Reviews of products for scale figures and diorama models.

Review Author
Keith Gervasi
Published on
October 17, 2022
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$19.49

This set includes 10 different German WWII figures in Wehrmacht uniforms of the Mid-WWII period. Upon opening the box will find a folded two-sided instruction sheet and two bags of grey injected plastic parts. 2 sprues (Y) are the same and contain the accessories while Sprue Z contains the figures and the bases. The plastic is very cleanly molded, and the details are crisp. The standing figures are made up of 4 parts (a body plus separate arms and a head) or 5 parts (a body minus one leg plus separate arms, head and the leg due to the figure in a walking pose). The sitting/kneeling figures are all made up of 5 parts (upper torso with two legs w/lower torso, arms, and head). Sprue Y has all of the accessories and there are lots of them. There are two of the Y sprues and on each one you get 2 MP40, 1 Karabiner semi-auto rifle, 5 Kar.

Book Author(s)
Andy Singleton
Review Author
John Shimek
Published on
September 8, 2022
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$28.95

Painting Wargaming Figures – Allied Forces in Northwest Europe 1944-1945 covers British and Commonwealth, United States and Free French uniforms for this period.

The book covers 8 chapters to include topics on Tips and Tools, Skin Tones, display Bases, Allied Webbing, Equipment and Weapons for the service(s) combat uniforms cited above. Topics also include glues, fillers, types of paint/primers, brushes and care, painting techniques and weathering with washes. The author also gives historical background reference for colors used for the 1944-1945 time period for various units.

With 270 pictures to illustrate the steps suggested for the allied military services described for small scale figure painting it is very easy to follow along with a quite simple process to paint figures.

Book Author(s)
Gary Lee
Review Author
Orlando Reyes
Published on
September 3, 2022
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$49.95

The book consists of three parts and a conclusion. There is a preface, acknowledgements and Intro at the beginning of the book. The book ends with notes to the text; a glossary, bibliography and index. Yes, this "baby" is big and full, and I mean "FULL" of information. I think too much to digest in one reading.

The first section of the book deals with the pre-war years; selection and training of a sniper.

The second part deals with wartime sniper operations. This section is subdivided by locations where sniping operations took place. They include sections for: Western Europe, North Africa, Italy, The Liberation of Northwestern Europe, The Rhine and the Elbe, Drang Nach Osten, Stalingrad Kessel, Nach Berlin, Far East, Southwest Pacific Theater, the South Pacific and Asia.

Book Author(s)
Guy Dempsey, ed.
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
August 30, 2022
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$45.00

This book is fascinating both from the historical point of view and for the military figure modeler point of view.

It consists of a series of watercolor copies of the original lithographs depicting military uniforms of the Napoleonic era. It should be pointed out that the original collection was completed after Napoleon’s death and during a period where anything related to Napoleon was -politically- out of favor. Moreover, the original collection is considered a milestone document as not only images are included, but each depiction also has accompanying text describing details of the uniform or the unit.

This particular edition also has 5 illustrations that are not part of the original collection but fit the era and scope of the edition, so they were included to provide an even rounder documentation of military uniforms of the French Imperial Army in the 1798-1814 period.

Book Author(s)
Ian Baxter
Review Author
Orlando Reyes
Published on
August 27, 2022
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$22.95

The book is part of The Images of War series published by Pen and Sword Ltd. The book is divided into four chapters and three Appendixes with 9 pages at the end to allow notes by the reader. The first chapter deals with Invasion and occupation in 1941-1942 of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The second chapter talks about foreign recruitment. The last two chapters deal with the last years of the units, and the final end of the units. The first appendix is the Order of Battle of the units. Appendix two describes the Army Group North during June 1944, and finally the last appendix describes the formation of Army Detachment “Narva.”

Book Author(s)
Eric H. Larson
Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
August 20, 2022
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$75.00

Publisher’s Notes

“A comprehensive, accurate, and academically-supported reference of all of the major military and paramilitary camouflage patterns that have been in use around the world from the end of World War Two to today.

This book will be a one-stop, generalized reference illustrating as many patterns as have been researched into the present time period. It will surpass all previous efforts. In addition to color tiles illustrating camouflage patterns it will include photographs of the designs actually being worn by military and paramilitary personnel, something few other references have done in suitable combination.”

Book Author(s)
Craig Allen
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
August 18, 2022
Company
Key Publishing Ltd
MSRP
$24.95

As a former paratrooper and combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I was eager to read and review The Paras in Iraq, Operation Telic 1 by Craig Allen. The title of the book is self-explanatory and replete with fantastic photos of first and third battalions of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment in action; first in staging areas in Kuwait, then their move into Basrah and further operations in Baghdad. Knowing a rudimentary history of the British Paras and UK forces in Iraq, I was ready to jump (pun intended) into the book. I was not disappointed.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
July 9, 2022
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$41.99

Firefighting has a long and noble history in the United States, dating back to the 17th century following the burning of Boston in 1631. The first volunteer fire company was established by Benjamin Franklin in 1736 in Philadelphia, and became a model for other colonial cities to follow. 1853 saw the establishment of the first professional fire department in Cincinnati, and thus the modern, fully-paid and professional firefighting force was created.

Originally, most firefighting equipment was horse drawn, but the advent of cheap, readily available gasoline-driven vehicles changed that. Enter the ubiquitous Model T, a simple, robust and affordable machine capable of carrying at least rudimentary firefighting equipment and personnel to emergency locations quickly and easily.

ICM has once again offered a very nice combo kit, featuring both the 1914 Model Firefighting Truck and their terrific figure set featuring four firefighters in natural poses.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
July 9, 2022
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$23.99

Despite the war, ICM in the Ukraine continues to create new and innovative kits for the avid figure modeler. This set, which depicts American firemen from the turn of the last century, is a case in point. Professional firefighting units organized along paramilitary lines first came on the scene around the 1850s, and by the 1900s were equipped in what is now considered classic firefighter uniforms, with their distinctive headgear and rubberized coats and boots. This set represents the more common types of clothing, including both the long and short coats as well as the heavy canvas pants. The figures come on a single sprue with two sprues hosting their fire axes and three-part helmets.

Review Author
Mr. Paul Dunham
Published on
July 5, 2022
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$21.00

Tamiya’s new 1/35th scale figure kit “U.S. Infantry Scout Set” includes plastic parts for making five U.S. army WWII infantry figures. The kit comes in a 10” by 6” by 1 1/2” top-opening box. The box contains four sprues of plastic parts, a double-sided instruction sheet, and water-slide decals. Sprue CA and sprue CB provide the weapons and accessories. The weapons included are: an M1918 BAR with choice of open or closed bipod, an M1 carbine, two M1 garand rifles, an M1A1 thompson, two bayonets, three knives, and six hand grenades. There are enough entrenching tools, canteens, and helmets for each figure. The helmets are molded with the straps pulled up over the brims. Two of the helmets have mesh coverings molded on. Sprues X and Z provide the parts for the meaty bits and figure-specific accessories. The instructions provide a list of recommended Tamiya paints, assembly instructions, and a description of the ranks depicted by the markings on the decal sheet.