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.
This was my first Fujimi build and I think I picked a good one to start with. I don’t often build jets but I’ve always liked the Saber so I grabbed this from the reviewer corps list. This kit or more specifically this mold has been around since ~1986. For a mold of this age it is in terrific shape and I only spotted a tiny bit of flash on one part. Panel line detail is very good with only a few of the access panel lines needing the attention of your favorite scriber. The kit box makes mention of this being a Value set. From what I gleamed on the Fujimi website, the Value is the fact the kit includes the JASDF “Blue Impulse” decals along with the standard decals.
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”.
On the heels of Finnish Fighter Colours 1939-1945, Romanian Fighter Colours 1941-1945, Hungarian Fighter Colours 1930-1945, and Swedish Fighter Colours 1925-1954, comes MMP’s latest tome. This book, focused on the ‘Early Years’ is planned to be followed by at least four additional volumes on the ‘Great War’ (Volume 2), ‘Red Stars’ (Volume 3), and ‘Against Soviets’ (Volume 4). The authors leaned heavily on Russian private archives, as well as archives, libraries, and museums.
The book is a nice hardbound volume, with a nice glossy cover, and 176 pages on high-quality stock with a matt finish. Mainly black and white period photos are supplemented with modern day color photos, color period posters and postcards, colour side and top views, and colour unit emblems and personal markings. The text is in English and quite readable.
I really like how Hasagawa keeps releasing quality models of Japanese Anime vehicles. This one is one of the Arcadia ships (think there were 2, possibly 3 different versions) used by Space Pirate Captain Harlock. I found an English dubbed version on YouTube which, of course, featured the green ship instead of this one but still interesting to watch. I also found a fun site about the lack of continuity in the Harlock Universe that is worth a read if you like this kind of stuff.
Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.
The December issue starts off with seven pages of models and modeling tools that were shown at the 2014 All Japan Plamodel Hobby Show
The main article this month is a feature using several model ship kits that were released in 2014. The article is composed of in progress shots of the kits, a diorama, line drawings and archive photos. Some of the kits used are the Fujimi 1/700 IJN Light Cruiser Kitakami 1945, Aoshima 1/700 IJN Seaplane tender Kimikawa-Maru and the Gallery 1/350 USS Intrepid.
Following the main article are several small monthly reoccurring articles. Some of these articles are Union Fleet Organized Course, Modeling JASDF and IJA/IJN Airplane Illustrated.
Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.
The November issue starts off with two quick articles. The first is a build article of the Zoukei-Mura SWS 1/48 Ta152H-1 and the second is on the Daco Products 1/48 F-104 Starfighter Improvement & Correction set.
The main article this month covers the design and development of the JGSDF Type 61 Tank. This article features five different 1/35 scale model kits including two different versions of the Type 61. The other three are a M4A3E8, M-46 and a T-34/85. These are used in the article to show the lineage to the Type 61. There is a multitude of color photos of these models throughout the article. Also included is a some technical drawings and a write up about Japans armor progression from the beginning of the JGSDF to modern times.
Master-Model provides modelers with exquisite miniature turned metal parts that can be used in place of kit parts to add extra detail to models. Their sets generally are available for builders in all popular scales. This set (AM-48-096) provides parts to assemble crisply detailed 1:48 scale Hispano 20mm cannon in long fairings for the Fairey Firefly.
The parts are designed to replace the injection molded ones in Special Hobby kits without significant surgery. The kits have holes on the wings’ leading edge to install injection molded parts so it is likely the Master-Model barrels will literally drop in place instead. (Although the size of the holes may need to be increased to 1.5mm diameter to accept the plug on the end of the fairings).
This Master Model set provides10 barrels: Two machined aluminum 15”/42 Mark I barrels, eight machined brass 4”/45 Mark XVI barrels, and a single page instruction sheet.
You will need to cut the styrene barrel off and drill a hole in the plastic breach. The directions call out a 1.5 mm bit (~#53) for the 15”/42 Mark I barrels and a 0.5mm bit (~#76) for the 4”/45 Mark XVI barrels. Be careful to center the drill bit on both x-axis and y-axis.
Be sure to use your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the aluminum or brass. Be careful painting the barrels, especially the brass ones since paint can easily foul the hollowed out muzzles.
Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Master Model uses making the parts easy to review and stuff back into the package securely. That being said, you will want to be careful handling the brass barrels as their small makes them quite easy to disappear.
A while back (2009 if you want to know) I built a Heller Mirage IVP with the Pavla recce pod. Last week I got a new refueling probe for this kit.
The new probe from Master Model is a single piece of turned aluminum, exactly the same length as the Heller probe. All I had to do was remove the plastic probe from the nose of the Mirage IV, drill a larger hole where the probe goes, paint the new part and install the part with some CA to hold it.
As it turns out, there was one more step to this project. The Master Model part is a tiny bit smaller in diameter than the kit part. But it was the work of only a few minutes to trim the kit nose taper to fit. A little more paint to match, and it was done.
