Coming soon from Osprey Publishing and author Mark Lardas is Philippines 1941–42: America’s disastrous start to the Pacific War, a fully illustrated study of the Pacific War’s little-known first major air campaign.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese not only attacked Pearl Harbor, but also struck at US and allied bases throughout the Pacific, including the USA’s biggest overseas territory, the Philippines. However, that was an air battle the US was expecting. The USAAF had beefed up its assets in the Philippines, sending nearly a quarter of its available B-17s to the Far Eastern Air Force (FEAF).It could also call on the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC).

Aviation historian Mark Lardas explains how despite that, in a campaign that lasted barely a month, Japan’s air forces routed both the FEAF and the PAAC, gaining air superiority and permitting Imperial Army troops undisturbed access to the Philippine coast. Within a week Japan ruled the skies over Luzon. Two weeks later it had air superiority over all the Philippines. After a month, its control was so complete the Imperial Army felt confident to move its 5th Air Group back out of the Philippines. While desultory air combat would continue off and on for the next three months, the issue was decided by 5 January 1942.

Packed with original artwork, 3D diagrams, maps and photos, this is the history of how the first air campaign of the Pacific War turned into a humiliating defeat for the United States.

The 96 page publication is currently available for pre-order in paperback and Kindle editions with release scheduled for July 28.

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Sword Models has released their new tool Short SB.6 Seamew model kit in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the Seamew was a British lightweight carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft developed by Shorts in the early 1950s to replace the FAA’s Avenger. It first flew on 23 August 1953 but suffered handling problems and shifting defense priorities, which led to limited production and ultimately cancellation after only a small number of airframes were built.

The release (SW72157) is described as “quite large” and includes liveries for XE169 of HMS Warrior and XA123 of HMS Bulwark.

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A 1969 Piper Cherokee 140B project airframe has been spotted for sale.

According to the listing, the project has sat for many years in the dry Palm Springs, California desert. It has no engine, prop, exhaust, FAA paperwork, logbooks, or documented history, but it is a largely complete airframe with upgraded 140B interior/“six‑pack” throttle‑quadrant panel, pilot toe brakes, modern-style seats, and installed nav/coms, audio panel, Mode C transponder, and portable intercom. It also includes most interior plastics and trim.

The airframe shows minimal corrosion thanks to the arid climate, but has sun-damaged paint and a damaged aftermarket right wingtip. It is being sold cheaply as a rebuildable aircraft or high-value parts donor.

The project is currently available for US $3,995, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Coming soon from Fonthill Media and author Justo Miranda is Rocket Interceptors 1941–1947:

During its short life, the rocket interceptor, a concept that reached maturity towards the end of the Second World War, attracted the attention of top scientists, designers and aeronautical engineers in Germany, the USSR, the United States and Japan. It was universally agreed that an interceptor capable of flying 300 mph faster than any other aircraft would give the wielding power untouchable aerial superiority. However, this new technology was unable to adapt to the realities of war.

The complexity of the propulsion system and the need to develop new aerodynamic concepts were challenges too great for the aeronautical industries of the major powers at the time, which specialized in the mass construction of piston fighters. Nor were fighter pilots able to adapt to the high-G combat conditions that came with achieving speeds of nearly 900 mph; it was simply not possible for them to aim and fire.

In 280 immaculate technical drawings, each set within its historical context and with full performance specifications, Rocket Interceptors 1941–1947 presents 125 project, prototype and combat rocket-powered aircraft developed by Germany, the United States, the USSR and Japan in the 1940s, though initial development for some can be traced as far back as the 1920s. This is the last word on a technology that, had it been properly harnessed, might have changed the course of the Second World War.

The 288 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for May 30.

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FineMolds has announced the upcoming release of two new Mitsubishi Zero kits in 1/72 scale. The offerings include the Mitsubishi A6M Zero prototype (FR03) and Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero Model 32 (FR04).

The A6M1 prototypes of 1939 were lightweight, long-range, carrier-based fighters with a low-wing monoplane layout, retractable landing gear, and a 580 kW Zuisei 13 engine driving an initially two-blade, later three-blade propeller, emphasizing extreme maneuverability and range at the expense of protection. The later A6M3 Model 32, first flown in 1941, introduced the more powerful Nakajima Sakae 21 engine with a two-speed supercharger, a shortened, squared-off wing without folding tips, enlarged wing fuel tanks, and upgraded Type 99 Mark 2 20 mm cannon, trading some of the earlier model’s turning ability and range for better roll rate, higher diving speed, and improved short-range combat performance.

The kits are currently set for release in April. Click below to check out additional photos, kit contents and livery options.

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A 1974 Cessna P-337T Skymaster has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

This 1974 Cessna P-337T Skymaster is a well-equipped and extensively updated twin-engine aircraft known for its unique centerline thrust design and dependable performance. It has 3,143 total airframe hours, with 320 hours on the front engine and 733 hours on the rear engine. This aircraft is fully loaded and features pressurization, turbocharging, and IFR capability with a mostly glass avionics suite. Notable upgrades include winglets and an additional air scoop for the rear engine installed in 2020, along with propeller overhauls completed the same year. In 2021, the aircraft received factory enhancements including a JPI EDM-960 engine monitoring system and an S-TEC 60 autopilot. Garmin 750 software updates were completed in 2022, further enhancing navigation and flight management capability. Additional avionics include a Garmin 796 panel mount, GDL-88 ADS-B In and Out, GTX-337 transponder, and GMA-340 audio panel. Recent maintenance includes all new hydraulic lines and new tires installed in 2024. With its advanced avionics, strong maintenance history, and numerous upgrades, this Skymaster is a capable and well-maintained aircraft ready for its next owner. New January 2026 annual.

