This is my entry, I picked it up at the Middle Wallop show before Christmas. Not build an Eduard kit before, the box is has everything I will need, canopy masks, a selection of PE bits including instrument panel and seat belts. I'm going to Montex masks for the insignia as I did like how it all came out on my Mozzie, I'm going to do the Bf 109G-6, 2/JG 52, Zilistea, Romania, April 1944. The kit will be painted in the various grey colours the using the hairspray method apply a white wash. I'm looking out for an Airfix motor, as the kits @PlaStix has done with them look really good. I've also got some figures to go with it hopefully on a base I will pick up along the way. V-P hope you don't mind, I did a bit of photobucket stalking to find your banner.

Confirmed as new tool with ref.48261. Release expected for Q3 2017 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48261 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not mentioned in the 2016 catalogue (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234995418-icm-catalog-2016-programme/), dixit scalemodels.ru ICM is to release in 2017 a new tool 1/48th Heinkel He.111H-3 kit - ref.48261 Source: http://scalemodels.ru/news/10678-anons-ICM-1-48-He-111H3.html A new family of 1/48th He.111 in view? Would make sense after the 1/48th Do.17/Do.215 & Ju-88 ICM kits but wait and see. Scalemodel.ru info also show a box art... Dubious as it's the Revell 1/32nd He.111H-6 one! V.P.

ICM is to release in 2016 new tool Focke-Wulf Fw.189 Uhu kits - ref. 72291 - Focke-Wulf Fw.189A-1 Uhu WWII German Reconnaissance Plane (100% new molds) - Q2 2016 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72291 - ref. 72292 - Focke-Wulf Fw.189A-2 Uhu WWII German Reconnaissance Plane (100% new molds) - Q3 2016 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72292 V.P.

ICM is to release a 1/48th Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIc "beer delivery" kit - ref. 48060 It's reported to be a new tool kit. Source: http://www.icm.com.ua/news/501-spitfire-mkixc-beer-delivery-wwii-british-fighter.html Box art 3D renders V.P.

FW 189A-1 1:72 ICM The Fw189 was created by legendary Focke Wulf designer Kurt Tank prior to WWII. Its intended role was as a short range observation and reconnaissance aircraft, with the requirement for excellent all-round visibility giving rise to the distinctive shape and extensive cockpit glazing. It won the contract by beating off competition from Arado and Blohm & Voss (the latter with their asymmetrical Bv. 141). It entered service in 1940, and production continued until 1944. The aircraft was popular with crews due to its manoeuvrability; it could often out turn fighters to escape destruction. It was tough as well, and there are stories of 189s returning from missions with parts of the tail and boom blown away. The Fw 189 is the latest all-new tooling from Kiev-based outfit ICM. Inside the very sturdy top-opening box are two largish sprues of light grey plastic and one clear sprue which together hold a total of 170 parts. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed kit which looks as though it should be enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the central wing section and cockpit. The lower part of the central wing is moulded as a single span, complete with recesses for the main landing gear bays. Onto this part, the flaps, cockpit floor and fuselage sidewalls can all be added. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, which is just as well as a lot of it will be on show under that greenhouse canopy. Interior detail includes the crew seats, rudder pedals, control column (moulded in two parts), radio gear and a large number of spare magazines for the defensive machine guns. The instrument panel fits to the top of the frontal canopy glazing, which is itself made up of four parts. It's inevitable with a model like this, but great care will need to be taken when assembling both this and the remaining eight parts of the canopy so as not to get messy glue smears over the clear plastic. Your patience will be tested to the limit when it comes to masking the expansive canopy, but there is good news in the form of a set of pre-cut masks on the way from Eduard. Look out for our review soon. Once cockpit/fuselage has been assembled, the upper panels for the inner wing can be fitted. The remaining steps in the construction process are essentially a sequence of sub-assemblies, starting with the landing gear bays. These areas behind the engine nacelles but ahead of the tail booms are separate parts, which makes for more complex construction but better detail. The tail booms themselves are split vertically and benefit from separately moulded rudders, while the tailplane has a separately moulded elevator and a neat tail wheel assembly. The engine nacelles are another sub-assembly, and are made up of two main parts, split vertically, with a separate radiator face, exhaust, frontal cowling, propeller and hub. As with the rest of the flying surfaces, the outer wings feature separate control surfaces. The landing gear is next, and is just as nicely detailed as the rest of the model. Each of the main gear legs is comprised four parts, while the wheels are split vertically and have separate mud guards. Step 63 in the instructions brings the fuselage/centre wing section together with the engine nacelles, tail booms and outer wings, leaving you with a more-or-less complete Fw189. All that remains to do then is add the finishing touches, such as the landing gear doors, the odd antenna mast or pitot tube and the four bombs and bomb shackles that fit under the outer wings. Three options are provided on the decal sheet: • Fw 189A-1 5(H)/12, Poltava, June 1942; • Fw 189A-1 11(H)/12, Russia, Summer 1942; and • Fw 189A-1 1(H)32, Finland, March 1943 All three aircraft are finished in RLM 70/71 over RLM 65, with the third aircraft finished in a temporary winter distemper over the top of the camouflage. The decals look excellent and include a smattering of stencils. Conclusion There haven't been all that many kits of the distinctive FW189 over the years, but ICM's new effort looks to be the best of them by quite some way. The mouldings are high quality, there is plenty of detail and surface structures are fine and crisp. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit which is rich in detail. The only real drawback is the complexity of the clear parts, but there is no way around this if the desired outcome is an accurate and well detailed model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I-153 Winter Version 1:72 ICM The Polikarpov I-153 Chaika (Seagull, for all you Chekhov fans), was the ultimate incarnation of the biplane fighter to find its way into VVS service. The aircraft was of mixed wood and metal construction, with a gull wing, manually retractable undercarriage and armed with four shKAS machine guns. It entered service in 1939, and was first blooded in the border skirmishes that took place between Soviet and Japanese forces that year. The combination of biplane maneuverability and modern fighter performance made the I-153 a competitive design, albeit hampered by an unreliable supercharger design and the lack of a firewall between the fuel tank and the cockpit. The type soldiered on into the 1940s, mainly due to the lack of modern alternatives in sufficient numbers. Inside ICM's typically robust box is a large sprue of grey plastic which holds all of the main parts of the diminutive fighter, as well as a much smaller sprue which holds the new parts for the landing gear skis. A tiny clear sprue, instructions and decals complete the package. Moulding is clean and crisp, with plenty of fine detail. There are 85 parts in total, although one or two (wheels) aren't used in this boxing. Construction on the cockpit begins with the internal framework, onto which the instrument panel, four-part seat, control column, rudder pedals and floor all fit. The oveall impression should be reasonably good for the scale, which is just as well as the cockpit is not enclosed by glazing. The whole sub-assembly fits onto the single span of the lower wing, which in turn fits into the two halves of the fuselage. The engine and propellor are comprised six parts, with an optional spinner hub. As with the lower wing, the upper wing is a nicely-moulded solid piece of plastic, onto which the two sturdy struts fit. Alignment shouldn't be a problem, as the gull wing section fits directly onto the front upper fuselage. The horizontal stabilisers are solid parts. The undercarriage legs and skis are accurately represented, with the same excellent level of detail as the rest of the kit. Each leg is made up from six parts, while the tail skid is a single part on its own. There are partial covers for the redundant main gear wheel wells. A surprisingly good selection of ordnance is included, with a choice of eight rockets, four small bombs or four larger bombs. The rigging is fairly simple and should therefore be within the capabilities of even the biplane averse. Decal options include: I-153, Red Army Air Force, Winter 1939-40 I-153, Finnish Air Force, LeLv 14, April 1940 I-153, Finnish Air Force, LeLv 14, March 1942 I-153, Finnish Air Force, 3/LeLv 6, November 1942 The decals look nicely printed, but the finnish swastikas have to me made up from the provided strips of blue decal. Conclusion ICM's I-153 is a well-regarded kit, which makes this new edition complete with skis a very welcome addition to the range. Detail is good, while construction is not overly complex. Overall, it looks as though this should be an enjoyable and rewarding build. Review sample courtesy of

