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Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Modelling
MSRP
$7.23

Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling has the same basic design and format. That's not a bad thing as it is jam packed with superb aircraft builds and tips. In this issue, there are four feature articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, and five Compact Build Reviews.

The Feature articles for this issue starts with Jay Laverty's build review of the KittyHawk Models 1/48th scale F-101A/C. natural metal finishes are tough but Mr. Laverty does justice to the kit! There are great tips about working with photoetch and preparing for the metal finish as well as using Alclad. This really hit home with me as I am almost done with the IPMS review kit of this aircraft.

Next up is Mr. Laverty's build of the hot new Airfix 1/24th Scale Typhoon. This is a large kit and will be built in multiple parts. In this issue, the cockpit and wing spars are assembled and look fantastic.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Eduard
MSRP
$10.00

Eduard is well known for their photo etch accessories to help modelers enhance their models. These sets are just another great addition for modelers. The one thing with these particular parts is that you will have to cut and fit them. I used the 6x6 screen and the 1mm Stripes on an Academy M551 turret storage rack to show as an example of what can be done to enhance your models. I chose this particular kit as they used vinyl screen for the sides and the bottom of the rack was solid bottom with a raised screen molded on it.

The 6x6 and 4x4 screens come on one photo etch steel fret. The material cuts very easy with a scissors. I used a template to cut out the shapes that I needed and attached them with Gator Glue. These screens could also be used as screening material over air intakes.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
The Bodi
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$21.43

The Bodi’s Wounded German Soldier is a beautifully sculpted figure with a very natural pose and extremely sharp detail. The figure is modeled holding his wounded left arm and stands about 5 ft. 8 in. tall. The box art shows the soldier under the watchful eyes of a U.S. Jeep driver and passenger, also The Bodi figures. The Bodi is a Hungarian company that produces resin figures sculpted by Krisztián Bódi in 1/35 and 1/48 scale.

The kit comes in three pieces - body, head, and left hand. The figure is molded in a medium gray resin with some minor flash at the end of the sleeve and on the back of the figure’s neck. Flash between the two legs will need to be trimmed away. Mold seams are visible on the outside of the leg. The mold seams are not apparent on the upper body, or somehow cleverly concealed in the seams of the figures tonic.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Ampersand Publishing
MSRP
$9.95

Military Miniatures in Review is an 80-page, full color, perfect bound, bimonthly magazine. Regular features include new product announcements, book reviews and figure reviews.

One of the first things that notice about this magazine is the construction. It has very thick front and back cover with the pages being bound together with glue. All of the photographs are in color and very sharp and clear. One note of interest is they way that the articles are written. They are written as if the person that is writing them is talking to you, some with a little tongue and cheek humor, a somewhat different approach from many of the magazines that I read.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$45.00

History Brief

The A6M2-N floatplane was developed from the Mitsubishi A6M Zero Type 0, for the purposes of supporting amphibious operations and defending remote bases. It was based on the A6M-2 Model 11 fuselage, with a modified tail and added floats. This aircraft was the brainchild of Shinobu Mitsutake, Nakajima Aircraft Company's Chief Engineer, and Atsushi Tajima, one of the company's designers. A total of 327 were built, including the original prototype.

The Product

My sample came in a standard size box featuring attractive box art. The contents were well packaged and included; 9 grey plastic sprue, 1 in clear, 1 instruction sheet and 1 decal sheet. This kit has been around for a few years now and has been re-released with differing decal options.

Review Author
John Shimek
Published on
Company
AMC Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$27.00

The Willys Jeep is probably the most recognized vehicle during World War II with production equaling 660,703 from 1940 through 1945. This model by AMC models represents a unique variation in its use during the war. It was used to travel on the railroad system with the addition of modified wheels in Europe by some U.S. Army transportation battalions, and in the India Burma theater by British Commonwealth troops.

This model by AMC models is a full resin kit with the addition of a PE windshield screen, grab handles, and clear acetate for the glass. The model comes packaged in a sturdy box with all 31 parts contained in Ziploc bags. There is one decal sheet included of an allied star for mounting on the front hood. Included in the kit is a resin display base of railroad tracks. I

The instruction sheet is one small sheet of double-sided print comprising 5 steps to build the model and suggested painting of the vehicle.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$10.95

Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.

The September issue starts off with several small articles which include the IJA/N Airplane Illustrated and a build article on the Trumpeter 1/35 Soviet JS-7 Heavy Tank which includes a walk around on a actual vehicle in a museum and the history of Russian and American heavy tanks.

The main article this month features tools. What modeler doesn't like tools? The article consists of thirty three pages of pictures of tools and a brief description of what it does and price. The tools in the article range from colored pencils, files, trimmers, drills, solvents, lights, sandpaper, saws, tweezers and punches.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$20.71

Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty-six years. They also release many special releases during the year, as is the case of this issue.

This issue covers IJN Heavy Cruisers that were produced from 1922 - 1945. During this time period there were eighteen heavy cruisers built and these fell into six different classes. The classes being the Furutaka, Aoba, Myoko, Takao, Mogami and Tone.

The magazine is broken down into nine sections. Section one covers all eighteen of these cruisers. There are thirty-six pages devoted to them with black and white period photos and line drawings showing the updates and changes that took place through the cruisers life.

Review Author
Timothy Funnell
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$49.99

Quick summary, this is not Dragon’s first Panzer III kit released but it might be one of their finest. Upon opening the box, you will find the following items, all 650 parts (about 70 of which are not used):

  • 24 sprues of gray plastic
  • 2 bags of Magic Tracks
  • 1 decals sheet with 5 sets of markings for gray panzer schemes
  • 1 clear sprue of periscopes

There are a few variations to decide upon for he build. After looking over the instructions a few times, I decided to start building a vehicle from 2nd Panzer Division, Russia 1941. The kit has different cupolas to choose from and the 2nd Panzer Division had late model cupolas which I prefer over the early cupolas used by the 16th Panzer Division.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Master Box Ltd
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$21.00

Thanks very much to Masterbox (MB) and Dragon USA for providing IPMS USA this review kit and to the IPMS Review corps leadership for sending this item my direction!

OK, I’m not a figure guru. I tend to just build aircraft, but every once in a while, I get the urge to try my hand. Some day I may improve, sez I…

This set is intended as a small vignette to show two allied Armor operators passing out Snickers ® candy bars to local kids, under the ever watchful eye of their mother. Hence the name of the kit… Depending on your experience if you have deployed overseas, this is either fanciful (Most of the time we were told to avoid any dealings with Middle Eastern families) or reality, depending on where you were sent.

With that in mind, I take this build at face value; kids are kids worldwide, and the opportunity for free candy is never turned down… read on.