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• Skrzydlata Polska 07/2013 • 2013-08-07
• www.rollmodels.net • 2013-03-01
• Flying Scale Models • 2013-03-01
• IPMS UK - The Magazine 2003 No.4 • 2013-03-01
• www.ipmsusa.org • 2013-03-01
• www.j-aircraft.com • 2013-03-01
• Internet Modeler • 2013-03-01
• Modeling Madness • 2013-03-01
• Amazon.co.uk customer review • 2013-03-01

• Skrzydlata Polska 07/2013 • 2013-08-07
  
• www.rollmodels.net • 2013-03-01
  Reviewed by Mark Smith This is only the third monograph on the Claude of any real note (Maru Mechanic and FAOW titles were its predecessors, both OOP now) but this is the first in English. Heretofore, any English coverage of the aircraft's combat career was of the thumbnail variety and concentrated on its China service, as when the Pacific War broke out, the Zero had in large part replaced it. As you will find if you read this book, however, Zeros were still in short supply early on and the Type 96 was still a frontline aircraft in certain places such as Rabaul and the Marshall Islands. Many of these individual combats are detailed, as they are for the earlier years against Chinese and Russian pilots. As displayed in his earlier books on things Japanese, the author obviously has developed good Japanese sources and does not rely on the same old minimalist Western reports. In addition, the English translation is smoothly done B much better than some of Mushroom's earlier titles. Kudos to all involved for the text and the new information unearthed for Westerners. The photographic coverage is a good mix of the rather skimpy coverage available, and you will not find much you haven't seen if you own the other two titles mentioned above. They do not reveal a lot of nuts and bolts detail but are valuable for markings and general purposes. It is in the drawings and color artwork that the book excels, at least for the modeler. The A5M2, 2B, the elegant inline-engined A5M3, and the A5M4 are finely rendered in 1/72 scale B though I have to admit that I was disappointed I didn't see drawings of the earliest gull-winged prototypes. The book closes with a full 28 pages of superb color by Zygmunt Szeremeta , including several top views, which offer representative color schemes for the airplane's entire service career. The Claude has been poorly served by decal manufacturers, and let's hope this section does much to change that. With Fujimi's excellent kits in 1/72 and the Classic Airframes and Fine Molds kits still to be found in 1/48, some of the aircraft pictured here would make lovely models. While the Maru Mechanic #28 (since reprinted in various editions) and the Famous Aircraft of the World title are essential to your Claude library, so is this book. In fact, the three complement each other grandly. If Japanese airplanes are your cup of tea, don't let this title show up listed OOP before you've snagged yours
• Flying Scale Models • 2013-03-01
  