US Marine Guard ICM 1:16 ICM are continuing to release kits, in their World Guards series. The fifth to be issued is that of a US Marine Sergeant if full dress uniform. The two sprues of grey styrene are very well moulded with no sign of flash or other imperfections, and while the build is relatively simple, the painting is certainly not. Being 1:16 scale it’s large enough for the detail to be seen and painted, yet small enough to have a nice collection in a display cabinet. I have to say, first of all, is that the instructions are not very clear. They consist of a colour drawing of the completed and painted model, with the parts numbered and arrowed. Seeing that the kit is fairly straightforward it probably won’t worry the seasoned figure builder, but it might put off the beginner. The two legs are glued together as the waist, then the two part torso is glued together and attached to the legs. The bottom of the tunic is made up from threes parts, rear and two front pieces. These are joined to the waist area, under the belt. The two separate epaulettes are then glued to the shoulders. The head is also in two halves, front and rear. Since most of the join is behind the ears, there shouldn’t be too much problem cleaning it up. The hat is also in two parts, the lower section, which includes the brim and the upper section. The separate arms are posed in such a way as they should just sit nicely, one are behind the Marines back, the other, with separate fingers, holding the rifle. The main section of the rifle itself is a single piece part, with separate grip area where the Marines right hand holds it, and taut sling. The kit comes with a separate scabbard, which is glued to the kits belt on the left hand side, using the joining piece included. The kit comes with a nicely moulded pedestal, the top of which has a selection of different finishes, plain, curved cobbles, straight cobbles or flag stones. Alternatively the figure can be presented on a plain flat base. Painting is going to be a case of patience and a very small brush as mainly of the really fine details are moulded to the uniform. But with care the model should come out looking rather splendid. Conclusion This is not my normal fare when it comes to modelling, what figures I have built have been in 1:6 scale and more fantasy based. This is really nicely made though and although quite small, (you will need an optivisor to paint the finer details), and it will look really nice in the display cabinet. I would have liked to have seen more of the details moulded separately, but that’s just me. Review sample courtesy of

