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Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$60.79

History Brief

The Z-38 was a Zerstörer 1936 A-class destroyer, also known as the Narvik class destroyer by the Allies. These ships carried only their hull number and were not named by the Germans. Constructed by F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel, she was fitted with leftover parts intended for larger ships, including 155mm twin turrets and 5.9inch guns. Closer in size to a light cruiser, her wartime displacement weighed in at 3,691 tons and hosted a crew of 330 souls. She was launched on August 5th, 1941, and commissioned on March 20th, 1943. Soon after completion of her sea trials, she was selected for escort duties and found herself assigned to the battleship Scharnhorst. Her colorful wartime record was extensive and, nonetheless, just as honorable. After WWII, she was seized by the British and used as a test ship under the name Nonsuch. She was scrapped in 1950. A total of 15 Zerstörer 1936A-class destroyers were produced by Germany.

Review Author
Chuck Bush
Published on
Company
Meng Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$63.99

The VsKfz 617 Minenraumer is the first entry in Meng’s Stegosaurus series.

The VsKfz 617 never got out of the prototype phase. The first one was completed in 1942, jointly designed by Alkett, Krupp, and Daimler-Benz. Only the vehicle captured by the Russians survives today.

The model comes in a sturdy box with all sprues individually bagged. The hull top and bottom are in a separate compartment, as is the turret. The track parts are in two plastic trays, keeping everything neat.

The instructions comprise a 14 page booklet with a color drawing of a minenraumer on the front. The first page has a discussion of the unclear history of the vehicle. Page 3 through 12 contain the 19 step instructions, all very clearly drawn, with no step being too busy or confusing. Page 13 is a nicely done parts map, and page 14 has 3-color drawings showing possible camouflage schemes.

Review Author
Michael Scott
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$20.00

This large format publication on fine, heavy paper is almost entirely written in Japanese. It contains articles on ships present at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, both Japanese and American, but primarily American battleships. The articles, which I am unable to read, focus on models of these ships, both in plastic and in resin.

Even so, the photographs of the finished models, along with many photographs of the model builds in progress, are fascinating and I found that I really did not need to understand the text to get inspiration and information from this publication.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$29.95

The Product

Arriving on the heels of their all-new Bf-109E in 1/48 scale, the boys at Eduard have already produced an excellent and comprehensive photo etch upgrade set. Considering the beautiful, highly detailed, all-new tooling Eduard kit, I wondered what else they could add to this superb kit. The answer is easy. Starting in the cockpit, we get a new document box, rudder petals, trim wheels, plus all the extra small items that add the finishing touches where needed. The gun bay and engine also benefit by adding ammo box grab handles. The DB 601 benefits from adding lifting-jack points, intake screen, and a top case plate. New cowling formers for the engine bearers and a cap for the header tank are also included. The radiators also get the treatment with new exit doors that include the proper linkages. We also have new interiors for the main landing gear wells, as well as gear-leg parts that include drag links, brake-plates, and brake-lines.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.50

The Parabellum LMG 14 was introduced in 1914 by the German company Deutche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken, and was based on their MG 08 gun. Rather than using a belt feed system, the LMG 14 utilized an enclosed drum magazine to hold the same 7.92 mm ammunition as its predecessor. Other modifications for the LMG 14 included a lighter casing and the use of air instead of water for cooling the barrel. The gun had a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute, and was used mostly on bombers, scout planes, and zeppelins. There were attempts to synchronize this particular gun with the propeller on initial Fokker E.1 planes, but this was later abandoned due to issues with the reliability of the LMG 14.