>What will the Windsock Mini Datafiles be like? Does anyone
>have a clue? I am interested (fanatically) in the PKZ-2 helicopter,
>but will the booklet have any more material than what appeared
>in the magazine, issues ago?
I have had a long term order at my local bookstore to have every
publication coming from ray Rimmels dream factory put aside for me. Today
the Mini Datafiles arrived and I duly crossed town to pat for them.
And today, for the first time, I told them "Sorry, put them on the
shelves. Oh, and good luck finding a sucker to buy them"
Gerry was being polite when he said:
> I can't say they are a great value for the money.
Priced at A$17 == US$13.50 here, compared to A$24 for the regular
datafiles, what you get is: ripped off.
The Albatross W.4 volume has drawings of the same sketch style as early
datafiles, rather than the immaculately drafted work of recent issues. A
not very exciting selection of photos with no detail shots that I recall
(sorry Jesse)
The Lewis Gun volume has an unimaginative selection of photos, plus
(good) drawings but all recycled so many times I think they should have a
recyclable material logo on them.
The whole lot reeks of cost cutting, even the covers look and feel of
lesser quality than usual. All in a volume boasting (if my rage hasn't
mislead me) eight pages.
My opinion: a bloody sorry effort. I wait every month in anticipation of
Rimmels latest, and hope that this venture doesn't send him broke, but
frankly I don't think they deserve to sell. Why he decided on this
approach rather than the compendium style of "Best of Windsock" and
"World War One Aeroplanes" I can't imagine.
For completists, fanatics about some subject, and those with no need to
worry whether they're getting value for money only. The rest of you
should seek out a bookstore or something and see them before you buy.
Shane