Model Art has done it again. Back in April 2013 they released Air War over Vietnam, U.S. Navy Aircraft Part 1. This Model Art Modeling Magazine special edition, Air War Over Vietnam 2, U.S. Air Force Aircraft Part 1, is the follow up and they have made some changes to the layout from the excellent first issue. The text is mainly in Japanese with some English subtitles throughout. One excellent feature of these magazines is the high quality of the photographs and the models that are used.

The issue starts off with a “New Kit Selection” article. It features the Hasegawa 1/16 Sopwith Camel F.1 and the Tamiya 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M3 "Zero Fighter".

The main feature is next. This consists of eighty seven pages packed full of models, period photos (color and black and white), maps, charts, marking references and color plate drawings.

AZ Models AH-1Gs are the first new Vietnam-era Cobras to hit the market in quite some time. While a nice model, there are some limitations that plastic can’t replicate as well as I would hope. This has to be overcome by photo etch, and Brengun has just what the doctor ordered.

Packaged on card stock to protect the PE, the Brengun single fret of nickel plated metal includes some really nice additions to the kit and replaces things that should be replaced. Brengun includes a lot of things to dress up the cockpit: seatbelts, shoulder harnesses, instrument panels, side consoles, handles and gun sights to name just a few. The armor side panel for the XM-35 20mm weapon system is included as well. Sway braces, ejector racks, and rocket pod front and rears round out the upgrades for the armament.

This is another in the Scooter series of models recently released by Plus Model. The kit is a 30-series Cushman Autoglide and includes Army & Navy markings.

Kit

The Plus Model kit comes in a blister pack containing 12 resin parts, 1 clear plastic part, 4 photoetch parts, brass wire, and decal sheet. The photoetch parts are very small but add nice detail to the scooter.

Assembly

All of the parts have flash and casting blocks that must be removed. The front fork, part #2, is very fragile and I removed the flash before removing the fork from the casting block. None of the parts were deformed or broken. There is not much detail to the engine, but then it is enclosed in the shroud and not very visible.

Finishing

I washed & primed the kit, painted it with Lifecolor Olive Drab Faded, and followed with a MIG Brown Wash. The kit goes together well despite its tiny size and without any fit issues.

Kit Contents

In fitting with the rather lavish nature of Tamiya’s 1/32 P-51D Mustang, Eduard, known for its photo etch (PE) parts, has released a set of actual fabric seatbelts to spice up the prominent office of the bubble-topped Mustang. Tamiya’s Mustang kits feature a very solid sheet of PE that contains a multipart seatbelt assembly, but they do not match the level of detail provided by these fabric belts. (Additionally, many reviews have recommended annealing - heat treating - the Tamiya PE belts to make them easier to position in the first place, and manipulating the thick PE belts will likely cause paintwork to flake requiring a paint job “in place.”)

The Aircraft

What hasn’t been said or printed about the Fokker D.VII? The legendary fighter is widely considered to be the best German fighter aircraft to emerge from the Great War and it was certainly the most numerous type engaged in the conflict. Nearly 3,300 Fokker D.VIIs were built by three manufacturers, (Fokker, Albatros & OAW) in the summer and autumn of 1918, and many of them were the reason a number of German pilots achieved ‘Ace’ status in the last year of the war.

From its introduction into service in May 1918, the Fokker D.VII quickly proved its vastly superior performance over most, if not all, existing Allied fighters. With a high rate of climb, higher service ceiling and outstanding handling characteristics, German pilots scored 565 victories during the month of August alone. Because of its impact, it was the only aircraft listed in the armistice terms that Germany was required to surrender to the Allies.