Model T LCP ICM 1:35 One of the most numerous and famous cars in the world’s history was the Model T, produced by the Ford Motor Company. These cars were widely used on all fronts during WWI. In particular the Australian Mounted Division had some British Ford production Model T cars with Lewis machine guns mounted. These vehicles, called the LCP, (Light Car Patrol), saw combat in Egypt and Palestine in 1917 and 1918. The Model The model arrives in the usual sturdy box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the vehicle on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are two sprues of light grey styrene and, in a separate poly bag, one clear sprue. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash. There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing. The sprue gates attaching items like the the exhaust are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if you’re not careful. The build starts with the nicely detailed engine with the block and gearbox halves glued together followed by the addition of the rocker covers, fan belt, dynamo, exhaust manifold, cooling fan, cooling pipes, and other sundry items. The radiator is moulded together with the front axle and just needs the radiator grille glued to it to complete the assembly. The radiator/axle is then glued to the front of the floor pan/chassis along with four eyebolts/engine mounting bolts. The two part fuel tank is then assembled and fitted to the chassis, along with the engine assembly. The rear axle, drive shaft and differential are built up from only three parts and fited to the underside of the chassis along with the two piece exhaust/silencer unit. The front and rear axle support frames are then added, as is the steering rack. The four wheels, moulded as single parts are glued to the axles and the instructions move to the body work. The truck bed is made up of the bed, sides, front and rear sections, in addition to the outer curved panels, bench seat and rolled up canvas cover. The gear stick and steering column are then fitted to the chassis as is the truck bed assembly. The two part battery is fitted to the driving compartment bulkhead, along with the coaming, doors and three foot pedals. This assembly is then fitted into position between the truck bed and engine compartment. Each of the two part bonnet sections are fitted with grab handles, then glued together, before being fitted to the engine bay. If you’re very careful, the modeller could cut the lower section of one side of the bonnet and fold it up along the hinge line to show off the engine. Each of the two styles of headlights and single tail light are assembled, as is the steering wheel and column and seat back/bulkhead. The machine gun mount is glued into position on the passenger side and fitted with the three piece Lewis machine gun. The model is completed with the fitting of the spare tyre, the headlights/tail light, a three piece storage box and three piece water container. Decals The small decal sheet contains identification numbers for two vehicles and a small crest for the radiator. The two vehicles are both painted in the overall sand scheme. Model T LCP, Dead Sea Region, Palestine 1918 Model T LCP, Palestine 1918 Conclusion It’s good to see these rather unusual vehicles being released, particularly for the WWI aficionados and also remembers the role played by the Australian forces during the Great War. Whilst not a complicated kit, certainly by ICM standards, it looks like it will build into a nice little model. Review sample courtesy of

A usually reliable russian source announces ICM is to release in 2017 a 1/32nd Polikarpov I-16 kit. To be followed. Source: http://scalemodels.ru/news/10678-anons-ICM-1-48-He-111H3.html For the record a 1/48th I-16 type 24 kit is expected by ICM in December 2016 (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234994949-148-polikarpov-i-16-type-24-by-icm-release-q4-2016/#comment-2220104). V.P.

In 2017, ICM is two release new molds: - ref. 72305 - Do.215B-4, WWII Reconnaissance Plane NEW - Q1 quarter - https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72305 - ref. 72306 - Do.215B-5, WWII German Night Fighter NEW - Q3 quarter - https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72306 Source: http://scalemodels.ru/news/11036-katalog-ICM-2017-god.html V.P.

Do 17Z-2 Photo Etch 1:72 Eduard This suite of photo etched goodies represents Eduard's offering for the recently released ICM Dornier Do 17Z-2 kit. In the usual Eduard style, there is a general set for the interior and exterior, a set for the bomb bay and a set for the landing flaps. The seat belts are on a seperate fret, which seems somewhat strange given that most modellers are unlikely to buy the general interior/exterior set without also wanting to invest in a set of harnesses. Do 17Z-2 This set contains one fret of pre-painted, nickel-plated brass plus another in bare brass. Included on the first fret is a new pre-painted instrument panel made up from laminations to give a 3D look to the dials. A number of similar parts are included to provide detail to the sidewalls. The throttle quadrant is skinned with a more detailed pre-painted part, and has various levers added to the slots to give the area more life. The pilot's seat is updated with floor plates, while a cople of the other crew seats are relplaced in their entirety. The outside of the airframe benefits from a host of parts for the main landing gear bays, while the landing gear legs also received extra details and brake lines. Ignition wiring is provided to bring the radial engines to life, and there are ring and bead sights for the defensive machine guns. A replacement DF loop is also included on this fret. Do 17Z-2 Seatbelts This set includes seatbelts for the crew in flexible steel, pre-painted for realism. I guess the different material explains why they aren't included on the general set detailed above. Having said that, they should be easier to form to the seats than the old brass belts, which tended to suffer damage to the painted finish if manipulated too much. Do 17Z-2 Bomb Bay Consisting of a single brass fret, this set adds missing detail to the bomb bay. It includes the intricate latticework inside the bays and wing structure, plus hinge and structural details for the bay doors. Complete bomb "ladder" racks are included too, which will add substantial detail within the bomb bay. Replacement balistic tails are included for the bombs, along with a template to help ensure they are correctly aligned. The relief on the fins is pressed out using the tip of a ball-pen before they are added to the bomb bodies. Do 17Z-2 Landing Flaps Another single large fret containing all the parts necessary to mobilise the flaps that take up the rear of the wing inboard of the ailerons. The flaps themselves fold up from relatively few parts, so they will be a lot easier to build than they look. Some plastic will need to be removed from the kit, however, so measure twice and cut once. The upper-rearmost part of each of the engine/landing gear nacelles will also have to be removed in order to deploy these parts. Conclusion Together, these sets include pretty much everything you could want in order to super-detail ICM's fine new kit. The lack of harnesses in the general interior/exterior fret is slightly disappointing, but can be explained by the use of different material which should be better suited to their use. Overall this set is up to Eduard's usual high standards and can therefore be highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

