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Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/12
MSRP
$16.50

Hasegawa offers this 1/12th Toy Machine to its expanding collection of 1/12th furniture for offices and schools.

The kit provides parts for two Toy Machines that can be used as “stand alone” devices, mounted one on top of the other, or mounted side-by-side. There are some “toy capsules” that are included. A small plastic bag contains some yellow, red, blue and green spheres, and there are a dozen blue/clear spheres that must be snapped together.

As advertised, the Toy Machines do not require painting, and with the exception of one part they snap together with precision. The only issue I found was that Part A3, the turntable within the machine, did not fit as well as the other parts. A few swipes with a sanding stick took care of the problem.

A number of “signs” are provided on a piece of high gloss paper, and after cutting the favored sign from the sheet, it slips nicely into the machine.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Plusmodel
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$5.00

Plus Model, out of the Czech Republic, makes some of the neatest resin pieces for dioramas. They range from full-size parts to lots of add-ons that are really interesting. And now they make a resin kit of a toilet bowl. Yup, it’s a toilet. This is brilliant. All those home dioramas, shops, etc., that I have seen built, and there is never anywhere for the little resin guys to do their business. Now there is thanks to Plus Model.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$22.33

Model Art Magazine is a monthly publication covering aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art began releasing magazines in 1966, and has evolved over the past forty-six years. They also release many special issues during the year, as is the case of this sample.

This issue covers IJN destroyers that were produced from 1918 - 1941. The classes include: Minekaze, Kamikaze, Momi, Wakatake, Mutsuki, Fufuki (Tokugata), Hatsuharu, Shiratsuyu, Asashio, Kagero, Yugumo, Akizuki, Shimakasze and Matsu. The magazine is broken down into ten sections.

Review Author
Dan Mackay
Published on
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$17.99

Airfix’s 1/72 Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 represents an important version of this aircraft, as recounted on the side of the box: “Developed in the 1960s as the first truly successful V/STOL combat aircraft, the Hawker Siddeley Harrier proved a revelation upon entering service in its earliest from, the GR.1. However, some improvements could be made and this came in the GR.3, which featured better sensor in the nose and tail, as well as a more powerful version of the Rolls Royce Pegasus engine. The GR.3 was the first of the Harrier variants to see combat, joining Operation Corporate, the re-taking of the Falkland Islands, engaging Argentinian Forces in ground attack missions. Replaced by the GR.5 Harrier II, the GR.3 proved itself to be a capable and successful aircraft.”

Review Author
Jim Stratton
Published on
Company
Wingnut Wings, Ltd
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$69.00

Introduction

Wingnut Wings’ latest release represents the Roland D.VIb, and follows their earlier release of the D.VIa. The D.VI was designed by LFG (Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft). The company’s name was changed to Roland in 1914 to avoid confusion with another aircraft company, LVG (Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft). The D.VI first flew in November 1917. The D.VI was a single bay biplane which discarded the LFG/Roland patented semi-monocoque fuselage construction technique for a new method, Klinkerrumpf construction, where the fuselage was built by overlapping thin strips of spruce over a light wooden framework. This construction method resulted in a fuselage that resembles a small boat or a clapboard sided house. This detail was captured nicely by the Wingnut Wings designers. There were two variations of the D.VI. The D.VIa was powered by the 160hp Daimler-Mercedes D.III, and the D.VIb was powered by the 185ps Benz Bz.IIIa.