You may be familiar with other publications from Mike Mackowski and Space In Miniature, especially if you are a fan of “real space” related models. “Space Suits” is the most recent addition to the SIM’s outstanding list of publications and should be snapped up as quickly as possible.

The newest book in the SIM series is SIM #8 – Space Suits. Researched and written by Karl Dodenhoff, SIM #8 describes all of the space suits developed and used by NASA from Mercury to the International Space Station. This 60-page book has over one hundred line drawings and photographs that provide the model builder a comprehensive technical reference on this subject. Covering everything from early manned space gear, through the Apollo lunar surface exploration suits, and to the free-flying backpacks used by Gemini and Space Shuttle astronauts, this guidebook is a unique resource for the serious space modeler.

To the best of my knowledge, this is Ukraine’s MiniArt Ltd’s second set of injection molded British Tank Riders, which is two sets more than from any other manufacturer! The first set, #5835071, British Soldiers Tank Riders, provided five men wearing uniforms with shorts, suitable for the Desert War, Tunisia, and other “hot” theaters. This kit contains 71 grey styrene parts that will create five Tank Riders wearing 1940 Pattern battledress appropriate for all other theatres in all but the hottest and coldest climates. I’ll get into a detailed report on the uniforms and insignia in a moment, but first some modeling basics re these figures.

The 1950’s were a decade of joyous excess in automotive design. After the austerity of the Great Depression and the deprivations caused by World War II, Americans were excited and optimistic about the future and America’s position in the world, and our cars showed it with increasingly powerful engines, multi-tone paint jobs, acres of gleaming chrome, and space-age tailfins. The pinnacle of this expression came in 1959, when General Motors unleashed its latest automobile designs. Every model, from the lowliest Chevrolet to the poshest Cadillac, sported tailfins the likes of which would never be seen again. Of these, the Cadillac fins, reaching nearly as high as the roof of the car, have come to symbolize the best (or, to some, the worst) of what that era offered.