AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48024) that updates and supersedes their own #48-001 and #48-006 sheets covering USMC A-6A, A-6B and KA-6D Intruders during the Vietnam War, including markings for an astonishing 19 aircraft spanning the period 1966 to 1973.

There are markings for:

• VMA (AW)-224 Bengals, based on the USS Coral Sea during 1971-72
• VMA (AW)-225 Vikings, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1969-71
• VMA (AW)-242 Batmen, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1966-70
• VMA (AW)-533 Hawks, based on Chu Lai, South Vietnam (1967-69) & Nam Phong, Thailand (1972-73)

All the aircraft are in the high-viz camouflage of the era. Some of the airframes had black noses, while others had white. Some of the aircraft also had colorfully painted rudders -you have decals for the rudders or you can paint your own using the decal as a template for home-made masks.

Summary

This is a re-boxing of the earlier G7107 1½-ton truck. That kit was reviewed in December 2021 by Mr. Phillip Cavender. I used Mr. Cavender’s review as a “heads-up” for any issues. From reading his review ICM has changed the assembly sequence with this re-boxing. Mr. Cavender noted that the engine is assembled in steps 20-28 after the axles are attached to the frame (steps 16-19). In the current instruction sheet the engine is assembled first (in steps 16-25) and the axles attached after that (steps 26-45).

The only difference with this set is that a new bag with three sprues to create four infantry figures with equipment.

Background

The following is excerpted from the instruction sheet.

Overall Evaluation

‘Move over, there’s a new sheriff in town’ – at least as quarter scale Corsairs are concerned. As I have built this F4U-2 kit, I am overjoyed with the kit’s attention to details and overall accuracy. As I previously said: Almost any way you slice it, this is a beautiful kit! And, for the price, you receive two beautiful Corsair kits. These kits are highly recommended both for newer builders interested in the Corsair as well as those who felt the best such kit was the other Japanese company. Now we have a higher bar and it’s a great set of Corsairs.

Now, as for the review itself-

A Very Brief History the Corsair [from manufacturer’s website]

F4U Corsair is a famous carrier-based fighter aircraft deployed by U.S. Navy in WWII. With the first prototype manufactured in 1940 and final variant produced in 1953, it has the longest production run of any U.S. piston-engine fighters.

With the recent demise of some of our favorite scale modeling publications, the stars have aligned for Andy Evans and David Francis and their magazine designers Jonathan Phillips and Andy Folds. As a result, they were able to team up and put together Phoenix Scale Publications to the benefit of those of us in the scale modeling hobby. Their excellent Phoenix Scale Modelling and Phoenix Aviation Modelling magazines became available earlier this year.

Aviation modelers will also benefit from their outstanding Airmark and Red, White and Blue Series of aircraft reference books.

The subject of this review is the “Real to Replica Blue Series #2 – The SAAB JAS 39 Gripen”. This soft cover 8.25” X 11.5” book contains 96 pages of background and development, color reference photos accompanied by a reference commentary for each picture. There is also a color profile artwork section and kit modeling references.

The Sino-Soviet border conflict was a seven-month undeclared military conflict between the Soviet Union and China in 1969, exacerbating the Sino-Soviet split during China’s Cultural Revolution. This book focuses on the Chinese perspective (another book in Casemate Publishers/Helion Company Asia @War series No.21 - The Sino-Soviet Border War of 1969, Volume 1 - First Clash at Damansky Island, and No. 23 - The Sino-Soviet Border War of 1969, Volume 2 – Confrontation at Lake Zhalanashkol) focuses on the Soviet perspective). The Battle of Damansky (Soviet name)/ Zhenbao (Chinese name) Island in the Ussuri (Wusuli) River in Manchuria, was a series of battles between the two largest Communist powers. While there were other skirmishes, the two battles outlined in this book are tied together well, with the Battle of Zhenbao (Damansky) Island (March–May 1969) being the most important and decisive, and the Tielieketi (Lake Zhalanashkol) Incident (13 August 1969).