Chassis

1940 Ford Fire Chief Car

Sample parts

Mike (Beach Boy) Barrington

Decals

Armored Half Track Multiple Gun Carriage

Engine Detail

Suzuki GT380 B

18

McLaren MP4/2C

Superstructure detail

USS Essex LHD-2

Exhaust

F-14D Tomcat, Part 3 - The Finale

Left side

F-5E/N Tiger II

Completed model - front left

Stinson Reliant SR-9

completed undersides

USAF F-15E 333rd Fighter Squadron

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Arma Hobby Hurricane MkIIC Jubilee

Hurricane Mk IIC "Jubilee"
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
March 25, 2024
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$64.99

Arma Hobby has produced this kit for its tenth anniversary. Following the successes of its previous 1/48 scale Hurricanes (Mk IIc, Mk IIb, and now a Sea Hurricane Mk IIc), this “Anniversary Special Edition” Mk IIc comes with new parts. The Hurricane Mk IIc differs from the Mk IIb with the armament being four 20mm Hispano cannons instead of twelve .303 Browning machine guns.

From the Arma Hobby Website:

At the beginning of November, Arma Hobby celebrates its 10th anniversary! On this occasion, for modelers, we have prepared a special, jam-packed anniversary model kit - Hurricane IIC "Jubilee" in 1/48 scale.

This is a set with marking schemes from Operation "Jubilee" - the Allied Dieppe landing, with a box filled with a full set of 3D-printed resin accessories. This unique kit is released in a small, limited series for the 10th anniversary of Arma Hobby and will not be reissued!

Book Cover

Battle for Grozny Volume 1: Prelude and the Way to the City, 1994
Book Author(s)
Efim Sandler
Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
March 23, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This well-researched book, The Battle for Grozny Volume 1, is part of the Europe at War Series, which contains 46 titles to date. The author, Efram Sandler was born in the former Soviet Union and is a former combat veteran of the Israeli Defense Force Armored Corp. He has authored or co-authored eight books of this amazing series.

In the mid-1990s, the south-central region of the former Soviet Union was in turmoil. The Republic of Ichkeria had declared independence and influence from Chechnya was growing stronger. The Kremlin and Boris Yeltsin, Russian President from 1991-1999, grew increasingly concerned over controlling oil and gas pipelines, which Dzhokhar Dudadev, leader of Chechen opposition, had seized. Yeltsin eventually launched a large-scale military operation on December 9, 1994.

Package

F-104G J-79 Exhaust Nozzles
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
March 21, 2024
Company
Fab Scale
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.99

These J-79 Exhaust Nozzles (for the Kinetic Kit No. 48083 primarily, and K48090 and K48093, and most likely any F-104 Starfighter that utilized the J-79 General Electric axial-flow turbojet engine) are a recent release by Chinese manufacturer Fab Scale. Fab Scale’s online presence is hard to find with the provided QR codes stating that the site can’t be reached). The same is for the supplier, Warspite Model Company. It is a shame as this three-piece exhaust nozzle set is exquisite!

The sturdy box protects the three pieces, each in their own protective Ziplock pouch. The instructions are the box art which shows the arrangement of the three parts. Removal of the 3D supports with a razor saw is easy and, after a quick wash, ready for assembly.

Cover

Cold War Berlin: An Island City Volume 3: US Forces in Berlin Keeping the Peace 1945 - 1994
Book Author(s)
Andrew Long
Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
March 21, 2024
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This 27th publication of the ‘Europe at War’ series was of particular interest to me personally. I lived in northern Germany in the years leading up to and including the Fall of the Berlin Wall and had many direct encounters – most of them not good – with East German authorities.

Andrew Long of Great Britain is a military history researcher. His interest in the Cold War begin with a trip to West Berlin in 1986 (perhaps he and I crossed paths and didn’t even know it!). He traveled through Check Point Charlie to visit East Berlin. Andrew makes sense of this very complex period of history by intertwining stories of politics, ideology, personalities, technology and geography. He has also written Cold War Berlin: An Island City, Volumes 1 & 2 as well as ‘Secrets of the Cold War’.

Package

Hurricane Mk llB
Review Author
Rick Reinert
Published on
March 21, 2024
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$64.99

Introduction

This is a continuation in the Hawker Hurricane series being released by Arma Hobby. This is the fourth release in the Hurricane series. Previous releases included the Mk IIc and Mk IIc tropical, and the Mk IIc “Jubilee”. The Sea Hurricane (Mk IIc) is their next release. I believe that this review will be applicable to any of their Hurricanes. It is obviously a common molding for all variants.

Reviewer’s Comments

I recently reviewed the Hobby Boss Hurricane Mk IIc and I thought it would be great to review an Arma hurricane as a comparison.