Maybe I worded that overly harshly? I'll try again with more of an explanation.
Most of the newer Kagero's I have with the 3D stuff, ends up being about 1/4-1/3 renderings - they're good renderings and if you're scratch-building, a much clearer reference than any period photo... But they're very 'clinical', which forces me to question things like "where'd you get the source data from?", "Is this representative of a factory drawing or a production aircraft?" and of course, "Is this representative of a line-a/c?"
The Ho 229 book is over 1/2 (maybe even 2/3) 3D renders... Which I felt a little ripped off by, as the resultant 'period content' and body text is equivalent to a usual Kagero volume (and lets face it, its pretty cheap content to generate once you have your model made and skinned).
There isn't much in there that I've noticed so far, that isn't in the David Myra "The Horten Ho 9/Ho 229: Technical History" volume, or some of my other Ho 229 stuff.
What I would have preferred is larger reproductions of some of the period photo's, for example!
Now that I've been negative, the positives - the 3D renderings are really good. The Line drawings are in there in 1/72 (bound pages) and as loose sheets for 1/48 and 1/32... I have NOT yet offered the Dragon/DML or ZM 1/48 kits to the 1/48 drawings, or the ZM 1/32 kit to ithe drawings; nor have I had a close look at pictures against the drawings. But it's a bit more complex in this context, because drawings will be generated from the Models, which generated the 3D content, which will bias your impressions...
Another positive, they've done some renders showing a Ho 229 'naked' - and these have been done in plan form! So if you were keen to do a 'naked' build, showing all the timber surfaces, you have a BRILLIANT source to scan from... If I was doing this, I would prime the area's for decals in WHITE, print the timber sections on clear film and paint the metal sections Alclad - I would hazard that would end up looking QUITE good (my Fw 190D/Ta 152C timber flap decals - which I think Wayne has seen and has a set of, ended up looking incredible). I can only guess how cool a full timber panel decal'ing would look!
So, has that changed your opinion at all?
The book is far from BAD; I just expected more. Having gotten a few Reid Air Pub's book in the last week or two, and some AJ-Press stuff at the same time, I just expected more from a hard-bound, 'premium' volume.
D
