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Hi folk's due to building work I havn't touched a model in a couple of week's and it'll be a week or so before I get set up in the loft room where my modelling will have to be done but thinking ahead I ordered a kit for this GB in the form of ICM's He51 with float's,I've built one or two ICM kit's previously and found them a good experience overall and review's of this kit seem positive it certainly look's an atractive aircraft,here's the box art, should get a start in a week or two.

For my first WIP here, I'm doing the ICM Ju-88A-4 with a lot of aftermarket corrections. I will be doing a Finnish aircraft, JK-252. This was the only aircraft I could find clear evidence of without the forward-firing MGFF cannon in the gondola (which the kit lacks). Other Finnish-specific alterations will be the removal of the forward machine-gun and the dive brakes. First up is the surgery for the AIMS cockpit correction. After some pilot holes and work with the razor saw, I had the front portion of the underside fuselage off relatively cleanly. Test fit seems OK I also cut off the front of the removed section for re-use To compensate for the raised cockpit floor, it is necessary to shorten the seat supports Here is the initial layout planning. The AIMS correction fits well into the nose of the aircraft, but it would have been nice if the kit came with a bit more guidance on how the other components were supposed to fit inside the cockpit. There's not quite enough room in front of the seat for the control column, and the rudder pedal placement is very vague as well. On the underside, I used CA glue + talc to fill the seam between the palstic and resin sections, as well as some unnecessary panel lines, and sanded it smooth More layout planning, along with some Eduard photoetch Here is where we stand after adding the Eduard pre-painted interior photoetch, and installing most of the cockpit components. A few of the control levers flew off the tweezers into the great void of despair, but I got most of them on. The fuselage of my kit was warped, and formed a peak at the seam rather than a flat join; clamping was necessary to get the fuselage in the right profile. I also made a spacer out of some plastic rod to help the fuselage more accurately join with the bottom wing part that the cockpit is attached to. Wings attached. There are some medium gaps and clean-up to take care of, but nothing impossible.

Having given the stash a good staring at and having had a look through other peoples proposed builds and not wanting to duplicate others choices I have plumped for an aircraft I have liked for a long time, Dornier's classic Do-17Z, known as the "flying pencil" due to it's very thin fuselage. Although the Do-17Z was the version used by the Luftwaffe during the early phases of WWII it was rapidly replaced by more modern and capable aircraft such as the Ju-88 not long after the invasion of the Soviet Union, but for my build I will not be doing a Luftwaffe bird. I have long had an interest in the exploits of the Finnish Air Force during both the "Winter War" of 1939-40 and the "Continuation War" as Finland's involvement in WWII is known and have wanted to build a Finnish aircraft for a while and this GB has given me the ideal opportunity to build one it's aircraft, especially as the Scandinavian GB didn't get voted in. For my build I will be using ICM's recently released 1/48 kit of the DO-17Z which I will build pretty much OOTB. Here is a picture of the box lid. And the contents of the box, still sealed in the plastic bags. As I am not building a Luftwaffe example which is all that comes in the box (apart from a Croat flown one which has mostly Luftwaffe markings) I will be using an aftermarket decal sheet by SBS Models which has markings for 4 aircraft from the Finnish Air Force. And never being able to resist a winter camo scheme here is the scheme I have chosen. As I have roughly zero information on the DO-17 and it's use in Finland I will be building it as it comes so any useful help will be gratefully received, as will all your comments and criticisms during my build. Thanks for looking in. Craig.

Hi, Just starting up on this kit - and I want to get it right. I understand from various links on this Forum and others that there is a fix to be applied to make this into an RBT. Or vice versa - back date the kit to an RB. So let me verify my findings after spending a(n other) day on Google with you: RBT: Shape a bulge under the nose cone (or use an aftermarket part) Omit parts C21 & C22 and fill the recesses. RB: Shorten the upper parts of the air-intakes and cut them flush to the upper end of the intake fairing. Modify the parashut housing. Is this a correct summary? If someone could help with the correct color of the cockpit interior color that would be great as well. I have seen some postings here that are done in a greenish blue / bluish green color that look very close to references found on the web. But the instructions call for Tamiya XF-71. This is cockpit green. My Eduard MiG-21 printed IP has the same color as seen in your threads. My Eduard SU-27 printed IP is pale grey. Your advice would be very much appreciated. Best regards Johan