• IPMS UK - The Magazine 2003 No.4 • 2013-03-01
  
• www.ipmsusa.org • 2013-03-01
  Reviewed By John Lester #36807 During the long windup to World War 2, most Western militaries regarded Japanese pilots as buck-toothed, nearsighted inferiors flying obsolete copies of Western designs. Had anyone been paying attention to the Sino-Japanese war, and later combat with the Russians over Mongolia, they would have been swiftly disabused of those notions. Mitsubishi’s A5M (Allied reporting name: Claude), in frontline use with the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1937 until 1942, was an excellent case in point. Designed by Japan's foremost aircraft designer of the time, Jiro Horikoshi, the fixed-gear, open cockpit design was an excellent plane for its day and the IJN’s first monoplane fighter. The type saw extensive combat in the Sino-Japanese War, literally flying circles around anything the Chinese or Russians could put in the air to oppose it. It weaned the Japanese pilots from their beloved biplanes and enabled them to develop the experience and tactics with which they would soon savage the Allies all across the Pacific theater. The latest installment of Mushroom Model Publications’ aircraft specials covers the A5M series in exhaustive detail. Six chapters of text, lavishly illustrated with plans, detail drawings and photographs, detail the operational history and technical details of each variant (prototype, A5M1, A5M2, A5M3, A5M4 and A5M4-K). Plans, drawn in 1/72 scale by Andrezj Gorczinski, detail all the major subtypes; some include fuselage cross sections. Detail drawings are particularly helpful in distinguishing the slight differences between sub-types (for instance, one set shows the 5 different windscreen arrangements used on the A5M2 and early A5M4 versions, and there are detailed drawings of different seats used as well). All this is followed by 26 pages of color profiles by Zygmunt Szeremeta depicting 40 separate airframes. If you’re looking for an exciting history of the Sino-Japanese war – look elsewhere. The text is a rather dry, cataloguing major engagements fought in the type and the exploits of the pilots who flew in them. However, if you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all things Claude – this is the book for you. The comprehensive technical information, detailed drawings, photos and profiles present the modeler with everything necessary to build any of the sub-types of this historically significant airplane. Model kits were made in 1/48 from Fine Molds and Classic Airframes; in 1/72 Fujimi and Nichimo kits are available, for those that don’t want to go the scratchbuilding route. If you can’t find the book at a hobby shop or bookstore, it can be ordered from Squadron in the US at www.squadron.com, Stock No. QM6107) for $17.97. Highly recommended!
• www.j-aircraft.com • 2013-03-01
  by David Brizzard The latest in the Mushroom series is one of the best yet. At 6 1/2 x 9/1/2, 80 pages, softcover in English this little gem has 68 black & white photos, 47 color profiles, technical data and 1/72 scale drawings on the A5M1 thru 4-K. It also includes drawings of the seats and canopies. Also, there are several photos of the engine. A must have for any J-aircraft fan. Don't wait too long.
• Internet Modeler • 2013-03-01
  By Ray Mehlberger This latest book from Mushroom Model Publications (MMP) covers the immediate predecessor of the famous "Zero" fighter (which is itself the subject of an earlier MMP book, previously reviewed in Internet Modeler). The A5M "Claude" was the Imperial Navy's first monoplane fighter, and saw extensive service over China in the years before WWII. Lightweight, agile and effective, it helped wean Japanese pilots off their favorite biplanes, ready for the modern and deadly zero. The book is MMP's 9 1/2" x 6" format, that is used for all their books in this series. This new book is 80 pages long. There are 57 black and white photos. Two of these are of engines used in the Claude. There are 10 1/72nd scale line drawings. Some of these are multiple views. Numerous scrap drawings of Claude's anatomy. The final icing on the cake is the 26 pages of color side views. There are no less than 40 of these color side views and seven of them include top views. The various versions of the Claude that are covered are the: A5M1, A5M2 , A5M3 (in-line engine), A5M4 , A5M4-K (2 seat trainer) There is also a full page chart of technical data for Claudes. As with all MMP's previous books, this volume is an invaluable reference for aircraft modelers, aviation enthusiasts, and historians. Highly recommended. The last page of this book annouces that there will be future books on the PZL P-11, German Air Projects 1935-1945 and the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V
• Modeling Madness • 2013-03-01
  Reviewed by Scott Van Aken Once again, Mushroom Models Publications comes to the rescue on a type for which there is darn little information. This one is a bit different from the previous aircraft editions in one major respect that will be covered later. There is an excellent history of the type from its initial development through its use in China and finally its replacement rather early in the war by the A6M Zero-Sen. Most of the photos of this plane that are in the book were new to me, always a real plus when it comes to a book. As with others in the series, each subtype is carefully covered, detailing the differences from the variant before. There are plenty of fine three view drawings in 1/72 as well as smaller detail drawings to help with the changes from version to version. A big plus of these books is the large number of decently sized profiles and this one is no different. There are 27 pages of them and included are a number of overhead drawings to show the upper wing markings carried by these planes. What is missing is a section of close-ups of preserved types and that is simply because there are none extant. Overall, an excellent book on the type and one that should be on the shelf of any WWII Japanese aircraft enthusiast.
• Amazon.co.uk customer review • 2013-03-01

  5.0 out of 5 stars Superb. A good history and 47 fabulous colour profile.

  16 Feb 2013 By Ralph Cook.

  When this modest little book came through the post I thought 'mmm, is that it, then?', but when I looked through it I was more than impressed. The Polish authors and publishers have done an excellent job. There are 69 photographs and 23 good line drawings: the latter are accurate though rather faintly drawn. There are no fewer than 47 colour profiles and these are quite simply the best I have seen in any book. The text gives a history and full technical details covering all variations of the A5M series, which was a ground breaking design at the time. In addition there's a very interesting account of the war in China that was on- going between 1937 and 1939. All of these things are somehow presented in an unassuming volume of just 79 pages!

  The only real compromise concerns the small size of many of the photographs, but in the 1930's the Japanese were not yet the masters of photography they were later to become; as a result the poor quality of many exposures would not allow for satisfactory enlargement anyway. The colour profiles are presented 'sideways', two to a page on a good scale and a number of 'plan' views are included. Just about every livery these aircraft were to be seen in is covered and the pilots who flew the aircraft illustrated are often named. I am not a modeller, but I really appreciated this effort. Good quality glossy paper is used for this book and that serves to enhance the quality of these profiles.

  As an unexpected 'bonus' I learned a lot about the air war over China- something I knew very little about. My only criticism here is that the authors tend to accept Japanese victory claims as factual whereas in reality they were always notoriously over- optimistic. At one point it is admitted that the Chinese only acknowledged about a third of these and from what we know of the Momonhan Incident and World War Two that is probably about right: If it were otherwise the Chinese would have run out of aeroplanes very rapidly.

  Unfortunately this little book is now rare and I had difficulty acquiring my copy- but it was well worth waiting for.