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Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$38.95

Whenever Italeri announced they were releasing a 1/48 model of the Israeli C1/C2 Kfir, I really got excited. I thought that my prayers had finally been answered for getting a good 1/48 Kfir kit. But then I started thinking. Italeri has been famous over the last few years of rereleasing the old ESCI and other kits with a beautiful box and a great decal sheet.

Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
Eagle Editions Ltd.
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$17.50

Editor: Features the Russian captured D-9, "White 16" II./JG 301, "Black 4" W. Nr. 400271 III./JG 2 and "White 15" W. Nr. 600651

Just when you thought you had seen every marking scheme for Fw 190D9’s, Jerry Crandall comes out with a new book on the Dora and decals for newly discovered aircraft.

This sheet contains markings for four different aircraft, one of which was a captured aircraft used by the Russians The other three bear non-standard colors and markings, which was not at all unusual during the late stages of the Spring of 1945, right at the end of the war.

These decals are in keeping with the usual high quality research of Eagle Editions and are perfectly in register, as printed by Cartograf of Italy.

By the way, if you want some good reading and an excellent reference to add to your reference collection, get FW 190 Dora Volume Two, published by Eagle Editions, Ltd. It will give you even more info on these four aircraft.

Book Author(s)
Claude Gillono with Leife Hilbert
Review Author
Jeff Leiby
Published on
Company
The Oliver Publishing Group
MSRP
$33.95

On 14 & 15 February 1943 elements of the US 1st Armored Division was severely handled in a serious of engagements by elements of the Fifth Panzer Armee and of Rommel’s Panzer Armee Africa. This publication covers the results of these first encounters.

The publication, published in A4 soft cover format, is primarily a photographic collection of pictures captured from the German archives. The photos were taken while many of the subjects were still burning on the battlefield. They are drawn from a collection taken by German Propaganda Companies, their equivalent of US Army Combat Camera Teams. Although the photos consist of destroyed US tanks and tank destroyers, no dead bodies appear in any of the pictures.

Book Author(s)
Henry Sakaida, Gary Nila and Koji Takaki
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Hikoki Publications
MSRP
$19.95

I missed out on this book when it was originally published as a hardback a few years ago. Fortunately it has been re-issued as a softbound book. The book is the definitive volume on this submarine. It was the largest submarine to serve in WWII at over 400 feet long with a crew of almost 200 and weighing over 5200 tons.

The first chapter gives us an overview of the Japanese submarine service in WWII. Chapter two covers the specifics of the I-400 class, with chapter three giving us the details and specifications on the aircraft the sub was designed to carry, the Aichi M6A “Seiran” attack-bomber. This chapter includes detailed drawings and pilot memories.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Platz
Scale
1/100
MSRP
$12.95

The Aircraft

The Kawasaki T-4 came out in the late 1980s as a replacement for the Lockheed T-33s and Fuji T-1s in the intermediate trainer role. One of the reasons for the T-4 appears to be that it is built in Japan from mostly Japanese sources.

The T-4 is the third aircraft flown by the JASDF’s Blue Impulse demonstration team. The first two were the F-86 and a Mitsubishi T-2.

The Kit

The box contains two sprues of bright white plastic, with a clear sprue which has enough clear parts to do two kits. This makes perfect sense when you remember that Platz 1/144 kits are “twofers”, 2 kits in one box. All parts are cleanly molded with no flash. As I did the assembly, I noted that there are no warps, mold flaws or short shots anywhere. The decals are by Cartograf of Italy.