Scale Modelling news, reviews, features and more...
GLOBAL GUNSHIPS
Xtradecal has been inspired by Zvezda’s recent 1/48 Hind helicopter gunship to produce an eclectic collection of markings for the type, although most of these will be suitable for Monogram’s much older offering.
SEIZING THE CANAL
Modelling to a theme can be highly rewarding from an educational perspective, which makes Star Decals’ products – such as this first set covering the Suez Crisis – most welcome.
ELITE DREIDECKERS
Czech firm Eduard has teamed with Chinese company Meng to produce this set of aftermarket decals for the latter’s recent 1/32 Fokker Dr.I triplane, providing typically striking schemes for four Jagdgeschwader I ‘Flying Circus’ aircraft.
PLYING TRADE
Designed for recreating the plywood-skinned construction of World War One-era Albatros fighters, Peewit’s 1/72 wood-pattern decals are also suitable for a range of other applications, such as in buildings or other vehicles.
GULF MEDICINE
With 30 years having passed since the First Gulf War – known to British forces as Operation Granby – kit depictions of the equipment used during the conflict are sure to be popular.
NORTH AFRICAN AIRBUS
Established by controversial businessman Rafik Khalifa, the Algerian firm Khalifa Airlines operated cargo and passenger operations from 1999, famously sponsored football team Olympique de Marseille’s shirts between 2001-03 and was dissolved in July of the latter year. One of its Airbus A320s is the subject of Decales Global’s 1/144 decals.
THE DEVIL'S KITTIES
While Eduard has its own 1/48 Hellcat kits in mind for this lovely decal set, they should fit most same-scale offerings, with just the tail markings for the VF-17 option potentially being an issue (although they could easily be masked and sprayed).
THIRD GUARDS QUARTET
Iliad’s third batch of Air National Guard (ANG) P-51Ds features examples from Wyoming, California, Arizona and Ohio, all of which are clad in natural metal finishes; three airframes are equipped with Hamilton Standard ‘uncuffed’ propellers, while the fourth has a ‘cuffed’ version.
LAND OF GREATER POLAND
Modellers with large-scale Mossies from either Revell or Tamiya wanting to replicate airframes flown by Polish crews during World War Two will find Model Makers’ well-designed package ideal.
SMALL-SCALE DEVILS
While there aren’t many 1/72 kits of the KTO Rosomak (primarily Tololoko, S&S Models, G3 Resin and Auto Loto Motiv offerings), ToRo Models has produced a set of alternative decals to provide Polish markings for such products.
NEW HARRIER AFTERMARKET
Got 1/72 Hasegawa AV-8B Harrier IIs in your stash? If so, you'll want to know more about Brengun's new bespoke resin and PE improvement sets.
MARKINGS FOR BLIGHTY’S SHERMANS
If you plan to model the Sherman in British Army guise, recent items from Star Decals are definitely worth considering.
ROCKETEER FRESCO
Airfix's lovely MiG-17F returns as the Polish licence-built LIM-5 variant. Here, Mike Williams tells how the basic styrene can be improved.
GREAT VALUE KATYUSHA COMBO
ICM has made a name for itself with its ‘all-in-one’ Diorama Sets, but the WWII Red Army Rocket Artillery package elevates this to a whole new level in terms of content, presentation and value for money.
PaK-ING A HEAVY PUNCH
Newly tooled by Special Armour is this 1/72 depiction of the German 7.5cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun.
INVASION FILLER
IBG’s reputation as a producer of small-scale gems is only to be enhanced with this splendid new version of its 1/72 Chevrolet C60S, which features newly tooled parts for a petrol tanker.
TAME A TIGER
In a similar vein to its Sherman Firefly starter set, Airfix has trimmed its newly tooled 1/72 Tiger tank to just three runners – forming a beginner’s package with a tube of poly cement, three acrylic paints and a brush.
AMERICAN HEAVY
Released to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, Dragon’s M26A-1 Pershing is unchanged from its original 1994 configuration.
COLD WAR PRECURSOR
With modellers’ appetites for T-34 and T-54/55 arguably sated, MiniArt is filling the gaps in between – notably with the former’s immediate successor, the T-44.
TROOP TRANSIT
Wargamers or modellers who favour 28mm figures will want to examine Rubicon Models’ range of 1/56 vehicle kits (the scales are aligned), which includes this Bedford QLT as part of its British World War Two selection.
‘TREKKIE' VOYAGER IMPROVEMENTS
If you're a Star Trek fan, you'll find Greenstrawberry's new USS Voyager detail sets out of this world.
‘SUPER BUG’ BUILD GUIDE
If you have Super Hornet builds on the cards, Kagero's softback building and finishing tutorial is worth considering.
DELTA FORCE
PJ Production's mixed-media replica of the Swiss Mirage IIIS is given a thorough examination via Huw Morgan's build project.
BIG-NOSED FIGHTER
Special Hobby is gradually releasing the two-seat night-fighter Meteors and it’s latest is the Mk.14. Four styrene runners are common to previous variants, with new frames for the fuselage and clear parts – the latter captures the subtype’s ‘blown’ canopy accurately.
FANTASTIC FOXBAT
Having worked its way through the reconnaissance/strike Foxbat variants it was just a matter of time before ICM released the interceptor versions, with the first being a MiG-25PD Foxbat-E.
HEFTY TAIFUN
Large-scale modelling is undergoing something of a boom, so it’s no surprise Eduard was quick to release the 1/32 Messerschmitt Bf 108 that Striped Fighter didn’t manage to bring to the market.
GUN-TOTING PIRATE
Italeri’s splendid UH-34/Wessex kit returns with markings for US, French and German machines.
LITTLE DONKEY
Comprising just 13 components, Zvezda’s 1/144 Polikarpov I-16 is the ideal means of adding the ‘Ishak’ (Donkey) to wargaming fleets, a perfect rainy afternoon project or the simple basis for a painting and weathering challenge.
NOT QUITE NIGHT-FIGHTERS
Re-released for 2021 is Special Hobby’s 1/32 Heinkel He 100 in the same format as the initial iteration – the product code, parts and schemes are unchanged.