Reviewed by Martin J Quinn June 2018
Mike Ashey Publishing released a new book, the 3rd in it's Comprehensive Series Scale Model Ship Manual line.   This one focuses on the 1/350 Hobby Boss USS Alaska (CB-1), the first in class of the "Large Cruisers" built for the United States Navy in World War II.
This book features 80 pages with several hundred photos, all in color.   This manual is not a bunch of random techniques. It is a step by step illustrated set of instructions to guide you through the process. Each page is printed on heavy stock glossy paper and designed to be stored in a 3-ring "D" binder (not included). Each manual is 3-ring punched and also comes with a front and back cardstock cover to protect the manual and front, back and side cardstock inserts for your binder. One advantage to this format is the ability to pull a section out of the book and lay it out flat on your workbench to guide you along.  Along with the contents of the 1/350 Hobby Boss Alaska (which includes a complete set of photo-etch), this manual also makes use of the following upgrades for the build:  Catapults, Seaplanes and 20mm from the 1/350 Tamiya Missouri HO Scale model railroad chain Gold Medal Models Mk-37 & Mk-8 radars Gold Medal Models hatches and whaleboat rudders (from their USS Arizona set) Mk-37 radar frames from a Trumpeter Essex class carrier kit The kit is build in it's 1944 appearance and is painted in the Ms-32 1D camouflage scheme.  Mike shows you how to build the model, and how to pull off the painting, in a step by step fashion.	click to enlarge images
Conclusions: While this manual is specific to building the 1/350 Hobby Boss USS Alaska, it's really so much more than that.   The tips and techniques that Mike uses throughout this manual are applicable to other models as well.   If you are building the Hobby Boss Alaska - or any other big ship model - this manual will help you build a better model.   Recommended.  This is Mike Ashey Publishing's "Comprehensive Series Scale Model Ship Manual Number 3 Building and Detailing the Hobby Boss USS Alaska CB-1". It is 80 pages with over 200 color photos, for only $14.75  Buyers in the US can purchase this manual via personal checks, United States Postal Service or Western Union money orders and PayPal. Thanks to Mike Ashey Publishing for the review sample.    Links: More Comprehensive Series Scale Model Ship Manual  books

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