DH. 82A Tiger Moth with WWII RAF Cadets

Published: November 29, 2023
Company: ICM

ICM has released another combo aviation kit, this one including the ubiquitous Tiger Moth training aircraft and their RAF cadets figure set.

The DH. 82A Tiger Moth is perhaps one of the most common light aircraft in the world to this day and really needs no introduction. First beginning production in 1931, it served as the main basic training aircraft for the Royal Air Force well into… more

AH-1G Cobra (Early Production)

Published: November 29, 2023
Company: Italeri

I was in college when Revell first released their 1/32nd scale rendition of the AH-1G Cobra Helicopter gunship, at that time being actively used in the Vietnam conflict. I am forced to admit that I was enamored with the sleek and deadly look of this machine, and the fact that Revell had released it in my favorite scale only made it more desirable.

For those who aren’t familiar with the… more

Chernobyl #6: Feat of Divers

Published: November 22, 2023
Company: ICM

ICM continues to model the Chernobyl disaster and its side effects, and this is the sixth set in that series.

Backstory

Unlike the previous, more generic versions of various first responders and/or victims, this is a specific set dealing with a very specific set of men. Here’s the story:

In 1986, the Number 4 reactor at Chernobyl in the Ukraine exploded, heralding one… more

Acrylic Paints Set "WW1 British Infantry"

Published: November 9, 2023
Company: ICM

ICM continues to come out with interesting paint sets for their kits, and this one is no exception. As with all of the ICM acrylic paints that I’ve tested so far, I’ve found these to be smooth and creamy with no pigment separation in the bottle. They have excellent opacity and cover nicely with one coat and are clearly intended for hand painting rather than airbrushing. I’m finally overcoming… more

Acrylic Paints Set "Personal Protective Equipment"

Published: November 3, 2023
Company: ICM

ICM continues to come out with interesting paint sets for their kits, and this one is no exception. As with all of the ICM acrylic paints that I’ve tested so far, I’ve found these to be smooth and creamy with no pigment separation in the bottle. They have excellent opacity and cover nicely with one coat, and are clearly intended for hand painting rather than airbrushing. I’m finally overcoming… more

American Civil War Confederate Infantry Acrylic Paints Set

Published: October 13, 2023
Company: ICM

Anyone familiar with my modeling work is aware of my aversion to water-based paints. When acrylic paints first came on the market, I tested several types and found them indifferently opaque and tending to extreme fragility. As a commercial figure painter, I simply didn’t trust them to stand up to the rigors of customer handling.

My fondness for all things ICM led me to try out this… more

The Winter War 1939-40

Published: October 10, 2023
Book Author(s): Philip Jowett
Company: Casemate Publishers

Before World War 1, Finland had been part of Russia. However, during the Russian Civil War that followed, Finland was largely dominated by the non-Soviet White Russians, who successfully broke away from Russian to become their own independent country. This situation was to rankle Stalin, who still regarded the territories of Finland as belonging to his country.

Three months after the… more

Fierce Battle: American Civil War

Published: October 8, 2023
Company: ICM

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Civil War era, as this is the period in history that my father taught at the university. ICM has really delivered in this area, offering no less than four different infantry figure sets, each with a superb sprue of associated equipment, making it very easy to convert these figures as you choose.

ICM has now taken this a step further in… more

Journalists in War

Published: August 2, 2023
Company: ICM

No one can argue that being a war correspondent is anything but dangerous work. Journalists who choose this branch of their profession face death, kidnapping, torture and more on a regular basis, as well as dealing with the repercussions this activity can have on their family lives back home. All of this is especially true in this age, where the “Press” label affords far less protection than… more

Normadie-Niemen: Plane of Roland de la Poype

Published: July 20, 2023
Company: ICM

The story of the Normandie (later, Normandie-Niemen) Escadrilles makes for fascinating reading. Originally recruited by DeGaulle himself, these French pilots flew for the Soviets in Soviet-made aircraft at more than typical risk to themselves. The Germans saw this development as a breach of the French Vichy government’s surrender agreement and made it a policy to execute any French pilots… more