History

The German Radio Car type 170VK was created on the basis of the serial car 170V of Daimler-Benz Co. The car had in its construction many technological solutions that were advanced for that time frame, such as an X-shaped frame welded from oval-shaped tubes, independent suspension on all wheels, and an engine with overhead valves. The vehicle was very reliable and very popular in all branches of the German army. The car was made in three variations: (1) scout car, (2) radio car, and (3) traveling repair shop. There were 19,075 vehicles built from 1933 to 1942.

Items in the Box

The model is made from injection molded plastic, gray in color. The plans were made up of a fold-out series of sheets, printed on both sides. The build sheet shows various versions of assembly. This build selected was with the radio installed and with the top down. Decal sheets, clear plastic glass, and soft tires were also included.

History: The YA-12 light artillery tractors were developed by NATI Designers and launched at the Yaroslavskiy Avtomobilniy Zavod YaAZ-Yaroslav Automobile Plant. In 1943, the United States supplied a large quantity of the U.S.-made GMC-4-71 four cylinder, two stroke, 110 horsepower engines under lend-lease contract. Production started in 1943, and within 12 months a total of 285 units were built. In 1945, production of YA-11s and 12s reached 1,270.

Items in the Box: The model is made from injection molded plastic, gray in color. The plans were made up of a book form, printed on both sides. Clear molded plastic windows, photo etch, and a decal sheet were supplied.

The Sherman tank -- what can you say about it that hasn’t already been said? Perhaps one of the most recognized types of AFV’s of World War II, it symbolized U.S. armor forces of the war.

The Kit

This latest 1/72 offering from Italeri is billed as a “fast assembly kit” which they also say is “especially developed for war game use.” You actually get two identical kits in the box, both molded in light grey plastic. But I feel like Italeri missrd the boat a bit when they tout this kit; as far as I can tell, this would make an excellent model for young or beginner modelers in that it is simple to build, yet accurate in overall shape and many details. Also, mine went together just like one of those snap-fit kits, without using glue (although I did glue mine), and it went together easily and with no drama, with good fit of the parts.

History

The landmine has always been a danger to troops traveling in unprotected vehicles, and this threat was taken to new levels by insurgent forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result of attacks by mines and IED's, the United States military invested in a special mine clearing vehicle manufactured by Force Protection Inc. Called the Buffalo Mine Protected Clearance Vehicle, or MPCV, it is based on a 6x6 truck with a specially designed armored body. Its shape is designed to deflect blast away from the crew compartment, allowing the vehicle to survive quite large explosions. It carriers a crew of two, plus four plus engineers trained to detect and make safe mines and IED's planted by the road side. A 30-foot extending arm allows the crew to uncover suspect devices while staying safely within the vehicle. Powered by a 443hp Mack AI-400 engine, the Buffalo is capable of 65 mph and has a range of 300 miles. Combat weight is 27.5 tons, with a load capacity of 19 tons.

For those old-timers in the hobby, the name Airfix may bring back many a fond memory of simple kits that only generally resembled what they were supposed to, and could be put together on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the kitchen table. However, since being taken over by the toy giant Hornby, Airfix has been in the process of re-inventing itself. Old kits are being updated and new ones issued as well. Their latest military vehicle offering is a King Tiger. It's all-new molding, as Airfix never did a King Tiger. There are 89 parts on three sprues. The molding is good – nice and crisp. However, they chose to mold all the tools and cables, etc., onto the hull. This makes adding zimmerit tricky and requires careful painting to pick them out.