ICM has released a new 1/72^nd scale WWII US Marston Mat (aka PSP, Perforated Steel Plate). The molded plastic has great recessed detail and all you need to do is apply the paint.

In the Box

The base is made from injected light gray styrene, and the molded detail quality is very fine for 1/72^nd scale. Size is 2.5 X 5 inches (63.5 X 127 mm). Four plates of the mat are included. If glued side-by-side, a mat of 10 X 5 inches can be obtained.

The parts are wrapped in a single plastic bag and encased in a very sturdy cardboard box. A slipcover fits over the box and has a painted close-up of what the mat should look like. The instructions are for a 1/35^th scale Marston Mat set but you get the general idea but at smaller scale. The painting instructions list only one color for the mat, Gun Metal (ICM 1027), and a clear coat if so desired.

Review Process

This is a box stock build with no aftermarket products used during the assembly process. From Part 1, we move on to painting and final assembly.

Surface primer was applied using Mr. Surfacer 1500 White, which was heavily thinned with Mr. Surfacer Leveling Thinner. A 4:1 mixing ratio allowed for a lighter coat of primer while not filling in some of the shallow recessed details. After a day of drying, the underside was airbrushed with Tamiya XF-2 White with a little gray added to make it an off-white color. The upper surfaces were then painted Tamiya XF-80 Royal Light Gray, which, in my opinion, looks like Light Gull Gray (FS16440). The aft exhaust area was then masked and airbrushed with Alclad Steel. To add the vertical striations, I cut Tamiya tape into thin strips, masked, and airbrushed Alclad Aluminum. This is much easier to do if the exhaust is not installed per the instructions (See Part 1 for more clarification).

ICM continues to pump out fantastic kits in all genres of interesting subjects to the modeling world. This Beaufort is the sixth version to be released. I built the second release that featured tropical filters a couple of years ago, so there were no real surprises with this build.

The standard ICM box lid was adorned with a striking painting of a low flying, dark sea grey over white Beaufort dropping a red nosed torpedo over the water. Grey plastic parts were contained in one plastic bag, with a clear parts sprue protected within its own bag. The instruction manual and decal sheet were at the bottom of the box, along with a color sheet showing ICM paints available.

Following the instruction manual format, construction was set out to ease painting separate items. Components like the cockpit and cabin, landing gear and other assemblies could be completely built and painted in one session which sped up and simplified assembly.

MMP Books continues to expand its “Colour and Scale” series, this time with an installment on the Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II.

This booklet has 5 pages of line drawings for the Thunderbolt II in 1/72 scale, providing side views (both port and starboard) top view, bottom view and side-view without the wing or rudder obstructing the fuselage profile.

In addition to the scale drawings, there are 8 pages of full-color profiles and, in some cases, also top and bottom views.

Some of the camouflages are relatively well known as the two-gray early scheme or the “Flipper” scheme, but others are unique, like the “Jawa” one, which reminds me of Italian World War 2 camouflage schemes.

The book covers camouflage schemes from the late ‘70s (early production) to the ‘90s (Desert Storm). I am not sure if the book includes all and every type of camo scheme used by the Thunderbolt II, but it certainly has a significant selection.

Perhaps one of the prettiest jet fighters, the Hawker Hunter was an inspired piece of design by the famed British designer, Sir Sidney Camm, also known for the Hurricane and Harrier. The Hunter was so good that it operated for over 40 years in British service, and this book illustrates that service life through the medium of renowned aircraft illustrator, Richard Caruana of Malta.

Caruana has been painting aircraft profiles for over 50 years now, and I remember some of his first work in locally produced booklets on the Battle of Malta. These were on sale in Matla’s aviation museum, and my parents bought them for me during their visit there in the early 80s! He helped create the short-lived Modelaid magazine in the mid-80s, but in more recent times, he is better known for his work in various modeling magazines, such as Scale Aviation Modeller International and Model Airplane International, and is the author of numerous books.