American Firemen (1910s) 1:24 ICM Back in the days of open fires, gas lighting and generally unregulated open flames inside houses, the Fireman's job was a lot harder, and his level of protection much less effective. In the early part of the 20th century, a thick leather coat and a crash hat with a wide brim, particularly at the rear to protect the wearer's head and shoulders were the only protection. This figure set is not my usual genre or scale, but it's interesting to see how the other half models. The box is slightly larger than usual figure boxes, and is a top opener with another lid on the lower carton half. Inside is a single sprue of sand coloured styrene, plus a separate sheet of instructions with integrated painting guide and colour key on the rear. There are three figures in the box, only two of which are firemen, the third being an inquisitive young boy that is getting to try on one of the firemen's hats. The other is looking on with his fire axe slung over his shoulder. Moulding is very crisp, and the sculpting is very good. The clasps on their clothing and the heads stand out as some of the highlights, but the standard is excellent throughout, even down to the little boy's plus-fours and ribbed socks. One figure has a half-length coat, while the other wears a three-quarter variant, and both have been moulded as hollow so that the legs fit within the empty volume to give a more realistic appearance to their clothing. I'm not entirely sure of the application for these figures, but I suspect that there are some 1:24 early 20th century fire trucks in someone's repertoire that will go nicely with these figures, especially in a diorama or vignette situation. Conclusion Lovely mouldings and an endearing slice of life in the 1910s, which with careful painting and posing will result in an engaging scene from days gone by. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

ICM is to release in 2016 two new variants from its Junkers Ju-88 kit. Already released: Ju-88A-5 kit http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234975682-148-junkers-ju-88a-5-by-icm-released/ - ref.48233 - Junkers Ju-88A-4 WWII German Bomber NEW - Q2 2016 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48233 - ref.48234 - Junkers Ju-88A-14 WWII German Bomber NEW - Q3 2016 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48234 V.P.

Junkers Ju-88C-4 Nightfighter (SH48177) 1:48 Special Hobby The Ju-88 was designed as a schnellbomber in the mid 30s, and at the time it was faster than current fighter designs, so it was projected that it could infiltrate, bomb and exfiltrate without being intercepted. That was the theory anyway. By the time WWII began in the west, fighters had caught up with the previously untouchable speed of the 88, and it needed escorting to protect it from its Merlin equipped opponents. It turned out to be a jack of all trades however, and was as competent as a night fighter, dive bomber or doing reconnaissance as it was bombing Britain. They even popped a big gun on the nose and sent it against tanks and bombers, with variable success. The C series aircraft were supposed to be primarily heavily armed fighters or ground attack, fitted with a collection of extra guns in a metal nose. Once Allied bombers started popping up over Germany however, they were quickly retasked with nightfighter duties, in which they found their ultimate role. The specification retained the gondola under the nose, but this was often removed in the field to reduce weight and increase top speed, all of which gave them an edge over an unmodified airframe. After design was completed, the C-4 was the first to enter production, with 120 made, split between new builds and conversions of the A-5 on which they were based. With the addition of radar the C-6 took over from the C-4 with its distinctive dipole antennae clustered around the nose like whiskers. The Kit This is a collaboration between Special Hobby and ICM, who provide most of the plastic in the form of the A-5 box contents (we reviewed the A-11 here), with additional parts in resin and styrene tooled by Special Hobby to facilitate the kit's conversion into the original Ju-88 nightfighter variant. Inside the box are six grey sprues of ICM plastic, with another slightly different in hue from Special Hobby, plus a clear sprue. There is also another clear sprue tooled by SH and a bag of resin parts, both of which are stapled to a card insert along with the decal sheet, which is printed by Cartograf. The bag of resin contains wheels, cockpit details, gear bay covers and flame dampers for the engines, all of which will come in useful. Consequently, there are quite a few parts in the box that will stay there. The cockpit is constructed as normal, beginning with the sidewalls and radio bulkheads, of which these is a choice of two types, depending on your decal option. A number of small resin parts are dotted around the cockpit, with the resin instrument panel being of primary interest, with a custom decal to provide the instrument faces. The wings too are built as standard, with moving flying surfaces there and in the empennage, and the complete engines and landing gear that are housed within the nacelles, but this time they are covered with resin flame dampers for two of the decal options. The gondola is present on this boxing, and is supplied in three main parts (plus glazing) on the additional sprue, with a streamlined "nose" that has two gun troughs moulded in, which may need a little reaming out to allow comfortable fit of the two guns on their sled. The nose is the most obvious difference between variants, and this is decked out with three MG17s and one 20mm MGFF for destructive power, all of which are set to the starboard side of the nose, which has a downward aspect from the side. Defensive armament consists of three MG81s on flexible mounts, which are fitted to the rear of the gondola, and on each of the bulges at the rear section of the canopy, which has a new front to accommodate the lack of forward firing machine gun. The resin wheels and bay doors are fitted to the main gear legs, and should give a final boost to detail in that oft neglected area. Markings There are three decal options from the box, two of which are black, the latter being really black without the yellow nacelle undersides and white fuselage bands of the former. From the box you can build one of the following: R4+MK W.Nr. 0359, 2/NJG2, Glize-Rijen, May 1941 – all black with yellow lower nacelles and white tail band. R4+MT 9/NJG2, Glize-Rijen, Summer 1942 – wavy RLM74/75 camouflage over RLM76, with unit crest on the nose. R4+DL 3/NJG2, Catania, Sicily, May 1942 – all black with unit crest on the nose. Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion Another winner, combining the excellent ICM kit with their own parts to make what is to me a compelling variant. I have a thing about nightfighters you see. Review sample courtesy of

Sd.Kfz. 223 German Radio Communication Vehicle 1:48 ICM The Sd.Kfz. 223 was part of the Leichter Panzerspähwagen (light armoured reconnaissance vehicle) series of armoured cars. The Sd.Kfz. 223 was based on the 221, but featured a 30-watt radio set and roof-mounted antenna. It was powered by the same Horch 3.8 litre V8 petrol engine, coupled to a four-wheel system for better off-road performance. Over 500 examples were produced during the War. 1:48 is still rather a niche scale for AFV modellers, but it has been around for a lot longer than you might think. The scale was first popularised by Bandai, who developed a fairly good range of vehicles and figures in the 1970s and 80s, before pulling out of the market some time in the 1990s. Tamiya picked up the mantle in 2006, and have steadily built up a good range of kits, focusing mainly on WWII subjects, but adding more modern subjects such as the recently announced M1A1 Abrams. Other manufacturers such as Ace, AFV Club, Airfix, Italeri and ICM have also released kits along the way. It is the latter manufacturer with which we are concerned here, as they have just released the first kit of the Sd.Kfz 223 in this scale. Inside ICM's typically robust box are five frames of grey plastic, as well as a set of rubber tyres and a small fret of photo etched brass. Full colour instructions and decals complete the package. Moulding is clean and crisp, with plenty of fine detail. Eagle eyed afficianados of the scale will have already noticed that this kit is essentially ICM's Sd.Kfz 222 (released in 2007 by ICM, and again in 2008 by Tamiya), with added parts for the 223's turret and radio gear, as well as the option of rubber tyres. There is no interior to speak of, so construction kicks off by joining the upper and lower sections of the hull together. A quick dry fit of the parts suggests the fit might not be world-class, but I'm sure it can be made to go together well enough with the application of pressure (and a bit of shouting) in the right places). Crew access doors are moulded separately, but the lack of interior means most modellers will simply glue them shut. The axles, drive shaft and transfer box are all moulded as one part, which is good for ease of assembly. As mentioned previously, there is a choice of plastic or rubber tyres provided, which is a smart move on ICM's part as it caters for all tastes. Small details such as headlights, mud guards, and stowage bins are next, followed by the turret and machine gun. The MG34 is a particularly nice piece of moulding, presumably because it, along with the other new parts, is a good ten years younger than the rest of the kit. The photo etched mesh and radio antenna are the final finishing touches, along with a few tools which have been moulded separately to the rest of the kit. Decal options include: Sd.Kfz. 223. 2nd Panzer Division, France, May 1940 (finished in overall grey) Sd.Kfz. 223. Ukraine, Summer 1941 (finished in overall grey) Sd.Kfz. 223. Russia, Winter 1942 (finished in temporary white camouflage) Sd.Kfz. 223. 5th Panzer Division, DAK, Libya, Summer 1942 (finished in overall dark yellow) The decals, such as they are, look nicely printed. Conclusion Any new 1:48 AFV kit is welcome in this house, and this is no exception. Even though it is based on the older Sd.Kfz.222 kit, it shows that ICM are keeping the faith with the scale. This shouldn't take too long to build, and I'm looking forward to getting started. Review sample courtesy of

Model of the Soviet medium tank, icon of the Second World War. Baza is an ICM model for this little add-on. German painting. In box ICM model additions to the model T34/76 construction and ready model 1:35 ICM 35365 https://youtu.be/fqTWSK0ar5k

