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WWII Regio Esercito Colours Paint Set (A.MIG-7180) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This four-paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with four bottles inside, each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you can see from the box photo, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: A.MIG-0238 FS34092 Medium Green (verde Medio) A.MIG-0275 Giallo Mimetico 3 (Giallo Sabia) A.MIG-0277 FS34159 Green Grey (Grigioverde) A.MIG-0912 Red brown Shadow (Marrone Rossiccio) Conclusion It’s great to be able to get boxes of paint that will set you up to paint a WWII Italian AFV project in one hit with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. The paints are rich with pigment, brushing and spraying well with many adherents to the brand from all walks of modelling life. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

WWII US Paratrooper Uniforms Paint Set (A.MIG-7039) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This six-paint set arrives in a card box with a new card inner tray (for easy recycling), with some colour use suggestions printed on the rear (see above right), although it’s a bit hard for me to tell which is which at a glance due to the lack of numbers next to the swatches. Inside are six bottles, each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper found under the white screw-top cap (white caps for figures sets). Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated, helping get the paint moving when you shake it. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you might already know if you have any of their range, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying, or on your brush when painting figures, which might be especially useful for this set to allow blending etc. The paints are as follows: AMMO.F-504 Yellow Green AMMO.F-560 Khaki Grey AMMO.F-561 Green Violet AMMO.F-556 Light Ochre AMMO.F-563 Buff AMMO.F-564 Military Green Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up to paint the uniforms of your US paratrooper figures in one go with just the addition of some lightening and darkening to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. The paints are rich with pigment, brushing and spraying well with many adherents to the brand from all walks of modelling life. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Leather Colour Range Paint Set (A.MIG-7036) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This six-paint set arrives in a card box with a new card inner tray (for easy recycling), with some colour use suggestions printed on the rear (see above right), although on my example, it looks like there should be some text next to the swatches. Inside are six bottles, each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper found under the white screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated, helping get the paint moving when you shake it. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you might already know if you have any of their range, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying, or on your brush when painting figures, which might be especially useful for this set to allow blending etc. The paints are as follows: AMMO.F-508 Brown base AMMO.F-531 Light Brown AMMO.F-532 Red Brown AMMO.F-533 Dark Brown AMMO.F-538 Bright Orange AMMO.F-541 Rust Ochre Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up to paint leather and other brown shades in one go with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. The paints are rich with pigment, brushing and spraying well with many adherents to the brand from all walks of modelling life. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

WWII Regia Aeronautica Late Colours Paint Set (A.MIG-7238) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This six-paint set arrives in a card box with a new card inner tray (for easy recycling), with some colour use suggestions printed on the rear (see below). Inside are six bottles, each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you can see from the box photo, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: A.MIG-0202 FS30219 Tan (Nocciola Chiaro 4) A.MIG-0276 Verde Oliva Scuro 2 A.MIG-0262 IJN Ash Grey (Grigio Azzuro Chiaro 1) A.MIG-0275 Giallo Mimetico 3 A.MIG-0070 Medium Brown (Marrone Mimetico 53193) A.MIG-0023 Protective Green (Verde Mimetico 53192) Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up to paint a late war Italian aviation project in one hit with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. The paints are rich with pigment, brushing and spraying well with many adherents to the brand from all walks of modelling life. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The Weathering Magazine – Accessories AMMO of MIG Jiménez (AMIG4531) It can be said that the accessories used on a model can often make the model or diorama itself. All of those accessories build the overall picture. This magazine in the Weathering series really deals with armour models and the accessories you would use with them, though with the inclusion of tanks parts such as Mantlet covers, and figures, it may be stretching the "accessories" tag a little. Each article concentrates on one technique, and after a preamble from Mig himself, it proceeds as follows: German Jerry Cans WWII Sandbags and stowage Tank ammunition and ammo crates Details - Cans, bottles & crates Painting Weapons How to paint a manlet cover G.I Green - uniform colors Painting Furniture Each article spans a reasonable amount of pages, and follows the familiar pattern of AMMO books, with plenty of photographs of the work in progress, plus captions that complete the picture. Of course AMMO products feature heavily in the articles,, but the techniques are important in themselves and if you're not wedded to AMMO products for whatever reason, it is easy enough to substitute your own existing stocks. The modelling on display is first-rate and an inspiration to us all as to what can be achieved with a little bit of skill and some innovative products and techniques. While related to armour or vehicle projects the principles can be applied across the board. The magazine isn't over-burdened by adverts, and this English language version has been translated from the original language by Iain Hamilton, and is available in Spanish, French and Russian in addition. The series can be purchased individually or as a subscription from the AMMO website, or you can probably find them at your more adventurous newsagent or model shop. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a quick reference for weathering techniques. Review sample courtesy of

Masking Sheets 1mm Grid (A.MIG-8045) AMMO of Mig Jiménez If you’ve ever wished that you could get larger sizes and bigger areas of kabuki-style masking material, wider than 40mm that’s available on rolls, you’ve had your wish granted with the release of their masking sheet that we reviewed here. AMMO have now released this new set of five sheets with a 1mm grid printed on it in a clear foil bag with branding over-printed and a green label in the middle, with a stated size of 290 x 145mm per sheet written in yellow on the front. The bag is resealable, which will allow you to keep the dust out, and other than that there’s not an awful lot to say, other than to extoll the virtues of Kabuki tape, which is a paper-based washi tape that gets its name from Kabuki theatre, where it is presumably used on the paper puppets, characters and backdrops. It is a low tack tape that can last years in position on your model without leaving any residue (I’ve done this in the past), is flexible so that it can conform to curved surfaces well, and you can burnish it down to reduce the likelihood of paint creeping under the edge, although not squirting too much paint on a masked model is still the best way to avoid creep. The grid is very handy to check the size of shapes you’re planning on masking, and it also looks a bit cool in situ before you spray paint all over it. The grid is printed in ink of course, and may have a coat of clear varnish over it to protect the printing as it seems shinier thank the bare tape, but I felt it would be a wise decision to test whether the ink could be removed by solvents that are present in most of our paints. I first tried Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA or Isopropanol), and it slowly brought a little of the printing off, although it was more visible on the bud than the tape. The Liquid Reamer brought it off much quicker as expected, because it is a much “hotter” chemical. The take-away is not to blast too much paint on at once, and resist handling until the paint is actually dry to the touch. If you’re at the stage where there is a lot of IPA or cellulose thinners taking off the inked grid, you probably have much bigger problems than a bit of grey mixing with your paint! Having played around with it for a while, it might be wise to peel larger sheets of masking material off the backing paper before drawing out or transferring your design, applying it to a flat surface such as a mirror or a spare tile to finish preparation. Peeling the paper off a very complex design may cause a few more grey hairs as well as risking puckering the edges with the resultant stretching and potential lack of adhesion. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

US Vietnam Uniforms - Figures Set (A.MIG-7034) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This set is for your US Uniforms of the Vietnam period. This four paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header with some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: AMMO F-503 Dark Olive Green AMMO F-504 Yellow Green AMMO F-544 Pacific Green AMMO F-535 Italian Green Camo Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up for any Vietnam project. The addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation will help if that’s your methodology. Review sample courtesy of

Regia Aeronautica Cockpits - Air Set (A.MIG-7236) AMMO of Mig Jiménez This set is for your WWII Italian cockpits. This four paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header with some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: A.MIG-0238 Verde Mimetico 2 A.MIG-0272 Giallo Mimetico 4 A.MIG-0273 Verde Anticorrosione A.MIG-0194 Matt Aluminium Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up for any Italian WWII cockpit project in one hit (or not as it may seem) with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. Review sample courtesy of

In Combat – Future Wars #3 (AMIG6086) ISBN: 8432074060864 Ammo by Mig Jiménez Whether you call them Gundams or Mechas, they’re still gigantic robots that are piloted by young and adventurous folks, battling against evil as the Earth Federation, or for the baddies under the evil Principality of Zeon banner. Just to confuse the issue further, the model kits of these giant robots are often referred to as Gunpla, a portmanteau of the words Gundam and Plastic. This book is the third in a series of volumes that describes and teaches modellers how to build and paint these kits, which are available in various scales and various Grades, such as Hi-Grade (HG) and Master Grade (MG), which have different levels of detail included in the box. The book is perfect bound in a card cover, with 127 pages, and fold-over extra leaves on the cover that have a few colourful adverts printed on the same high-gloss card as the rest of the cover. It is available in English, Spanish and French, and I think you can probably guess which language edition we’re reviewing. The book is broken down into the following sections: 1 Combat: Armour Dougram Daniel Morcillo Page 6 2 PMX-003 The - 0 Hojoon Kim Page 22 3 The Red Comet Daniel Morcillo Page 30 4 Revenge Deja Vu Sin Don Wook Page 42 5 Warrior's Rest Lee Jaejong Page 56 6 MG MSN-06S Sinanju Stein Ver.Ka Alfredo Mei Page 72 7 Glint Evolve - 2.0 Aaron Simons Page 88 8 ZGMF - 10A Freedom Gundam Domenico Febbo Page 106 As you can see above, the book is broken up into eight chapters, split between the modellers and their chosen model. Judging by the end result they’re some of the best Gundam modellers around, and each one has added additional personalisations to their model to give them some individuality, rather than building them slavishly according to the instructions. The kits are finished from relatively clean to hopelessly over-used and battle weary, with both simple and complex paint and weathering effects used, plus some great diorama bases that they break down into steps to demonstrate how easy it is, although some talent and the correct materials will also be required, but I think you knew that already. Battle damage, small alterations to the basic models, addition of extra detail, and even water effects are broken down into manageable chunks in order to assist the modeller with taking the new on board, and refreshing the memories of those that have already come across them. In truth the techniques could equally be applied to any genre of modelling with a little adjustment in either scale or depth of application, so it should be of use to anyone that makes models that they don’t want to look like they just came out of Corgi’s factory with a pristine paint job. Conclusion Excellent photography, instructive text, and useful captions make this a great aid to the Gundam modeller, and even the product placement isn’t too heavy-handed, with other brands mentioned where appropriate to bolster your techniques and improve your models. Review sample courtesy of

