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Book Author(s)
Ryusuke Ishiguro and Tadeusz Januszewski
Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$40.00

Following the lead of the German Navy in WWI, several countries, including Britain, France, the United States, Italy and the Soviet Union all pursued development of aircraft capable of submarine transport, as well as the submarines capable of carrying them. But no country more so than Japan carried the development of these aircraft and naval vessels to the logical conclusion. During the 1920s, Japan purchased aircraft technology from Germany and submarines from France and Great Britain, and using them as a starting point, developed the most successful submarine launched aircraft and aircraft carrying submarines of any navy before and during WWII.

Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$93.00

This kit was a ‘Limited Edition’ kit, released at the 2025 IPMS/USA National Convention in Hampton Roads, Virginia. It was quickly sold out on both Eduard ‘s online store and at the 2025 Convention. The instruction booklet contains 23 pages, including some color guides for the weapons, masks and overall aircraft decal markings.

I was initially impressed with several aspects of this Eduard repackaging of the Kinetic F/A-18C, including the surface details (including recessed panel engraving), the placement of panels along the surfaces, the wing fold details, the beautiful box art, and especially the kit decals. As I began to dry fit the various subsections, the novelty wore off. From what I expected to be a beautiful kit, I quickly realized I had purchased a total rehash of the original Kinetic kit, along with what I consider to be numerous major fit and finish issues.

Review Author
Michael Oberholtzer
Published on
Company
ModSand
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$20.99

This handheld tool is designed to get into tight spaces like wing roots, intakes, or other tight or hard to reach spaces. It has four resin-like tips which are to be superglued to the tip of the tool, and sandpaper is to be attached to the tip with double-sided tape. I have to admit that at first this seemed like a pain to set up, but it is really very quick and easy. I tested the tip change out by removing the attached tip and prying it off with a hobby knife, and it came off cleanly and in one piece. I then glued on another tip, the one with the triangular point. I attached a small piece of sandpaper with double-sided tape, and then trimmed the sandpaper to match the tip with my hobby knife, and the sander was ready to use. As advertised, it works well in awkward spots like wing roots, as shown in the accompanying photos. I also find it useful in cleaning up areas to be glued where paint needs to be carefully removed.

Review Author
Michael Oberholtzer
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.99

These FOD covers are a straightforward and simple addition to Eduard’s nice Mirage III. They come without instructions, but none are really needed beyond the one picture provided. Nicely cast in pinhole-free gray resin, they just need to be removed from the mold base, washed and painted. Detail is nice and pops out with a dark wash. Based on my references and internet photos I’ve found, these covers were usually painted yellow, although I did find a few in red. I painted one in each color to see how they would look. I used Tamiya white spray-can primer, followed by Vallejo medium yellow and red RLM 23 Model Air paints. After the paint dried, MiG Dark Wash was applied. (The wash is a bit heavy to make the detail more visible in the photos.) I dry-fitted the two FOD covers in place on my Mirage III CJ in Israeli markings to show how they look in place.

Review Author
Paul Dunham
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$122.00

ICM’s “Vehicles of the D.A.K.” kit includes three 1/35th scale German truck kits:

  • S.E.Pkw. Kfz.70 with Zwillingssockel 36 (anti-aircraft truck)
  • Le.gl.Einheits-Pkw (Kfz.2) (radio car)
  • Typ L3000S (cargo truck)

All three kits have been issued previously in various boxings. The Kfz.70 was first released in 2015 and a version including the AA guns was released in 2023. The Kfz.2 was first issued in 2018, a version with the radio parts was released in 2019. The cargo truck was first issued in 2017.