X-Planes Photo Scrapbook

X-Planes Photo Scrapbook
By Dennis R. Jenkins
Specialty Press, © 2004
Reviewed by Ned Barnett
(Review Copy provided by Specialty Press)

There’s not a lot to say. If you are fascinated by experimental US aircraft, buy this book. If you like to model X-planes, really – really – buy this book. If your interest, however, is focused on operational aircraft, you can probably skip this one and go on to one of the other Specialty Press “scrapbook” series publications – the B-36 Photo Scrapbook, for instance.

Going back to the X-1, and moving forward to the contemporary X-32/X-35 and RPV X-45, this book covers the X-planes program, primarily at Edwards AFB, with sharp and usually fascinating photos, along with insightful and informative text. This book is literally a photo scrapbook – there’s not a lot of text, and no compelling narrative thread. Instead, you get photos, photos and more photos.

I like to model oddball aircraft – I modeled my first “Stealth” aircraft nearly a decade before the USAF pulled the wraps off the F-117 – and I found this book inspirational both on subject matter and on providing ideas for vignettes and dioramas.

I find that experimental aircraft are an acquired taste – if you’re not sure, this book is a great place to start. At 144 pages, there’s a lot here, but it’s a quick read – just as important, you can jump around and cherry-pick the topics that offer the most to you without getting lost. There’s no story to get lost in.

Strongly recommended for X-Plane fans, and at least worth checking out for those who have a casual interest (or who enjoyed “The Right Stuff”).