Model Art Modeling Magazine is an excellent periodical from Japan providing an abundance of modeling subjects in each issue. It doesn’t matter what your modeling focus is, each issue will provide something of interest for you, and more than likely, you’ll find something interesting that you didn’t know you would.

Although the magazine is published entirely in Japanese, the quality of the photos in each issue is really amazing, and goes a long way in telling the story. There are plenty of “work in progress” and “how it was built” photos highlighting the tools, materials, and techniques used by the master builders. These photo guides go a long way in explaining the builds visually, although I’m sure some details are missed without a proper translation. In fact, the photography is so good, even the advertisements were interesting. I found myself perusing the advertisements almost as much as the work in progress photos.

Bronco’s 1/35^th scale model of the Horsa Glider Mk. 1 is quite an impressive model, as anyone who has built it will tell you. They may also mention that the landing gear of this kit is fairly fragile, as it’s obliged to hold up a fair amount of weight on this over two-foot long kit.

Scale Aircraft Conversions have come to the rescue with a very nice set of white metal parts which are direct replacements for all of the landing gear components including the front fork. The only thing not reproduced is the skid itself.

As you might expect, these are stronger for the most part than the styrene items included in the kit, and should assist in keeping your model from “drooping” over time – something I’ve been a bit concerned about with my own copy.

"It’s Back!"

I was quite caught off-guard when I discovered that the Tom Daniels “Beer Wagon” was to be reissued by Monogram/Revell this summer. There had been nothing noted on any recent publications from Revell that this kit was to coming back out, but I am so happy it has resurfaced. Now, how many different variations to this kit can I build?

Historically this is the single kit that launched my interest in scale modeling. Not the first kit I ever built, but the first kit release from Monogram in 1967 under the Tom Daniel’s banner. Many more would follow of which I have built nearly 50 of the various Tom Daniels designs and have a collection of over 80 of the 80+ he is given credit for drafting.