its worth in two separate incidents in August 1867: small groups of US soldiers and civilians armed with the trapdoor repulsed numerically superior...

101 CLASSIC TOY TRAINS by Kalmbach HobbyStore item number: KAL64100

Featuring plans from Model Railroader magazine from three decades, each of the 101 track plans has a newly written, informational description of the design. The track plans range in size from simple 4 x 8 foot and smaller layouts to room- and garage-sized showpieces, with the majority focusing on mid-size layouts.Author: From Model RailroaderISBN: 9780890247761Size: 8 1/4 x 5 1/2Pages: 88Illustrations: 101

Easy-to-use plans in every size, shape and scale -- from tiny card-table layouts to giant garage-size railroads. Demonstrates how to design a railroad to fit any space, shows how to convert plans to N, HO, S, and O scales.Author: Linn H. WestcottISBN: 9780890245125Size: 8 1/4 x 11 1/4Pages: 72Illustrations: 118

Number of Pages: 52Illustrations: Black and WhiteLarge, clear diagrams of (7) interesting layoutsLayout planning and construction (step-by-step instructions and photos)Complete and simple wiring instructions and guidelinesHints on how to scenic our railroad with buildings, paint, and landscapingTips that will eliminate mistakes and frustration

Features: Advanced (Level 3)68 pagesLayouts HO-31 to HO-36Includes 4 fold out 11 x 17 track plans

Features This book will introduce you to the exciting world of model railroading and Atlas HO True-Track. With prototypical looking plastic roadbed that detaches from premium nickel silver HO Code 83 track. True-Track takes care of your ballasting with its molded gray roadbed.True-Track sections snap together easily so building layouts is quick and easy for everyone!This book contains the following:Blueprints for 10 basic layouts (plus 2 variations)Complete list of Atlas products needed for...

2019 Trains Across US Calender by Kalmbach HobbyStore item number: KAL68191

If you want to see what one of the most famous passenger trains in America was like, here it is! The year 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the 20th Century Limited, one of the most famous passenger trains in America. This New York-Chicago train was the way to travel between the America's two largest and most important cities in the first half of the 20th Century. The train is well known in many cultural aspects including being the route for celebrities, and it was one of the...

23rd Fighter Group by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPAEU31Famous for the fearsome sharksmouths that adorned their planes, the 23rd FG fought a guerrilla war against the Japanese, steadily moving pilots and aircraft from one remote air base in China to another to keep the enemy off balance. Because China could only be supplied by air from India, there were constant shortages of aircraft, fuel and ammunition with which to contend. The 23rd FG met these challenges head-on, and by the end of the...

This book contains all-new material from a star-studded roster of Model Railroader authors - Tony Koester, Mont Switzer, Cody Grivno, Jeff Wilson, James McNab, Keith Kohlmann. In 25 Freight Car Projects, modelers will find a wide variety of modeling techniques and ideas. With a focus on HO and N scales, this book provides step-by-step photos and instructions to show readers how to model a range of freight cars.

332nd Fg Tuskegee Airmen by OspreyItem Number: OSPAEU24Aviation Elite Units 24Author: Chris BucholtzIllustrator: Jim LaurierAbout this bookThe USAAF's Tuskegee Experiment, designed to prove that African-Americans were not capable of flying combat aircraft, resulted in the creation of one of the USAAF's elite units. Commanded by Col Bejamin O Davis, the 332nd were able to boast 111 aerial kills, 150 strafing victories and even the sinking of a German destroyer by the war's end. The group were...

359th Fighter Group by OspreyItem Number: OSPAEU10Aviation Elite Units 10Author: Jack H SmithIllustrator: Tom TullisAbout this bookNicknamed the 'Unicorns', the 359th FG was one of the last groups to arrive in the UK for service in the ETO with the Eighth Air Force. First seeing action on 13 December 1943, the group initially flew bomber escort sweeps in P-47s, before converting to the ubiquitous P-51 in March/April 1944. Throughout its time in the ETO, the 359th was credited with the...

45 Original Track Plans by Bernard Kempinski from Kalbach Hobby Store Item Number:KAL12496 This book features 45 original track plans created by respected author Bernard Kempinski. None of these track plans have been published before, so modelers will get an exclusive look at all-new material. Plans include: • A variety of scales, including HO, N, S, and O. • A variety of portrayed locations, with many from the east coast of the United States. • Room-sized plans to those...

