There is a new player in the Aircraft aftermarket world, and they hail from Russia: Advance Modeling. I had not heard of them till they appeared on the IPMS Reviewer list and I thought I would try out their resin exhaust nozzle set for the new Zvezda MiG-29 (9-13). The resin used is a light gray color, captures very fine details, and is easy to cut using a razor saw or equivalent. The package is simple but effective, with parts in clear bags held within a plastic shell that, when a single staple is removed, is hinged at the other end and opens up like an oyster. The instruction sheet is in English and Russian, and unfolds with easy to understand and follow graphics.

The Spotlight series of books consist of a large number of color profiles of multiple variants of the covered subject. The first page discusses the RLM colors of the various Stukas shown. This is followed by 42 beautiful color profiles from the early Ju-87A1s to the final Ju-87G2s. The last page shows top views of the Ju-87A-1, B-2 and D-5s.

If you love color profiles and I do, you will like this book. The numerous color profiles are beautifully rendered. The modeler will find many schemes for modeling the Ju-87 in any scale. Those who like WWII history, aviation history, Luftwaffe history and modeling will find this book very useful. I recommend it to all of the above.

Our thanks to Mushroom Model Publications for the review copy and my thanks to IPMS/USA for the review opportunity.

Background

The Panzer III (Pz Kpfw III) was Germany’s first main battle tank, all previous designs being smaller so called “scout” tanks. In early 1934 the German Army, now rearming after the National Socialist (Nazi) takeover of the German national government in 1933, put in motion via the Army Weapons Department plans for a new medium tank weighing 24 tonnes and with a speed of 34 KPH. Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall all submitted design proposals and produced prototypes, with Daimler-Benz being awarded a contract for production of the new tank in 1937.

Moebius has followed up on their previous release of the 1965 Plymouth Satellite earlier this year with the Belvedere I, the economy priced B- Body. Referred to as a B-Pillar (“post”) vs. the B-Pillarless Satellite (“hardtop”), the low end Belvedere I was the basis of many a drag race car in the 1960’s, either in the super stock or altered wheel base classes. The kit is not a factory stock car as purchased off the dealer lot, nor the extremely rare A-990 super stock cars. As Moebius Kit Designer / Project Manager Dave Metzner said, the kit is meant “to represent the kind of Belvedere Sedan you'd see at a cruise night these days”. (For those awaiting a super stock drag car, stay tuned for the next version with a Hemi 426 engine.) This kit includes a very nice replica of the dual carb cross ram 426 Max Wedge engine or you can build the engine as a 426 cubic inch Commando V8.

The Mark 82 serMK82 AIR is a 500 pound bomb modified with a BSU-49/B high drag tail assembly. The "ballute" air bag which deploys from the tail provides a high speed, low altitude delivery capability by quickly slowing the bomb and allowing the aircraft to escape the blast pattern. The tail assembly consists of a low-drag canister unit containing a ballute (combination balloon and parachute), and a release lanyard assembly that opens the canister releasing the ballute. The ballute assembly is made from high strength low porosity nylon fabric. When the bomb is released from the aircraft a lanyard unlatches the back cover which opens, releasing part of the nylon bag/retarder. Air turbulence at the rear of the bomb acts on that portion of the retarder, pulling the remainder out of the housing. Ram air inflation is accomplished through four air inlet ports toward the aft end of the ballute.