Reviews of products for scale military vehicle models.

Book Author(s)
Tom Cockle
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
September 16, 2023
Company
Peko Publishing
MSRP
$41.95

This landscaped, hardback book is the first in a new series of books by renowned and prolific unpublished photograph collector and author Tom Cockle, published through PeKo Publishing of Hungary. This is an incredible book with many previously unpublished photos of armored vehicles in depots, in the field and after combat. The next page reveals more surprises that the previous.

WW2 Vehicles Through the Lens is a new series of photographic albums presenting military and civilian vehicles used by the military during the Second World War. Each book will have six-eight chapters, each focusing on a different subject featuring mostly previously unpublished photographs. Volume 1 consists of the following six parts:

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Hauler Brengun
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$11.50

The Mi-24 Hind is a formidable attack helicopter, but unlike the Western attack helicopters, there is a crew compartment in the back. If you want to show something a little different you can add things in there. This set is designed for just that.

Contained in a blister pack are six resin pieces, perfectly cast in a dark grey resin, along with a small decal sheet. The tank is held in place by two support struts and two supports and has one fuel line. Instructions are on a small sheet of paper printed in black and white. The instructions are easy to understand that there is a photo of the actual tank mounted inside of a real helicopter. With the tank painted yellow it will stick out quite prominently.

This is a great option to add to your Hind that will make it stand out from the rest. The resin parts are perfect and the instructions are easy to understand. Another great set from Brengun.

Highly recommended

Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
July 26, 2023
Company
Vargas Scale Models
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$69.95

Vargas Models specializes in unusual 3-D printed, limited-run armor models, and is now offering the M2A1 Medium tank, the forerunner to the venerable line of early-WWII medium tanks.

The unmistakable lines of the M3 Grant/Lee hull are evident in the M2A1, and the lower chassis and running gear point straight at the M4 Sherman, the most-produced Allied tank of the war. The M2 was armed with four 30-caliber machine guns mounted in revolving sponsons bracketing the turret, two additional, fixed 30cal machine guns in the front hull, and a turret-mounted, 37mm main gun. The M2 carried an impressive 12,250 rounds of ammunition for a simple reason; at the time of its design, medium tanks in the US Army were employed not as tanks proper, but as infantry support weapons. To this end, the 4 revolving machine guns and the 2 fixed hull machine guns would have greatly helped it in that role.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
July 22, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
Scale
NA
MSRP
$16.18

I must admit that when I first saw these paints, I did think that they were not really needed in this hobby as we have been dry brushing using normal paint for many years.

But I have been using them now for some time and I confirm they are in fact another useful product.

This set is very good, and I used them on a German North Africa Stug. and with great results.

I have also used this in an airbrush for shading and as a paint on other materials so they can be used in other ways very successfully.

Summary

These are very useful, and I have found it a great addition to my toolbox!

Thanks go to Ammo by Mig Jimenez for providing this set to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Ben Skipper
Review Author
Orlando Reyes
Published on
July 19, 2023
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$28.95

The book is part of the Battle Craft series published by Penn & Sword Military publishers. The book is divided into an Introduction followed by two main areas. The first chapter actually deals with the battle, while the second one deals with several models of equipment used during the battle. This latter part is full of color photos showing the kits. In addition, this latter part contains profiles of equipment and aircrafts used in the battle.

Book Author(s)
Przemyslaw Skulski
Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
July 19, 2023
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.90

Founded in 1996, MMP Books is a UK-based publishing company with its book publishing division starting in 1999. Specializing in aviation and military history, MMP Books is known worldwide as a source for anything military.

Single Vehicle No. 02 7TP is the second book added to the “Single Vehicle” line of books MMP Books in 2021. Others include Single Vehicle No. 01 ( SU-76M) published in 2021 to their latest Single Vehicle No. 08 (Polish Armoured Draisine TK) entered the market in 2023. Eight books are available in this Single Vehicle Series.

This A4 format 8.2 x 11.8-inch 28-page book is printed on satin paper with 90 black and white images and one color profile page. The front and back covers are both printed on glossy paper. The text is in English.

Book Author(s)
Mig Jimenez
Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
July 15, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$18.99

The Mig Solution Book “How to Modern Russian Tanks” is book number 07 and is a soft bound magazine style offering. The book is 68 pages in full color with photographs on almost every page and is available in four languages.

The first section of the book is a description of products of all paints and materials that Mig offers to be used during the weather and paint processes explained in the book, ending with a full page of icons that are used throughout the book. The Icons are used to describe or explain what the builder is to do during each various step such as paint, washes, wait for a certain amount of time to let paint dry, airbrush paint ratios etc. I recommend that you make a copy of the page for reference so that you do not have to keep flipping back and forth in the book to look up the meanings of the icons.

The book is well illustrated and shows the weathering for a Russian tank in steps as follows.

Book Author(s)
Mig Jimenez
Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
July 15, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$18.99

The Mig Solution Book “How to Weather German trains” is book number 01 and is a soft bound magazine style offering step-by-step tutorials explaining how to apply the different colors and effects to German train cars and a locomotive. The book is 64 pages in full color with photographs on almost every page and is available in four languages.

The first section of the book is a description of products of all paints and materials that Mig offers to be used during the weather and paint processes explained in the book, ending with a full page of icons that are used throughout the book. The Icons are used to describe or explain what the builder is to do during each various step such as paint, washes, wait for a certain amount of time to let paint dry, airbrush paint ratios etc. I recommend that you make a copy of the page for reference so that you do not have to keep flipping back and forth in the book to look up the meanings of the icons.

Review Author
Michael Novosad
Published on
July 15, 2023
Company
DEF Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$15.99

Background

The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of light, four-wheel drive, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It has largely supplanted the roles previously performed by the original jeep, and others such as the Vietnam War-era M151 jeep, the M561 "Gama Goat", their M718A1 and M792 ambulance versions, the Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle, and other light trucks. Primarily used by the United States military, it is also used by numerous other countries and organizations and even in civilian adaptations. The Humvee saw widespread use in the Gulf War of 1991, where it navigated the treacherous desert terrain; this usage helped to inspire civilian Hummer versions. The vehicle's original unarmored design was later seen to be inadequate. The vehicle was found to be particularly vulnerable to improvised explosive devices in the Iraq War. The U.S.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
July 9, 2023
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.37

Notek lights were blackout drive lights used by German military vehicles in WWII. They were named after the Munich-based company that produced them, Nova-Technik GmbH.

The unit consisted of a 35-watt bulb under the hooded housing that shined backward against a mirror. The reflected light illuminated the ground ahead of the vehicle from under the helmet-like hood. The Notek light illuminated the road to about 100 to 130 feet ahead of the vehicle in a roughly 80-foot swath and had three settings: dim (invisible from the air above 2,000ft), medium, and full (invisible from the air above 6,400ft).