Model Art magazine is in my estimation the premiere monthly modeling magazine on the Japanese market. The publisher also produces a series of “Specials” on various topics, including aircraft. The magazine under discussion in this review is Model Art’s eighth “Air Model Special”, and is mainly based around modern jets, with a small smattering of WW2 subjects. The production values are first rate, utilizing high quality glossy paper, and with excellent quality photography. Japanese text is used throughout.

This issue starts off with two New Kit release articles: Airfix 1/72^nd Douglas C-47 Skytrain 4 pages and Airfix 1/72^nd Bristol Blenheim Mk.I. Each article is accompanied by over a dozen color photos of the models under construction, including added detail such as aerial rigging, engine plumbing etc., and the completed models are to an extremely high quality of finish.

Following these reviews, comes the center stage article of the publication, “Su-27 Flanker Series”: Su-35S Flanker E, Su-27SM Flanker B, Su-37 Super Flanker, Su-30M2 Flanker, Su-33 Flanker D, Su-34M Fullback. This section includes a series of 1/48^th and 1/72^nd modeling articles covering kits and conversion sets to produce these aircraft in model form, together with a color photo article of the real aircraft. There are four pages of side profile line drawings, 9 pages of color profiles, and 1 page of under wing stores layout drawings. Once again, the model builds are extremely well executed, and well photographed in full color. The Sukhoi section is 53 pages in length.

The second major section of the magazine covers modeling the Harrier FRS.1/FA.2. There are beautifully rendered modeling articles on building these two aircraft, together with photos of the real aircraft, 1 page of line drawings, and 5 pages of color profiles. 21 pages in total.

Third in the series of modern aircraft articles is one on the Mitsubishi FS-T2, utilizing the Hasegawa 1/48^th scale F-1 kit. Five pages of superb cockpit photos from the real aircraft (16 photos in total) plus six pages of airframe photos (29 color photos) and a full page of colors and markings drawings, together with another amazingly detailed model build: for a total of 18 pages.

Rounding off the magazine is a two page color photo spread on the September 2014 Komatsu air show (JASDF F-15’s), and a two page spread on an air show held at Payerne Air Base in Switzerland (aircraft from all eras).

This is a superb publication, with the highest possible production values, and if anyone has any interest in the aircraft subjects covered, I would highly recommend it as reference material and model building inspiration! My sincere thanks to DragonModelsUSA in allowing IPMS USA the opportunity to review this excellent publication.