How to Paint Bare Metal – Solutions Book #08 (A.MIG-6521) ISBN: 8432074065210 AMMO of Mig Jiménez You may already have heard of the AMMO Solution Boxes, and the Solution Books that complement them, but if not, the boxes are sets of products that can be used to complete the weathering of their chosen subject, and for those that don’t already know the techniques, the books walk you through the process step-by-step, holding your hand and supplying tips and tricks in a graphic-based context with written captions in English, Spanish, French and German. This book, number 8 in the series, covers painting bare metal in great detail, from the base painting through various metallic shades, discolouring from heat, decals, fading, leaks, streaks and final finishing with varnishes. The book is printed in a glossy magazine cover containing 60 pages including the covers, with full colour printing throughout and using the Academy 1:48 Mig-21MF as the example model from start to impressive finish. After a brief introduction to the series, the first section of the book covers the various products that will be used during the second section, which are the products that are needed to complete the task, all available from AMMO as you would expect, but of course there are similar products available from other manufacturers that you might already have in your modelling arsenal. You didn’t hear that from me though. The second section contains a ton of advice on using the products mentioned in section 1. There is another short introduction regarding the specific subject as mentioned above, then it launches into the painting and weathering process beginning with a note on the cockpit, then moving to the almost completed but bare Mig that is then primed and prepared for the metallic finishes. The first steps involve the painting of the canopy with cockpit green so it will show through from the inside, then black primer to give a gloss base for the metallics that will shine that much better for that base coat. As well as various captions, there are also a series of icons that help to guide you along, with a key at the beginning in case you can’t figure them out from the graphics. Masking and spraying different panels to give a varied patina to the metals as per the real thing, but taking care not to go too extreme unless you can back that up with pictures. The next few pages show the degrading and weathering of the metallics, as well as manual shading of individual panels with dirty colours to give additional visual interest. The decals are applied before weathering begins in earnest, including splashes and streaks that are added over the washes and decals for realism. Fading and the use of metallic pigments to vary the tones even further are also covered, which might be a new one to some modellers. Finally, a two-page spread shows the finished model with the product images around it with arrows showing where they were used. Conclusion These books are quite wallet friendly, and if you’ve not used the techniques documented within, they’re a useful resource. Even if you have used them before, they’re a useful quick reference, and for someone like myself with the memory of a goldfish, they’ll come in very handy indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Remover Sponges – Round, Teardrop & Wedged Drop Ammo by Mig Jiménez This new product from Ammo is a repurposing of a make-up sponge to use in our hobby, which is something that happens a lot to modellers and modelling. They are made from shaped foam, and can be machine-washed if you pop them into a mesh bag, which is another tip from those wot wear make-up. Removing what? Removing a number of things, such as washes that have been applied and the excess needs removal after a suitable drying period. The different shapes are there to allow you to choose the most suitable one for the size and shape of the area you need to work on, and the big round one can be torn or cut along the pre-cut wedge shapes, giving you some nice points to work with as well as flat or curved sides. You can also cut them in any way you feel would work to give you the best results. As well as washes, they can be used to tone down, move around or soften pigment applications where the fixer used has been non-permanent. You can also dip them in pigment to apply it to the model, so the uses are many, and no doubt someone will come up with more tricks as time goes by. The softness of the foam will allow them to conform to the surface, removing all but the pigment or wash in the crevices and recessed lines thanks to the absorbency of the foam. If you swipe along the line of flight for an aircraft, or gravity for an AFV, the resultant streaks can represent rain marks or the effect of dirt being pushed along at several hundred miles an hour over time. Sure, they’re make-up sponges, and you can get them for a similar price at a make-up store, but now you can also go into a model shop without any embarrassment if you’re bothered about that sort of thing. You can tack some on to an order online in this Covid-19 lockdown affected world, and they’re guaranteed not to add much weight to your parcel. Very useful if you're just a couple of quid away from free shipping Wedged Drop Sponge (A.MIG-8560) A pointed tip, and a flat bottom. Sounds horrible! Round Sponge (A.MIG-8561) Useful for large areas, or if cut apart, has flat, curved and sharp surfaces available. Teardrop Sponge (A.MIG-8562) Great for flat or less curved surfaces, and for padding at pigment you want to adjust. Conclusion I’ve not done much if any modelling this year, so I’ve not tested them myself, but I have seen them used in a video that I now cannot find (typical!), and it was almost miraculous to watch, cleaning the excess wash off effortlessly, and softening a pigment application. When I finally get to the stage where I need to clean off a wash or adjust a pigment application, I’ll be sure to use them. Review sample courtesy of

USAF Aggressors Blue Colors Paint Set (A.MIG-7235) AMMO of Mig Jiménez The USAF operates Aggressor Squadrons to train pilots in air to air combat. Often the aircraft used are painted in schemes that resemble Soviet/Russian aircraft. This six-paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header with some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: A.MIG-0271 FS35450 Air Superiority Blue A.MIG-0062 FS35109 French Blue A.MIG-0119 FS36628 Cold Grey A.MIG-0059 FS36251 Grey A.MIG-0226 FS36622 Grey A.MIG-0211 FS36270 Medium Grey Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up for an Aggressor project in one hit with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. Review sample courtesy of

How to Paint Imperial Galactic Fighters – Solution Book 05(A.MIG-6520) AMMO of Mig Jiménez There are a huge number of people that love the Sci-Fi movies of the Star Wars franchise, and some of the designs are amongst the most recognised spacecraft designs in the world. Of course there wouldn’t be any drama without a worthy adversary for the heroes of our story, which leads to the Galactic Empire, and later the First Order, who stepped in to fill the power vacuum after the apparent death of the evil Emperor Palpatine. Initially is was Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters, with the TIE Advanced making an appearance at the end of Episode IV during the Deathstar Trench battle, but the range of imperial equipment broadened with each successive movie. With the ending of the nine films of the Skywalker Saga, we’re spoiled for choice whether we enjoy portraying the baddies or the goodies. The Book This book deals with the baddies, although the techniques can be applied to many craft of either side. It is the turn of The Empire, specifically the TIE Advanced, and provides copious advice on how to create, paint and weather the 1:72 model, with kits from Bandai, Fine Molds, which is also reboxed in Revell garb, which is probably the easiest and cheapest option, given their excellent distribution network. After a brief introduction to the series, the first section of the book covers the various products that will be used during the second section, which are the products that are needed to complete the task, which are all available from AMMO as you would expect, but of course there are similar products available from other manufacturers that you might already have in your modelling arsenal. The second section contains a ton of advice on using the products mentioned in section 1. There is another short introduction regarding the specific subject as mentioned above, then it launches into the painting and weathering process beginning with a group of sub-assemblies that enable the modeller to get to work on the cockpit, the Darth Vader figure and the instrument decals around his seat. Then basic exterior painting is begun, initially having a bland overall coating, followed by painting the cranked “solar” sails and lots of masking of the black areas. The panel lines are darkened then various lightening phases are applied, plus accents, streaks and other grime that starts to individualise any model. As well as various captions, there are also a series of icons that help to guide you along, with a key at the beginning in case you can’t figure them out from the graphics. Oil Brusher highlights then gives way to washes of various colours to further break the monotony of the base colour and adding more streaks, stains and general degrading and weathering of the paintwork. Finally, a two-page spread shows a summary of the finished model with the product images around it with arrows showing where they were used. Conclusion These books are quite wallet friendly, and if you’ve not come across the techniques documented within they’re a useful resource. Even if you have used them before, they’re a useful quick reference, and for someone like myself with the memory of an amœba, they’ll come in very handy indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

How to Paint Modern Russian Tanks – Solutions Book #07 (A.MIG-6518) ISBN: 8432074065180 AMMO of Mig Jiménez You may already have heard of the AMMO Solution Boxes, and the Solution Books that complement them, but if not, the boxes are comprehensive sets of products that can be used to complete the weathering of their chosen subject, and for those that don’t already know the techniques, the books walk you through the process step-by-step, holding your hand and supplying tips and tricks in a graphic context with written captions and icons in English, Spanish, French and German. This book, number 7 in the series, covers Modern Russian Tanks in great detail, from the base painting through chipping, grime, mud splashes, leaks and final finishing. The book is printed in a glossy magazine cover containing 68 pages including the covers, with full colour printing throughout and using the Trumpeter T-72B in 1:35 as the example model from start to impressive finish. After a brief introduction to the series, the first section of the book covers the various products that will be used during the second section, which are the products that are needed to complete the task, all available from AMMO as you would expect, but of course there are similar products available from other manufacturers that you might already have in your modelling arsenal. You didn’t hear that from me though. The second section contains a ton of advice on using the products mentioned in section 1. There is another short introduction regarding the specific subject as mentioned above, then it launches into the painting and weathering process beginning with a completed but bare tank model that is festooned with the small Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) blocks. The first steps involve the basic painting, which is pretty patchy initially, especially during the pre-chipping period when much of the easily damaged areas are painted a metallic silver before the chipping fluid and paint are applied. As well as various captions, there are also a series of icons that help to guide you along, with a key at the beginning in case you can’t figure them out from the graphics. The chipping then gives way to masking and spraying the rest of the camo with the help of the magic putty that sags over time to fill in any gaps. The next few pages show the degrading and weathering of the paintwork, as well as some shading of individual panels to give additional visual interest. Dirt and dust accumulations are added, then the tracks are painted a dirty brown and weathered to within an inch of their lives over the next few steps. The wheels are given the mud treatment, adding wet and dry effects to show leaks and grime, which is then extended to the underside, an area that is often overlooked by some of us. As the process moves toward the end, the model is weathered with an airbrushed dust coat and messed up with enamel thinners. More dirt, earth and dust areas are applied, as are copious splatters with a brush flicked using a cocktail stick, then a number of pages show the last few details such as additional leaks and stains where dirt has accumulated in the escaping oils. Finally, a two page spread shows the finished model with the product images crowded around it with arrows showing where they were used. Conclusion These books are at a quite pocket friendly price point, and if you’ve not used the techniques documented within they’re a useful resource. Even if you have used them before, they’re a useful quick reference, and for someone like myself with the memory of a goldfish, they’ll come in very handy indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Masking Sheets (A.MIG-8043) AMMO of Mig Jiménez If you’ve ever wished that you could get larger sizes and bigger areas of kabuki-style masking material, wider than 40mm that’s available on rolls, you’re about to have your wish granted. AMMO have released this new set of five sheets in a clear foil bag with branding over-printed, and a stated size of 280x195mm written in yellow on the front. The bag is resealable, which will allow you to keep the dust out, and other than that there’s not an awful lot to say, other than to extoll the virtues of Kabuki tape, which is a paper-based washi tape that gets its name from Kabuki theatre, where it is presumably used on the paper figures and backdrops. It is a low tack tape that can last years in position on your model without leaving any residue (I’ve done this in the past), is flexible so that it can conform to curved surfaces well, and you can burnish it down to reduce the likelihood of paint creeping under the edge, although not hoofing too much paint on a masked model is still the best way to avoid creep. Having played around with it for a while, it might be wise to peel larger sheets of masking material off the backing paper before drawing out or transferring your design, applying it to a flat surface such as a mirror or a spare tile to finish preparation. Peeling the paper off a very complex design may cause a few more grey hairs as well as risking puckering the edges with the resultant stretching and potential lack of adhesion. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sanding Sticks – Various Types Ammo of Mig Jiménez Sanding sticks are a standard part of your average modeller’s toolbox, and have been for some time, as they’re convenient, small and easier to store than sheets of sandpaper and blocks. Everyone and their dog has a brand now, as a lot of manufacturers offer a branding service to print your logo on a standard stick. These new sticks from AMMO are a little bit different in that they have Step numbers printed on their faces, and have varied cores, depending on their use. Each one arrives in a resealable clear foil bag with the type printed on a sticker on the back. Inside is a single stick of one type. Standard Stick (A.MIG-8563) This stick has four grits of 180/320/600/2000 with the coarse marked as step 1 with a moderate grit that will be useful for smoothing away steps in seams etc., while not being too aggressive. Working through steps 2 to 4 will result in a shiny smooth surface if you vary the angles at which you sand. The stick has a stiff spine with just enough flex to be useful without it bending too much. Multipurpose Stick (A.MIG-8564) This stick has six grits of 150/240/320/600/1200/2000 on all sides of a boxy flexible core, starting with a very coarse step 1 and less coarse step 2 on the main faces, then steps 3 to 6 on the “sides” with the abrasive wrapping round the curved ends to maximise usage of space. The core is flexible insofar as it allows the sanding surfaces to flex, but not so flexible that it deforms too easily. Large Surface Stick (A.MIG-8565) As the name suggests, this is suitable for large open areas that need smoothing, with three grits of 320/600/4000, with step 1 and 2 sharing one side, and the smooth 4000 grit covering the complete opposite side, both sides having a deep foam core sandwiched around a flexible plastic spine. The smooth grit will be great for final polishing of models and other such large areas. Conclusion Having so many grits on a small number of sticks makes for a compact sanding toolkit, and these are the type of items you grab as spares while you’re shopping for other things either in-person or shopping online. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Does anybody have comments on the accuracy of AMMO by Mig Jiménez colours for WWII RAF aircraft? I'm fed up with buying new paint at my LMS and discovering noticeable differences when compared with the colour swatches in RAF Museum reference book British Aviation Colours of World War Two. AMMO recommends the following: Dark Earth..........................A.MIG-070 Medium Brown Dark Green.........................A.MIG-915 Dark Green Sky.....................................A.MIG-243 Sky Type S Interior Grey Green............A.MIG-219 Interior Green Ocean Grey........................A.MIG-245 Ocean Grey Medium Sea Grey..............A.MIG-246 Medium Sea Grey Middle Stone.....................A.MIG-030 Sand Yellow Azure Blue.........................A.MIG-257 Azure Blue

White Winter Camouflage Solution Set SP02 (A.MIG-7803) Ammo of Mig Jiménez During winter conditions, fighting doesn’t just stop because the weather is inclement, whether it is rain, wind or snow. Winter snow is incredibly harsh on vehicles and crews, with many succumbing to harsh weather during WWII on the eastern front predominantly, but also in the west. In order to reduce the visibility of their tanks and other vehicles during winter, a water-based “distemper” paint similar to whitewash was applied over the standard camouflage, often with brooms in a slapdash manner or in camouflage stripes/blotches. Subsequent use of the vehicle, meltwater and mud from boots and overalls can result in a patchy finish to the white, as can scratches and scrapes of everyday traffic and passing vegetation. For years there have been techniques to use in order to depict this camouflage, but this boxed set of everything you need to make a winter AFV, including white paints, dirt effects and subtle filters to change aspects of the finish, and of course the chipping fluid. It arrives in a large flat box with all the bottles in two plastic trays and any small space taken up with a piece of dense foam to reduce movement within. In the box you get the following: A.MIG-0024 Washable White Camo 17ml eyedropper bottle A.MIG-0050 Matt White 17ml eyedropper bottle A.MIG-1010 Neutral Wash 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-1205 Streaking Grime For Winter Vehicles 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-3501 White 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1254 Rust 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1255 Winter Grime 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1500 Brown For White Filter 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-1502 Dark Grey For White Filter 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-2011 Heavy Chipping Effects Fluid 35ml screw cap bottle There are no instructions for the set within the box, but you can find plenty of videos on AMMO’s YouTube channel, and in order to save you a little time, we’ve assembled a few below that will help you with learning what they’re for and how to use them correctly. The videos have English and Spanish captions for the most part, so you should be able to get a good head start on becoming an expert. The Chipping Fluid is the important part, and the heavy version has been included with the set to allow the flexibility of removing big chunks as well as fine scratches. White wash and chipping tutorial The difference between washable white & chipping techniques Streaking Grime in action (can also be used for Oil Brushers) Conclusion As a Solution Pack, this is a highly comprehensive set and well-named too, with everything included to which you add the white spirit, paintbrushes and a model to use it on. If you’re a bit short on paintbrushes right now, AMMO have you covered here, with white spirit available from them (you’ll know it works), or your hardware store if you choose the high quality brands. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

So posting a finished kit. This was an old shelf queen, but finally done!