Mig-25RB 1:48 ICM In an attempt to fulfil the perceived need for a supersonic interceptor that could take off, climb to height and attack an incoming bomber stream, which at the time was the most efficient method for delivering the newly invented nuclear warheads, The Mig-25 Foxbat was created. It managed the job to a certain extent, but as it never truly achieved its goals, it was left to its successor the Mig-31 Foxhound before the task was handled competently, by which time the role of ICBMs was about to make the primary role redundant. The Mig-25's inadequacies were hidden from the West however, until the famous defection of a Soviet pilot to an airfield in Japan revealed that the Foxbat wasn't as high-tech and all-conquering as we had been led to believe, having many steel parts instead of the high-tech alloys that the investigators were expecting. The prototype flew in 1964, and was constructed primarily of stainless steel, and reached service at the turn of the decade, although it had been seen before that, both in reconnaissance photos of the West, as well as at some parades. The West assumed that the large wing was to aid manoeuvrability, when in fact it was a necessity due to the aircraft's enormous weight, which made it a fast aircraft, but changing direction was a chore due to all that momentum wanting to carry on in the direction it was travelling. It was also lacking in the avionics department, especially in one crucial aspect. It had no capability for targeting aircraft that were lower than itself, which coincided with the change in tactics to low level attack by the Western Allies, so a lack of look-down/shoot-down capability was a serious deficiency. Nevertheless, several hundred were made, with the last one rolling off the production line in 1984 with a number of export orders into the bargain. The RB was the earlier reconnaissance variant of the RBT, both being based upon the original R, with cameras ELectronic INTelligence (ELINT) gathering equipment, but incrementally improved, as well as given the capability to carry bombs with addition of the Peleng automatic bombing system, which themselves went through some growing pains during implementation before they reached the Peleng 2, which was deemed more satisfactory all round. Although it suffered from some serious deficiencies, it held a number of speed and altitude records, and was theoretically capable of Mach 3, so could give an SR-71 a run for its money, probably at the expense of significant damage to its engines however. Attempts to improve the Foxbat were unsuccessful, and the Foxhound was its eventual replacement, and delivered everything that was expected of its forebear, staying in service until it is replaced by the Pak-Fa at some point in the near future. The Kit This is the second edition of the Mig-25, the first being its younger sibling the RBT, so this is a minor retooling of the original moulds, the review of which you can see url=http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235016497-mikoyan-mig-25rbt-foxbat-148]here[/url]. The new box is the usual box-within-a-box style that ICM favours, with new artwork of the RB from a low angle that gives a good sense of its size. Inside are nine sprues of grey styrene, three of which are new, and one has been changed from the original boxing, plus a clear sprue, two sheets of decals and a colour printed instruction booklet with painting guide to the rear. The clear parts are bagged separately from the rest of the sprues, and both are secured with resealable tape in case you prefer to keep your kits in the bags. The decals are inserted between the pages of the instructions, and have a waxy cover sheet lightly adhering to each sheet. As already mentioned, the changes have been made to one of the existing sprues, to give the correct "hump" fairing under the nose, and adding a new sprue with the shorter intake toppers, the bow-shaped para-brake fairing between the engines, and the relocated nose from the original RBT boxing, so that the RB nose fairings are in the correct place, as are those for the RBT, which should hopefully ship with the revised sprue for new batches of the RBT. Several parts will remain unused for this boxing, and these are helpfully marked with a transparent red overprinting on the sprue guide, which includes the huge centreline tank, the intake tops, the bullet-shaped para-brake housing, and a couple of small fairings. Construction follows pretty much the same pattern as the RBT kit, and from experience the interior builds up nicely, although I'm still not sure why a clear set of instrument dials is supplied to fit behind the panel. The intakes build up identically too, as do the wheel bays, all of which fits inside the lower fuselage "floor". With the bulkheads and assemblies in place the sides of the fuselage are added, the nicely detailed exhausts constructed, slid inside and covered by the upper fuselage, to which the new shorter intake tops are glued, completing the earlier style intakes. The tails are fitted along with the rear side fuselage section, which gives them good strength, and a choice of either the RBT-style pointed fairing, or the new earlier bow-shaped fairing for the para-brake between the engines is glued into its recess. The short wings are constructed next, with a cover on the outer pylon, and the new super-skinny pylon for a 500kg bomb on the inner. The almost completed airframe is given a choice of bumps on the nose, again depending on the version you are modelling. The reconnaissance camera pack fills the rear of the void with some clear lenses, and you are advised to put 25g of nose weight in to keep the nose wheel on the deck. It is added to the fuselage, the well-detailed gear bays are given similarly well-done doors, and the two-part (balloon-like) main wheels are slid onto the axles, as are the twin nose wheels. The canopy, pitot probe and another probe to the right of the canopy are the final fittings unless you are adding some bombs. The full complement of bombs for the RB was eventually tallied up to around 4 tonnes, which meant a stash of eight 500kg bombs could be carries, two under each of the wings, and four under the fuselage in packs of two, for which you will need to drill some 1mm holes in the places notes on the instructions. Markings At first glance it looks like there are only two decal options, but there are in fact four, but as they are all grey it gets a little confusing until you focus. From the box you can build one of the following: Mig-25RB 154th Independent Ait Detachment, Cairo-West (ARE), May 1974 – marked blue 57 with no national markings. Mig-25RB, Soviet Air Force, late 70s – Marked Blue 55 with Soviet red star. Mig-25RB, 63rd Independent Air Detachment, United Arab Republic, 1971-72 – UAR flag on the tail, with roundels on the wing. Mig-25RB (late production), Iraqi Air Force, 1980 – Iraqi flag on the tail, triangular "roundel" on wings and fuselage. The decals are printed with ICM's logo and have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The stencils are printed on a separate sheet, are legible and their locations are called out via a page in the instructions so as not to clutter the profiles with too many arrows. The centres of the UAR roundels are spot on in the centre, which is always a risk when designing decals, as any offset is easily spotted. Conclusion It might seem a fairly minor re-tooling to the uninitiated, but it has been eagerly anticipated, and the new parts show that ICM have been diligent in researching the differences, as well as changing out the early nose fairing for future releases of the RBT kit too. Detail is excellent, the panel lines are restrained, and construction follows a logical process. Just take care with the location of the internal assemblies to make sure that they are correctly placed, and the outer skin should fit well. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

