The basis of this kit is the old Occidental kit, with extra parts added for the beer barrels and a beautiful Cartograf decal sheet with five options (4 RAF and 1 Dutch). The box states that these are “upgraded moulds”, but when I compared it to the MPM boxing of the Occidental kit it was obvious that the molds are basically the same. The Italeri kit only has the option of the rounded, narrow-chord rudder. Much has been written about the nose of the Occidental kit being too long, and since the Italeri kit uses the same molds, the nose is still too long. I think that the finished model looks like a Spitfire, but for you purists there is a correction set available from Aeroclub which shortens the nose by about 2mm.

Swish, swish, SWISH! The mark of Zorro! Fear naught, freedom-loving peasants, the masked swordsman is here to protect you from injustice and tyranny! Well, in 1/12 scale anyway….

The character of Zorro dates back to a novel written in 1919; films and radio programs followed, but it was in 1957 that Zorro really entered American popular culture with the premiere of Disney’s TV series featuring Guy Williams in the title role. The show played out like the popular cinematic serials of the period and last for 78 episodes over three seasons. In 1963, Aurora, seeking to capitalize on the popularity of the show with kids, released a kit of the masked one on his trusty steed, Tornado. This kit hasn’t been released for many years and had become quite a collectors’ item, fetching a rey’s ransom on the internet auction sites.

Short History

Soviet Airborne Forces used the ASU-85 in airborne operations during the Cold War Era. Its primary role was light infantry support or assault, with limited anti-tank capability. The ASU-85 replaced the open-topped ASU-57 in service. It weighs approximately 13,780kg or 13.78 tons and has a very low silhouette of just 2,1 meters. It is powered by one V-6 six-in-line water-cooled diesel engine with 240hp. It was designed on the PT-76 tank chassis, but lost its amphibious capabilities. Armament consists of an SD-44 85mm gun carrying 40 rounds (4 rounds per minute) and one 7.62mm PKT co-axial machinegun. Effective range is around 260km (162 miles), and armor protection is up to 40mm. The vehicle was NBC-sealed and equipped with IR-sights for night fighting.