Title: Focke-Wulf Ta 154 "Moskito"
Authors: Marek J. Murawski, Marek Ryś
Series: Monographs 3D edition

Once again Kagero takes a look at the German World War 2 night fighter in the “Monographs 3D edition” series. After two issues about Heinkel He 219 Uhu this time publisher focuses on the child of Kurt Tank – Focke Wulf Ta 154 “Moskito”. Ta 154 had to be a German answer to the famous British Wooden Wonder, nomen omen, also bloodsucking insect. Although built in much smaller number than its British namesake Moskito managed to get its place in the history of aviation and Kagero's book helps us to get a bit more familiar with its construction.

What is typical for this series the book comes in a soft cover, format of 210x297mm (A4) and semi-gloss chalk paper. 104 pages contains in total 60 archive photographs, 129 3D renders, five pages with 1:72 scale plans and two colour profiles. The colour profiles depicts two following planes:

• Ta 154 A-0 (W.Nr. 120005), TQ XE
  
• Ta 154 A-2/U4 (W.Nr. 320008), D5 HD

Both these machines are used for illustrating the planes silhouettes and different versions on all 3D renders.

Book content starts with the historical background, history of the service of those few produced planes in the front line units. The history is illustrated on black and white archive photographs of different size taken both by Germans and Americans (only damaged planes in captured bases). This section is split into the following paragraphs:

• Origins of the design
  
• Ta 154 prototypes
  
• Production variants
  
• Production aircraft
  
• The use and evaluation of the Ta 154 A

The historical section ends with the short bibliography and endnotes. On the following pages we will find five sheets of 1:72 scale plans drawn by Marek Ryś, who is an illustrator of this volume. Scale drawings presents one machine, which is W. Nr. 320008, in different configurations of radar antennas and other devices, engines and fuselage (short and long). The fifth sheet presents comparison and development of different versions of Moskito, prototypes: V1, V3, V4, V7 and V22 and two serial versions A-1 and A-4.

Majority of the book content is filled with the 3D drawings by Marek Ryś. Similar to the previous “3D series” monographs illustrator presents a very detailed close-ups of the particular plane details. We get various set of drawings, from general view of the whole plane from different angles to the very close views of the cockpit instruments and gauges. Close-ups presents both pilot and radar operator cockpits, undercarriage, armament and gun bays, radar antennas of various types or canopy windshield. There are also drawings of the engine nacelles highlighting details of exhausts, intakes and propeller blades. From the modeller point of view these drawings should be very useful as these are always visible parts of the model and we pay a lot of attention to detail them as much as possible. As the original plans or factory drawings, not to mention large quantity of good quality of photographs showing these details, we get a very handy source of reference drawings. Marek Ryś is a well known artist and aviation historian paying a lot of attention and accuracy to the smallest details so we can fully trust in the quality and high standard of his work.

If you are building or considering taking a Ta 154 as a target for your future project get a copy of this book. You won't regret it as it will surely make your life easier if you keep asking “how did it look like”. This is a one big source of answers for this type of question.

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