Review Content

Just picked up the 48011 version of the a/c from RS models... Another summer project.

I wonder to ask if there a set in the wonderful 1/72 scale Regards Armando

Thanks for the above advice- I read this the day before I built up the empennage on mine, and after looking at a ton of reference you’re correct. The instructions show the part where the elevators attach to the tail plane from an upside down aspect, I wonder if there was a minor mistake in the graphics department and the elevators were shown right way up in the same diagram.

RNLI Severn Class Lifeboat (A07280) 1:72 Airfix Named after the River Severn, the Severn Class Lifeboat began life as the potential replacement for the existing RNLI all-weather lifeboats that were in service in the 1980s, improving range and endurance to put greater capabilities at the hands of the crew. The prototype was launched in 1991, and underwent development trials for most of the rest of the decade, while production class boats were in manufacture from 1995 onward, needing some alterations and upgrades before they went into service. Once the crews that were anticipating the boats at their locations saw the impressive new vessel that was the culmination of its numerous upgrades, they were keen to take them on as soon as possible, one such crew in Falmouth successfully requesting that the demonstrator be stationed at their boat house until their own was ready. The extended range and higher speed of the type made it an ideal replacement, allowing the crews to search longer, whilst covering more area, and help stranded craft further out to sea. They are built from a composite material that is fibre-reinforced for strength, paying particular attention to the keel and skegs that protect the screws, which were early victims of damage during trials. It is highly resistant to sinking, with up to two of the five compartments able to be flooded, and has all the latest communications, First Aid, and tracking systems onboard. It is powered by twin Caterpillar Marine Diesel engines for redundancy, and has a recessed bow thruster that increases the craft’s manoeuvrability at sea, allowing it to get in close proximity with vessels that it is attending. The Skegs are intended to protect the aft screws from damage in shallow water, and while the early incarnations were too easily damaged, the upgraded Skegs allow the boat to run over objects or aground without harming the propulsion system, giving the crew an audible warning in the form of a loud crunching sound if they’re getting too close to disabling their boat. For shallow water and other instances when the boat is too large for the task in hand, a Y-Class inflatable can be lowered into the water by the integrated crane to rescue or recover their target. Canada has also taken an extreme conditions adapted variant of the Severn Class boat on strength that are known locally as the Bay Class, although the Canadian boats are aluminium hulled, and have differences that make them suitable for extreme seas up to a 12 on the Beaufort (wind) scale. As of 2020, the RNLI was investigating the possibility of a life-extension programme to keep the Severn fleet in service for a further 25 years, taking the hull back to basics, and installing shock-resistant seats that will keep the crew safe in extreme seas. The Kit This is a new boxing of Airfix’s 2007 release of this RNLI lifeboat that can be seen in thirty-five harbours around Britain, in their distinctive bright orange, red and blue scheme, with another nine in the relief fleet in case they are needed. It’s quite incredible that our coastal seas are protected by a charity organisation, but they are, and they do a fine job of it too. The kit arrives in Airfix’s characteristic red-themed top-opening box with a Severn Class boat cruising close to shore on the front, and inside are four sprues in Airfix’s recent darker grey styrene, plus a clear sprue, decal sheet and instruction booklet in spot colour that has a colour painting and decaling guide slipped inside along with the decals. Detail is good, as anyone that has seen the kit already will attest, and while it is an exterior kit below deck, the superstructure includes interior parts that can be seen through the windows, or exposed by leaving the roof loose on your model, although care will be needed assembling this portion of the model. Furthermore, the model can be made waterline by cutting the keel from the hull along a raised line inside the parts, a line that extends across the front of the keel and along the vessel’s sides, cutting the lower stern using the drawings to guide you, as there isn’t a line there. Construction begins with the hull, which is built from keel, topsides, stern and a part that fits into a recess near the bow to depict the bow thruster. Inverting the hull shows off the Skegs, between which the twin shafts, supports and screws are fixed, adding rudders in their wake, with the option of fitting a pair of two-part stands to the undersides for display, or at least temporarily during the build process. On the stern, two bilge outlets and three trim-tabs with their actuator rods are fitted, and the deck is mated to the hull, adding a hatch with window that leads below deck. After painting the deck where the super structure will be, interior dividers and a bench seat are installed along with a console and forward bulkhead. The interior ribbing and various equipment boxes are moulded as two parts that sit on either side of the superstructure, linked at the top by a small roof frame, attaching the ship’s instruments around the forward section, plus a ship’s wheel that resembles a car’s. The next step omits the above-deck parts entirely from the drawings for clarity, installing five crew seats on bases, some of which are separate, other bases moulded into the deck. Vertical struts are also glued into the deck, then the aft wall with hatch and twin windows is fitted with a cylindrical fixture behind it, and additional details installed within, including grab handles and an additional window. Two low extensions are added behind, locating on holes in the deck surface, then the remainder of the outer structure is mounted on the interior ribbing after fitting windows to the sides and bridge, plus two outriggers at the rear, which are boxed in, with short ladders fitted aft. Various deck fittings and railings are added around the bow and midships, with more detail on the roof of the bridge, moving round to the stern with boxed rafts, ladders, the crane and more railings with attendant deck-fittings. Another round of railings is added to the sides along with the anchor and open chock tie-up points at various locations around the edges. The inflatable is made from upper and lower halves, adding an outboard motor to the stern, although this is usually protected by a cover in operation. Above the enclosed bridge is another exposed station with seats that allows the crew to sail the boat in the open, giving them a lofty vantage point over proceedings. The mast is supported on a frame that is built from four parts, adding the control station with its own wheel at the front, the location of which is marked in black on the instructions. It is surrounded by low walls, and has the various sensors and aerials fixed to the flat top of the mast support, adding angled windows to the front and sides to deflect spray. More railings are fitted around the inflatable on the top deck, with life rings, searchlights and twin aerials finishing off the build. Markings The decal sheet is large, and includes codes and names for all of the thirty-five boats in service, plus the nine relief boats that don’t have their own names allocated. Old and new style fonts are provided for the codes, depending on when you wish to depict your Lifeboat, which also extends to the RNLI flag and “Lifeboats” on the sides of the superstructure. From the box you can depict any of the fleet, as shown on the painting guide, using the scheme below: 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. In addition to the cheatline around the hull, there is a 10cm length spare that should be sufficient to cover most slip-ups, and RNLI in large blue letters for the open bridges of the reserve boats. Finally, there is a flag for the mast. Conclusion A welcome re-release of this important modern British Lifeboat with new decals, and revitalised instructions. There are some tips and tricks to be had if you search the previous builds over the years on this site, which will make your build progress well thanks to their efforts. It's worth noting the virtual 'sticker' on the top right of the box that states that at least £1.60 of the price of this model will go to the RNLI to assist them in their quest to keep the Nation's coasts safe. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

