The August offering from Model Art Modeling Magazine starts off with 44 pages of photos and text (in Japanese, with an occasional English subtitle) dedicated to the F6F Hellcat, with reviews of Eduard, Hobby Boss, and Monogram kits, among others, from 1/144th scale up to 1/48th. A wealth of close-up photos showing trouble spots and finished kits is available for aficionados of this aircraft.

Next comes 5 pages of information about Japanese Navy destroyers, illustrating differences from 1933 through 1945 with photos of 1/700 kits for illustration. This is followed by several pages of walk-around detail shots of a JASDF H-21, very useful for modelers of this subject. This appears to be a monthly feature, the H-21 being August.

Several reviews follow, all with excellent photo coverage: 1/700th IJN Kaga, 1/32nd Revell Hawk in Red Arrows livery, 1/35th Hobby Boss M3A1 Scout Car, 1/48th Eduard Mig-21 MF Fishbed J, 1/24th Fujimi Porsche 911 GT3R, and 1/32nd Wingnut Wings Gotha G.IV. The Gotha was of particular interest to me, as I have just bought that kit, and it is a daunting proposition. Seeing that someone has been able to get it together, and very nicely, with the photos to prove it, has renewed my desire to get into that box and build.

There is a 2-page feature on IJA/N aircraft cockpits with a wealth of info on the dials and gauges, and a recurring feature, S. Kitagawa’s NEO garage, which deals with a Rex Combi car kit.

The remainder of the magazine, some 45 pages, is dedicated to a summary of new kits and accessories (resin and PE and the like) and advertising.

The new kit reviews are worth the price of the magazine as they have some very good close-up shots of trouble spots on each kit which are, in the main, lacking in many other magazine reviews.

My thanks to the folks at Model Art and Dragon Models USA for making this informative issue available for review.