The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a supersonic fighter-interceptor- bomber and fourth in line of the iconic Century Series aircraft. Author Jaroslaw Dobrzynski describes the Starfighter evolution and technical history in great detail. Mushroom Model Publications is highly regarded in the modeling world for providing top quality books at a fair market price. Written specifically with the scale modeler in mind, Mushroom Model Publications has released another illustrated masterpiece. Featuring 40 beautiful color profiles including data from the original technical manuals plus photographs of contemporary and surviving examples. The author examines and presents a completely documented, comprehensive coverage from the prototypes to the final export and license-built versions. They are all fully described and beautifully illustrated plus he listed all the changes in specification, equipment and performance records.

Worldwide interest in Wingnut Wings’ announcement of a new 1:32 scale Brandenburg W12 floatplane kit along with Copper State Models recent 1:48 scale kit releases have prompted Albatros Productions to offer model builders a limited edition reprinting of its long-out-of-print Datafile 61 covering the Brandenburg W12. It is one of three reprints of Datafiles covering WWI floatplanes to be announced this year.

The Revell Bf-109G-6 when released was a welcomed addition to the 32nd Luftwaffe modeler. The Hasegawa kit was getting more difficult to find and was expensive nonetheless. The Revell kit at a third of the price was a bargain. However, the kit did have some shortcomings. One of the noticeable errors was the oil cooler under the nose. The kit was just not right. The sides were too vertical and that threw off the angles of the whole assembly.

The Quickboost piece is a single part with a minor pour block on the front of the cooler. You will have to clean out the front opening. This is nothing too difficult. Then to that piece you’ll have to add the kit exhaust flap. The part is a direct replacement for the kit part. The shape is spot on and looks significantly better than the kit part.

This set will require some patience but nothing that a modeler with a few resin pieces under his belt couldn’t handle.

Highly recommended

With Wingnut Wings release of dual boxings of WWI floatplane kits, Albatros Productions has decided to again offer a limited edition reprinting of its long-out-of-print Datafile 55 – Brandenburg W29. The subject must be a popular one because this is the second time Albatros has reprinted this Datafile.

In recent years the art of realistically weathering models, of almost any genre, has been both a heated topic and a much sought after skill, one that has been changing and evolving regularly. Modelers from different areas of the globe often have very different techniques, which come through as very different results on their finished products. Some of these are very subtle and must be carefully examined to detect all of the nuances while others are very bold and jump right out at the viewer. Some modelers are happy to share their weathering techniques and others are reluctant to reveal the secrets to their incredible finishes.

Fortunately for us, AMMO products, by Mig Jimenez, has worked to pull together a group of modelers with the former traits: not only happy to share, but willing and able to put it into words and pictures these techniques for all to see and try. AMMO presents their work in “The Weathering Magazine”.