After the RBT (thread here: link), ICM is to release in Q3 2017 a 1/48th MiG-25RB "Foxbat-B" (new variant - photo reconnaissance and bomber) 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.

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.

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 1942 – 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

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.

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

Großer Kurfürst WWI German Battleship 1:700 ICM The Großer Kurfürst was the second of four König Class battleships, all of which served in the Imperial German Navy during the First World War. Laid down in 1911, the Großer Kurfürst was launched in May 1913 and commissioned just over a year later, just days before the outbreak of the Great War. She was armed with ten 30.5cm (12 inch) guns and was capable of 21 knots. She participated in a number of engagements during the War, most notably the great battle of Jutland, which she survived without major damage. In common with most other capital ships of the High Seas Fleet, she was interned at Scapa Flow following the signing of the armistice in November 1918 and scuttled on the orders of Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, before being raised as part of the recovery operation pioneered by Ernest Cox. This isn't the first kit of the Großer Kurfürst; ICM released a 1:350 version some time ago, while Combrig produced a resin kit some years previously. This is a welcome and affordable alternative to the resin kit, and represents another addition to the small surge of WWI-era kits we've seen released during the 100th anniversary of that conflict. Inside ICM's typically robust box are five frames of grey plastic, as well as a couple of red plastic components, a black display stand, full colour instructions, decals and self-adhesive name lables. Moulding is clean and crisp, with plenty of fine detail. Construction begins with the lower hull. The instructions suggest that the outermost propeller shafts and the trio of propellers be added to the lower hull prior to joining it with the upper hull. Personally I would add the propellors at the end, as they are bound to get damaged during the build, but of course it's your choice. You can omit this stage altogether if you want to finish the model in waterline configuration. Once the hull is complete, construction moves on to the deck. The casemate for the secondary armament, along with the fourteen gun turrets, has to be fitted to the underside of the forecastle, before the forecastle can, in turn, be joined to the main deck. The decks themselves are nicely detailed, with chains and planking moulded in place. Construction of the turrets is fairly straightforward, with each of the ten 12 inch guns independently poseable. The squat superstructures are fairly straightforward too, although you'll need to remember to add the tertiary armament casemate before fixing the bridge superstructure to the forecastle. Finishing details include funnels, searchlight platforms, stairways, davits, masts and anchors. A full completment of boats is included, and very nicely detailed they are too. The display stand will be handy if you wish to finish your model in full hull configuration. Personally I'd be tempted to opt for the waterline option, as part of a diorama with one of Mark One's Zeppelins drifting through the skies above! The colour scheme shows Großer Kurfürst as she appeared in 1915. The decals, such as they are, look nicely printed. Conclusion We've seen quite a few WWI-era battleships released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the conflict, so this kit is already in good company. While a nice set of photo etch will be required to bring the kit up to competition standard, ICM have done a great job of providing a platform to work from. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello again.

My first entry into this excellent GB is one from the "other side" of the Iron Curtain and a very iconic Cold War beast it is, ICM's new 1/48 Mig-25 RBT. Now I have been watching a couple of excellent WIP's of this beast and it seems that OOTB it is more akin to the RB version, that suits me fine as both RB's and RBT's were used by GSFG during the 1970's. Equipped for very high speed bombing missions (it's where the "B" comes from in it's version) as well as the usual reconnaissance missions they formed a vital part of the the WARPAC military machine. An excellent overview of their operations can be found here; http://www.16va.be/3.4_la_reco_part4_eng.html . This website is excellent for info and photo's of Soviet aircraft in Germany during the Cold War. Here are the ubiquitous box + contents pictures. The box. It's contents. And the only extras I have for it (so far!), the excellent decal sheets by Begemot. I was very tempted by the Bulgarian option but I don't think they started using them until the 80's, so Soviet it shall be. I'm not sure exactly when I shall start this as I'm in the middle of an F-16 for the STGB at the minute but I can't see me holding off for long. Craig.

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

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.

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

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

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

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