The April publication of Model Art Modeling Magazine focuses on the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force aircraft in 2021, air defense power after ten years, with several articles on this topic filling the first fifty-five pages of this issue. The magazine also includes new kit reviews, modeling tips, and new kit and item releases. As is typical for Model Art, the magazine measures 182mm by 258mm (about 71/8 by 101/8 inches), and is printed on thick, glossy paper. The production quality is high with these magazines, and just over half of it is printed in color with black and white pages interspersed throughout of the issue. Just in case this is the first review of a Model Art magazine that you are reading, understand that the entire magazine is printed in Japanese with only an occasional English subtitle for those of us who are monolingual, or are just unable to read Japanese text.

This issue begins with some advertisements preceding the Table of Contents, which are found on Page 6 as well as a full-page photograph of an F-15 and the main topic for this issue being across on page 7. Page eight then begins the first article, which is a conversion of the Fujimi 1/72 scale F-35A Lightning II in Japanese markings that started as the F-35B kit. This article concludes with a single page showing four photographs of the real F-35A aircraft AA-1, AF-1, and AF-2. The next article spans eight pages, and is all about the F-15J and the building of Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale F-15J/DJ Eagle kit. There are four pages of color drawings and walk around photographs used to complete this article. Next up is the Mitsubishi F-2A built by using a 1/48 scale Hasegawa kit, and again employing two pages with several photographs of the plane, a 500 pound GBU-38, and J/AAQ-2 FLIR.

The next plane is the amphibious US-2 that is built from the 1/144 scale A&W Models kit, and included is reference to a DVD that is available on this plane. The TRDI ATD-X “Shinshin” built using a resin kit from Tokiwa Aircraft Create in 1/144 scale is found on pages 28 and 29, and is followed by two pages of information on the real aircraft as well as photographs and computer drawings of Russian advanced design aircraft. A fictitious EF-15J Eagle Jammer, which began life as a 1/72 scale Hasegawa F-15J kit follows, as well as a KC-767J that was converted from a 1/200 scale Hasegawa E-767 AWACS, as well as a regular buildup of the Hasegawa E-767 AWACS.

Page 38 is the start of a four-page article on modeling the JASDF in 1/144 scale using the Tomy Tec kits of the F-15. This article features the F-15J, DJ, J as a UAV, and SE variants with a couple of very unique paint schemes. I have not seen these kits on the market myself, but after looking through the article, I will be keeping my eyes open for them. The remaining fourteen pages of this section provide additional details on the F-35A conversion, as well as the F-15J, F-2A, US-2, ATDI ATD-X, F-15J Jammer, KC-767J, E-767 builds, and a page showing the kits themselves (box tops and parts) for many of these article.

On page fifty-six, we leave the world of the air self-defense force, and find a review on the 1/700 scale waterline kit of the Fujimi Japanese Heavy Cruiser Tone in 1945. This four-page article is all in black and white, and includes photographs of the completed ship as the kit contents, and line drawings of the starboard side and top of the ship. After some advertisements there is a new kit review of Tamiya’s 1/350 scale Heavy Cruiser Tone with five pages of color photos of the kit. The next review is on the Mercedes SL65 AMG Black series 1/24 scale kit, whose manufacturer I cannot make out.

The magazine moves back to aircraft with the review of a Trumpeter 1/48 scale PLAAF J-10B Vigorous Dragon, and then a Great Wall Hobby 1/48 scale Focke Wulf Fw-189A-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Up next is the Hobby Boss 1/35 scale 152mm ShkH DANA vz.77 Czech wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzer on pages ninety through ninety-three.

A twelve-page section entitled “Spacecraft Modeling Mission” is next with builds of the Hasegawa 1/200 scale Space Shuttle Orbiter and Hubble Space Telescope, and the Space Shuttle Orbiter and Boeing 747 (also a 1/200 scale Hasegawa release). Next is the Aoshima 1/32 scale Hayabusa Muses-C and Hayabusa 2 kits followed by the Aoshima 1/72 scale HTV H-II Transfer Vehicle and two pages showing box tops and contents of several of the reviewed items.

The “S. Kitazawa’s Neo Historic 1980’s Garage” article is on the Tamiya 1/24 scale 1989 Eunos Roadster. The issue then moves in to several short review articles on various kits, detail parts, decals, and tools; completing with some advertisements. All in all, the issue is very entertaining for the modeler, and will be especially well liked by the folks interested in current and future JASDF aircraft.

Similar to my previous reviews of Model Art, I do feel that this is a quality magazine, and fans of modern aircraft will thoroughly enjoy the first fifty-five pages of this issue. Although the magazine is written entirely in Japanese, the great photography and drawings will benefit any model enthusiast, and there is a little something for everyone again in this issue. I personally enjoy seeing what the model builders in Japan are doing, and the techniques, tools, and parts that they are utilizing.

My thanks to the folks at Model Art and Dragon Models USA for making this issue available for review by the IPMS-USA review corps, and thanks to you for taking the time to read it.