475th Fighter Group by OspreyItem Number: OSPAEU23Aviation Elite Units 23Author: John StanawayIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookFormed with the best available fighter pilots in the Southwest Pacific, the 475th Fighter Group was the pet project of Fifth Air Force chief, General George C Kenney. From the time the group entered combat in August 1943 until the end of the war it was the fastest scoring group in the Pacific and remained one of the crack fighter units in the entire US Army Air...

479th Fighter Group 'Riddle's Raiders' by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPAEU32Aviation Elite Units 32Author: John StanawayIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookFormed in October 1943, the 479th FG claimed an impressive history against the Luftwaffe during the final year of the war. Originally flying P-38s, the 479th's pilots had a fierce pride of arms. They earned a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation in the late summer of 1944 and were also credited with the USAAF's first German jet...

In the early days of World War I, Germany unveiled a new weapon - the mobile 42cm (16.5 inch) M-Ger-t howitzer. At the time, it was the largest artillery piece of its kind in the world and a closely guarded secret. When war broke out, two of the howitzers were rushed directly from the factory to Liege where they quickly destroyed two forts and compelled the fortress to surrender. After repeat performances at Namur, Maubeuge and Antwerp, German soldiers christened the howitzers -Grosse' or...

Flying P-47s, the 56th FG was one of the highest scoring USAAF Fighter Groups in Europe. Traces the Group from WW II through action in Korea, Vietnam until today. Over 200 photos, 8 pgs of color, 64 pgs.

56th Fighter Group by OspreyItem Number: OSPAEU2Aviation Elite Units 2Author: Roger FreemanIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookOne of the first Thunderbolt groups to see action in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) with the US Army Air Forces, the 56th Fighter Group (FG) was also the only fighter unit within the Eighth Air Force to remain equipped with the mighty P-47 until war's end. Led by the inspirational 'Hub' Zemke, this group was responsible for devising many of the bomber...

57th Fighter Group - First in the Blue by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPAEU39Aviation Elite Units 39Author: Carl MolesworthIllustrator: Jim LaurierAbout this bookOrganized in January 1941, just as the United States was building up military forces for its inevitable entry into World War II, the 57th Fighter Group was the first USAAF fighter unit to go into action in North Africa. It went on to establish a number of other "firsts" during its illustrious combat history in this theatre. Flying...

611 In Steam DVD (Explore the history and 2015 restoration of world famous Norfolk & Western Class J 611) from Kalbach Hobby Store Item Number:KAL15113 Trains magazine explores the history and 2015 restoration of world famous Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611. Join us as we witness the re-birth of this classic 1950 streamlined beauty, acclaimed as the best and most powerful steam passenger locomotive ever built. Approximate running time: 1 hour.

88mm Flak 18/36/37 And Pak 43 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPNVG46 New Vanguard 46Author: John NorrisIllustrator: Mike FullerAbout this bookThe German 88 mm was by far the most famous and versatile artillery weapon of World War II. It was first used as an anti-aircraft weapon by the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War and saw further service in the German invasions of Poland and France, where it was first used in its anti-tank role. This role was particularly successful and the 88...

About this Osprey Publishing BookAt the height of the Seven Years' War, Great Britain made an audacious strike at the heart of Spanish colonial power in the Caribbean. Gathering troops from bases in Britain and Canada and sailing across the Atlantic in secrecy was an incredible feat. The raid on Havana took Spanish colonial forces completely by surprise and following vicious fighting, the city defences at El Moro collapsed. Havana, the jewel in the Spanish colonial crown, now belonged to...

About this Osprey Publishing BookA Fistful of Kung Fu brings the hyper-kinetic, bullet-spraying, demon-slaying, kung-fu-fighting action of Hong Kong movies and Asian cinema to the wargames tabletop. In a modern world walking a precarious line between the advances of next-generation technology and the tradition and mysticism of ancient cultures, Kung Fu schools face off in no-holds-barred tournaments, corporations hire agents and spies to steal each other's secrets, overworked SWAT teams...

Author: Paul EaglestoneIllustrator: Mark StaceyAbout this bookOften called the _Pulp Era_, the years between the two World Wars have seen a tremendous surge in interest among wargamers. A World Aflame captures the adventurous nature of the time period to present a fun, fast-paced set of tabletop miniatures rules that can handle the many diverse conflicts of the period, from the Chinese Civil Wars and the _Great Game_ in Central Asia, to the Irish War of Independence and the bitter ideological...

