In yet another happy move, ICM has now released a set of very nice figures to support their growing line of 1/35^th helicopter kits. Set in the Vietnam War era, this set of four figures depicts a typical support crew performing general maintenance on a helicopter, with a commanding officer pointing to an area needing attention. Three are wearing the standard working cap for ground personnel including one bare-headed figure.

All four figures are in the casual ground *uniforms for maintenance work and are on the whole relatively easy to assemble. Some attention needs to be paid, however, to the loose hands that attach to wrists – obviously intended to provide some flexibility in positioning for your particular diorama.

New P-47D Thunderbolt “Bubbletop” vacuformed canopies are available from Brengun for the 1/144^th scale Platz/Eduard kit.

There are two (2) canopies in the package. There are no instructions, but the product is self-explanatory.

The clear vacuformed plastic is thin and has very good clarity with very little distortion when looking through it.

Upon closer inspection of the canopies, there is a difference in the moldings. One is for an open canopy since there is a space gap between the windscreen and canopy. The other has no space thus making it a closed canopy installation.

Care must be taken when dealing with vacuformed parts. A new blade in your hobby knife will be a must when trimming away the canopy from the rest of the plastic. Light sanding will also be needed to smooth the rough edges.

Casemate Publishing is distributing a Helion & Company published book on the topic of Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second War World. The publication has two volumes. This review covers Volume 2.

The book is broken down in the following sections

• Medium and Heavy Trucks
• Artillery Tractors
• Special Purpose Vehicles
• Trailers

Plus three appendices:

• Camouflage and Markings
• Italian Vehicles Manufacturers
• Vehicles produced in Italy while under German Control (1943-45)

While information on the Italian Navy, Italian Air Force and Italian Armored Units is not that difficult to come by, information on their soft-skinned/support/ancillary vehicles is harder to find. But this publication fills that gap well.