Reviews of products for scale military vehicle models.

Review Author
Jason Boggans
Published on
Company
Hobby Boss
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$70.00

The DF-41 (DongFeng 41) ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) is a brand new kit from HobbyBoss released in 2024. The Box art is typical HobbyBoss and is presented in a rigid top opener with well packed materials inside.

Lots of care and attention has been paid to protecting the contents and all items are fit snug into the box. The kit also contains some Color brochures depicting this particular kit and a brochure for the new HB kit U-2S ‘Dragon Lady’ due for release in May of 2024.

The Kit

The kit is comprised of multiple sprues, including around 11 plastic sprues, 1 clear parts, a copper tube for use in the missile elevation riser, a fret of PE, rubber tires and a decal sheet.

Instructions call for 21 steps in construction, step 1 mostly being the construction of the chassis and drivetrain along with the chassis support stiffeners.

Steps 2-7 are sub-assemblies for the wheel hubs, 16 in total are required 8 for each side.

Review Author
Paul Bradley
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
n/a
MSRP
$18.99

Another in ICM’s range of paint sets, this time for use with any WWII US armoured vehicles.

The set contains the following 12ml paint pots; I have listed what I believe to be their intended uses, with designations from Specification 3-1 1943:

  • 1041 Buff – Sand No.306 or Earth Yellow No.305
  • 1027 Gun Metal Metallic – tracks
  • 1071 Camouflage Green – Light Green No.321
  • 1072 US Dark Green – Olive Drab No.319
  • 2005 Black Primer – Black No.10
  • 1001 White – White No.11

The back of the box has a couple of drawings showing suggested uses for each colour.

Review Author
Tomasz Menert
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$87.00

ICM’s Leopard 2A6 in 1/35 scale is a Revell-Germany re-boxing kit. However, it represents a tank used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and includes a very attractive set of 5 figures with a dog. The box cover display shows the tank crew at rest with two members occupied with the running gear. The tank assembly consists of 246 parts and 45 parts are dedicated to the five crew figures and one dog figure. There are six marking options provided in this kit spanning different regions of Ukraine and periods between summer of 2023 and winter of 2024. Ukrainian national markings in different configurations can be applied over one standard German three tone NATO camouflage.

Review Author
David Hochheimer
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$47.00

ICM Holding has put out a new model of their Horch vehicle. This rendition is a Kfz.70 with an MG 34 machine gun and mount for the rear area of the vehicle.

The box art for the kit is first rate and lends itself well to the actual Kfz.70 in the kit. The box is compact and will fit well in any stash until you decide to build it. Although the box is small, the material within the box was not smashed together and no damage was noted when breaking out the materials from the box.

Book Author(s)
Adam Jońca
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.99

Adam Jońca is an illustrator and author. He has contributed to several Stratus / MMP series, including Polish Tracks & Wheels [3 Volumes]; Polish Armoured Trains [3 Volumes; and Single Vehicle [4 Volumes].

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1:72
MSRP
$32.99

From ICM’s website,

Since the summer of 2023, Leopard 2A6 tanks have been in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They actively participate in battles in the east and northeast of Ukraine. Some of them undergo specific modifications due to the nature of modern combat. Recent combat engagements have imposed new requirements, particularly improving protection against shaped charge munitions and attack drones. To address this, additional protective elements in the form of grids are added to the combat vehicles. Solid screens of various types are also used to protect the running gear. The Leopard 2A6 tanks of the Ukrainian army undergo such modifications, and several of these combat vehicles were seen in action in the fall of 2023.

Book Author(s)
Peter Samsonov; Illustrations by Thierry Vallet
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Mortons Books
MSRP
$25.00

The author, Peter Samsonov, is a Russian-Canadian military historian who has received praise from notable historians for his research on Second World War armored vehicles using English, Russian and German primary documents. He has several books under his name, and this is the first of his that I have read. It will not be my last as his attention to detail, facts and engaging writing style are fantastic.

From the Casemate's website description of this book,

Book Author(s)
David Mitchellhill-Green
Review Author
James Kelley
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$28.95

Adolf Hitler invaded Western Europe in May 1940. After breaking through the supposedly 'impenetrable' Ardennes, Erwin Rommel was at the forefront of the Wehrmacht's audacious drive through France. Rommel, who had no prior experience leading an armored division in combat, moved with such speed and nerve that he frequently surprised French units by arriving far earlier than expected.

Crossing the Meuse River, we follow Rommel—in what he referred to as 'practically a lightning Tour de France'—as he pushed through northern France to the English Channel. His spectacular victory at the coastal port of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux was crowned by the capture of Cherbourg.

Following the armistice, Rommel was involved in reenacting certain battles, such as crossing the Somme, for the documentary Sieg im Westen (Victory in the West). This is the story of Rommel and the 7th Panzer Division—the so-called 'Ghost Division'—in France, 1940.

Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
Company
Hobby Boss
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$87.99

The LAV-300 (Light Armored Vehicle-300) is a 6x6 wheeled armored vehicle developed in the 1970s by Cadillac Gage, an American defense contractor, as part of their V-series of vehicles. Originally known as the V-300, it was designed for reconnaissance, troop transport, and other battlefield roles. It could be equipped with various weapon systems, such as machine guns, auto-cannons, and anti-tank guided missiles, enabling it to operate effectively in various combat scenarios.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$63.00

The M1097A2, Heavy HMMWV with an increased payload capacity, will replace the M1037, M1042, M1097 and M1097A1 heavy shelter variants. It is designed to carry heavy electronic systems, weapons platforms, and can be configured to act as a command post; the M1097A2 may also be configured as a troop carrier.

This is ICM’s first HMMWV, and the second kit available in 1/35 scale (Italeri No, 6484 was introduced in 2018). This versatile and rugged vehicle is in service with the US military, NATO forces and other militaries around the world. The two marking options in this kit include: