The Weathering Magazine is one of three magazine series published by the AMMO/ Mig Jimenez Company. This division of Mig Jimenez’s modeling products empire also publishes two other magazines are: Weathering Magazine: Aircraft and Special Editions. Special Editions are primarily focused on one, specific subject. The Weathering Magazine: Abandoned. Is the thirtieth edition in this series and encompasses six, specific How-To articles on a variety of subjects.

Those subjects are :

• Beast in the River: an abandoned T-55 in a river
• Radioactive Rust: an abandoned firetruck at Chernobyl
• Highway of Death: an abandoned Iragi T-54
• Derelict: an abandoned aircraft on a gunnery range
• MSN-04 Sazabi: an abandoned Gundam
• Chieftain: A Sweet Retirement: an outdoor armor museum Chieftain

This issue of The Weathering Magazine also has a lovely tribute to Elizabeth Weise, dear friend, muse, and co-founder of AMMO and founder of the AMMO for Life project. Additionally there is a photo essay of the 2nd Spanish Marine Infantry Corp Model Contest.

Ammo for Life

Each article is written and the subject modeled by premier scale modelers. The subjects, as you can see from the list, are diverse and there is plenty here for any scale modeler. And when I say How-To articles I mean just that. Each installment in this issue of The Modeling Magazine: Abandoned has blow by blow accounts that illustrate each authors process in achieving their visions. This step-by step approach also highlights the proper use of the myriad of finishing products available in the market place. The reader is presented with a wealth of information with concrete examples of how best to use chipping fluids, filters, oil weathering, and modeling pigments, to name a few.

Those visions are often spurred on from a photograph or online image experienced by each individual author/modeler. The beginning of each project is thoughtfully included as part of the articles. That genesis for each project is most welcome. It is always nice to know where the idea for a diorama or modeling project began and the progress from idea to fruition.

All of these articles are beautifully illustrated with multiple images that document not only the construction of each model but the layers of weathering that go into achieving the desired effect for each project. Several of the articles involve dioramas and the authors provided all the detailed steps they undertook to create the proper setting for their ‘abandoned’ vehicle.

As you go through this edition of The Weathering Magazine, I'm sure you will find any number of tips and tricks to use on your next project. Or rethink how you might display a modeling project. Case in point is the 'Derelict' article. This article outlines the use of an aircraft model as an electronic target on a gunnery range. Possibly a great way to rethink how to display a shelf queen that might otherwise be missing a critical part(s).

This issue of The Weathering Magazine: Abandoned is an excellent read. The number (six) of articles highlight the plethora of finishing products available to the modern scale modeler. Which should be of immeasurable use for those that may be unfamiliar with them.

This magazine should also be useful to those that have already been experimenting with them in order to move your skill set to another level. While all of these step-by-step articles are built and written by superb modelers there is no reason why anyone (myself included) couldn't copy their techniques to achieve similar results. This issue of The Weathering Magazine contains modeling and finishing techniques that you will be referencing again and again.

My thanks to AMMO/Mig and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

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