Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Green Stuff World
Scale
n/a
MSRP
$3.95

I received four bottles ($3.95 each) of Rust Textures from Green Stuff World. Numbers 2776 thru 2779. They are formulated to simulate rust colors and have an added rust texture to them. The four colors represented the various stages of rust from a dark brown old rust color to a light orange fresh new rust color. Upon opening the paint, I found they were very thick and had a grainy texture. They and not a thin liquid like the average paint. No shaking or stirring was needed to prepare them. However, I do recommend tapping the bottom of the bottle in the palm of your hand to make sure that not too much paint is gathered in the lid.

Review Author
Peter Bucher
Published on
September 7, 2023
Company
Green Stuff World
Scale
n/a
MSRP
$19.47

I received the Liquid Pigments Earth set from Green Stuff World (GSW). They are pigments formulated in a liquid form. The six colors represent various types of earth colors and are Desert Earth, Ochre Earth, Light Earth, Medium Earth, Dark Earth, and Burnt Earth and you receive 6 bottles of Liquid Pigments - 17 ml. in each bottle.

Upon opening the paint, I found they are very thin and watery but also very opaque. Each bottle has a shaker inside to help you with shaking and evenly distribute the pigments in the liquid.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
September 6, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.30

This is an interesting set from Brengun as it allows the modeler to replicate the large internal fuel tank sometimes carried by the Mi-24 Hind. The set has 6 parts, consisting of the tank, what appears to be a spigot or filler connection, and 4 parts that make up the cradle the tank sits on. The parts are all crisply cast. However, I did discover a few pinholes on the underside of the tank and the ends of the cradles that needed to be filled and smoothed out when I put on the first coat of primer.

As with Brengun’s other resin accessory kits, the first step is to remove the parts from the pour stubs. A sharp razor saw makes quick work of this. I next assembled the cradle with superglue and then set it aside to dry and harden. Before the superglue had set completely, I test fit the tank onto the cradle to ensure that everything lined up. Next, I attached the spigot/filler part to the appropriate end of the tank, making sure it was aligned as shown in the instructions.

Book Author(s)
Desmond Brennan
Review Author
Paul Bradley
Published on
August 29, 2023
Company
Guideline Publications
MSRP
$25.00

Operation Chastise, the Dambusters Raid, hardly needs an introduction to anyone remotely interested in military aviation history. In this 80th anniversary year, there are several new books about the raid. This slim new volume from Guideline explores different aspects of the operation, its build-up, and aftermath in a general and abbreviated manner.

Author Des Brennan will be familiar to modeling magazine readers, and he approaches the subject with a number of short chapters outlining topics including:

  • The development of the Lancaster
  • Short biography of Barnes Wallis, developer of the ‘bouncing bomb’
  • Bomber Command and Arthur Harris
  • Preparations for the Raid
  • The aftermath
  • And others.

It’s an interesting, if short read. Brennan does a good job distilling the essentials into a cogent narrative.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
August 18, 2023
Company
Gallery Models
Scale
1/200
MSRP
$829.99

Now that the major subassemblies are complete, it was time to put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together. I naively thought that it would all be downhill from here, even if it was a gently sloping downhill. I didn’t quite realize how many lengthy flat spots there would be along the way.

Book Author(s)
Ian Spring and Anthony Tucker-Jones
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
August 16, 2023
Company
Greenhill Books
MSRP
$34.95

Anthony Tucker Jones really doesn’t need an introduction to military history readers with his impressive book pedigree, over 500 articles and his contributions to modelers through Pen & Sword and Casemate. His latest book builds on his impressive reputation, and his ability to tie in well-known history of a pivotal and influential German Field Marshall, along with amazing color photographs from Ian Spring’s digital archive, makes this a highly recommended book.

Rommel's Afrika Korps in Colour - Rare German Photographs from the Second World War, is composed of an introduction, five parts with 14 chapters, and an order of battle:

Book Author(s)
Dick Taylor, Andy Brend
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
August 15, 2023
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$55.00

Do modelers really need another book on weathering models? The authors defend their position in the opening paragraph of the book,

“This is a book about weathering and designed with one audience in mind – the military modeler. To be sure, there are many books concerned with weathering military models available, but they all concentrate on weathering techniques – pre-shading, washes, pin-washes, dry-brushing, hairspray, you name it, it has a name and technique. This book is different; it does not tell the modeler how to achieve a particular finish. Rather, it is a reference book showing a range of real military vehicles and their components in real military environments.”

Book Author(s)
John David Watson
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
August 15, 2023
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Chasing the Soft Underbelly - Turkey and the Second World War is an amazing, detailed and concise (for the breadth of history covered) book on Turkey’s involvement in World War II, its involvement in the Balkans, its neighboring countries, and the aftermath of World War I that saw the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. While this is not an easy book to digest if you don’t have any background with Turkey, the Balkans, or the principal players (especially the non- historically relatable Turkish leaders), it is well worth the time and money invested. It will fill in a lot of previously known factors of Turkey and its neighbors in the critical 20th Century.

Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
August 14, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$61.00

A Very Brief History the Typ 320 (W142) Cabriolet

WWII German Staff Car (from Manufacturer’s kit notes)

“The Mercedes-Benz 320 (W142), developed by Daimler-Benz AG, was launched in 1937. It was equipped with a six-cylinder engine with a volume of 3.2 liters (3.4 liters in later versions), which had 78 horsepower. It was available with a short (2880 mm) or long (3300 mm) wheelbase. The Mercedes-Benz 320 (W142) was the most prestigious of the three 6-cylinder middle-class models. One of the body variants for long-wheelbase cars was the Cabriolet. In turn, there were also several versions of this version of the Mercedes-Benz 320, which differ with number of seats, doors, and side windows. The four-seat Cabriolet B version had two doors and four side windows. This car was used by the Wehrmacht as a staff car and was also used as a vehicle for the transportation of senior commanders.

Review Author
Damon Blair
Published on
August 13, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$29.00

Ryan Aircraft was awarded a contract to develop a new, second-generation target drone based loosely on the Q-2A drone. It vaguely resembled its Q-2A ancestor in general outline. The BQM-34 would spawn a whole family of remotely controlled drones, from the original aerial target, up to reconnaissance variants.

Molded in light grey plastic, there are 42 pieces in all, four of which are not used in the build. The only major problem with the kit is that the intake lip, for some reason, is a separate piece.