WWI US Infantry & German Infantry in Gas Masks (35693 & 35695) 1:35 ICM WWI saw huge devastation of the land of continental Europe due to the stalemate that brought about the advent of trench warfare, as the Allies and Germany slogged it out over four years for supremacy of a few hundred feet of churned up earth in some cases. Millions of young men went to their deaths due to the "war of attrition" mentality of the Generals, which included America after it declared war on Germany in 1917, bringing their industrial might to the scene, which went some way toward reducing the effects of the loss of the Russian military from the fight due to their revolution. ICM have been commemorating the WWI 100 with the release of a number of figure boxings, the latest of which includes both the US Infantry from 1918, who bore more than a passing resemblance to the Tommies at that stage, and late war German Infantry in gas masks. Both sets arrive in slightly oversized figure-style boxes, which are top-opening, but have an additional internal flap securing the contents inside, as is usual with ICM kits. Instructions and painting guides are printed on separate glossy sheets within the box in full colour, with another matt sheet containing the sprue diagrams and detail painting information. US Infantry 1918 (35693) Containing two sprues in sand coloured styrene, the set includes four figures and a full set of equipment for personalisation of the figures to your taste. The soldiers are all in action poses with weapons at the ready, and includes an officer with a 1911 pistol at the ready. As already mentioned, their equipment is reminiscent of the British solider of the time, even down to the traditional "battle bowler" that lingered in British service until the end of WWII. The enlisted men wear boots and cloth puttees wrapped around their lower legs, while the officer sports a pair of lace-up calf-boots, which along with his handgun probably helped pick him out as a target for the enemy. A full set of ammo pouches, entrenching tools, water bottles, gas mask containers and other packs are included on the weapons fret, plus rifles, machine guns (even a Lewis gun), trench guns etc., all of which are helpfully named on the detail painting sheet – even the trench periscopes. Detail is superb, even down to the seams on the clothing, with realistic drape and creasing evident all over. Each figure is made from a torso, two legs, separate arms, a head with flat top to accept helmet, and where the figures are holding rifles up to fire, their hands are separate too for fine-tuning of the pose. The detail is carried over to the weapons, with an embossed "US" on the pistol pouch, and individual facets on the M1 grenade being just two highlights. German Infantry in Gas Masks 1918 (35695) This set has four sprues in sand coloured styrene, one of which contains just the heads for the soldiers. There are four figures again, and they are broken down as torso, two legs, two arms, and a two-part head, split front and back to enable maximum detail. The WWI potty helmets are separate too, and there are four spares and a mountain of weapons parts on two identical sprues. Again, the detail painting and naming of the various items are detailed in the instructions in Cyrillic as well as English, with a wide variety to choose from including a Broom-Handles Mauser, Bergman MP18 machine gun, hand grenades etc. The figures are all in action poses, from throwing grenades to setting up a machine gun, which is a lightened derivative of the Maxim. As the 08/15 was designed to be crewed by four men, it's entirely possible to designate the entire set as the crew. As with the other set, detail is excellent, and the plethora of weapons included goes beyond generous. Four unmasked faces give you the opportunity to mix and match if the mood takes you too. Review sample courtesy of

Polikarpov I-16 Type 28 Soviet Fighter 1:48 ICM The diminutive I-16 Rata was a ground-breaking design when first introduced, and served the Soviet Air Force well until the middle of WWII when its relatively light armament and manoeuvrability was outmatched by the Bf.109 and FW.190s. It's enclosed cockpit and fully retracting wheels gave it the edge initially, as did the reliable air-cooled engine and its nimble flying characteristics, and it was initially surprisingly successful against the earlier Luftwaffe fighter variants. The Type 28 was an evolution that along the way had already picked up a more powerful engine, additional fuel in wing-mounted tanks, proper flaps, to which was added a complement of two synchronised ShKAS 7.62mm machine guns on the upper cowling, and two more ShVAK 20mm auto-cannons on the wing leading edge for destructive power, without having to synchronise through the prop. Following the 28, came two more variants that adjusted armament and engine power, but this was pretty much the end of the line for the design. The Kit Originally tooled in 2016 by ICM, this boxing uses essentially the same plastic, but uses different parts than the Type 24 that came before it. Inside the double-lidded top-opening box that ICM favour are two sprues of grey styrene, one of clear parts, a small decal sheet and the instructions. It is a simple aircraft, which is reflected by the relatively uncrowded box. Ostensibly the same build method is used for this variant, beginning with the wings and their separate ailerons, moving on to the cockpit that is constructed within the port fuselage half, and has good detail throughout, even aft of the cockpit frame where the next section can be dimly seen. The instrument panel is nicely moulded, and the various controls attached to the sidewalls are included as small parts. A bulkhead is inserted at around the firewall position, and the fuselage is then closed up, inserting the separate rudder as you do so. The cowling around the nose machine guns is inserted, and the twin access doors are added to the fuselage sides, although you could pose one of them down if you choose. The wing assembly fits in the lower fuselage, and the well-detailed radial engine is depicted with its collector ring, piston bank and mount, plus ancillary equipment, most of which will be hidden behind the front cowling that stopped the howling wind from freezing the engine solid at speed. There is the option of leaving the cowling panels off, as they are supplied as three separate parts plus the front section, into which the baffles and the prop are inserted, the latter being able to left free to spin if you are careful with the glue. Adding the windscreen and gunsight is closely followed by the installation of the landing gear with its complex (for the time) bay covers captive to the legs. The wheels are each two piece, and have smooth tyres with slightly domed hub caps. The final act is the installation of the larger cannons in the wing leading-edge, leaving the smaller machine guns on the sprues. Markings If you like your Ratas Russian Green with blue undersides, you're in luck. There are two options in this scheme, one with a yellow 15 and a white lightning bolt on the tail, the other a white 51 on the fuselage. From the box you can build one of the following: 45th Aviation Division, Southern Front, Odessa Area, Late June 1941 72nd Mixed Regiment of the Northern Fleet Aviation, August 1941 The decals are well printed with vibrant colours, and registration is excellent. The majority are a rich red, but the white and yellow decals look opaque, with a fractional over-printing of the yellow around the white under-printing that will disappear on the green. Conclusion It's a nice, workmanlike kit of a workmanlike little aircraft that took on the Luftwaffe during the early days of Operation Barbarossa. Detail is excellent, and there's a lot to like about the kit. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all. With my Grizzly finished I decided to move to next project. This time I wanted to change something in my way of building models. Up to this point my modelling was pretty straight forward. Bulding, painting, filters, washes, oils, chippings, streakings, pigments. In the end I had a nice looking model, but it is not what I desire. I wanna do a little bit of storytelling with my work. I wanna build a vehicle (scaled) that has been somewhere. I also want to be more aware of what I'm doing and how that affects the whole project. That said, I wanna break down my weathering to smaller sections rather than do it on a whole model. That way I'll see the difference and possibly understand the WHY of using some method. Also, with every new model I want to try something new or do something old differently. The main topic of this project will be: WOOD. Painting and weathering wooden structures. To do this, I chose ICM's Opel Blitz type 2,5-32. Here's some pictures. The boxart. First of all, I'm not gonna use shelter as my Opel will be a little bit post-war. That's what's inside the box. Not too many parts and rubber tyres. There will be some additions. Let's get to work. The plastic is rather soft, so work goes nicely. There are a lot of small or thin parts though, so pay extra attention to cutting it. Chassis is quite detailed. I also started with interior. I broke down building stage to four stages and I do the separatly: engine, chassis, shelter's floor and cabin. Engine is quite hard to build as it consists of 21 parts. Interior is the first thing that's gonna see paint. First: the primer. Door with details. Pretty neat. Floor. Interior is quite simple. The seat needed to be roughened up a bit in my opinion, so I did some folded tarps. That's paper towels soaked in PVA glue and water mixture. First layer of paint: steel. After that I put some chipping fluid on which was followed by some dark grey colour. Next stage was chipping with a brush dipped in water. The same happened with the door. OK, that will be it for now. Thanks for watching. Dawid