The French received quite a large number of the aircraft before the collapse. Otherwise I entirely agree, a superb book, especially for those aircraft from the French contract.

Douglas Boston/Havoc Photo Archive Number 28 ISBN: 9781908757418 Wingleader Publications The A-20 Havoc, better known to those with an interest in the Royal Air Force as the Boston, was a light bomber developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, California to a US Air Force specification issued in 1937. The aircraft’s initial customer was the French Air Force, who had been impressed by its performance whilst visiting the USA as part of a pre-war purchasing commission. The order was not able to be delivered to the French however, as by that time they were overrun and the armistice had been signed in 1940, but the contract was taken up by the RAF instead, who needed every aircraft they could lay their hands on. In RAF service it was known by the name Boston, and by the service code DB-7, with no fewer than 24 British and Commonwealth squadrons operating the Boston, either as a light bomber or night fighter such as the Havoc I Turbinlite, which was fitted with a powerful searchlight in the nose instead of the nose glazing or solid machine-gun equipped nose. The A-20 was also widely used by the USAAF after being met with initial indifference, and by the end of the war, almost 7,500 of the type had rolled off the production lines of various companies, including Boeing. By the time the A-20G began production in 1943 the glazed nose could be replaced by a solid alternative that carried a gun-pack, initially with four 20mm cannons plus two .50cal machine guns set slightly back under the nose, although they reverted to six .50cals later, due to the comparative inaccuracy of the cannons. The rest of the armament was standardised with .50cal guns in the newly powered top turrets and the ventral installation, the former requiring the widening of the fuselage to accommodate its bulk. The engines were upgraded to more powerful variants of Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone engines, and this became the most numerous variant, serving in US, British and Soviet Air Forces amongst other operators, replaced by the H and J variants with more powerful engines amongst other improvements. This twenty-eighth volume in the series covers the Boston and Havoc in the European theatre, starting with the early airframes that were subtly but importantly different from the later variants, although the jumble of variations between the Havoc and Boston and their sub-variants present a minefield to the uninitiated, a situation that the author Andy Thomas has tried to rectify with the assistance of technical details from Mark Harbour, ably abetted by Juanita Franzi who has drawn the colour profiles in extreme detail, complete with realistic lighting and weathering to bring more realism to the artwork. As is often the case, many of the photos are staged, but there are also many candid and personal archive shots, particularly those with crews standing proudly in front of their aircraft. A few of the photos are in colour, and offer a welcome insight into the colours that were used to camouflage the aircraft in service. There are photos of airframes that have been prepped for various missions, including Overlord, with stripes and other markings, the former exemplifying the argument that the invasion stripes weren’t always painted with utmost care. You then face the problem of convincing your viewers that it’s not just you demonstrating your shaking hands or lack of skill with masking, as scale has the effect of reducing the variance of the lines. A visually impressive book with plenty of reading material into the bargain that will have you coming back to it again and again. According to the introductory text on the inner cover, there is likely to be a second volume devoted to the aircraft’s service in Africa and Italy, as there was insufficient room in this busy volume that extends to 72 genuine pages, plus more data on the inner covers and several photos on both outer covers. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Looks good, some of the stuff will be very small in 1/48 though ....do they do a 1/35 version?

A nice set, Mike. There are one or two things that you probably wouldn't see until the mid to late fifties but otherwise it would make a nice display.

Garage Workshop (49011) 1:48 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd Garage workshops are places where you'll find tons of tools, shelves, tool boxes and all sorts, usually covered in muck and rust, save for those occasional workshops that are scrupulously clean due to the owner’s fastidious nature. During wartime, garages were often overrun, or pressed into use as temporary military workshops by invading or defending troops, and if they weren't co-opted to help the military, they continued to be used by the few vehicles remaining operational during a period where fuel was usually a scarce commodity due to the needs of the military. The Kit This set arrives in a figure-sized end-opening box and inside are six sprues in grey styrene, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass in a card envelope, a small decal sheet and an instruction sheet printed on both sides of a glossy A4 sheet. As well as a few instructions for the more complicated assemblies there are also posters printed in colour that can be cut out and stuck to the walls of your intended diorama, plus a colour rendering on the rear of the box, pointing out all the parts, their colours and where to place the decals on the cans and containers. Some of the sprues will be familiar if not identical to others from this expanding range, and there is a wide selection of items to populate your model. From the box you can build the following: 2 x fuel ribbed drums 2 x double-ribbed fuel drums 1 x ribless fuel drum 1 x Manual pump unit 1 x Bench-mounted grinder with two wheels 1 x Pillar drill 1 x Anvil 2 x Bench vice (2 types) 6 x Square fuel can of various sizes 2 x Triangular profile oil can 1 x Compressor with wheeled chassis 1 x Hacksaw 3 x Hammer 1 x G-Clamp 1 x Belly-Brace Drill 1 x Funnel 1 x Oil Can 2 x 5-shelf storage unit 2 x large 8 drawer cupboard on short legs 2 x tool box, one open, one closed with a styrene and PE toolkit and PE lid There are various other small hand tools such as clamps, hammers, wrenches, oil cans and other items dotted around the sprues and there are some decals for the cans as per the instructions. The larger assemblies are covered in the instructions and have many parts that result in faithful representations of the original that would be difficult to create yourself, but now you don't have to. Markings There are a few decals on the small sheet with their locations shown on the instructions. The various posters, 10 in total, range from car adverts through propaganda posters and even one tiny picture of a bathing scantily clad lady that is too small to make out any details. They're all in different languages too, so there will probably be one for most locations, within reason. Conclusion Another useful set from MiniArt, and even if you're not going to use them for an actual garage diorama, there's a lot of fodder for your models. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Studebaker US6-U3 US Military Truck (35490) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd Before WWII, Studebaker began development of a 2.5-ton truck for military and civilian use, that was capable of working equally well off-road and on, with a 6 x 6 drivetrain giving it good grip in all weathers. It was up against substantial competition however, and other designs were found to have better performance under the conditions prevalent in locations where the type was to be used, the Studebaker being better suited to cold weather operations. The first trucks arrived in the USSR in 1941 under the Lend/Lease agreement, where it was well-liked, resulting in Soviet Russia being the major overseas operator of the type, calling it the ‘Studer’ in their service, where they adapted it to various roles, including most famously as a Katyusha rocket launcher. It was powered by a 5.2L straight-six petrol engine that could output around 86hp and drove all six wheels, while the over-engineered engine boasted a low compression ratio that made it extremely reliable. It was its reliability and ruggedness that endeared it to its operators and drivers, and inspired Joseph Stalin to write a note after the war congratulating Studebaker on the design of the vehicle, and telling them of how useful it had been to their war effort. Many Studers were used post WWII in the Soviet Union, often with their military equipment removed. Even after retirement, the cab and general configuration was also used as the pattern for the GAZ-51 truck, although heavily modified due to technological progress in the meantime. The Kit The origin of this kit stems from 2007, when it was first released, but there have been many variants and additional parts added to the tooling in the interim, and it still gives the impression of being a thoroughly modern kit, with some impressive detail. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with the usual captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are five sprues of various sizes in grey styrene, a clear sprue in a separate bag, and a decal sheet between the pages of the colour printed instruction booklet that has profiles of the decal options on the rearmost pages. As already mentioned, detail is good, and the kit is a full chassis offering, with engine, cab, chassis and bodywork all provided, including a rather complex, single-part transmission system that is found under the ladder chassis. Construction begins unsurprisingly with the ladder chassis, spacing the two main rails apart with six cross-members of various designs, some of which are made from 2, 3 or four parts, plus more dotted around the chassis, and a pair of leaf springs at the front, which locate in recesses in the outer faces of the rails. The chassis is finished at the ends by a large bumper bar at the front, and a pair of sprung R-shaped forms on either side of the towing shackle. The engine is next, basing the work on a two-part block with separate cylinder head, end caps with fan-belt moulded into one end, air intake box and pathway, plus other ancillaries, and the fan itself. The gearbox is created from three parts and is mated with the rear of the engine, lowering the motor into the chassis and coupling up the radiator assembly, which has been made from inner and outer faces, plus header tank and feeder hose that links to the top of the engine, adding the exhaust system under the engine, leading back to a separate muffler that has the exhaust moulded-in, exiting the side of the chassis behind the cab. The monolithic transmission system is fleshed out with separate halves of the differential castings, plus half the casing of the transfer box between the front and rear wheels. A steering linkage is added to the front axle, and the completed assembly is then installed under the chassis, linking the first drive-shaft to the rear of the gearbox, and locating the three axles onto their mountings. At this stage the rear axles don’t yet have their springs, first needing the central mount between the twin axles, after which the inverted leaf springs, dampers, and tie-bars can be installed, plus more linkages added to the front axle both for steering and damping. Two sets of running boards are attached to the chassis by L-brackets on each side of where the cab will be, accompanied by a three-part fuel tank on the left side, and a two-part spare wheel on the right. The US6 rolled along on eight wheels, four sets of pairs that are made from five parts, and two singles at the front, each made from main carcass and inner sidewall, trapping a disc in the centre, in case you wish to leave the wheels mobile. The completed wheels are attached to the six axle ends with care, then the bodywork can begin. Work on the cab begins with the roof, windscreen frame and scuttle that are moulded as a single part, fitting the shallow-V shaped glazing from outside, and adding supports to the sides, with the dashboard inserted from beneath, applying three dial decals during the process. The firewall and kick board part has the lower sills and bottoms of the A-pillars glued to each side, mating them with the roof assembly once the glue has cured. The steering column has the wheel and separate boss applied to the top, joining it to the underside of the dash and kick board, then adding the three foot pedals around the base, mounting the four controls and gear lever on the floor, and the bench seat after building it from just three parts, including the base. The floor is slid in from behind, followed by the sides of the engine compartment, adding the battery into a recess in the left side after painting it and deciding whether to wire it into the engine. The front fenders are fitted to the sides, and the back is closed after inserting a lozenge-shaped window into the curved panel. Headlights with clear or hooded lenses are mounted on the wings along with side lights, with the grille applied to the front of the engine bay, the side extensions protecting the lights from frontal impacts. Crew doors keep the weather out, and have simple door cards moulded-in, to which the handles, winders and the window glass are installed, and these can be fitted open or closed as you wish. A pair of supports are fitted under the front of the wings, fixing the bonnet over the engine compartment, and adding outer door handles before mating the cab with the chassis, gluing the bottom of the steering column as you do so. This boxing has an open load bed with ribbed floor, raised sides, and fold-up benches for carrying personnel, which can be stowed upright with the supports hanging vertically, filling a rather draughty space that would chill the kidneys of anyone sitting on the seats. Flipping the load bed over, two longitudinal support rails and a rear light bar are fitted, followed by the four mudflaps with U-shaped supports that hold them to the correct angle. The bed can then be glued to the chassis, aligning the tabs with the corresponding slots that are found on the top of the chassis rails. Six curved tilt supports are included in this boxing, and they can be stacked in the front of the load bed, or fitted in place by cutting the lower portions from the parts before gluing them in. The final step involves adding windscreen wipers, wing mirrors and towing hooks to the cab, all in pairs. Markings There are four decal options on the included sheet, with four profiles and a cab top scrap diagram for each one, and you wouldn’t be wrong if you guessed they were all green. From the box you can build one of the following: United States Corps of Engineers, 1942 Rusty Dow’s Studebaker US6-U3 – Rusty was the first woman to drive on a military road in Alaska US Army in Europe, 1944 US Army in the Far East, 1945 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion Whilst this isn’t the first boxing of this kit, it’s an interesting option with a clutch of non-Soviet examples, and as we lost our last one before we managed to review it, it was good to see it. How we managed to lose a substantial box like that remains a mystery to this day. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Miss a double entendre opportunity, never... 😉

