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.
Syhart Decal has provided IPMS/USA reviewer corps with a wonderful decal set for the F-16AM Falcon, tail number E-006, with acolor scheme for the Royal Danish Air Force in “Dannebrog 50 Years F-16” special paint scheme in 1/72nd scale. Looking online for E-006, this F-16 variant will be an F-16A Block 20 MLU.
In the Package
There are three decal sheets provided with all the colorful anniversary colors on the two larger sheets. The third sheet is smaller and has the stencils. Markings represent how the F-16AM Falcon flew in 2024 at air shows.
A bonus is the addition of 3-D printed parts for the forward wing probes and ventral antenna under the engine intake for increased accuracy in the build.
The information sheets show all sides of the airplane. Because of the large swaths of decals, a color-coded placement guide is a nice tutorial to locate them. Exterior paint information is also provided in FS color codes and color descriptions.
History
The Chukar target drone was developed and produced by Northrup Ventura in 1968. It can be launched from land based or ship based zero length launchers. JATO rockets were used to accelerate it to stable flight speed and a Williams J-400-WR-400 turbojet provided 121 pounds of thrust for propulsion. It could travel at speeds up to 400 knots and had a ceiling of 40,000 feet. It was ingeniously designed to include passive or active radar, wingtip infrared flares and a smoke system for visual tracking. It can be rigged with flotation equipment for recovery over water. After a training mission a parachute is deployed and telemetry information on defensive missile performance can be downloaded. The drone is named for the Chukar Partridge, a game bird that thrives from the Western Mediterranean, through the Middle East and into Asia.
Syhart Decal has provided IPMS/USA reviewer corps with a wonderful decal set for the Belgian Air Force of their F-16AM Falcon for tail number FA-87 with color scheme from the 2011 & 2012 Tigermeet in 1/72nd scale. Looking online for FA-87, this F-16 variant will be an F-16A Block 20 MLU.
In the Package
There are three decal sheets provided with all the colorful tiger stripes on the two larger sheets. The third sheet is smaller and has all the stencils. However, the modeler will have to decide what year (2011 or 2012) to display since there are only enough decals for one jet and the only difference will be the tail markings.
A unique bonus to this decal set are the cockpit decals for the glare shield tiger striped scarf and false tiger skin covering over the ejection seat.
Guideline Publications is the UK's leading publisher of modeling and hobby-related magazines. With a world-class portfolio of titles and an international Social Media presence, Guideline Publications has a dedicated readership that is constantly expanding into new areas. This English language book, Dassault Mystère & Super Mystère, is authored by Andy Evans with scale drawings by Sam Pearson. The latest in Guideline’s Warpaint series, 148, was published in 2025. A digital edition will soon be available. The latest on Guideline’s publications can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/guidelinepub/
Grover C. Loening built his first airplane in 1918, the diminutive single seat M-2 Kitten monoplane, soon refined into the more powerful 2-seat M-8 that was accepted and purchased by the Army Air Corps. However, due to the resistance towards monoplanes he reverted to a biplane configuration in creating his most successful design six years later, the OL amphibian. The Loening OL and it’s derivatives would soldier on with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard for another decade.
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.
Sylvain Hautier started Syhart Decals in 2005. Syhart Decals being derived from SY (Sylvain) HA (Hautier), ART (design), Decal (Decals.).
Although I had heard of Syhart Decals, this was the first time I had seen these in person, and I was very impressed with the presentation, the instruction sheet/manual and the high quality of the decals themselves.
The are several manufacturers of the 1/72 scale Rafale and represent various versions, whether Air Force, Marine or two-seater. These decal sets do not seem to be specific to any one manufacturer.
The decals were presented on bright blue paper that looked very similar to the paper used by ICM and Kits World Decals. Each decal on the sheet was sharp and in register, with minimal excess clear film. The printed part of each decal had more of a satin finish, while the excess film was glossy.
Fresh from the Review Corps gathering at the 2025 IPMS-USA Nationals comes this 1/72 scale wiper blade set for the AH-64 Apache from the folks at Quickboost. The wipers are intended for use with the Academy kit and will replace parts A6 and B51. For this review, I used my Hasegawa kit (product E6, AH-64 Apache Longbow) to show that they can also be used to upgrade a kit without wipers included. These parts are highly recommended for improving the detail on your 1/72 scale AH-64 Apache.
Quickboost has been around for several years producing detail parts and replacement parts for various models. While researching the set for this review, it appeared that at the time of my writing, this set was yet to be released. The price provided is my best guess based on similar products from the company, but this may vary slightly when released.
Fresh from the Review Corps gathering at the 2025 IPMS-USA Nationals comes this wheel bay plug set from O-Mask for the Tamiya 1/48 scale Dornier Do-335. I have been using foam earplugs trimmed to size as needed for several years when masking openings during painting, but these precision-cut plugs can simply be used with no additional work required. I highly recommend this set of plugs to any modeler that airbrushes or sprays their models and is building a Do-335.
According to information provided by O-Mask, these laser-cut foam plugs are designed to cover wheel wells, air brake bays, intakes, exhausts, cowlings, or other areas of your model. Made of soft, colored foam, these plugs are relatively chemical-resistant and therefore, reusable.
