Aires Hobby Models provides a variety of high quality resin products to upgrade, or correct, a variety of models in the most popular scales. They also have a line of crew and pilot figures in 1/72^nd, 1/48^th and 1/32^nd scale. These figures are relatively inexpensive, and make a nice addition to an aircraft diorama, or to add a better since of scale to a finished model.

Aerobonus’ latest offering is of a Soviet woman pilot wearing flight gear and a parachute. Women played an important role in the Soviet army during World War II, making up about 3% of the total Soviet military personnel. In addition to serving in medical and auxiliary roles, a great number of women flew as pilots, and fought as snipers, machine gunners, and in the armored forces. I don’t know of any other offerings of Soviet woman pilot figures, so this is a welcome addition recognizing an important group of individuals.

Many thanks to Hypersonic Models and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this excellent engine exhaust enhancement set for the EA-6B kits by Kinetic and Italeri. Hypersonic Models (HM) is a new contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and is based in the UK, with a Facebook presence established 17 JUL 12. The operation is a one-man show, focused on well-researched products generated from quality CAD artwork and 3D- printed molds. HM has a specialty offering of modern-jet resin accessories, decals, canopy masks and reference drawings, with an X-15 emphasis.

Brengun has provided another great uncommon model a 1947 production Soviet Pulse Jet missile based on the German V-1.

The kit contains

• 1 sprues molded in hard, light tan styrene
• 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

This build starts the twin pulse jet engines which do require a little bit of attention with filler when complete. Construction moves on to the missile body and again a little bit of iller is required. Wing and tail assembly was straight forward and I utilized a jig were aligned correctly as the attachment locations are very shallow. The final stage of the missile assembly is to attach of the pulse jet engines to the body and expect no surprises with this step. The missile cart assembly went together very easily. The kit includes details of two color schemes and I chose to finish the kit in the the Black version as I love Black!

Advanced Modeling, based in Chelyabinsk Russia, has jumped in to help 1/72 (and 1/48 as well as 1/32) model builders of modern Russian aircraft that include the Su-24M, Su-25TM, Su-25SM, Su-30MKI, Su-30MKK, Su-32, MiG-27K, and MiG-29SMT. This new release provides two KAB-500Kr 500kg TV guided bombs consisting of four grey resin parts and two clear resin parts. It also includes a photoetched fret consisting of two pieces for the rear end of the bombs and a well done waterslide decal sheet with black stencil markings.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that Advanced Modeling uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. Painting instructions are included with the instruction sheet, in this case calling out FS 26473 grey. The resin parts are well cast with no air-bubbles or any casting errors that I could spot on any of the resin parts.

There is no question that the Mitsubishi A6M Zero is one of the most famous and recognizable aircraft of the Second World War. From its early days of domination over the skies, to the end of the conflict where the once seemingly invincible aircraft was relegated to Kamikaze missions; the Reisen saw service throughout the war in Japanese Naval Air Force service.

Author James D’Angina tells the story of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero in Osprey Publishing’s Air Vanguard #19. Chapters are broken down as follows: