Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
January 24, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$13.49

Kiev, Ukraine-based ICM is back with a new offering from its infantry support heavy-weapons line, this time with a WWII German s.Gr.W.34 8cm Mortar. This nice little one-hour build comes with a bunch of extra goodies, and will fit right into a diorama or open halftrack/truck bed. This highly detailed and diminutive subject includes a deployed mortar, three ammunition boxes with lids, four single mortar rounds, two rifles and several other pieces of personal gear.

History

The 8 cm s.Gr.W.34 was an adaptation for use in self-propelled mountings and employed conventional 8 cm 3.5 kg shells (high explosive or smoke) with percussion fuses. Its range could be extended by fitting up to three additional powder charges between the shell tailfins.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
January 25, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$12.95

This is a new tool that was added to UMM-USA’s line of modeling tools this fall. The tool consists of a thin double-edged saw blade and black plastic handle. It is intended to be used with resin parts and thin styrene.

The tool is used similar to a full-sized keyhole saw. While it can be used like a standard saw, cutting from the edge in, its principal use is to cut a hole inside a part. I experimented by drawing out a rectangular panel on scrap styrene, drilling pilot holes at each corner and then using the saw to cut from hole to hole, creating a rectangular opening. The corners were then cut out using a sharp Xacto knife.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
January 25, 2023
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$16.95

This is a new riveting tool from UMM-USA and adds to its growing line of modeling tools. The single wheel tool allows you to emboss fine rivet lines on plastic, resin, soft wood, and thin metal sheets. The black handle, about the thickness of a Bic pen, fit well in my hand and was comfortable to use.

I experimented with the tool on several different types of styrene and an old plastic kit. I used a thin plastic ruler on the flat surfaces and found that it was easy to emboss a row of rivets. On some pieces of pieces of styrene I had to put more pressure on the tool due to the hardness of the styrene. On curves surfaces I used a thin metal straightedge from an old drafting class – labeling tape would also work well.

I found the tool easy to use and I was impressed by the rivet lines produced. I look forward to using it on some of my older kits where there are no rivets.

Book Author(s)
Eric Lefevre
Review Author
Orlando Reyes
Published on
January 25, 2023
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$38.95

This is the eighth printing of this book detailing the Battle of Normandy. The book is divided into an introduction, 21 sections, a glossary and a comparative rank section at the end. The first section is dedicated to the table of organization of the regiments that participated in the battle. This is followed by a description of the principal and ancillary vehicles in battle. Next section is dedicated to the units involved, and describes each unit participating in the events. This section is divided in the units of the SS and Heer in combat. A small section talks about the retreat of the German forces in the area after the Battle of the Fallaise Pocket, followed by another section describing what is left of the battle. The book ends with a glossary and a comparative rank table.

Review Author
Mr. Paul Dunham
Published on
January 27, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$4.00

Ammo’s line of Moss products is intended to help modelers simulate natural textures such as moss and lichen on their miniatures. The Moss products are a very finely shredded material that can be glued to surfaces to add the color and texture of tiny plants. Moss is available in ten colors that include a variety of greens and browns. The Moss comes in 35ml plastic jars. For this review I tried Ochre Moss, Bracken Green, and Sea Moss.

Review Author
Mr. Paul Dunham
Published on
January 27, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$6.14

Ammo’s “Quake Crackle Creator Textures” are a line of thick acrylic paints formulated to dry with cracked surfaces in order to simulate terrain such as dried mud or cracked pavement. Quake is available in five colors: Crackle Base (white), Old Blacktop (black), Scorched Sand (tan), Baked Earth (brown), and Dry Season Clay (red-brown). I’ve tried the first three colors in this review. The product comes in 40ml plastic bottles. The screw-caps are nearly as wide as the bottles and have prominent ridges, so if you get paint on the threads, you can still get the bottles open.

Book Author(s)
Cliff Lord and David Birtles
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
January 31, 2023
Company
Helion & Company

Cliff Lord served in Britain’s Royal Signals during the 1960s as a cipher operator in England, Germany and on active service in Aden and the East Aden Protectorate. After the Army, Cliff worked in Paris for the Washington Post and later moved to New Zealand working as a computer operator, a communications network controller for Air New Zealand, and Team Leader International Operations for the Southern Cross fiber optics trans-pacific cable before retiring. He is Honorary Historian for Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals. Cliff has written nine books on military history and insignia.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
January 31, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$18.99

This is a great kit! If you typically model in 1/72nd scale this will make a fine addition to a diorama or vignette involving any mid 1950's to current scenes. Assembly is straight forward with minimal effort, paints up nice and more than looks the part of an airfield mobile electric truck. You may wish to buy several copies....

This release from ICM Holding of an airfield mobile electric truck, the APA-50M, is a welcome addition to their 1/72nd line of soft skinned vehicles. Detail has not been sacrificed but it has been simplified. (No complete engine, for instance.) The engine (lower portion only), air tanks, power take-off, drive shafts, suspension and axles are all individual parts. Which is where assembly begins.

Book Author(s)
Andy Evans
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
January 31, 2023
Company
Phoenix Scale Publications
MSRP
$13.62

Phoenix Scale Publications is a partnership of four people that have many years in the modeling world. They produce magazines (Scale Modeling and Aviation Modeling), Books (Red, Blue, White and Airmark series). The books are dedicated to specific planes and for this review, we look at the Airmark in Profile and in Scale series No.4, the North American A-5/RA-5 Vigilante.

The contents of the book show the layout:

Book Author(s)
Michael Ware
Review Author
James Kelley
Published on
January 31, 2023
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$31.22

Many enthusiasts dream of finding a Bugatti or a Bentley in a barn or a long disused building. In reality, such finds are more likely to be an Austin 7, Ford Popular or a Mini. This book is stuffed with these so called “barn finds”. The author has tried to find out the background to the abandonment and the previous history of the “as found” car when it was in regular use. Why was it put away and apparently forgotten?