Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
January 24, 2023
Company
Dukel Hobbies
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$140.00

The Tanque Argentino Mediano (TAM) is a 30-ton armored tracked combat vehicle with a 105 mm cannon based on the running gear and hull of the Marder Infantry Vehicle. It has been designed considering the constrains of roads, bridges, and terrain of Argentina. It was designed as a joint effort of Thyssen-Henschel and TAMSE (an Argentinean company specially created to build the TAM). The hull has been adapted into a whole family of vehicles, including APC, mortar carrier and even a 155 mm SPG on an elongated hull.

Dukel Hobbies, from Buenos Aires, is a large retailer that caters the hobbyist in Argentina. Recently they started dipping their toes into the manufacturing business, with the TAM (Tanque Argentino Mediano) in 1/35 scale and their upcoming Pucara aircraft in 1/48 scale. They also host a YouTube Channel with tutorials including a 4-part series as to how to build this kit and others (in Spanish only).

Review Author
Michael A. Turco
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Red Fox Studio
MSRP
$13.25

My modeling experience detailing aircraft cockpits includes:

  • Laboring over kit-supplied embossed instrument panels that need to be painted by hand and/or dry brushed;
  • Giving in to using instrument decals, either the kit-supplied panels or individual gauge decals; or
  • Using photo-etched panels backed by film pieces with gauge faces that need to be back painted white and sandwiched behind the metal fronts.

While the latter is the most realistic of the aforementioned methods, none provide the realism of the 3D printed panels that are now coming to market.

Being unfamiliar with these aftermarket products, I was anxious to get a close look at one. The one I was fortunate enough to evaluate is produced by Red Fox Studios, a company in Hungary, for the new Hasegawa 1/48-scale F-22 Raptor kit. (See Photo 1).

The panels are composed of acrylic plastic with both raised and recessed details and are printed in color.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$17.61

AMMO by Mig has released a new line of acrylic paints for railroad modellers called the Rail Center. There are 41 railroad specific colors in the series, with twelve box sets:

  • Ammo.R-1000 Spanish Renfe Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1001 Dutch Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1002 British Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1003 German DB Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1004 German DR Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1005 Germany DRG-DB Steam Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1006 Via Rail Canada Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1007 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 1
  • Ammo.R-1008 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 2
  • Ammo.R-1009 British Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1010 American Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1011 German Freight Cars

The paints depart from the familiar Ammo by Mig 17ml eye drop containers and are packaged in 15ml cylinders with stirring balls.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
AMMO by Mig Jimenez
MSRP
$17.59

AMMO by Mig has released a new line of acrylic paints for railroad modelers called the Rail Center. There are 41 railroad specific colors in the series, with twelve box sets:

  • Ammo.R-1000 Spanish Renfe Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1001 Dutch Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1002 British Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1003 German DB Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1004 German DR Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1005 Germany DRG-DB Steam Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1006 Via Rail Canada Locomotives
  • Ammo.R-1007 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 1
  • Ammo.R-1008 Classic American Railroad Companies – Locomotives Vol. 2
  • Ammo.R-1009 British Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1010 American Freight Cars
  • Ammo.R-1011 German Freight Cars

The paints depart from the familiar Ammo by Mig 17ml eye drop containers and are packaged in 15ml cylinders with stirring balls.

Book Author(s)
Poitre Butowski
Review Author
Mr. Greg Kittinger
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Key Publishing Ltd
MSRP
$29.95

The movie-going public got its first look at Russia’s newest multi-role combat aircraft with the release of Top Gun: Maverick, as the CGI generated adversaries of Mav and Rooster at climax of the movie. The Su-57 is claimed to have entered service with Russian in December of 2020, though reading between the lines of this book there seems to be a lot of teething problems yet to solve before it could be considered truly ready for prime time.

The author lays out very nicely the protracted development of the Su-57, starting with the MiG MFI program, through the PAK FA competition, concept development programs, and includes content on the MiG 1.44, the Su-47 Berkut, and short discussions of the upgraded Su-57M and the Su-70 unmanned aircraft.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Arma Hobby
Scale
1:72
MSRP
$28.00

I know what you’re thinking, does the world need another P-51 Mustang model? In the case of the ARMA P-51B kit the answer is YES! If you love the Mustang like I do, you must build one of these kits. ARMA has created detail fidelity in this scale that I’ve not seen in scales much larger. The cockpit is a model in itself and includes decals for all the placards. Capping it are standard canopy and Malcom hoods that allow open or closed positions and the rails for Malcolm hood are included, a feature no P-51B model I'm aware of has ever done.

Decals options are provided for four aircraft including “Old Crow” one of Clarence “Bud” Andersons early Mustangs. One additional scheme is provided in the instructions for Captain John Pugh's “Geronimo”, with a checked nose that was later removed. Two frames of grey plastic hold all the parts of the kit.

Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Vargas Scale Models
Scale
1:35
MSRP
$84.50

Vargas Models, a prolific maker of extraordinary resin, 3-D printed, limited-run armor models is back with another unusual subject; the Fiat 2000 Carro Armata or ‘heavy tank’. The Fiat 2000 was Italy’s first tank ever developed, with the first prototype displayed in mid-1917, and the final production prototype unveiled the following year.

The FIAT 2000 was a substantial vehicle, of comparable dimensions to the British Mark V tanks, and weighing 40 tons as compared to the Mark V's 28 tons, making it ‘technically’ the heaviest tank of World War I, although it never saw combat.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Beemax Model Kits

This set provides upgrades to the Porsche 935 K2 78 LM kit # BX24025 from Beemax. It includes a steel fret of metal parts including screens, wing and air deflectors, window straps and clips, seat belt hardware, brake rotor faces, fuel and oil flaps, windshield wiper and panel hold down pins. A strip of fabric for seat harnesses and turned metal ferules for jack connector and antenna, complete with antenna wire, round out the package.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
David Doyle Books
MSRP
$19.99

David Doyle is well known to historians and modelers alike, with over 200 books to his credit. His Legends of Warfare series covers many of the important machines used in warfare. This latest volume is for the Northrup P-61 Black Widow. The P-61 was the first US purpose designed night fighter. Comparison in size to a medium bomber and with its twin-boom design the P-61 was a very distinctive design and popular with aviation enthusiasts and modelers alike. Monogram Models often said it was their very best selling 1/48 scale model. Hopefully soon the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum will have their P-61 back in the air.

The book is broken down into seven chapters. Chapter one covers the XP and YP-61, Chapter two covers the P-61A, Chapter three the “B” model. Chapter four the “C” model. Chapter five covers the XP-62D. Chapter six covers the XP-61E. The final chapter covers the F-15A Reporter.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
January 23, 2023
Company
Beemax Model Kits
MSRP
$32.00

A presence on the racing scene from 1976 to 1981 when FIA rules changes finished their run, the Porsche 935 series of race cars won about a third of the all the races they entered. This car, a 935 K2 series fielded by the Porsche-Kremer racing team ran the 1978 Le Mans race finishing 25th. Kremer would go on to win Le Mans in 1979 with a 935 K3. These cars were powered by flat six 3 to 3.3 liter twin turbo charged engines producing over 700 hp. Based on the 911 body, numerous aerodynamic improvements made these cars serious contenders.

The Beemax kit is a reissue of a Platz kit. The parts are molded in black, white, clear and chrome. Masks are provided for the glass as are rubber tires and mesh for the rear wing vents. Two styles of wheels are provided as are the brake vent disks used by many 935s. Three decal sheets, detailed instructions and a color decal guide round out the kit. Quality of the parts are top notch as is the fit of the parts.