I've been using one of the latest Osprey's book "Painting and Finishing Techniques" by Gary Edmundson (published 2010). As a modelling latecomer I need help and have bought several "how to" books mostly by Osprey. This one, in my view, really stands out. It is not "I'll Do Six models and If You Watch Closely You'll Learn Something." Instead Edmundson splits the book in half: aircraft and armor. Within each the author identifies the steps required to paint and weather the model. There are four aircraft and four AFVs used as examples but they are used as visual aids to explain the larger point being made. Edmundson frequently offers options to simplify or complicate the process as desired. (Ideally, for instance, the author would like you to let every paint layer to properly cure. But he also knows most people won't do that so recommends using a spot of Future ASAP to protect acrylics from fingerprints or heaven knows what else.) The photos are very well picked and the captions glue them to the larger points in the text. I haven't the foggiest whether a really good modeller would learn anything - but I'd guess lots of folks would pick up more than a few good ideas. BTW: the book stays to the subject and hence there isn't a word about after market parts etc. I've spent my life trying to teach things and it's not easy for an expert to put his head inside the skull of someone that doesn't know very much - it's exactly this juncture that wrecks so many modelling books despite the prodigious craft skills of the authors. And the models displayed are really sweet. This guy's good.
Eric