Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
September 16, 2023
Company
Zoukei-Mura
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.00

Zoukei-Mura is a name recognizable to many aircraft modelers, mostly for their incredibly detailed 1/32 and 1/48 scale planes. Their first offering in the armor genre, or Super Weapons Series, was the 1/32 scale Kleines Kettenkraftrad (typically shortened to just Kettenkrad). This kit includes markings for use of the vehicle by the Luftwaffe to tow planes in the later stages of WWII and will look great alongside any of the 1/32 scale German aircraft offerings from Zoukei-Mura.

Book Author(s)
Jack Holroyd
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
September 16, 2023
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$34.95

Perhaps the best introduction for this book comes from the book’s online description,

“The Second World War Illustrated: 1944 follows the author's visual tour of the war by means of painstakingly researched and digitally restored pictures from the period of the key battlefields and events of the period from September 1943 to the late summer of 1944. This year marked a defining change in the balance of the war; by its end the Axis powers were in serious trouble on all their fronts.”

This is the fifth book in Jack Holroyd’s Second World War Illustrated series. The previous four books in the Second World War Illustrated series were previously competently and eloquently reviewed by three members of IPMS Review Corps:

Book Author(s)
Tom Cockle
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
September 16, 2023
Company
Peko Publishing
MSRP
$41.95

This landscaped, hardback book is the first in a new series of books by renowned and prolific unpublished photograph collector and author Tom Cockle, published through PeKo Publishing of Hungary. This is an incredible book with many previously unpublished photos of armored vehicles in depots, in the field and after combat. The next page reveals more surprises that the previous.

WW2 Vehicles Through the Lens is a new series of photographic albums presenting military and civilian vehicles used by the military during the Second World War. Each book will have six-eight chapters, each focusing on a different subject featuring mostly previously unpublished photographs. Volume 1 consists of the following six parts:

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 10, 2023
Company
Red Fox Studio
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$12.00

The MRC/Academy AH-1W and AH-1T+ are the only kits available of these versions of the Cobra in this scale. Like all Cobras, the interior is very visible through the big canopy. The kit cockpit cries out for detail and Red Fox answers.

Red Fox Studios has designed an instrument panel set for these kits. It comes in a small baggie with a hard paper backing. The actual parts are protected in a separate Ziplock. The parts are slightly different than some other 3D Acrylic parts. Red Fox 3D acrylic renderings are on a metal backing with the raised acrylic over that. The parts come off the protective backing quite easily. All you’ll have to do is remove the molded-on detail and add the Red Fox parts with superglue or PVA. No further modifications are necessary.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 10, 2023
Company
Red Fox Studio
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$12.00

The new ICM/Special Hobbies AH-1G Cobra kit is well overdue. With its release the AH-1G Cobra has come into the new millennium. One of the nice features of the ICM/SH kit is the five-piece canopy that will allow you to pose the canopy doors open and view the interior. Even closed up the canopy is very clear and you’ll be able to see the interior very well.

Red Fox Studios has designed an instrument panel set for these kits. It comes in a small baggie with a hard paper backing. The actual parts are protected in a separate Ziplock. Red Fox 3D acrylic renderings are on a metal backing with the raised acrylic over that. The parts come off the protective backing quite easily. All you’ll have to do is remove the molded-on detail and add the Red Fox parts after dipping them in water. No further modifications are necessary.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 10, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.00

Brengun continues to put out multi-media kits for various manufacturers. This particular set is designed for the Special Hobbies Re 2000 in 1/48th scale.

Packaged in a resealable package with heavy card stock backing to protect the photoetch, the set includes one fret of nickel-plated photoetch and one clear acetate film. The photoetch fret includes seatbelts, instrument panels, interior parts, and landing gear doors. The acetate will need some white added to the rear of the film, prior to adding it to the PE part.

The additional detail will add to the look of the cockpit and the landing gear covers. The instrument panels will just require some paint and dry brushing to bring out the detail. The PE landing gear cover is more to scale than the kit plastic part. All the other interior parts, especially the seatbelt and harnesses will add visual interest to the cockpit. Just be careful bending, and painting will bring it to life.

Book Author(s)
Luca Canossa and Tom Cooper
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
September 10, 2023
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Three Western Air Corridors to Berlin were established after the Yalta (February 1945) and Potsdam (July 1945) Conferences and formalized on 31 December 1945. The three corridors were 20 English miles wide, from Hamburg, Hannover and Frankfurt-am-Main to Berlin, terminating in Gatow, Tegel and Templehof Airfields, West Berlin. The final mission was flown on 29 September 1990, just a few days before formal German unification and the disappearance of the Air Corridors. The Berlin Air Route Traffic Control Centre was finally closed on 31 December 31, 1994. In between those dates is a fascinating, and very overlooked, history of over 10,000 clandestine reconnaissance flight operations against both the Soviets and East Germans in the heart of the Cold War.

The author, Kevin Wright, states, in the final chapter (Chapter 8 – An Outstanding Achievement),

Book Author(s)
Richard A. Franks
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Valiant Wings Publishing
MSRP
$59.95

Valiant Wings Publishing was founded in 2010 under the guidance of Richard A. Franks and Mark Peacock. Valiant Wings has released several series of primarily airplane monographs [Airframe & Miniature, Airframe Album and Airframe Detail series] with the first Airframe Album dedicated to the Heinkel He 219 ‘Uhu’ released in 2012.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Hauler Brengun
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$11.50

The Mi-24 Hind is a formidable attack helicopter, but unlike the Western attack helicopters, there is a crew compartment in the back. If you want to show something a little different you can add things in there. This set is designed for just that.

Contained in a blister pack are six resin pieces, perfectly cast in a dark grey resin, along with a small decal sheet. The tank is held in place by two support struts and two supports and has one fuel line. Instructions are on a small sheet of paper printed in black and white. The instructions are easy to understand that there is a photo of the actual tank mounted inside of a real helicopter. With the tank painted yellow it will stick out quite prominently.

This is a great option to add to your Hind that will make it stand out from the rest. The resin parts are perfect and the instructions are easy to understand. Another great set from Brengun.

Highly recommended

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Iliad Design
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$14.00

With the release of the Special Hobbies and Sabre Kits, the Piper L-4 kits the market cried out for some marking options. Iliad Designs answered the call with their L-4 offering.

Enclosed in a 6 x 9 Ziploc baggie, are an instruction sheet and one sheet of decals. The instructions are in full color on both sides for SIX colorful options. They are just not the plain-jane OD over Neutral Grey, although there are four, but there is also a silver doped one and one in sand camouflaged. For those looking for something different, there is one French aircraft and one with D-Day stripes with a French fin flash. How about a US Navy one? Yup, Iliad has you covered. The side views are on the front and the plan views are on the back. A little bit of the history of each aircraft is covered on the front side.

I’m not sure who printed the decals, but they are very crisp with good color saturation. They look suitably thin, as well as, being in perfect register.