IPMS had the opportunity to review some new paints being developed by WX Model Craft, a US-based manufacturer of model making supplies. Their first projects are water-based acrylic primer and acrylic paints. Samples of red iron oxide primer, flat black paint, silver paint, and airbrush thinner were available for review. The samples received were in preliminary bottles and temporary labels. WX plans to use 10ml eye drop bottles for the paint, 100ml for the primer, and set the price lower than those offering larger bottles.

The primer is intended for a wide variety of surfaces common in the scale modeling hobby including plastic, metal, and resin. It is designed for high hiding power, application by both airbrush and brush, anti-clogging, and is non-toxic. The primer was developed to be used with no thinner. The primer and paint use the same binder.

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) has provided the IPMS reviewer corps with a set of 1/48th scale metal landing gear for Tamiya’s P-47D/M Thunderbolt kits. These parts are drop-in replacements and provide a more robust landing gear set given its metal properties. This set is a replacement to the older 48050 release which now includes the tail wheel.

In the Package

The metal pieces are packaged in a clear blister package with cardboard backing. No instructions are provided.

Review Process

The metal landing gear set is used as drop-in replacements for the kit parts as noted:

• Wing Gear: B20 & B21
• Tail Gear: B10 & B11

The metal used is malleable and has some give to allow for any minor bending if needed. Also, seam lines will need to be cleaned up prior to painting just like the plastic kit parts.

TankCraft 49, Panther Medium Tank, German Army and Waffen-SS Units - Berlin, 1945 details the Panther tank, officially the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (Pz. Kpfw. V, Sd.KHz. (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) 171, during the defensive battles during the last two months of the war. As the author states in the Introduction,