Reviews

Review Author
Jason Holt
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$38.50

History

The Kokusai Ta-Go (Ki-128) was a dedicated Kamikaze attack plane designed to use non-strategic war materials in its construction. Developed by Captain Yoshiyuki Mizuyama at the Japanese Army Aerotechnical Research Institute in Tokyo, his idea was to produce a simple aircraft that could be produced in small workshops. He initially had some issues in getting his design approved and produced by the Tachikawa company at first. After having some production setbacks, he went to the Nippon Kokusai Company, which eventually gave him the backing to move forward with his project.

The aircraft utilized wood, plywood, and fabric for its design. Powered by a simple Hitachi Ha-47 110HP air-cooled engine, this provided the aircraft with a top speed of 120mph. Its only armament was a fixed 100kg bomb. The aircrafts design was to have folding wings to be utilized in being housed and launched from caves along the coast towards American forces.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$25.00

When I received this set, I thought the parts were too small to be 1/32 scale. Turns out the Tunnan has a round fuselage with all the gear contained within it. This allows for very short landing gear legs. SAC appears to have duplicated the kit parts in their usual soft white metal. My research indicates the landing gear in the base kit is tricky to install, so don’t expect the fit you might get from other brands these days. I also read comments about the need for stronger main gear legs since the completed model has a bit of heft to it.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Neverland Hobby
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$50.00

Neverland Hobby has provided this beautiful new tool release of the German armored version of the classic G Wagen, in this 1/35 scale.

  • Ten Tan Sprues
  • One Clear Sprue
  • One Photo Etch set
  • One Mask set
  • One Decal sheet
  • Six rubber tires
  • Six rubber bushes
  • One Metal foil decal sheet
  • Set of four 3D printed resin parts
  • One Instruction guide

The detail quality is excellent in every way with this kit; crisp and detailed molding, as I have seen on other Neverland Hobby kits.

The Assembly is quick and easy.

You must select which version you are going to build before you start, I chose version -B based on a vehicle on Kabul service in 2009.

Book Author(s)
Philip Jowett
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$28.95

As 1941 dawned, the British were mopping up the last Italian strongholds in Libya after seven months of fighting. The outnumbered British Western Desert force of 30,000 men had effectively defeated an Italian force of 250,000. The British had captured hundreds of thousands of Italian soldiers, plus hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces, and several thousand valuable trucks, and pushed the Italians out of Egypt and then across the coastline of Libya until they controlled only a small section of western Libya.

Review Author
Pat Villarreal
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$42.00

The kit is enclosed in a top‑opening box (typical of Tamiya), with excellent artwork adorning the package. In addition to the regular plastic sprues, there are poly caps, metal washers, two magnets to allow the engine cowling to be displayed open or closed, and a printed masking sheet for the clear parts (note: the builder must cut these out).

The instructions are well illustrated, easy to follow, and contain 40 steps for assembly. There are also two sheets of painting guides (printed in 1/48 scale) covering five marking options.

For painting reference, Tamiya lists their own paint line, but it is easy to cross‑reference other paint brands online.

The decals are in perfect registry with vibrant colors. Some builders may consider the clear film to be thick, but this is typical of Tamiya kit decals.

Five sets of markings are provided for the following aircraft:

Book Author(s)
Ben Skipper
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Pen and Sword Books Ltd
MSRP
$29.95

This is part of a series of books by FlightCraft on aircraft and I have a few of these and are truly indispensable when building a model of the subject matter.

This book goes into great detail on the F-35 fifth Generation fighter. There are a few versions of this aircraft all covered in this book.

The contents of the book are as follows:

  • Introduction
  • Design and Development
  • Key Technical Systems
  • Power Systems
  • In Service
  • Camouflage and Markings
  • Modeling the F-35 Lightning
  • Showcase Products

I found the Key Technical Systems section most interesting section to me and learned a lot about the aircraft systems.

The modeling sections were also very informative. There are a few builds highlighted including the Tamiya, Academy, Italeri, and Trumpeter Kits.

Book Author(s)
Dennis Oliver
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Casemate UK
MSRP
$29.95

Reviewer’s Comments:

TankCraft 46, Panther Medium Tank, German Army, Waffen-SS and Luftwaffe Units, Eastern Front, 1944 details the Panther tank, officially the Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (Pz. Kpfw. V, Sd. Kfz. (Sonderkraftfahrzeug) 171, during the largely defensive battles on the Eastern Front during 1944. As the author states in the Introduction,

“At the beginning of 1944, the German armies in the East had lost much of the territory that they had overrun in the spectacular advances of 1941 and 1942. In the north, Leningrad was still surrounded but was being resupplied, and the city was no longer under any serious threat. Most of modern-day Ukraine east of the Dnipro River was now in Soviet hands and in the south the Red Army had occupied the Perekop Isthmus, cutting off Generaloberst Erwin Janecke’s 17. Armee in Crimea.

Book Author(s)
Gustavo Marón
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Helion is a UK-based company that produces books on many aspects of Military History from the Late Medieval period through to the present day. Helion was established in 1996 by University of Warwick graduate Duncan Rogers. Since then, they have published over 1,200 books, with 100 or more new titles coming out every year, for readers around the world. Casemate markets Helion books in the United States.

Book Author(s)
Aleksandar Radić
Review Author
Paul Stirrup
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

The Yugoslav Air Force in the Battles for Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991–1992, Volume 2 by Aleksandar Radić is an excellent addition to any aviation or modern military history collection, especially for those with an interest in the Balkan conflicts of the early 1990s. Radić does a strong job of combining operational history with detailed insight into the aircraft, units, and missions that defined this complex period. The narrative is clear and well-structured, giving enough political and military context without overwhelming the reader, while still maintaining a strong focus on aviation.

One of the standout features of the book is high-quality photography throughout. The images are sharp, well-reproduced, and thoughtfully selected, offering a valuable visual record of the aircraft and conditions during the conflict. These aren’t just filler; they genuinely enhance the reader’s understanding of the subject.