This illustrated photo album includes over 120 B&W pictures of the Kaiserliche und Königliche Eisenbahn-Bau Kompanie unit (German Imperial Railway Construction Company) which operated during early stages of WW1 in the Western Galicia, now southern Poland. The railways are mostly narrow gauge.

The book uses black & white photographs to illustrate various construction or repair projects by the K.U.K in Western Galicia during the early WWI years between 1914-15. Captions are provided with each of the photos to describe the location and content of the photo. The photos are clear, and many show damaged bridges being built or repaired with descriptions of various construction methods and materials. A brief, but detailed outline of military operations provides context for the projects.

The railway projects are organized in these towns or areas:

General Outline of Military Operations in Western Galicia between August 1914 and mid-September 1915

For a good long while, Mig Jimenez has been designing and producing products that make modelers lives so very much easier. In the case of this set of washes, AMMO has packaged up a “basic” set that includes an assortment of colors that would fit the bill for anyone trying to create a foundation for weathering their model of any sort. This set provides the easiest solution to the novice modeler who is just starting in the hobby and does not really know what is needed, and adds another tool to the toolbox for the intermediate or advanced modeler.

The set includes the following five washes:

This fine book is yet another in Osprey’s Air Campaign series. It concerns itself with the massive bombing efforts over Germany in late 1943 through 1944. The author provides an excellent overview it’s chronology, including the daylight bombing raids over Berlin, Hanover, Peenemünde, Hamburg, Magdeburg, Stettin, Leipzig, Augsburg and numerous other targets.

Of particular interest is the outline the leadership and organization of both allied offensive and the German defensive forces—both in terms of the array of aircraft, bases and the defensive guns and equipment utilized by both axis and allies.

I have been using UMM scribers for quite a while now. I use it for scraping seams and engraving panels lines eradicated by sanding and filling. Its design is multipurpose, and I love it. That was the SCR-01 original scriber. Since that came out, Jon has come out with an SCR-02 and now, an SCR-03 version. The newest version is longer and thinner than the originals providing even better access to tight corners.

The part itself is manufactured from hardened tool steel and has a matte finish. One end is a sharpened hook for scribing panel lines and the other end is a flat blade which also has an edge to it. Overall length is 5.5 inches which is comfortable to hold in your hands and makes it very maneuverable even with my small hands.

The UMM web site listed above lists its possible uses as scribing panel lines with push and pull techniques, removing pin marks, trimming flash, trimming stretched sprue, deburring, piercing, scrapping, carving etc.

UMM USA (Unique Master Models) produces unique, out-of-the-mainstream tools and supplies, as well as unusual and exciting kits. Each time I go to the IPMS Nationals, the UMM booth is a must-stop venture – there is always something new and interesting, and the busy owner always takes the time to walk you through what he has for sale, and how it works.

This time around we have a photoetch bending set that comes with a graduating roller as well as two bending trays. If you haven’t added this handy and versatile tool to your modeling bench, you might want to give it a try. Some roller sets will have you keep track of a bunch of differently-sized wood or metal rods that you use to press and bend PE in a tray. The beauty of using a tool like this to do the same thing is the simplicity of using a single roller for all widths, all in one tool. The hardened aluminum tool can be used for rolling and bending brass, copper and aluminum sheets.