Mike

Quite. This thread will be locked if those that have drifted into politics can't control themselves. That's the only warning you'll get, I'm afraid.

Sd.Kfz.250/1 Ausf.B – Neue Ausführung (SA72005) 1:72 Special Armour by Special Hobby The Sd.kfz 250 was a light armoured halftrack similar in appearance to the Hanomag Sd.Kfz.251/1. Both were a mainstay of the German armoured Personnel Carrier fleet, but were flexible enough to also take up many other tasks. With two steerable wheels at the front, the rear was carried on tracks, giving it good clearance and rough ground capabilities that a truck simply could not manage once the going got tough. It was armoured sufficiently to deflect non-armour piercing rounds from small arms fire, but with an open top it was susceptible to both grenades and plunging fire, where the armour would concentrate the blast inside to the detriment of the occupants. Almost 6,000 examples were produced between 1940 and the end of WWII, and the vehicle was in service in time for the invasion of France, serving in most theatres in which the Wehrmacht fought to the bitter end. Fifteen official variants were produced, including ammunition carriers to support StuG batteries and signals cars that were equipped with radio sets. Other variants were equipped with heavy weapons that enabled them to provide infantry support. As a testament to their versatility, usefulness and durability, the type was sometimes reused when captured by Allied forces and insurgents taking back their homeland toward the end of the war, and they were kept in service for some period afterward where needs required. The Kit This is a reboxing of a kit that was originally released under the Mk.72 label, tooled for them by Special Hobby in 2013, although many new parts have been added to the series over the years, as can be seen by the differing style and colour of one of the sprues. The kit arrives in a figure-sized end-opening box that has a painting of the subject on the front, and the three decal options printed on the rear. Inside are four sprues in two shades of grey styrene, a sheet of decals, and the instruction booklet, printed in colour on glossy paper in A5 format. Bizarrely, the box states that PE and resin parts are included in the kit, which isn’t the case as confirmed both by contents and the sprue diagrams, so we removed the text from the box art. Construction begins with the lower hull, which is made up into a shallow dish from three sections so that the road wheels for the tracked portion of the vehicle can be interleaved behind the drive sprockets, which are both made from two parts each. The tracks are found on the sand-coloured sprue, and are shortened by five links to fit the chassis, as shown in the accompanying scrap diagram, and here a little heat judiciously applied might be beneficial to help the styrene wrap around the sprockets at the ends. The front wheels are each made from two halves, and these are fixed to the steering axle that is made up from six parts, with a wheel on each end. The crew compartments are made up next, starting with the driver’s compartment, which has much of the detail moulded into the floor, plus a dashboard with steering column and wheel, joined by two seat backs, control levers and two stowage boxes. The rear compartment is tread-plated in the lowest areas, and fixes to the back of the drivers’ section, with an additional seat, and a two-door cabinet at the rear, plus a stack of double drum mags for the machine gun behind the chair. The sloping centre sections of the body sides are glued in place on the lower hull after the interior is installed, adding a pair of towing hooks at the front, and the fenders with stowage boxes moulded into the surface, adding a stowage box in the space between the wheels on one side, and a barrel-shaped exhaust in the other. The upper hull is moulded as a single part, and is fixed on top of the centre section along with the rear bulkhead and a fold-down platform that stows near vertically in the left side, adding a fire extinguisher and more ammo toward the rear. The front armoured radiator cover, and crew compartment vision slots are fixed to the front, and a door, towing hitch, and two jerry cans in racks are added to the rear to complete most of the structural work. A mounting plate with an MG34 on pintle mount and a splinter shield are made and fixed to the front of the passenger compartment, adding another on a pivot at the rear of the compartment, then racking four Kar.98s on the sloped right side of the interior. A pair of wire cutters and an axe are fitted to the front arches, adding some slightly oversized width-indicator ‘lollipops’ to the corners of the wings and a convoy light to finish the build. If you’re a detail hound, we reviewed resin sets for the wheels and tracks some time ago that you can see here. Markings There are three choices on the small decal sheet, in service in various parts of the European theatre. From the box you can build one of the following: Sd.Kfz 250 Ausf. B (Neu), WH-1651812, Panzeraufklärung Abteilung 70, 4. Kavalerie Division. At the end of the war the vehicle was found in Mörtelsdorf, Austria, put out of service Sd.Kf 250 Aus. B (Neu), 388, WH-1629146, 3. Grenadier Kompanie, Panzer Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland, Lithuania 1944 Sd. Kfz 250 Ausf. B (Neu), 339, SS-900915, 3./SS-Pz. Aufkl. Abt. 11 - 11.SS Panzergrenadier Division Nordland (Schwedenzug - Swedish volunteers platoon), Berlin, May 1945. The vehicle was destroyed on the corner of Friedrichstrasse and Reinhardtstrasse on 2 May 1945. The crew including a Swedish female nurse volunteer were killed The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion Another well-detailed Sd.Kfz.250 to add to the roster in 1:72, broadening the range, and adding some more esoteric decal options with a story behind them, as detailed in the accompanying text. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Late 80s in the original Nissan Micro Booble car. Couldn’t tell you which colour it was, but I then hopped into my parents’ Austin Maxi 1750L later that same day. Quite a change, but I managed.

US Army K-51 Radio Truck with K-52 Trailer (35418) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd The Chevrolet G506 truck formed the basis of a range of 4x4 load-carrying vehicles that could carry up to 1.5 tonnes of cargo, men or equipment. They were initially made under the 4100 code, then were renamed as the 7100 series, and usually had a standard enclosed cab, with a 3.9L straight-6 engine under the bonnet, and a four-speed “crash” (non-synchromesh) gearbox putting out a little over 80hp through all four wheels. It rapidly became the Allies’ standard light truck, and served in substantial quantities on the Western Front, with the Soviets on the Eastern Front, and the forces fighting Japan in the Far East. There were many variants, some in US Army service, others in USAAF service, with almost 50,000 of two specific types, the G7107 and G7117 sent over to the Soviets in large numbers under the Lend/Lease program. The G7105 variant was a fully-enclosed van-bodied truck that had a full metal bodyshell to protect the contents, and thanks to its twin wheeled rear axle, it was capable of carrying the same load as its open-topped siblings. They were used extensively by the Signal Corps, but are relatively rare in the overall panoply of chassis types for this series. Their low production quantities and participation in WWII trimmed their numbers further, so they are quite rare compared to others of the type, but some still survive of course, and can be seen occasionally at historic vehicle rallies and get-togethers of like-minded enthusiasts. When it is full of radio equipment and personal gear, a trailer expands its carriage capacity to include a generator or similarly heavy piece of kit. The Kit This is a new boxing of a recent G506 tooling from MiniArt, and is one of a large and still expanding range that is to be found in your favourite model shop. It’s a full interior kit, with engine, cab and both load areas included, along with some appealing moulding and detail, particularly in the cab, the equipment and those chunky tyres. It arrives in one of MiniArt’s medium-sized top-opening boxes, and inside are twenty-six modular sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, Photo-Etch (PE) sheet in a card envelope along with a short length of metal chain in a heat-sealed bag, decal sheet and glossy instruction booklet with colour profiles on the front and rear pages. Detail is excellent, and well up to MiniArt’s usual standards, using PE parts to enhance the model, and finely moulded details of the chassis, running gear, trailer, cab and interior areas. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, which has leaf-springs fore and aft, cross-braces and rear towing eye fitted to create the structure, then has the fuel tank with PE retention bands, PE rear bumper irons folded around a styrene jig, and axles installed on leaf springs, before the brake drums/hubs, battery and external brackets are added to the chassis rails. The transfer box and drive-shaft join the two axles together, and a steering linkage and box are inserted into the front of the chassis, then the engine is built up based on the straight six-cylinder block, with carburettor, dynamo and transmission added, plus the serpentine pulleys and fan at the front. The engine and substantial front bumper iron are fitted to the chassis, assembling the exhaust and its muffler, which slip into the underside of the chassis from below, held in position on PE brackets at the exit. The wheels are built with singles at the front, made from two parts each, and with twin wheels at the rear, again with separate outer sidewalls. Each wheel slips over its respective axle, with the hub projecting through the central hole. The three-part radiator housing is layered up, with the rear part having a hole that allows the air from the fan to cool the radiator when stationary, mounting on the front of the chassis and mating to the input and outlet pipes already in position. The crew cab is next, beginning with the firewall and forward sidewalls. The firewall is detailed with dash pots fixed to the forward side, and is set aside until it is needed toward the end of building the bodyshell, which is next. The sides of the van have a separate ribbing insert layered on the insides, to be joined to the floor after the raised platform for the crew seats is installed, fixing two four-part seats on top, and a small forest of levers in the centre of the floor. The floor is inverted to install the sidewalls, putting a short fuel filler tube on the outside that matches up with the extension within that leads to the tank. This boxing has a wall of radio gear assembled on the left side from a host of parts, and a long bench seat along the other with four cushions as a single part, with some impressive fabric sag moulded-in. Above