The Ukrainian kit manufacturer ICM has recently expanded their catalog to include a range of acrylic paints and varnishes. ICM has begun packaging sets of paints to finish specific kits in their range. In this review, I try out the paint set on ICM’s figure kit “WWII Japanese Pilots and Ground Personnel”.

The set comes in a small rectangular box with examples of the included colors printed on the front and a painting guide for their figure kit on the back. The set includes six 12ml bottles of paint. The bottles are open-topped (no dropper-tips). The undersides of the lids have a raised ridge that does a pretty good job of keeping the paint from getting on the threads of the lids.

The included colors are:

People who know me know my modeling quirk for the strange and unusual. This new kit by ICM certainly fits the bill – literally a chapel on wheels! Mounted on a short Studebaker chassis, this vehicle was designed to travel from location to location, dispensing spiritual solace to soldiers in need. Of course, this vehicle was clearly Church of England, so I’m not sure what they provided for their Jewish or Muslim troops, although they may have had similar vehicles.

The boxy rear cabin was large enough to provide ample space for altar and organ as well as a nice fold-down stage from which to preach. In inclement weather it appears there would have been enough space in the closed cabin for a small gathering if required. Because of its nature, though, I doubt profoundly that this machine would have been seen anywhere near the front lines.

ICM continues expanding its acrylic paint line, this time providing extremely useful colors for World War 2 British vehicles. This set includes:

• Extra Dark Green
• Middlestone
• Green Brown
• Off-White
• Camouflage Green
• Satin Varnish

Basically, you’re provided with three different greenish shades that British vehicles were painted in as well as Middlestone, which was used on many desert machines. A satin varnish permits you to create the exact tone many British vehicles were painted in more realistically. Lastly, Off-White is provided either as winter camouflage or specifically targeting their new mobile chapel model.

NASAMS – either defined as Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, is a short-to-medium range ground based air defense system originally brought into service in 1997 as a point defense system.It employs the AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missile in a six-silo set mounted on a fully pivoting ground launcher. Designed in collaboration with both Norwegian and U.S. arms manufacturers as part of an integrated air defense system for sensitive ground targets. It has been used here in the States to protect targets in Washington D.C. and is currently in active service in the Ukraine opposing Russian missiles as well as other aerial targets. Reportedly, so far the system has destroyed over 100 Russian missiles and drones. At least two have been destroyed in combat – the main flaw in the system being its stationary nature – a real handicap in a highly mobile war.

Kotare are a new New Zealand-based modelling company, born from the ashes of the Wingnut Wings concern. Like their ancestor, Kotare are determined to offer high-quality 1/32 aircraft kits, but instead of concentrating solely on WWI subjects, Kotare are focusing on the more popular WWII, starting with a range of early mark Spitfires.