After the RBT, ICM is to release in Q3 2017 a 1/48th MiG-25RB "Foxbat-B" kit - ref.48902 Sources: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48902 http://scalemodels.ru/news/11036-katalog-ICM-2017-god.html And, for the moment no trace, of future interceptor MiG-25P/PD/PDS variants kit... V.P.

FW 189A-1 Axis Air Forces 1:72 ICM The Fw189 was created by legendary Focke Wulf designer Kurt Tank prior to WWII. Its intended role was as a short range observation and reconnaissance aircraft, with the requirement for excellent all-round visibility giving rise to the distinctive shape and extensive cockpit glazing. It won the contract by beating off competition from Arado and Blohm & Voss (the latter with their asymmetrical Bv. 141). It entered service in 1940, and production continued until 1944. The aircraft was popular with crews due to its manoeuvrability; it could often out turn fighters to escape destruction. It was tough as well, and there are stories of 189s returning from missions with parts of the tail and boom blown away. The Kit The Fw 189 is the latest all-new tooling from Kiev-based outfit ICM. Inside the very sturdy top-opening box are two largish sprues of light grey plastic and one clear sprue which together hold a total of 170 parts. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed kit which looks as though it should be enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the central wing section and cockpit. The lower part of the central wing is moulded as a single span, complete with recesses for the main landing gear bays. Onto this part, the flaps, cockpit floor and fuselage sidewalls can all be added. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, which is just as well as a lot of it will be on show under that greenhouse canopy. Interior detail includes the crew seats, rudder pedals, control column (moulded in two parts), radio gear and a large number of spare magazines for the defensive machine guns. The instrument panel fits to the top of the frontal canopy glazing, which is itself made up of four parts. It's inevitable with a model like this, but great care will need to be taken when assembling both this and the remaining eight parts of the canopy so as not to get messy glue smears over the clear plastic. Your patience will be tested to the limit when it comes to masking the expansive canopy, but there is good news in the form of a set of pre-cut masks on the way from Eduard. Look out for our review soon. Once cockpit/fuselage has been assembled, the upper panels for the inner wing can be fitted. The remaining steps in the construction process are essentially a sequence of sub-assemblies, starting with the landing gear bays. These areas behind the engine nacelles but ahead of the tail booms are separate parts, which makes for more complex construction but better detail. The tail booms themselves are split vertically and benefit from separately moulded rudders, while the tailplane has a separately moulded elevator and a neat tail wheel assembly. The engine nacelles are another sub-assembly, and are made up of two main parts, split vertically, with a separate radiator face, exhaust, frontal cowling, propeller and hub. As with the rest of the flying surfaces, the outer wings feature separate control surfaces. The landing gear is next, and is just as nicely detailed as the rest of the model. Each of the main gear legs is comprised four parts, while the wheels are split vertically and have separate mud guards. Step 63 in the instructions brings the fuselage/centre wing section together with the engine nacelles, tail booms and outer wings, leaving you with a more-or-less complete Fw189. All that remains to do then is add the finishing touches, such as the landing gear doors, the odd antenna mast or pitot tube and the four bombs and bomb shackles that fit under the outer wings. Decals This boxing deals with aircraft operated by The Hungarian Air Force. Three options are provided on the decal sheet: • Fw 189A-1 4/1 Reconnaissance Sqn, Ukraine Summer 1943 Hungarian Air Force • Fw 189A-1 4/1 Reconnaissance Sqn, Poland Summer 1944 Hungarian Air Force. • Fw 189A-1 344th Jato, Summer 1944, Bulgarian Air Force. All three aircraft are finished in RLM 70/71 over RLM 65. The decals look excellent and include a smattering of stencils. The Red/White/Green tails will need to be pained by the modeller for the Hungarian examples. Conclusion There haven't been all that many kits of the distinctive FW189 over the years, but ICM's new effort looks to be the best of them by quite some way. The mouldings are high quality, there is plenty of detail and surface structures are fine and crisp. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit which is rich in detail. The only real drawback is the complexity of the clear parts, but there is no way around this if the desired outcome is an accurate and well detailed model. It is good to see this boxing with other markings apart from the Luftwaffe. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

As already announced in a ICM general thread ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234974439-icm-148-junkers-ju-88a5dornier-do-17z/), the Ukrainian brand is to release a new tool 1/48th Junkers Ju-88A-5 kit in 2015 - ref.48232. Source - ICM 2015 catalogue : http://www.icm.com.ua/katalog/ Box art V.P.

Horch 108 Type 40 with German Infantry 1:35 ICM The original 108 was a design that dated from 1937 for a light 4x4 vehicle for the Wehrmacht, which was updated in 1940 to include an internally mounted spare wheel. Due to reliability issues they were retired from production in 1942 to be replaced by the new Kubelwagen that was not only cheaper, but more robust and reliable too. The remaining vehicles were used until they could no-longer be repaired, but many made it to the end of WWII. The Kit This is a relatively new tooling from ICM, dating from 2015, but adding in a set of figures to improve the overall value. The box art has been redone to show a Panzer Grey example with a group of four figures, although the instruction booklet is from the earlier boxing and has a Sand Yellow vehicle stood alone. The instructions for the figures are given on the two additional sheets that have been slipped inside the main booklet, which makes a lot of sense from a layout and cost point of view. Inside the usual box-within-a-lid that ICM favour are nine sprues in sand yellow styrene, plus a clear sprue, a floppy sprue of black rubberised tyres, a small decal sheet and the aforementioned instruction booklet. The model is built up on its ladder chassis, including the engine, transmission, suspension with nicely moulded springs, plus body supports, brake hoses and exhaust system. Overall it's a very neatly detailed underside, with the engine being the focal-point. The hubs are split between inner and outer halves, which facilitates easy painting of the wheels and tyres separately, and installation of the tyres on the hubs without stuggle. The coachwork is assembled on the floor plate, which has the rear wheel arches moulded in and stops at the firewall, with spaces for the driver's pedals in the left footwell. The body sides are added, with moulded-in framework, and the dashboard is fitted between them to stabilise the assembly. The dash has a decal for the instruments, a handgrip for the co-driver, heater ducting and a lever beneath the steering column, which is added later. The front inner arches are glued to the underside of the body, and a rear load cover with moulded-in seatback is applied over the rear arches, after which the two rear doors and their handles are installed. A delicate (in this scale) framework is fitted between the rear seats and the driver's area, with the fifth wheel behind the driver, and two bench seats facing each other in the rear compartment, which also have delicate framework under their cushions. The front seats are individual, but of similar construction, and have space for the supplied KAR98 rifles between them, with two more pairs fitted in the rear compartment. The windscreen is of the flip-down type, and has two separate panes added to the frame, with no windows supplied for the sides, as it is modelled with the hood down. The doors can be fitted opened or closed, with their own separate handles inside and out. Once the chassis and body are mated, more of the underpinnings are added, and the radiator with cooling fan are attached along with the louvered bonnet and front bumper irons. At the rear the hood is constructed from four parts, sitting on top of the load cover in a folded state, as there isn't an option for a raised hood on this variant. Wing mirrors, pioneer tools, front headlights with clear lenses, and number plates are dotted around to finish off the build. Figures Two medium sized and one small sprue are devoted to the figure included in this boxing, depicting an officer discussing directions or tactics with one solider, while a machine-gunner carrying his MG34 and his ammo-man walk past, the latter laden down with two spare ammo cans, and the former draped with a length of ammo around his neck. The ammo is on the small sprue, and is so thin that it is flexible enough to form to shape, then tack with a trace of glue. All figures have gas mask containers, canteen, entrenching tool, daysack, pistol, MP40 pouches, binoculars (for the officer) and even bayonets included, which are all given detailed painting instructions on one sheet, while the main painting guide fills the other sheet with full colour printing. Markings Four decal options are supplied on the small sheet, with unit, number plate and tyre pressure stencils being about all that is to be seen. All options are from the Eastern front, with three shown in Panzer Grey, and one in the Sand Yellow scheme used later in the war. From the box you can build one of the following: 8.Pz.Div, Soviet Baltic, 1941 – grey Russia, Summer 2942 – grey Russian, Autumn, 1942 – grey KG 51, Russia, Summer 1943 – Dark Yellow '43 Conclusion A nice detailed model that benefits from the addition of the figures. A driver figure would have been nice to see, but as you're getting four well-sculpted chaps already, that feels a bit churlish. You can build it buttoned up, or with the bonnet, doors and tail-gate all hanging open, so it lends itself to inclusion in a diorama. Review sample courtesy of

Here's ICM's 1/48 scale Po-2 completed recently. Painted with Tamiya Acrylics for the uppers, Italeri RLM-65 for the unders, and some Vallejo metallics for the engine and machine gun. Built out of the box, with only the MG sights replaced with some PE scraps, some basic engine wiring added and seat belts added to the excellent ICMs offering. Rigged with elastic thread, after assembly and painting. Assembly was trouble free, and even the struts aligned with their locator holes properly. Replaced the kit provided ordnance with some from the ICMs I-153, just so. Kit decals used over painted IPs, with liberal application of Mr. Softer. The end result looks rather convincing.

Hi everyone!) Its ones of my series "one-week build" from the ukrainian manufacter. Seat belts - PE-parts for unknown manufacter. Painting - Vajjeio Metal Color Aluminium, decals - Begemot ("silver 6"). Weathering - Tamiya. Thanks for your attention. Konstantin.