German Tank Tools

Published: February 10, 2024
Company: Hauler

Tools are ubiquitous with armored vehicles, especially tanks. For those braille scale modelers who wish to have separate tools and brackets, this is the set for you for to replace the molded-on tools that come on a majority of the German armor models.

The tools are very tiny and well detailed.The instructions are simple, which is great as this set is an eye exam and will test your patience as you assemble the PE. Fortunately, Hauler recognizes the very real carpet monster and provides extra PE parts.Once assembled, the following PE parts become spares:

• No 1. Straps - 8
• No. 2. Axe Head Bracket -1
• No. 3. Square Shovel Bracket - 1
• No. 4. Bracket - 2 (not used)
• No. 5. Wire Cutter bracket - 1
• No. 6. Round tip shovel bracket – 1
… more

Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps

Published: February 6, 2024
Book Author(s): Ian Baxter
Company: Pen & Sword

Ian Baxter has done it again. Not only is he an amazing, captivating author, he once more approached a very difficult topic, and did it well, presenting the horrifying facts in a manner that honors the dead, but doesn’t sugar coat it. This book follows the familiar Images of War format with brief introductions for each chapter followed by a lot of photographs to complement his topics.

Between the covers of this (9.6”x7.4”) paperback book are 144 pages, with over 250 black and white photographs, and two very detailed appendices, is the story of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps during 1944 and 1945. It is composed of the following:

• Preface
• Introduction
• Chapter One: Liberation of the Polish Concentration Camps
• Chapter Two: Liberation of… more

War in Ukraine, Volume 3: Armed formations of the Luhansk People’s Republic 2014–2022

Published: February 3, 2024
Book Author(s): Edward Crowther
Company: Helion & Company

This is the third book in the War in Ukraine series (currently at five volumes). The previous two volumes were reviewed by Orlando Reyes of the IPMS/USA Review Corps:

• War in Ukraine Volume 1: Armed Formations of the Donetsk People’s Republic, 2014-2022 by Edward Crowther
• … more

"Always the First" - Air Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Published: January 28, 2024
Company: ICM

Reference from the ICM website:

The Air Assault Forces of Ukraine were created in 2017 on the basis of the existing Highly Mobile Landing Troops, which at that time already had its own separate command. According to their purpose, the units and subunits of the Air Assault Forces are divided into airborne and air assault troops; to enhance their strike potential, tank units were added to their composition; in 2022, a separate Jaeger brigade was added. The airborne assault troops are characterized by a high level of combat readiness, mobility, the ability to perform tasks independently in difficult conditions, high motivation, and morale. A special feature of their everyday and ceremonial uniforms is a maroon-colored beret. Since 2014, this army branch has been… more

The Soviet Infantryman on the Eastern Front

Published: January 20, 2024
Book Author(s): Simon Forty
Company: Casemate Publishers

Having just reviewed the previous book in the Casemate Illustrated Series (No. 37 – The German Infantryman on the Eastern Front), I expected this book to follow the same format. While the outline of the book and its chapters are the same, the content differs vastly, and in a good way, especially for modelers. This book has a lot more focus on the Soviet Infantryman through re-enactor photographs focusing on uniforms and weapons, and more personal Soviet infantrymen accounts.

From the book’s conclusion,

The Western view of the Soviet infantryman and Red Army is colored by the Cold War. As the Soviet Union moved from valued ally to likely adversary, the Eastern Front battles were dissected by the German generals who had fought them. They pushed their own… more

The German Infantryman on the Eastern Front

Published: January 20, 2024
Book Author(s): Simon Forty and Richard Charlton Taylor
Company: Casemate Publishers

From the book’s conclusion,

In 1939-1942 German infantrymen were the best trained and most efficient soldiers in the Western world. Their victories in Europe optimized the use of new technology and old skillsets to overpower their enemies in a series of lightning thrusts. Spearheaded by airborne special forces and amor, fully supported by a rampant air arm, quite simply they blew away the opposition and made fools of the Allies who had defeated an older generation of Germans so comprehensively in 1918.

The most significant element of their superiority wasn’t their tanks and dive-bombers, much as both helped, but their incisive leadership – and not just by the senior officers. Their mission-led approach to battlefield tactics and initiative, stemming from… more

German Leopard 2A6 MBT

Published: January 19, 2024
Company: Trumpeter

From the Trumpeter and MRC websites,

The successor to the Leopard 1, the Leopard 2, was first produced in 1979. A variety of upgrade programs and options are available for the Leopard 2. These include the Atlas Elektronik Vehicle Integrated Command and Information System (IFIS), a digital command and information system. The Leopard 2 has had technical improvements under Upgrading Level I and Level II programs. A new smoothbore gun, the 120 millimeter L55 Gun, has been developed by Rheinmetall GmbH of Ratingen, Germany to replace the shorter 120 millimeter L44 smoothbore tank gun on the Leopard 2. It permits effective use of a new APFSDS-T round, DM53 (LKE II), with a longer rod penetrator, which is under development.

The rigid box top sits on… more

German King Tiger "Henschel Turret"

Published: January 19, 2024
Company: Academy Models

The King Tiger, Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B (Sdkfz. 182 (Sdkfz.267 and 268 for Command Variants)), often shortened to Tiger B, Tiger II, or Königstiger (German for Bengal Tiger or "King Tiger"). Allied forces usually called it the King Tiger or Royal Tiger.

In early October 1942, plans for production of the VK 45.03 were issued for a successor to the Tiger I. Initially two designs were provided, one by Henschel and one by Porsche. Both used a turret design from Krupp mounting the long barreled 88mm KwK 43 L/71; the main differences were in the hull design, transmission, and suspension. The Henschel version used a conventional hull design with sloped armor resembling the layout of the Panther tank. It had a rear mounted engine and used nine overlapping road wheels per side,… more

M1A1 Bazooka

Published: January 12, 2024
Company: Special Hobby

The M1A1 2.36-inch AT Rocket Launcher (aka ‘Bazooka’) is a smooth-bore, breech-loading, electrically operated shoulder weapon of the ‘open’ steel tube type. It is fired from the shoulder in either standing, kneeling, sitting, or prone position. The Rocket Launcher is used to launch high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rockets against tanks, armored vehicles, pillboxes, and other emplacements. The ammunition consists of rockets capable of penetrating heavy armor at angles of impact up to 30 degrees. The weapon itself can be aimed up to distances of 300 yards. The Rocket Launcher has a maximum range of 700 yards. The M1A1 improved upon the M1 with less weight, more simplified and reliable design, improved electrical system and removal of a forward hand grip.

Special Hobby scored a… more

M1917 US Machine Gun

Published: January 12, 2024
Company: Special Hobby

The M1917 Browning is a crew-served, belt-fed, water-cooled heavy machine gun used by the United States armed forces in World War I and World War II, through the Korean War (National Guard and Reserve units had them in their inventory through the 1970s). It was also employed by over a dozen foreign militaries. The M1917 had a long life and modelers have a plethora of options for a model of this ubiquitous machine gun in 1/35 scale.

Special Hobby hit it out of the park with this mixed media kit. A bulk of the parts are 3D printed resin with a PE fret. The kit comes with the machine gun, gun cradle (with traverse and elevation mechanism), tripod, water condensing can, and two sets of ammo cans (wooden WWI and steel WWII) – one closed and one opened. The modeler will have to… more