Book Author(s)
Robert Panek
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
June 1, 2023
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$25.00

Historical Background

The Henschel HS-126 was a parasol wing single engine army cooperation aircraft developed for the Luftwaffe early in 1937. At the beginning, problems were experienced with the engines, and some changes had to be made, but the first production model, HS-126A-1 came into service in 1938. Soon, an upgraded model, the HS-126B-1 came into use, and that became the standard production model. A tropicalized version, HS-126B-1 Trop. , appeared in 1940, and an export model, Hs 126K-6 was sold to Greece early in the war.

The type suffered badly during the Battle of France in 1940 resulted in the end of mass production, and the type was replaced by the twin engine Focke Wulf FW-189. The type continued in use for several years thereafter.

Book Author(s)
Pere Redon-Trabal
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
May 31, 2023
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Historical Background

This book deals exclusively with the creation and development of aviation in Spain beginning in the early twentieth century. It mentions pre-World War I developments, and then progress during the twenties. For some reason, the period of the Spanish Civil War, between Russian backed forces and Germany is mentioned in very little detail, with no photos of any of the aircraft involved in that war that were taken during the war. The Spanish were also slightly involved in the action on the Russian Front as allies to the Luftwaffe, and this is only slightly covered.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
May 31, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$23.59

Listed as the first in their “Brave Ukraine” series, this is a small diorama set with four figures servicing an indigenous Stugna-P antitank missile system. The Stugna-P is essentially the equivalent of the U.S. TOW missile system and was developed around 2010 and is effective against most forms of armor (including reactive) up to about 160 feet. It can fire two different calibers of missile – 130mm and 152mm, both of which can also be supplied in high explosive or fragmentation format for use against infantry. It’s also effective during night operations, which must make it a major headache for Russian forces, who normally are not well equipped for night combat. The version supplied in the kit appears to be the 130mm version, although I could be mistaken.

Review Author
Mr. Greg Kittinger
Published on
May 31, 2023
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1:72
MSRP
$29.86

The Fleet Air Arm drew from the backbone of the Royal Air Force to flesh out their ship-born fighter contingent, adding an arrestor hook and catapult spools to the venerable Hawker Hurricane to convert it into a naval fighter.

Arma Hobby are building a reputation for some great kits, especially in the underserved 1/72 scale. They have a growing line of Hurricanes among their recent releases, and the Sea Hurricane is a very welcome addition.

The box and instructions include colored art for 5 different aircraft, accompanied by nicely printed decals that performed well. Care must be taken to determine which aircraft you want to build, and then run through the instructions and mark which parts and markings are to be included on selected version.

The Arma Hobby styrene has a nice feel – not as soft as Airfix, and not hard or brittle. It was a pleasure to handle and responded well to filing and sanding clean-up.

Book Author(s)
Przemystaw Skulski
Review Author
Phillip Cavender
Published on
May 31, 2023
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.99

Founded in 1996, MMP Books is a UK-based publishing company with its book publishing division starting in 1999. Specializing in aviation and military history, MMP Books is known worldwide as a source for anything military.

PzKpfw. VI Ausf. E. Tiger I (late) Single Vehicle No. 06 is the sixth book added to the “Single Vehicle” line of books MMP Books in 2022. Others include Single Vehicle No. 01 ( SU-76M) published in 2021 to their latest Single Vehicle No. 08 (Polish Armoured Draisine TK) entered the market in 2023. MMP Books

This A4 format 8-3/4 x 11-3/4 inch 24-page book is printed on satin paper with color pages printed on glossy paper. The front and back covers are both printed on glossy paper. The text is in English.

Book Author(s)
Bert Kinzey Illustrator: Rock Roszak & Jim Rotramel
Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
May 13, 2023
Company
Detail & Scale, Inc.
MSRP
$19.99

You may be thinking that “I have the previous version (1982) of this book, so I don’t need this one.” – Well, you’d be unwise with that line of thinking.

This new volume on the F-105 Thunderchief has been totally updated. The text and photo captions have been rewritten and when possible, the photographs have all been printed in color. The plastic modeling section has also been updated to include the latest kit releases.

The book starts with a short introduction and history of the Thunderchief, followed by a detailed study of each of the Thud variants. Each variant is described in detail, and numerous photos illustrating each are shown.

Following the variants is a chapter on Arming the Thunderchief, with descriptions and photos of the munitions carried.

Book Author(s)
Dennis Oliver
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
May 13, 2023
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$29.95

This is the 40th book in the Tank Craft series which details tanks and also covers model kits and accessories to build the tanks covered in the book. This book covers the German Army Light Tank Panzer III in North Africa El Alamein to Tunis 1942 to 1943. The Panzer III was the mainstay of the German Army’s Panzer Divisions in the early tears of the war made up the bulk of the North Africa Armored forces.

Although it was not as heavily armored as some of the opponents tanks it was very reliable, sturdy and its main gun was as powerful as the enemies armaments.

I found this book a fountain of information and rare pictures of both tanks. The Profile pictures are a particular favorite and awesome source for modeling.

The chapters on the different model builds and kits are of great interest and will provide a good resource when modeling these two tanks.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
May 13, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$38.00

It's not hard (at least not for me), to remember when anything related to Soviet military equipment and operations was a mystery in the west. Not until the cold war Soviet Union fell apart in the 1980s did, we get a good look at what the Soviets had been up to. This set from ICM give us the basics needed to portray what we might have seen behind the “Iron Curtain”. This kit includes two ZiL-131 utility trucks, a Mig 29 9-13 variant and 32 PAG-14 prefab airfield paving plates to create a base.

Review Author
Jarrod Booth
Published on
May 13, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$58.00

ICM continues to pump out high quality model kits for us eager, plastic hungry modelers around the world! This is the second release of the Bristol Beaufort and represents the Mk.1A with tropical filters. These filters mounted on top of the engine pods and were used in hotter/dustier Mediterranean and North African environments. The downfall was the larger filters increased drag and reduced the cruising speed by about ten mph. The Mk.1A was an improvement over the Mk.1 incorporating a new machine gun turret and an ASV radar for torpedo bombers to search for surface targets. The Beaufort and her crews were relatively forgotten and unsung heroes of the Second World War.

Review Author
Chris Vandegrift
Published on
May 13, 2023
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/120
MSRP
$25.54

History

Back in 1935 Texaco was thinking of the future. Commissioned to help market the company it is believed there were 6 Doodlebugs produced. Coincidentally it was the smooth streamlined look of it that drew me in and motivated me to build this for my 1st IPMS review. It was only 6’ tall, carried 1500 gallons of fuel, and featured a unique compound curved glass windshield. I think you would be hard pressed to find a car in the 30’s with this kind of silhouette, let alone a heavy tanker truck.

The Kit

Hauler packages the Texaco Bug in a stiff little box, perfect to protect the delicate parts inside. The resin is crisply detailed, especially for the size of the Texaco Bug in 1/120th scale. There were a few small pinholes that required a very fine application of filler prior to painting. A real bonus is the stick-shift and steering wheel on the PE fret that give the interior some interest as there is plenty of glass to see through into the cab.