Peregrine Photo Essay

Cockpits - Early WWII by Steve Muth

reviewed by Mike Horchler

The Peregrine Photo Essay booklets are just that...Photo Essays, so don't expect a thorough treatise on the subject matter. This particular booklet is geared towards modelers that may wish to detail the cockpits of their models more than the kit manufacturers provide for. In 12 pages, the modeler is treated to high-gloss color photographs of the cockpits of 11 well-known planes. There are no pictures of the exteriors of the planes at all. There are 5 pictures per plane and every one of the pictures is sharp, clear and well-lit. No problem seeing details here. While the cockpit pictures are the focus of this booklet, each plane's photos are described in a short narrative on each page. The description lists specifics about the plane, where it was photographed, when the pictures were taken and a description of the colors inside the cockpit. The descriptions are upfront about which of the planes are original, which ones are replicas, and which colors are speculated on.

The planes pictured in this booklet are:

For the modeler with AMS, (Advanced Modelers Syndrome, also known as super-detailers) this is a very good reference. The pictures give you good detail and a very nice overview of the cockpit components. It is not a complete cockpit reference though, as none of the pictures are detailed enough to see individual instrument markings. Overall, I recommend this as a good buy at a reasonable cost.