The aircraft is located in Bonaire, GA and offers are currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos.

A de Havilland vampire T11 cockpit pod restoration project has been spotted for sale.

Most vampires have bad wood rot or are badly damaged but this is a fantastic example. There’s a lot of parts that go with this project that may become spare as there’s that much. Pod comes in a 20 foot shipping container that is included within the sale.

Main instrument panel 85% complete; Two Martin baker ejection seats Mk3b. Seats are around 70% complete; Canopy with replacement Perspex; Armoured windscreen glass; Throttles and gun sight trays are fitted. Two control column grips; Part complete de Havilland goblin engine; Pod stand; Engine stand; Crew entry ladder; Spare engine fairings and panels
Bonnet parts such as the oxygen bottles and batteries, G45 gun camera.

This is a fantastic opportunity to buy a very complete and very good condition T11 project with the added bonus of a goblin engine to display too. Would make a great museum piece or man cave addition.

The project is located in Brough, United Kingdom and is currently available for £8,871.25, although offers are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

IBG has released their new Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb (North West Europe 1941-44) Black Box Limited Edition model kit in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the offering (72591) boasts two full model kits with two comprehensive sets of 3D printed upgrade parts as well as 18 unique, thoroughly researched marking options. The box will also include four fuselages and four sets of wing upper halves allowing builders to represent any two options of the Mk Vb they choose from the box.

Full list of Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb – North West Europe 1941-44 – Black Box Limited Edition contents:
2x Complete Spitfire Mk Vb plastic model kits (each of them including two different fuselage versions and two different wing upper halves variants)
1x Huge decal sheet with 18(!) marking options (containing 42 roundels and 20 fin flashes to cater for the huge variety included in the box!)
2x 3D-printed cockpit structure insert (with/without additional armour and headrest)
2x Sets of 3D-printed wheels
2x Sets of 3D-printed exhausts (each of them in 4 different variants!)
2x 3D-printed seamless carburetor air intakes
10x 3D-printed rear view mirrors (5 variants, each in 2 copies)
6x 3D-printed gunsights (3 variants, each in 2 copies)
2x Photo-etched frames with some of the smaller details
2x Sets of the most thoroughly researched stencils ever prepared for a Spitfire Mk Vb model in any scale (with separate subsets for Supermarine, CBAF and Westland-produced machines)
2x Sets of painting masks
1x Special bonus

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A 1976 Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave 300 airframe project has been spotted for sale.

According to the listing, the airframe has 6,529 total hours and remains in current calendar annual use. It’s a working ag-sprayer aircraft with complete and consecutive logs, a fully installed Satloc M3 guidance system, and intact flight and engine instrumentation. The sale includes the airframe, control cables, Lycoming engine mount, and exhaust system—but no engine, prop, or spinner. It sustained light wind damage (minor wrinkling to right horizontal/elevator and left wingtip, broken left wheel flange, and bent cockpit door), with no fuselage, firewall, or cowling damage. FAA bill of sale, logbook, and AD compliance sheets are included.

The project is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is currently available for US $14,995, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Soon to be released from Air World is The Doolittle Raiders’ Battle for Survival: The Men Who Bombed Tokyo and their Harrowing Story of Escape and Capture in China. This is author Geert Rottiers’ extraordinary account of courage, survival, and sacrifice in the aftermath of one of the Second World War’s most daring missions. While the Doolittle Raid on Japan is often celebrated for its audacity and strategic importance, this book focuses on the tortuous journey of the Raiders once their mission was complete, as they descended – quite literally – into the unknown.

After striking targets in Japan on 18 April 1942, the Raiders, flying their North American B-25 bombers, faced an impossible challenge: reaching safety with dwindling fuel reserves. While one crew landed in the Soviet Union, the remaining fifteen crash-landed or baled out over Japanese-occupied China, initiating a desperate struggle for survival. Spread across rugged terrain, the Raiders battled severe weather, injuries, starvation, and the constant threat of capture or death at the hand of the Japanese forces.

This book delves deeply into the human stories of the Doolittle Raiders during their escape through hostile territory. It highlights the critical role played by Chinese villagers and resistance fighters who risked – and often lost – their lives to protect the stranded Americans. Through their heroic efforts, many Raiders made it to safety, but not without significant losses. The Japanese retaliated mercilessly against the Chinese in one of the largest manhunts the Japanese ever mounted, killing tens of thousands in the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, underscoring the devastating costs of the mission.

With its rich blend of action, human drama, and historical depth, and drawing on declassified military records, personal diaries, and interviews with descendants of the Raiders and their Chinese allies, The Doolittle Raiders’ Battle of Survival vividly reconstructs the Raiders’ perilous journey to safety – or not. From parachute landings into dense forests and dangerous mountain crossings to encounters with guerrilla fighters and near-capture by Japanese troops, the narrative is both suspenseful and deeply moving.

The 256 page hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for May 30.

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