Although I am quite familiar with Model Art Publications “Specials”, covering a variety of subjects, this was my first time looking through one of their standard magazines. I say “looking through” because the entire publication is in Japanese which I, unfortunately, do not know how to read!

Despite my linguistic challenges, I think this is a magazine that can be quite useful to just about any modeler. It covers the range of plastic modeling topics from aircraft to ships, armor, vehicles, and even buildings. The page size is slightly smaller than the standard magazine in the US or UK, but all the pages are of glossy, high-quality stock. Pages are full of photos (of both models and the real items).

Contents of Issue #836 are as follows:

The rotary engine (the engine itself rotates while the crankshaft remains stationary) was first developed by Felix Millett as a five-cylinder engine that was mounted in a bicycle wheel, and was displayed at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris (his design having been patented in 1888). In 1889, Lawrence Hargrave designed a rotary engine intended for use in an aircraft, and in the United States, Stephen Balzer worked on rotary engines in the 1890s. Back in Europe, De Dion-Bouton developed a rotary engine in 1899, but this was never fitted to an aircraft, and in the United States, Adams-Farwell developed a rotary engine for use in automobiles in 1901. Gnome, a French company run by brothers Louis, Laurent and Augustin Seguin, developed the world's first production rotary engine, the 7-cylinder, 50 hp “Omega”, which was shown at the 1908 Paris automobile show.

For those unfamiliar with this magazine, it is to my mind one of the finest general purpose modeling magazines in the world today. It is filled with high quality articles covering the whole gamut of plastic modeling, from aircraft, armor, and ships to sci-fi and figures. The models appearing in these articles are very well built, well photographed, and in color, and the magazine is printed on high quality glossy paper. This issue contains 160 pages and measure 7” x 10”. The modeling articles are interspersed with the odd photo essay, together with numerous advertisements. The one drawback, at least from this reviewer’s perspective, is that it is entirely in Japanese script.

Issue 834, the subject of this review, contains the following:

This wonderfully documented book covers the history of one of Germany's largest paratrooper regiments – the Fallschirmjager Regiment 6, FJ.Rgt.6. Originally published in German in 2007, the book has been translated into English by Mara Taylor and released in the United States by Casemate Publishing in 2011.

Following a short Preface, Chapter 1, The Initial Organization, begins with the unit's formation on February 13, 1943 under the command of Major Egon Liebach, an experienced paratrooper and troop leader. The focus of Major Liebach's training was field exercises and close combat. In addition, advanced training was provided in combat parachute and glider deployment. As it turned out, they acted more as ground troops than as a parachute assault unit. In fact, their nickname, The Lions of Carentan, came about as a result of the strong defense they put up around Carentan during the Normandy invasion.

ModelArt No. 832 monthly update has the usual features of new product kits, as well as a feature topic. This month, the topic is aluminum metallizing finishes. Pages 5-49 show a list of four entire pages of different paints with a picture of its bottle and a painted plastic spoon so you can see how it looks – a thorough encyclopedia of available aluminum metallic paints. Examples of how to use the paints to build real kits are detailed for 1/32 scale P51D, Tojo, and Tony fighter aircraft. Other examples include more fighter aircraft, a B26an airliner, a Formula One racing car, several luxury sedans, and even tank treads. The text is in Japanese, but the numerous photographs help decipher what is being done. At least this section gives some advanced modeling tips for aluminum finishes.