What's New

Review Author
Chris Vandegrift
Published on
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$349.99

Intro

This last part has only 2 key elements really, the flight deck and the island. However, there are a lot of individual steps that make this as long as the other 2 parts of the ship already completed (hull and hangar bay). The fine details really come together around the flight deck. Take note of the order in which you want to handle the assembly. For instance, doing some of the PE on the flight deck would be best done before attaching the island so you can flip the carrier over for ease of assembly. With that, let’s head for our home port...

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$23.00

This Mistelproject was one of the last glide bomb developments submitted to the RLM before the end of WWII. Arado, working with Rheinmetall-Borsig, designed a simple glide bomb that could be powered or unpowered, and carried beneath the Arado 234 or Heinkel 162. The purpose of this flying bomb, which could be guided by remote control or a target guidance system, was to attack targets such as ships or large fixed objectives.

Review Author
Pat Villarreal
Published on
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$74.00

Arma Hobby has released a new 1/48th scale Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IIc, and it is a great addition to the other 1/48th Hurricanes variants currently available.

In The Box

The kit box is a side open box with all the contents sitting in a sturdier tray cardboard box. The sprues are enclosed in a single plastic bag. In one corner of the box, the 3D parts are wrapped and attached to eliminate any transit movement.

The injected plastic hardness is on the medium side. The recessed and raised molded details are outstanding. It is very evident Arma Hobby put a lot of research into the making of their kits and it shows on the surface detail. The clear parts are thin and with no distortion and it has options for an open or closed canopy.

The 3D parts are tightly nested on a single print and includes the aft belly fuselage, tail-hook, pilot seat (with harnesses), exhaust tubes, and cannons.

Book Author(s)
John Kim
Review Author
Fred Bachofner
Published on
Company
KLP Publishing
MSRP
$12.00

KLP Publishing (Scale Modelling Guide Books) is an Australian publisher that specialises in modelling guides of specific topics and in PDF format. Publisher Kevin Futter has a clear vision for this. In short, the publisher does not want to have the limitation of real printed books, including unsaleable stocks,limited circulation against costs, limitation in pages also with regard to the costs. He certainly has a point.

You do not have these limitations with the PDF format, even the resolution of photos can be increased in a PDF so people can use PC or IPad to “blowup” interesting photos ideal for details, especially in modelling,

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Hauler Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$40.99

Background

Hauler-Brengun was founded in 1999 and produces scale plastic kits, resin kits and accessories, photo-etched details for kits and other accessories. This kit of the Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh is offered in only 1/144 scale.

The Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh ("Swift"; Russian: Туполев Ту-141 Стриж) is a Soviet reconnaissance drone that served with the Soviet Army during the late 1970s and 1980s, as well as the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2014. As with previous Tupolev designs, it has a dart-like rear-mounted delta wing, forward-mounted canards, and a KR-17A turbojet engine, 4,409 lbs of thrust, mounted above the tail. It is launched from a trailer using a solid-propellant booster and lands with the aid of a tail-mounted parachute. The Tu-141 was in Soviet service from 1979 to 1989, mostly on the western borders of the Soviet Union.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Atlantis Model Company
Scale
1:1200
MSRP
$39.99

Atlantis Models has, for a while now, been re-releasing various manufacturers older kits. As the new puryeor of some of the older Aurora, Revell, Monogram and Lindberg molds these kits really are tugging at the ole nostalgia thread for many of us.

One of these offerings is a collection of warships from the mid to late 1940's to the 1950's: U.S. Combat Task Force Fleet. This kit began life as a Renwall kit in the late 1950's. It has been passed around a bit (Pyro to Life Like to Lindberg) and now finds itself among the multitude of offerings from Atlantis Models.

The kit consists of twelve warships. There is an aircraft carrier, a fast battleship, severalcruisers and destroyers as well as a few auxillary ships. One more modern-era ship is represented by the SSB(N)

Patrick Henry, a fleet ballistic missile submarine. Or, 'Boomer' to fans of Tom Clancys writings.

The complete list is: U.S.S. Washington - battleship

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$17.50

This is the second set of new release Tamiya German figures I have reviewed, and I am even more amazed. My first review was the Germany Infantry Set (Late WWII). Forget any memories of the Tamiya figures of the past! To reiterate the review from a year ago, to say I am impressed would be an understatement – especially at the price for five figures in dynamic poses with great facial expressions.

Review Author
Fred Bachofner
Published on
Company
Litaki
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$40.00

The Soko J-22 Orao is a Yugoslav twin-engine, subsonic ground attack and air reconnaissance aircraft. It was developed and built-in collaboration by SOKO in Yugoslavia and by Avioane Craiova in neighboring Romania, known in the latter as the IAR-93 Vultur.

The J-22 Orao is a joint project of Yugoslavia and Romania – the countries which tried to pursue an independent policy in the aviation industry during the cold war. In the beginning of this period, the fleet consisted of MiG-17 and F-86 types.

Development of the J-22 Orao began in 1970 by engineers and designers of the Yugoslavian Aeronautical Technical Institute and the Romanian Institute of Science and Technology. The aircraft was powered by a British Rolls Royce Viper Mk.632-4IR engines, which were in license production in Yugoslavia and Romania. It was also equipped with British Martin Baker ejection seats and Soviet GSh-23 cannons. This fact emphasizes the uniqueness and originality of the aircraft design.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$20.99

Released in the last quarter of 2023, ICM has added new decals to their 1/72 scale fuel bowser that is currently being used by the armed forces of Ukraine. The kit builds up easily for the most part but is recommended for modelers with some experience adding small parts. The provided decals make easy work of adding a modern digital camouflage pattern to your vehicle, which certainly made the build more enjoyable for this review.

The vehicle itself is tied to the Ural-4320 trucks produced in the late 1970’s and have been used in roles from transporting troops and cargo to towing as well as carrying fuel. More recent uses include mobile communication stations, mobile radar, and rocket launchers, to name a few. The 6x6 design allows the vehicles to operate cross-country if needed, continuing to make them useful in the 2020’s.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Green Stuff World
MSRP
$28.83

Green Stuff World describes these chrome metal paints as a hydroalcoholic paint that imitates the appearance of chrome plating. Done correctly, these paints are easy to use and create the best chrome finish I’ve seen from a paint.

There are six bottles included in this set.

  • Antique gold chrome metal
  • Bronze, chrome metal
  • Gold chrome metal
  • Copper metal.
  • Tin plate, chrome metal
  • Chrome metal.

The paints come in a 17 mL .57 fluid-ounce bottle with a dripper spout. The spouts are sealed so they must be drilled open before using. GSW says to thin the paints with alcohol if required.

For the paint tests, I sprayed each color over a Tamiya gloss black base. GSW does not mention a requirement for the black base, but I used it anyway. I also tried the Chrome Metal and Antique Gold colors on bare plastic with only a slight loss of depth and no problems with adhesion.