Thank you to Video Aviation for providing this elegant aircraft accessory deck crew figure, and thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for letting me review it! I am very appreciative of all you do for the scale modeling community. Video Aviation is a small Italian company that offers a variety of diorama and vignette accessories in three scales that will make a welcome addition to aircraft displays. The casting masters are completely CAD designed and rapid prototyped for production. This allows the same figure to be easily produced in different scales.

Brengun, based in the Czech Republic, is known for producing a range of photo-etched and resin accessories for airplane models. They also produce a small number of 1/72nd and 1/144th aircraft model sets. One of their latest airplane kits is the Yakovlev Yak-1, Year 1941.

The Yak-1 was a maneuverable, fast and well-armed fighter developed by the Soviet air force in 1940. At the start of the Operation Barbarossa, the Soviets had about 500 Yak-1’s built, but just less than 100 were combat operational. TheYak-1 had a steel frame with wooden wings and composite fuselage, it was easy to maintain and fairly reliable and proved to be an excellent base for further developments. At altitudes, below 4,000 feet, was where the Yak-1 performed the best and was strong competition, and in some cases, more than a match for its German foes.

Ginter Books’ latest book covering the Curtiss XP-55 “Ascender” is an in-depth look at one of the more oddball aircraft designed for the USAAF during the Second World War.

The book consists of 72 pages printed on glossy, good-quality stock, bound in a soft cover made of heavier stock. Front and back covers have beautiful color pictures, and almost every page inside has either multiple black and white photos or drawings.

The author has previously published a book on the 1940 fighter competition that took place in the US, and some of that research comprises the early section of this book. The XP-55 was a direct result of that competition, and several pages describe the process and innovations it generated.

The Pocket Manual is a compilation of various Air Ministry pamphlets, publications and manuals on the De Havilland Mosquito.

The book starts with the design specifications and related documents. This is followed by the pilot notes in chapter 2 and the operations and tactical publications. This last section details aspects of operating the night bomber version, strategic bomber version, pathfinding and even the Sea Mosquito. The book concludes with 105SQ operations record books.

This is an interesting look at various period publications to aid in operating and maintaining the Mosquito. There is good information for the historian, pilot and some nice detailed period cockpit photos with instrumentation callouts. If the Mosquito interests you, you will find this book to your liking

Our thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review copy and my thanks to IPMS/USA for the review opportunity

Revell has re-released a fine kit that’s sure to be a hit. It is the 1980 Dodge Ramcharger. A person can go really wild with this kit if they’re willing to change things around a bit.

Engine

The engine is pretty basic and the kit offers no options and no chrome. I installed ignition wires, throttle linkage, and a fuel line with filter.

Interior

The interior is just a simple tub design with molded side panel engraving is really lacking in detail. The kit does have a rear seat that I decided to leave out to carry the spare tire.

Body

The body was straight although the bumpers and grill didn’t fit perfectly into final assembly so it was necessary to do a bit of tweaking. The sunroof is molded into the kit body part. To change things up a bit, on the side and rear kit glass, I used some peach tinted acetate. HOK cinnamon pearl and cocoa pearl adorn the boyd.