Warpaint’s latest is their standard A4 format, softbound publication that is 88 pages (excluding covers) on the General Dynamics F-111 series. Featuring more than 180 photographs (most in color) along with 34 of Richard J. Caruana’s color profiles, and including the B-Centennial scheme on 68-0028/UH, an F-111E based at Upper Heyford, in June 1976. The color profiles are further enhanced with color scrap illustration of opposite sides of the fuselage as necessary to depict special markings. Nose art and other special markings are also presented enlarged to show off details. For the small scale fans, Richard J. Caruana also includes fold-out 1/72 scale plans.
What's New
Scale Aircraft Modelling's November 2015 issue comes to us with a cover featuring a nicely framed picture of a Beaufighter and promises scale plans and profiles as well as other articles. Inside, it delivers as promised or even more.
Tony Grand leads off the builds with Magna Models 1/72 Seamew kit. A resin model of an unusual plane and Mr. Grand shows how to polish it up by reinforcing parts, fixing flaws and showing how nice the kit can look with some attention and effort.
A real highlight for me was Francesco Pigoli’s build of Revell’s 1/72 F-22 Raptor. Mr. Pigoli used Eduard’s Raptor interior and a lot of scratchbuilding skills to detail wheel and armament wells, intake FOD guards and more. There are many more fixes and the end result with a great paint scheme is phenomenal.
Here’s another addition to that 1/144 carrier deck diorama/vignette you’ve wanted to do. This is the fire fighter version of the MD-3 Carrier Tow Tractor.
The Kit
You get two of everything except decals. And since you’re probably not going to do the same vehicle twice, that’s OK.
Not only did they give the seventh version of the Corvette stunning looks, it has a matching performance clocking in at 0 to 60 mph in only 3.8 seconds. The new Stingray has everyone turning heads, and it’s still a great bargain for a personal luxury roadster.
This is the first WWI title in the Warpaint series and includes all the usual Warpaint features – historical text, a glossary for the modeler, color artwork by Richard Caruana and a three page color walk-around by author Matthew Willis.
This softcover publication is 38 pages, including the inner front and rear covers, of data, information, illustrations, period B&W images, and a 3 page walk-around of the fully restored aircraft owned by the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in Bedfordshire, UK.
Not as well-known as the Sopwith Camel, the Pup distinguished itself during its operational lifespan, and was a stalwart aircraft during the RFC’s most difficult time, Bloody April, 1917. Although a bit slower than some of its contemporaries, it proved to be a nimble and powerful Air-to-Air warrior which contributed much to the control of the air over the Western Front.
Walk into any modeler’s hobby room and you will find a library. Scan through the publications and titles on the shelves and you will find a book or publication on “airbrushing”. Airbrushing is an essential skill for almost all modelers and those modelers need to develop a high level of competency to use and master this basic tool.
Kalmbach has released a new publication by Aaron Skinner entitled, “Airbrushing for Scale Modelers” that provides a comprehensive guide to airbrushing from “basic” to “advanced”.
You probably recognize Aaron’s name as he is the senior editor for FineScale Modeler and also a very well-known modeler. In this publication Aaron guides the reader through airbrushing basics and then uses “project models” to demonstrate airbrushing techniques.
Mr. Wilder provides a series of YouTube video’s displaying some of the same techniques that are in Adam’s Armour 1. The book, however, contains far more information than the videos.
Two publications are now available through Casemate and AFV Modeller Publications. Adam Wilder, a talented and gifted modeler, as well as an excellent writer, has authored “Adam’s Armour 1” and “Adam’s Armour 2”. This review focuses on “Adam’s Armour 1”.
“1” focuses on the construction of the model while “2” covers painting and finishing.
Reviewing the Table of Contents is an appropriate and enlightening place to start. There are ten chapters (the ToC mistakenly identifies two chapters as Chapter 8):
History Brief
Given the codename "Grace" by the Allies, the Aichi B7A Ryusei was a large and powerful single engine, two-seat carrier-borne torpedo-dive bomber. It was produced by Aichi Kokuki KK for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Second World War. The B7A first flew as a prototype in May 1942, but problems with the experimental NK9C Homare engine and airframe issues delayed the type and it didn’t enter into production until two years later in May 1944. Despite the plane's weight and size, it displayed fighter-like handling and performance, it even outperformed the A6M Zero which was in service at the time. Not only was it was a fast, agile and highly maneuverable machine it could also carry a single 800 kg bomb, two 250 kg bombs or six 60 kg bombs at once.
I have been a fan of Tom Daniel and his hilarious model concepts since I can first remember building model kits. The very first model I built was the Red Baron and the second the Paddy Wagon. Over the last 45 years, I’m pretty sure I have built well over 75 of Tom Daniels models.
Enter the 2015 reissue of the Monogram “Jinx Express” which was originally minted in 1971 and then again in blue plastic as the “Fast Buck” in 1973. Conceptually it appears to be just a hot rodded armored car but as you look closer you will find a combination lock on the rear panel where access doors should be and on the roof there is what appears to be a coin slot. YES, this “thing” is actually a piggy bank in disguise. Monogram refers to it as the “screamin’ Fort Knox.”
British aircraft have a hard edged camouflage. Getting those hard edges in the proper position is difficult. How do you make that hard edge? If you are like me you’ll be using the Eduard masks. They are made of highly flexible Kabuki tape. This set includes two large masking sheets. One for the fuselage and tail surfaces and the other for the wings.
How do you know if you need Scheme A or B? The only real way to know is to look at photos of the real aircraft. It has been postulated that even serial numbered aircraft had scheme A and odd serial numbered aircraft had scheme B. This is not always correct. It seems to me more of a guideline than a rule.