Yet another in the long line of Dan Jones's PSM, No 27 breaks no new ground in it's basic content. Having established a happy mix of news, product reviews, modelling articles and research/reference articles Dan seems content (wise?) to leave well enough alone.
As always Dan's reviews are fearless and are a good read on their own. His analysis of David William's "Naval Camouflage 1914-1945" sent me scampering to look more closely at my copy…and sort of wishing I had waited for the review. Dan's dissection of this much-lauded tome is logical, intelligent and sobering. Even if you only buy the kits reviewed in PSM on a 'must have' basis, the reviews will at least prepare you for the work/fun involved in building your chosen model.
A trio of four-page articles fill out the core of this issue and cover the US transitional cruisers (Boston to Topeka), Revell's Graf Zeppelin and Potemkin. There is a three-pager on Skytrex 1/700s, plus three two-pagers on HMS Hood, USN support ships and the Grace Line's Santa Elana and Coya. A one-page article on the "Old Navy" USS Atalanta and Boston rounds out the content.
Dan has managed to eradicate the dodgy digitising that very occasionally afflicted the images in PSM and production values continue their steady incremental improvement. My only concern is a somewhat variable quality to the drawings. To a trained eye the line work is too uneven and the overall effect can be a bit childlike. One of the drawings (Santa Elana p37) seems to exaggerate the sheer of the hull and/or the rise to the bow, making a rather more elegant version of the squat and somewhat stumpy original. None the less, the drawings are a good place to start and modellers of the obscure subjects Dan draws will no doubt have other sources if they need a perfect miniature.
As I said in my last review, PSM is a great example of what can be done with dedication and enthusiasm. If ships interest you then this is a great magazine and very worthy of your dollars.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Review copy supplied by SANDLE Hobbies
Copyright © SMML 2002