Intro

I was excited to see the upcoming launch of Trumpeter’s USS Midway and jumped at the chance to do this review. The DKM H-Class was a terrific ship to build - if the Midway is as good as that, or better, this will be an enjoyable build for sure. As I got into the build the 3 characteristics of Trumpeter’s ship kits that I think set them apart from others showed up right away: first sprue gate locations are strategically placed so that whenever possible they are on a surface not visible in profile thus requiring no sanding, second the PE is very forgiving with a distinct “snick” when cutting the PE from the fret along with a softness that allows it to be re-bent at least once without breaking, and third a level of detail on even the smallest part that requires a macro-lens to get a clear picture of it. I had a few thoughts on how to break up the build for review. In the end it feels like 3 distinct build sessions.

ICM first issued a Gloster Gladiator in 2019 and a Sea Gladiator in 2020. For 2024 the Sea Gladiator has been issued again with a set of three Royal Navy figures included. Except for the figures and the box art, this new kit is the same as the 2020 Sea Gladiator kit. The kit includes six trees of grey plastic parts, one tree of clear parts, decals, and instructions.

Detail & Scale has already published two books on the P-38, back in the 1990’s. These books have been long out of print but this is not just a re-issue but rather a revision and update to the original books, including pictures never seen before of the restored P-38F “Glacier Girl” and the scale model section includes details and recommendations for the more modern P-38 kits that became available since the publication of the original edition.

The P-38 traces its lineage to Clarence “Kelly” Johnson and it was a revolutionary aircraft from its time, given its size, speed, and climb rate.

For each mark indicated below, there is a brief chapter explaining the details from previous marks, period pictures (some in color, most in B&W) and excellent line drawings.