Scale Aircraft Modelling is an excellent monthly publication focusing on modeling scale aircraft. Averaging just under 100 pages, SAM is filled with build articles featuring some of the newer kits on the market, as well as projects based on old favorites. Printed on glossy paper in full color, this magazine is a treasure chest of information about modeling techniques as well as a great source of information on new products.

The cover article in this issue is entitled, “Classic Cat” and refers to the F7F Tigercat. The kit being spotlighted is the Italeri 1/48th scale “Cat”. Author/Modeler Philippe Roger presents a Masterclass in scratchbuilding additional detail for the Italeri kit. There are seven pages of detailed text accompanied by a series of detailed images. The lessons put forward by P. Roger are not limited to the F7F but are easily applicable to other aircraft.

Model Art Modeling Magazine is a Japanese publication that is published monthly. The text is mainly in Japanese with some English subtitles throughout. One feature about these magazines is the high quality of the photographs and the models that are used.

In the December issue of Model Art, they start out with a modeler’s how-to guide. In this section they cover how to replicate wood on WWI aircraft, accenting panel lines (washes), and shading.

The next article covers the 2012 All Japan Plamodel Hobby Show. While there does not seem to be much coverage on built models, they do several pages of new releases. To modelers, it looks like 2013 will be another banner year for new kits in all genres.

Following that is a comparison review of six different Tony fighters in 1/72nd scale. They compare Fine Molds, Hasegawa and RS Models kits.

After 28 years of publishing, Ray Rimell’s Windsock Worldwide should be a familiar periodical reference to any serious WWI model aircraft builder. It’s fair to say that any such builder who is not familiar with the publication has been missing a lot and has been pursuing the subject at a great disadvantage when compared to those who look forward to the mailing of each new issue. Windsock Worldwide is, without a doubt, THE reference on the subject.

The September/October 2012 issue continues to deliver what can be best described as the bread and butter of WWI model aircraft news and information. This issue follows the now-familiar format…regular columns presented in order, with the center of the issue devoted to one or more featured subjects. This issue will be of great interest to any model builder who has purchased recent Wingnut Wings’ Fokker Eindecker or DH2 kits, because they comprise the featured subjects.

There’s Merkavas and Pumas and Magachs, oh my.

I have been a fan of the Israeli military for many years but have concentrated my interest on the 1967 and 1973 wars. Their ingenuity regarding their armor and aircraft make them more interesting than German Panzers, in my opinion.

This is the first book in a new series by Wizard Publications (Israel) on IDF Armor. Wizard has done many books on the Israel Air Force and it is nice to see them take up the armor side.

This softcover book is full of full color pictures of the modern Israeli armored fighting vehicles starting in the late 80’s on up through 2011. This time frame covers a change in tactics from the wide open killing grounds of the Sinai to the towns of Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. To meet these challenges, the IDF converted its tanks and APCs to more heavily armored vehicles designed for close-in fighting.

The KC-135 started as the Boeing Model 717, which was based on the Model 367-80. Boeing delivered 820 KC-135 and derivative models between 1957 and 1966. The KC- 135 has gone through many modifications over the years and is still in active U.S. Air Force service today.

This is the first time that I have ever gotten a Squadron Signal book upon its release and all I can say is wow! The book consists of eighty-eighty pages with almost every single photograph being in color except with a few that shows the KC-135 early in life.