MSRP: ~$24.00 USD
Publisher: Model Art Co., Ltd, 1-12-30, 1Chome, Kudankita Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0073 Japan
Website: www.modelart.jp

Model Art has been known for their fantastic modeling magazine for a while now and has started to issue profiles for various subjects from German Armor to planes. The latest of these additions is a profile book on the F-15 as used by the JASDF. Since the F-15 is one of my favorite all time planes, this was a great chance to review the book.

The book has 137 pages with outstanding photography and is definitely slanted toward the modeler. More on that in a minute. The book starts with pictures of different wings of the JASDF and they are great. Eagles with excellent color schemes and this is followed with a history of the type and I assume details; I assume as it is all in Japanese. Then there are layouts with specific details of the F-15D/DJ versions the JASDF uses and they have excellent English notations.

The real meat of the book starts on page 33 with 53 pages of superb detail shots - everything from the radome top the exhausts and from the wheels to the tops of the rudders. All are crisp, clear and in color. They are in Japanese but wait! At the end of the magazine is a one page summary of the magazine and two pages of explanation of the details shots in English - page by page! Perfect. In the middle of this is a fold out scale layout of the Eagle with detail shots of the top, bottom and all side views.

More detail - sure can! The next series of detail shots is the various weaponry that can be used on the F-15J. A section follows this on the suits worn by the pilots. Starting on page 92 and running to page 100, there are color schemes and call out for the basic plane plus measured location for decals. This includes missiles; launch rails, fuel tanks and pylons. A full color set of unit emblems is next.

Now for the modeling. The book includes four projects built in three scales:

• Tamiya 1/32 F-125J
• Revell/Hasegawa 1/48 F-15J
• Hasegawa 1/48 F-15DJ
• Hasegawa 1/72 F-15J

The builds are in Japanese but show work where needed and the scheme for the 1/48 F-15DJ is superb.

This is highly recommended - if you are thinking of building the Eagle in the JASDF schemes, this is invaluable. My thanks to Modelart for the care and effort put into this book - it is a gem.