A-1 Skyraider in Action by Squadron Signal Publications item number: SS10246David Doyle. Originally designated AD and later A-1, the 1944-designed Skyraider was conceived and bought by the U.S. Navy as a carrier-borne attack aircraft, and saw combat as such in Korea and Vietnam. During the latter of those conflicts, the U.S. Air Force obtained and used Navy-surplus Skyraiders, as did the South Vietnamese air force. Other nations continued to fly the venerable Skyraider into the 1980s. Known...

The A-10 was never a favourite amongst the USAF's senior staff, and prior to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 they had attempted to transfer the aircraft to the US Army and Marine Corps. Reprieved from premature retirement, the A-10 would see combat in the Balkans during the mid-1990s and over Iraq in Operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch until Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003. Following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, the Bush administration responded with the...

A-10 Thunderbolt II Units of Operation Enduring Freedom 2008-14 from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPCOM111 Combat Aircraft Series: Each Combat Aircraft book concentrates on one of the greatest aircraft in aviation history, the technology behind it and the men who flew it. Examining the design, development and deployment of the aircraft throughout history, from World War II and Korea through to current actions in the Gulf and Afghanistan, each book features up to 30 aircraft profiles, pages...

A-20 HAVOC in Action by Squadron Signal Publications item number: SS10238David Doyle. The Douglas A-20 Havoc was a light bomber, attack, and intruder aircraft of World War II. Used by the American Army Air Forces, nearly one-third of the aircraft served with the Soviet military, while many other A-20s fought with the RAF. Taking its first operational shape on the eve of the outbreak of the war in Europe, the 7B prototype actually crashed with a French observer aboard, kicking off a scandal in...

Squadron Signal Books. The Douglas A-26 Invader served the United States with distinction in various combat roles during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Originally created as an attack aircraft, with the designation A-26, the Invader was designed to replace the A-20 Havoc, North American B-25 Mitchell and the Martin B-26 Marauder for the U.S. Army Air Forces. However, production delays prevented the aircraft from reaching the field until June 1944. With as many as 14 forward-firing .50...

Designed to combine the bombing capability of the B-26 Marauder with the versatility of the ground-attack A-20 Havoc, the A-26 Invader would become the USAAF's attack bomber par excellence. Capable of flying low-level strafing or conventional bombing missions by simply changing the nose configuration of the aircraft, the Invader first saw action in 1943 in the Pacific Theatre attacking Japanese-held islands. Arriving in Europe several months later, the A-26 served with distinction for the...

About this Osprey Publishing BookThe Douglas A-3 Skywarrior, though something of a cult favourite, remains a largely unremarked classic of Naval Aviation. Built for nuclear weapon delivery, the A-3 made its name in Vietnam as a conventional bomber, tanker and Electronic Warfare platform. It was the largest aircraft ever regularly operated from the decks of aircraft carriers, earning it the fleet-wide nickname -Whale'. It excelled in every mission area assigned to it and operated in the US Navy...

(Softcover) Drendel. The carrier-capable Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is one of the most successful modern combat aircraft. During the 25 years in which the A-4 was on the production line, 2,960 Skyhawks were built. A relatively light aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 24,500 pounds and with a top speed exceeding 600 mph, the Skyhawk was operated not only by the US Navy and Marines but also by the air forces of Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Malaysia, Argentina, Singapore, Brazil, Indonesia,...

At the time of its operational debut the fighter's design features offered the revolutionary combination of an all-round vision canopy, cannon armament and a jettisonable drop tank giving it phenomenal range. Together with the flying and tactical proficiency of superbly trained pilots, this made the Zero-sen a true strategic fighter, spearheading Japan's offensive in the Pacific. It was also the mount of a plethora of successful and flamboyant naval aces engaged in both sea and land campaigns.

Author: Philip J Birtles200096 Pages

Patton. The exploits of the aces , their aircraft and tactics, from WWI to the Korean Conflict. Further, the aces' aircraft are described with an emphasis on their performance, how they were flown, and how the combination of pilot and aircraft stood up to the opposition. Includes such notables as Manfred von Richthofen (Red Baron), Gregory (Pappy) Boyington, Francis S. Gabreski, Herman Graf, and the novel inclusion of Michael Wittmann as the "Tiger Ace""

Patton. This title gives the exploits of the aces , their aircraft and tactics, from WWI to the War in Vietnam. The stories of 59 air aces since WWI, plus one tank ace of WWII. Includes such notables as Joseph M. McConnell, Richard "Dick"" Bong

About this Osprey Publishing BookThe 325th FG was activated under General Order number 50 on 30 July 1942 and set up training operations at Theodore F Greene Field in Providence, Rhode Island. By mid-December 1942 the group was considered ready for combat and the alert for overseas duty arrived on 2 January 1943. The pilots and their P-40s departed on the carrier USS Ranger on 8 January and flew their aircraft off the vessel into Cazes airfield, near Casablanca, on 19 January 1943. After the...

