Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty six years.

The January issue starts off with a couple of small features. The first is the "New Item Special". The first is Fine Molds new release of a 25mm gun in a single, double and triple configuration, next is the Tomy Tec 1/144th F-15 S/MTD and YF-15A and last is the Trumpeter 1/35th Russian Tank Destroyer object 704. Look for these products to be released soon. Next is Mr. Hobby is releasing a new water based acrylic based paint and last is a 1/32 scale metal desktop Bf109F cutaway.

We then come to the IJA/N Airplane Illustrated article. This is another monthly feature. This also would be found towards the rear of the magazine. This month's plane is the N1K2-J "George". They featured this model to go along with Hasegawa's new 1/32nd N1K2-J "George". There are many detailed colored drawings and pictures that cover many of the details that a modeler may look for when modeling.

On to this months main feature. This month is a feature on Japanese IJA/IJN aircraft models due to an increased interest, because of the new Japanese movie "Eien No Zero" or "The Eternal Zero". This article is displayed over thirty six pages of a mix of color and black and white photos. At the end of the article is a listing of models that can be built to represent ones from the movie. The models used in the articles are as follows. The Hasegawa 1/32 N1K2-J that features some of the kit details of this new kit, Zoukei-Mura 1/32 J2M3 Raiden (this includes a full build article with also how to do a cut away model made easy), Zoukei-Mura 1/48 J7W1 Shinden highlighting some of the beautiful details of this kit, Hasegawa 1/48 Nakajima B6N1 Tenzan (Jill), Tomy Tec 1/48 IJN Zero Fighter Model 52 (this is a little gem in itself. Can be made into a cutaway or full model with parts contained in the kit) and the Tamiya 1/72 IJN Zero Fighter.

Next is several more short articles that appear in each months issue starting with the "Combined Fleet Organization Course". This months feature kit is the IJN Light Cruiser Oi. This includes several black and white photos of the completed model along with period photos and Line drawing. The next article is one that has been only around for four issues. It features a modeler that gives reports on what is going on in the modeling world in Japan. He covered the 53rd All Japan Hobby Show held in October 2013 for this issue. MA Event Report is next. This a group that travels around Japan going to airshows and military displays. Modeling JASDF this month covers the F-15 and F-4 squadrons. This is done with many color photos of one plane from each squadron. The short article is a comparison of the Meng T-90A and the Trumpeter T-90.

Time now for the New Kit Review. This month starts with the Panda 1/35 Soviet Heavy Tank Object 279, Hobbyboss 1/700 Soviet Aircraft Carrier Baku, Wolfpack T-38A, Meng 1/35 D9R Armored Bulldozer and the Fujimi 1/24 Mclaren F1.

Following the new kit review is a short photo feature from the Tamiya 73rd Snap Contest Winning Collection. Features mostly black and white photos with few color showing some of the winners from this contest.

The last article is the reoccurring Neo Historic Garage. The feature model for this month is the Aoshima 1/24 Honda Prelude Si VTEC 4WS E-BB1.

The rest of the magazine has new kit releases, decals and aftermarket and hobby shop ads.

I have noticed that Model Art tries to keep a fresh look to the magazines appearance. It seems that they try to change there cover at least once a year and move some of the articles around. I believe this is important for a magazine company to help keep their magazines from from becoming boring.

Even though Model Art is mainly printed in Japanese, I still find it to be a very valuable resource. For those that are more technologically advanced there are apps that will translate Japanese to English. I use one of these and it really helps to understand the articles. I recommend Model Art to modelers as another publication that you can pull information from.

I would like to thank Model Art and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this magazine.