I thought everyone had missed that

I expect you can get an ointment for that....

That looks like the swollen rim, yes 😐

The RAC mk1 tank helmet looks a likely contender again first issued 1944, plus it had the regular type liner.. Shape is very similar to the paratrooper version.

Still look like the airborne shape to me.. "Turtle" type was only issued on and after June 6 '44 as far as I recall too, the figures look like they're pitched a bit earlier than that but who knows what miniart had in mind ? There's some nice extra bits and bobs in the set anyway 😁

As they are British WW2 Armoured Car crew I'll assume that is MiniArt's attempt at Turtle helmets

They look kinda like airborne or despatch rider helmets to me....?

They don't look like that, more like the Mk.6 Kevlar, TBH. I've added another pic to the review, but I'll reproduce it here to save your scroll-wheel The curve of the helmets are more domed than the one in your pic, and the brim is nothing more than a mild swelling around the rim That sounded dodgy.

There are variations in the shape of the Mk.III / Mk.IV 'Turtle' helmet but they generally look like this

IIRC they’re bowl-like without a rim, but I’m away from my desk right now, so can’t check. I’ve got to get back shortly though, so I’ll try and remember to have a look.

The 5 in a row on the last frame look like they may be late-WW2 Turtle helmets. But I can only see their tops If they are Turtles the crew could be used for early N.I. 'Troubles' with the Airfix Ferret

You sound like you know more names of the different headgear than me already, so have a zoom in. I saved the files at 1280 px so you could all see the detail

Do I see three types of head-gear; berets, brodies and ?

British Armoured Car Crew Special Edition (35387) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd All forces during WWII operated armoured cars, which whilst they were generally ineffective against tanks, were of immense use of great use when fighting infantry and lightly armoured vehicles or emplacements. They were also useful for reconnaissance, as they were able to cover greater areas in a shorter time than a similar-sized foot patrol, and had at least some level of protection if they should run into enemy forces, with the capability of withdrawing quickly, enabling the intelligence to get back to HQ for dissemination and a suitable response. This set contains five crew figures for a British armoured car of WWII, and arrives in a figure-sized end-opening box with a painting of the crew on the front, and instructions on the back, reusing the same painting but with arrows in blue pointing out suggested colours, and black showing the parts used for each one. Under the instructions is a chart that gives codes for Vallejo, Mr Color, AK RealColor, Mission Models, AMMO, Tamiya, plus colour swatches and generic names for completeness. Inside are five sprues of various sizes in grey styrene, two of which contain the figure parts, while the remaining three are full of accessories that can be utilised to personalise the figures, or as equipment to stow around the vehicle or diorama you are creating, with some finding their way into the spare parts box. The crew are in various poses, the most amusing of which is the driver, who is hunched over a large steering wheel, looking very intensely in the direction they are (hopefully) travelling. Three more figures are standing, two with one foot raised on something, the commander looking through his binoculars, while the other rests one hand on his hip, the other on a part of the vehicle. The fourth crewman is standing in a hatch with one hand on the deck, while he talks on the radio, whilst the final seated figure is leaning slightly back, supporting himself with one arm, and shading his eyes with the other hand. He and one of the standing figures are wearing shorts and have their long-sleeved shirt sleeves rolled up, while the rest of the crew are in long trousers and have their sleeves rolled down. This is because three of the crew are more suited to a North African location, whilst two are intended to be in European service. The commander is suitably ambiguous however, and can be used in either locale, and if you place some of the figures in turrets or hatches, their pant legs or nobbly knees won’t be seen anyway. The parts for each figure are found in separate areas of the sprues for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from MiniArt’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. Conclusion Superb injection-moulded styrene figures from MiniArt that will bring any British Armoured car to life, with clothing suitable for hot or cooler climate operations. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of