From the Pen and Sword Books website:
Historical & Reference Notes
From ICM's own description:
Illiad Design has recently released an aftermarket decal set covering the T-33.
This decal sheet covers a total of 5 aircraft, and you are provided with enough markings as to be able to model all of them. You are still expected to use the stencils provided with the kit. You have your choice of
- T-33A in American markings in a very attractive SEA camo
- T-33A (the instructions call it a T-22A) from Pakistan in an overall grey-green
- CT-133 RCAF markings in Dark Sea Gray/Dark Green over PRU Blue with a Snoopy drawing in the fin
- T-33 in Luftwaffe in RAL 6014, 7012 and 7001
- CT-133 in wraparound gray and green in low viz Canadian markings.
They are an amazing selection of markings. I particularly liked the T-33 in SEA camo with shark teeth. The instruction sheet says it was the only T-33 to receive SEA camouflage.
The non-profit UK based group known as the Great War Aviation Society publishes A new magazine, Contact!, is now available in both print and digital download. The first two issues of Contact! Are available for a free digital download on their website. Their journal, Cross & Cockade International, is also published four times a year. Issues are available in English as printed [Softbound, A4 (8.27” x 11.69”), 72 pages [Including Covers] as well as digital copies (or both). The Society also provides a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front. The Great War Aviation Society also hosts a lecture series available through Zoom. If interested, you will need to register early as the call is limited in attendance.
This book tells the story of the development, aircraft specification and service history of the F-35 and all its variations.
The book is lavishly illustrated with photographs and line drawings, many of which are stunning, and I have not seen anywhere before.
The history covers all areas from concept and development to meet the needs of the modern air forces. It shows the various prototypes and programs that directly lead to the F-35.
The chapters on the engines were very interesting and provided a lot of information.
The various chapters on the various operators give insight into the variations for the air forces modifications for their missions. This gives great insights and how they incorporated them into their existing squadrons.
I highly recommend this book as it gives as many details as available on the F-35 in the public domain. Thank you to IPMS USA and Pen and Sword for allowing me to review this great book.
The AH-1W Super Cobra was the US Marines’ attack helicopter. Designed and developed by Bell, it entered service with the US Marine Corps (USMC), Marines have been flying the AH-1W Super Cobra since 1986. The last AH-1W was delivered in 1998. and was retired in October 2020 after 34 years of service. The AH-1Z Viper, which is also manufactured by Bell Textron, replaced the Super Cobra. It is also a brand new tooled kit in 2025.
The Super Cobra was the first attack helicopter to qualify both the Sidewinder air-to-air missile and the Sidearm anti-radiation missile. Both missiles can use the same LAU-7 rail launcher. Sidearm has a range of more than 15km. AIM-9L Sidewinder is an all-aspect, short-range, air-to-air missile has a range of 15km.
Paul R Hare
The non-profit UK-based group known as the Great War Aviation Society publishes their journal, Cross & Cockade International, four times a year. Issues are available in English as printed [Softbound, A4 (8.27” x 11.69”), 80 pages plus centerfold] as well as digital copies (or both). A new magazine, Contact!, is now available in both print and digital download. The Society also provides a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publishes WWI-themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front. The Great War Aviation Society also hosts a lecture series available through Zoom. If interested, you will need to register early as the call is limited in attendance.
Academy has released a re-boxing of their 1/48 scale F-4J Phantom II, this time with markings for VMFA-333 “Fighting Shamrocks” and VMFA-232 “Red Devils”. The first boxing of the Academy “J” variant was in 2014, and this re-boxing was produced in 2024.
In the Box
The kit is enclosed in a sturdy box and each sprue is enclosed in its own plastic bag, except for the ones that are doubled up, primarily the ordnance. The sprues are injected in three colors (gray, white, and black) and one clear sprue for the windscreen, canopy, and light parts.
First, the usual “thank you greatly” to SAC for providing this set to IPMS USA. We appreciate the continual, long-term support from this manufacturer, and it’s always a good day when a package arrives from SAC HQ.
This metal gear is exactly what SAC says it is; an improved version of the kit gear. From their website: “The Trumpeter main gear is too long. Our set corrects this problem. Also, we recommend the modeler purchase a set of ResKit wheels because they have much better detail and they lower the model by an additional 1 mm”.
Out of the box, the kit has two different landing gear options; Plastic gear parts for a standard build, incorporating brake lines and other details, (which will begin to fail over time), and a cast- steel copy of the plastic gear without the brake lines. These lines are provided for by black vinyl add-ons in a bag containing the vinyl/rubber tires for the basic kit.
Illustrators: Rock Roszak
Detail & Scale published its first two books on North American’s P-51 Mustang in 1996. Thirty years later, a new set of three publications, P-51 Mustang in Detail & Scale, significantly revises and expands the original coverage of this iconic fighter. This latest series of Detail & Scale started with Volume 1 in 2018 with the F3H Demon.