About this Osprey Publishing BookJagdgeschwader 3 may not have the same immediate resonance as some of the more famous Luftwaffe fighter units, such Jagdgeschwader 2 -Richthofen', but it is arguably the archetypal German fighter formation of World War 2. Not only did it participate in every campaign fought by the Luftwaffe (with the exceptions of Poland and Norway), it flew every major variant of the two legendary German wartime fighters, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 -...

Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPACE128 Author: Greg VanWyngarden Illustrator: Harry Dempsey, Mark Postlethwaite Short code: ACE 128 Publication Date: 20 Jan 2016 Number of Pages: 96 About this Osprey Publishing Book Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader Nr III was the third of Germany's vaunted fighter wings to be formed during World War 1. Commanded by the Pour le M-rite winner and well-respected ace Hauptmann Bruno Loerzer for its entire existence, it was composed...

About this Osprey Publishing BookInitially formed to assist in the defence of the city of Metz against French bombing raids, Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17 would go on to become one of the most distinguish German fighter units of World War 1. Its first victory was scored by the pilot whose story is inextricably interwoven with that of his unit - the -Blue Max' recipient Julius Buckler. He was largely responsible for inspiring the unit's unique Esprit de Corps, expressed in its famous and unique...

The ace pilots of the Republic of China Air Force have long been shrouded in mystery and obscurity, as their retreat to Taiwan in 1949 and blanket martial law made records of the RoCAF all but impossible to access. Now, for the first time, the colourful story of these aces can finally be told. Using the latest research based on released archival information and full-colour illustrations, this book charts the history of the top scoring pilots of the RoCAF from the beginning of the gruelling,...

About this Osprey Publishing BookDubbed the -Eagles of Duxford', the 78th Fighter Group (FG) was unique in being the only fighter unit in the -Mighty Eighth' to fly the P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang operationally. Arriving in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) in November 1942, and eventually committed to combat five months later, the 78th, along with the 4th and 56th FGs, -wrote the book' on long-range fighter escort by VIII Fighter Command in the ETO. This volume...

Aces of the Legion Condor by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE99For Germany, the Spanish Civil War proved a perfect testing ground for new technologies and tactics. During the war, some 19,000 German 'volunteers' formed an aviation group called the Legion Condor in support of the fascists. Originally flying He-51s, they were soon upgraded to 109s. These fighters proved dominant in the Spanish skies, and many members of the legion scored five or more kills during the fighting.Contents *...

Acient Greeks by OspreyItem Number: OSPELI7Elite 7Author: Nicholas SekundaIllustrator: Angus McBrideAbout this bookThe cradle of western civilisation, the ancient Greek world, consisted of a series of independent city states some of which, such as Athens and Sparta, became major world powers. This authoritative volume by Nicholas Sekunda covers Greek warfare in the Classical Period, which stretches from the Greek victories over the Persian Empire to the death of Alexander the Great at the end...

Acre 1291 by OspreyItem Number: OSPCAM154Campaign 154Author: David NicolleIllustrator: Graham TurnerAbout this bookIn April 1291, a Mamluk army laid siege to Acre, the last great Crusader fortress in the Holy Land. For six weeks, the siege dragged on until the Mamluks took the outer wall, which had been breached in several places. The Military Orders drove back the Mamluks temporarily, but three days later the inner wall was breached. King Henry escaped, but the bulk of the defenders and most...

Across A Deadly Field - Regimental Rules for Civil War Battles from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPACW1 American Civil War Series Across A Deadly Field – The War in the East : Written by: John Hill Illustrated by: Mark Stacey The American Civil War was a turning point in the history of warfare, as Napoleonic tactics met deadly new technology. Cannons and rifles had become more accurate at longer ranges, rapid-fire pistols gave cavalry a new weapon, and the telegraph and railroad...

Across A Deadly Field - The War in the East (Hardcover) from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPACW2 American Civil War Series Across A Deadly Field – The War in the East : Written by: John Hill Illustrated by: Mark Stacey The War in the East, a supplement for John Hill's Across a Deadly Field, gives players the resources to recreate the battles, great and small, of the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. Step into the shoes of Robert E. Lee and drive towards Washington with the Army of...