Quickboost has produced a replacement prop for the Trumpeter and ICM 1/48 scale Mig-3 kits. The resin replacement is a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include a separately cast spinner, post and blades with a cast resin assembly tool for inserting the blades at a consistent pitch. There is no modification required to the kit to use this prop assembly.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) and shots of my completed Trumpeter Mig-3 “Early” indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate and “crisp” blade representation of a Mig-3 propeller. The kit parts have the brown spinner cap, and the Quickboost prop assembly spinner is gray. Note, however that using the tool will cause the prop blades to be installed at the incorrect rotation pitch. My web research found that Mig-3 props rotated clockwise (when viewed from the front of the aircraft), as depicted in the kit’s propeller assembly.

Introduction

The Nagmachon was developed from the Nagmashot which was based upon the British Centurion hull. Initially this APC was used as a counter-insurgency platform and for urban warfare. The Nagmachon is a heavily armed fighting vehicle fielded by the IDF. It contains three armoured shields on the roof containing vision blocks of armoured glass to protect the soldiers firing 7.62 mm machine guns. Additionally, the Nagmachon carries heavily armored belly protection as well as being equipped with ER armour. The Nagmachon weighs in at 52 tons and carries a crew of up to 10 including driver and commander.

This kit by Tiger Model is a release of the early version of the Nagmachon following the release of their “Doghouse” Late APC version in 2015. The “Doghouse” version, kit number 4616, has the distinctive raised superstructure intended to protect the soldiers. The model measures 225mm (8.9”) long x 115mm (4.5”) wide x 100mm (3.9”) high when completed.

Tamiya has made available a group of 4 texture paints and this review highlights one of those products, namely Tamiya’s “Soil Effect” texture paint.These paints are water-based and come in powder snow, snow, and “soil effect-dark earth”. Several other colors have been discontinued.

An appropriate description of this paint, describing the texture would be, “ gritty toothpaste”, or “damp salt”. Straight from the bottle, the paint does not look like paint at all, but rather a paste consisting of fine grit.

I chose to apply some of this paint to a diorama base for a dinosaur. The base was already covered with “ground”, “rocks” and “vegetation” but there were areas in which the material had worn off a bit, creating a perfect test bed.