How to Paint IDF Vehicles (Solution Book 03) AMMO by Mig Jiménez Over the last few years we’ve been treated to a mini-explosion of models of Israeli Defence Force (IDF) vehicles, figures and even aircraft, and given the environment that they usually operate, painting and weathering is quite important if you want to depict their hardware in anything other than a factory-fresh state. Dust and sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. AMMO have a range of Solution Boxes designed exclusively for carrying out the painting and weathering of specific subjects, and this accompanying series of magazines have been launched to put the flesh on the bones of the Solution Boxes. Unsurprisingly called Solution Books, they are useful whether you’ve bought the solution box already or have your own tools available and don’t need any more to complete the job. It’s best to have a dry run through the book first though, just in case you’ve missed something as you don’t really want to stall half way through if you can avoid it. Arriving in a magazine binding, it’s more of a bookazine really as you’ll doubtless come back to it again and again. Consisting of forty four pages including the covers (there is some content on the cover), the first section revolves around the tools, paints and solutions you’ll use during the task and the descriptions are given in English, French, Spanish and German with a picture of each type by the side. After a brief introduction and a shot of the kit being used, which is the Takom Merkava IIB we get down to it in the AMMO style with a step-by-step description, starting with the anti-slip coating on the horizontal surfaces. The next few steps cover the painting and use of filters to subtly change the tones, then moves onto washes, track preparation, chipping, streaks, dust, and finally, oil and fuel spills just to finish off the lived-in look of any in-service machine. Toward the end is an overall shot of the finished model with a set of arrows showing which products were used where, and at the back you’ll find some profiles of various tracked vehicles used by the IDF over the years. Conclusion Whilst it might be teaching your grandmother to suck eggs for the experienced modeller, it would be a great help to anyone looking to grow their skillset, or someone like me that has an awful memory and often forgets what to do because I also build aircraft…slowly. It’s also a great advert for other AMMO products of course! Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AMMO Black Cyanoacrylate Slow Dry (A.MIG-9034) & Activator (A.MIG-8037) AMMO of Mig Jiménez Cyanoacrylate, Super Glue, Crazy Glue or CA for short, its origins were as a suture-free solution to closing small wounds, although the stuff we use now isn’t medical grade and is usually made mainly from Methyl CA, which is low-grade toxic, so don’t be tempted to use it next time you cut your finger with a scalpel you might not feel any ill effects, but it's not recommended. Modellers have been using CA for a long time now for attaching disparate materials, gluing things that really don’t want to be glued, and for almost instant joins. It is normally clear, but it can be coloured with pigments, and it is available in various viscosities that are useful for different tasks at the workbench. Black Slow Dry CA (A.MIG-9034) Arriving in a 21ml bottle with elongated cap covering the typically long applicator, this glue has been pigmented black, and if you look closely you can see tiny particles suspended in the original clear glue. The cap screws off, the applicator is already exposed and ready to use, and has a chamfered inner lip to reduce the likelihood of blockage. Around the base of the applicator is a recessed ring that the cap fits into, and also captures any dribbles of excess glue rather then letting them stick your bottle to the desk. I decanted a little into an old Pringles lid for use, and applied some to a clear sprue that I had cut to repair it. In small quantities the glue appears more smoky than black, but it has enough contrast with lighter surfaces to show up when you’re using it. It lives up to its slow drying moniker, which is intended to give the modeller time to position parts properly before it begins to cure properly. This can be accelerated by using the next item below. Activator for Cyanoacrylate (A.MIG-8037) Super Glue isn’t always as instant as the adverts would have us believe, and that can extend to minutes if you are using a slow dry glue as above. If you’re in a hurry or want to freeze your parts in place once you’ve positioned them correctly, an accelerator is the way to go. The glass bottle contains 20ml of activator and comes with a screw-off cap that has a captive brush on a long shaft for you to flood a little activator around your glued-up joint. You also get a separate screw-on cap with pump spritzer for when you don’t want to touch the glued area. When you apply the stuff it causes the glue to spread as its surface tension is reduced. It then skins over and goes quite hard quickly, taking a little time if you’ve got a big puddle like my test piece. CA that has been activated is often more brittle than naturally cured CA, so bear that in mind if you’re gluing something structural. You also need to remember that some plastics are affected by activators, and in my experience that applies especially to the type of styrene used in vacform models. It seems to denature it and cause crazing, so use it sparingly on plastics just in case. Conclusion Super Glue is a great tool for the modeller, and if it’s coloured it’s easy to see once you’ve applied it. The activator is very useful when it comes to fixing a part in place immediately, rather than waiting for the natural curing process to take place. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

French WWII Paint Set (A.MIG-7228) AMMO of Mig Jiménez At the beginning of WWII the French armed forces fought the advancing Germans tooth and nail to protect their homeland, hampered at every turn by their top brass that were still fighting yesterday’s war from way behind the frontline. It also didn’t help that Blitzkrieg was still a new concept, and within a short period they were overrun by the Nazis and an armistice was signed. During this time many French aircraft wore a three-tone camouflage of grey/brown/green over a light grey underside. This four-paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header with some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles each containing 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the yellow screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you can see from the box photo, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier. We’re all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and dry a little slower than some of the competition, which can be useful to avoid paint drying on the tip of your needle when spraying. The paints are as follows: A.MIG-0034 Rust Track A.MIG-0074 Green Moss A.MIG-0208 Dark Compass Ghost Gray A.MIG-0228 Intermediate Blue Conclusion It’s great to be able to get sets of paint that will set you up for a French project in one hit with just the addition of some white and black to assist you with modulation if that’s your methodology. The paints are rich with pigment, and although I didn’t get to spray them, I did brush some out on my trusty Fw.190 spray hulk, and they looked great, if a little inexpertly applied due to my lack of skill with a paint brush. Review sample courtesy of

