Magazine

 by Frank Spahr I bought this kit for a song from NNT models to enable reaching their minimum order value . I had visions of a battle of the Atlantic diorama using the tanker along with some kind of escort vessel and maybe even a U-boat. In the end, the […]

Building Revell’s Esso Glasgow

by Rafi Ben-Shahar Like you, all scale modellers would want to have their creations to represent the real object as accurately as it can possibly be done. Many hurdles stand on the way to perfection. One of the major and probably most frustrating obstacles is getting your colours right. The […]

Low Viz Camouflage Variations and Colour Accuracy

by Magnus Fridsell   Construction Here is the recent Xtrakit Spitfire Mk. XII in 1/72. Xtrakit Spitfire in the Box Here is the box art for the kit. It’s not the best I’ve seen but who cares really…: The box contains one sprue of well moulded plastic parts. The major […]

Building Xtrakit Spitfire Mk. XII

by Jonas Dahlberg English translation by Martin Waligorski The SdKfz 173 Jagdpanther was probably the most formidable tank destroyer of the war. Built on the Panther tank chassis, it combined heavy armour, low silhouette and the hard-hitting 88 mm Pak 43 gun. This combination enabled it to engage and destroy […]

Pantherschreck!

by patbes33 Here is my 1/48 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless, built in the markings of USS Lexington from the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942. I have previously read some articles about the quality and good detailing of the Accurate Miniatures’ models, but also about their being rather difficult builds, […]

Accurate Miniatures SDB-3 Dauntless

Mark’s Model Plane Miscellany by Mark Davies The XP-77 originated from a USAAF request for an ultra-light fighter feasibility study, with an emphasis on using non-strategic materials like wood. Bell’s chief designer, Robert J. Woods, was formerly requested to undertake the study in late-October 1941. A graceful low mounted laminar […]

Special Hobby Bell XP-77

by Rafi Ben-Shahar Weathered aircraft and armour models look good. In fact, they look really good, much more appealing to the average spectator than the models that have been ”just painted”. Typically, from the modeller’s perspective, a weathered model has double rewards. First, the opportunity to exercise additional techniques and, […]

Too Much Weathering?

Emhar 1/72 Whippet Medium Tank by Mark Davies The Whippet medium tank was a lighter and longer-ranged vehicle than the other larger Mk I to V rhomboid shaped British tanks. With a usual crew of three it was intended to be a faster and more nimble vehicle able to exploit […]

The Braille Experience

Tech Tips by Rafi Ben-Shahar We all know that camouflage schemes are better at concealing their subjects when less light is reflected from the paint coats, thus blending with the surrounding backgrounds. Aircraft however, are tricky subjects. While a matt coat would certainly serve its purpose, a close inspection of […]

Henschel Hs-129B and the Magic of Buffing

Camouflage & Markings ..and the New Hasegawa B-24 Kit by Alan Griffith 2008 will see my first book released. Coincidentally, it is on nose-turreted versions of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator in USAAF service. In response to the announcement by Hasegawa of their B-24J ’Cocktail Hour’, I thought I should share […]

B-24J Cocktail Hour

A Small Diorama in 1/35 Scale  by Maurice Mofett My interest in modelling/collecting 1/35 scale military miniatures has, over the years, included the creation of vignettes and small dioramas depicting the various theatres in which the British Army fought during World War II. I must emphasise the word “small” in […]

Eve of Alamein

Bang for the Buck Part VII  by Rafi Ben-Shahar You may recall the stir that Tamiya aroused back in the year 2000 when the 1/48 Fairey Swordfish appeared. Typical to their meticulous engineering and having a tremendous presence, the kit was hailed by many modellers albeit its high price and […]

Tamiya’s Great Swordfish

by Rafi Ben-Shahar Recently, I completed Fonderie Minuatures’ 1/48 Vautour IIb. For some time, I was fondling with the idea of purchasing the kit and giving it the treatment it deserves through the availability of well researched references describing the Israeli defence Force Vautours. However, the scarcity of these kits […]

Short Run, Long Hours and Modelling Economics

Mark’s Model Plane Miscellany by Mark Davies The Hobby Boss kit of the Mig-3 has been widely and favourably reviewed as being the most accurate and best 1/72 scale kit of this subject. It represents a late production version. The most significant error appears to be the continuation of the […]

Hobby Boss 1/72 Mikoyan & Gurevich MiG-3

Part 2: de Havilland and Others  by Raul Hrubisko   Back to Early British Jets – Part 1: Gloster’s Contribution de Havilland DH 100 Vampire On April 22nd, 1942 de Havilland received a go-ahead for construction of two prototypes of its own jet design. The first prototype originally called Spider […]

Early British Jets -Part 2