Panzer Crew Figures Acrylic Paint Set (A.MIG-7024) AMMO of Mig Jiménez During WWII German Panzer crews wore a dark grey/black uniform to differentiate them from the Field Grey of the Wehrmacht troops, and probably with an eye on soot and grease too! Black is one of the more taxing colours to paint on a figure, or any model for that matter, so any help is good help. This four-paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header and some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles that are best described as shades of grey and black. Each bottle contains 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the white screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated aggressively. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you can see from the box photo, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier, as does my electric paint shaker. We’re probably all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and as they dry a little slower than some of the competition it's a useful feature when you’re talking about painting figures. The paints are as follows: AMMO.F-502 Outlining Black AMMO.F-521 Grey Light Brown AMMO.F-522 Slate Grey AMMO.F-530 Bluish Grey The shades should be pretty useful for creating a good range of tones to your figure’s uniform, and if you use a wet palette (have a Google - they're quite cheap), you should be able to get a myriad of shades between each one to help your figure look more realistic. I brushed out a few patches of the paint onto my paint hulk Fw.190 fuselage (I’m a bit short of spare figures post workshop refit), and can report that they cover well, the colours are good, with the slate grey making a good backdrop to base your scheme on, and the black adding extra depth where needed. While the Slate Grey and Black shades look similar when separated by another colour, when used adjacent they have enough difference in tone to be noticeable as you can see below. My amateur paint test If you’re crewing your WWII German tank and you don’t have the right colours, you could certainly save yourself some time and head-scratching by picking up this set. Review sample courtesy of

Masking Tape 20, 10, 6 & 2mm AMMO of Mig Jiménez Masking tape for modelling was revolutionised by the introduction of Kabuki tape from a well-known Japanese model manufacturer, and since then it has gone on to become one of the modeller’s staples. It is traditional low-tack paper tape that was allegedly used in Kabuki theatre in the construction of the intricate shadow-puppets and scenery, which is where the name comes from. Whether that’s true or not I have no clue! This new tape from AMMO is available in a range of widths, and each one is supplied on a standard sized roll with 25m/82ft of tape on each one, although I’m not about to unroll one to check that assertion. The tape is bright yellow and each roll arrives in its own resealable clear foil bag with the AMMO logo and colour scheme printed upon it. The 20mm, 10mm and 6mm rolls are wide enough to be quite sturdy, while the two 2mm rolls we were given are flexible and if you are rough with them the tape could fall off the reel and make a mess, so treat the narrow ones with care, possibly reusing the bag to keep dust and fluff out of the reels. The tack of the tape is very familiar, as is the texture and stretch of it, so no surprises there either. One thing or note is that as it has been wound around a larger reel (just over 8cm diameter), the tape comes off the roll with less curl and is fractionally easier to handle as a result. It burnishes down well, and even those areas I tested on acrylic paint came up easily without any lift at all. Conclusion It’s a large roll kabuki tape that has all the same properties as the rivals, so if it’s available near you or you need some tape and your favourite online retailer sells it, you can grab a roll or two as part of your order with confidence. Highly recommended. 2mm Tape 6mm Tape 10mm Tape 20mm Tape Review sample courtesy of

Republic Of Korea (ROK) Army (A.MIG-7173) Ammo by Mig Jiménez More paint from those prodigiously productive people at Ammo. This set includes four colours in 17ml bottles in the pack, each with a dropper top and yellow cap that is an indicator that there is a stainless steel "stirring ball" inside to assist with mixing the paint, which is also mentioned on the pack. This is a good thing, as AMMO acrylic paint does tend to separate out when left untended. By now it's common knowledge that AMMO paints are pretty good, and I have a used them and find they cover well with good adhesion. They go on easily, settle down and once fully dry after 24 hours they are robust enough to withstand careful handling. They dilute with AMMO thinners (A.MIG-2000) or water, and can be airbrushed or brush painted. The name of the set should give you a good idea of the colours involved, which are for South Korean Army Vehicles. The colours are as follows: A.MIG-050 Matt White A.MIG-046 Matt Black A.MIG-500 Khaki Green A.MIG-501 Khaki Brown You can of course mix the shades to give yourself even more variety, or use them on other projects. These will be ideal for such kits as the new Academy 1/35 K" Black Panther. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of