the seats is a double cabinet with fake sliding doors, and PE chain straps at the sides, which is fitted near the rear along with a fire extinguisher on the right side. The rear light clusters are mounted on PE brackets on the rear of the side panels, one per side, and as is often the case with instruction steps, they may be better left of until after main painting. The rear valance plugs into the floor on two pins, joining the two side panels together on the lower edge. The dashboard inserts into the A-pillars that are moulded into the roof, with seven decals for the instruments and stencils on the glove box, plus two more on the headliner by the rear-view mirror, which installs into the front of the roof panel. The steering column is joined to the underside of the dash, adding a courtesy light, vent and six curved ribs to the inside of the roof in grooves. The rear doors and their interior cards are assembled with their handles, locking mechanism in a fairing with a flat PE surround, plus handles on both sides of the right door, and clear window glass with rounded corners. The crew doors and their interior cards are assembled with handles and window winders, plus the clear window glass that can be posed open or closed at your whim. The windscreen frame has the two clear panes fitted, and has a pair of PE brackets and styrene wingnuts that are installed either vertically for closed, or at an angle for open, with a scrap diagram showing the correct orientation of the various parts, and below it on the scuttle is a ventilator panel that can be posed open or closed as you prefer. The steering wheel is fixed to the top of the column, the diagonal kick panel is joined with the firewall and fitted out with three foot pedals, and a button that I think is the parking brake. The roof and firewall assembly are fitted to the growing bodyshell assembly with a choice of aerial bases on the roof in front of the vent cowling that sits on a PE base, while the rear doors are installed within the frame in the open or closed position if you prefer, adding a short stay from wire of your own stock, and two PE eyes on the corners of the roof nearby. Two rear arches are fitted under the floor into recesses, projecting past the line of the bodywork to encompass the twin rear wheels, then with the body righted, a pair of wing mirrors are glued onto the cab in front of the doors at handle-height on long struts with PE brackets at the bottom, posing the doors open or closed again as you wish. The body and chassis are mated, and a choice of cowling panels that fit to the sides of the engine compartment after adding a V-brace under the bonnet, then fitting the front wings that incorporate the section of running boards under the doors that joins up with the rear boards. The front of the vehicle has its headlights with clear lenses plus sidelights fitted to the wings, and PE windscreen wiper blades are hung from the top of the frame on styrene arms, then the front grille is built. You may have noticed that this appears on the sprues too for a simpler build process, but a more detailed and realistic grille can be fabricated from the PE parts on the fret. It is constructed completely from PE, and two styrene jigs are included on the sprues to assist with accurately creating the correct shape. The lower rail, light cages and curved side panels are made up on one jig from a single piece of PE, while the centre panel is folded up on another, then they’re joined together ready to be attached to the front of the engine bay. There are two PE brackets stretched across the front of the radiator, but if you elected to use the styrene grille, this process is condensed down to nipping the part from the sprue, cleaning the sprue gates, and gluing it to the front of your truck, removing a small curved section from the left of the styrene grille as it is glued in place. The bonnet can be fitted open or closed with a PE stay that is provided in the centre of the panel for the open option. Two additional stowage boxes are built out on the sides of the truck, with separate doors, PE padlocks, and a plate on the top to protect it from damage, one of them having a pioneer tool rack applied to the rear side, which has PE clasps and styrene tools provided to complete the details. It is attached to the right stowage box, and has a wire reel made up and fixed on a pin in a hole behind it, adding a choice of aerials and their tie-downs on the roof, varying depending on which aerial base you installed earlier. A small PE strap stops the roll unreeling during transit, just like the real (reel?) one. K-52 Trailer During WWII, the US used two small two-wheeled trailers for transporting additional equipment and other essential stores around the battlefield, towed by trucks and other vehicles that had at least a ¾ ton payload carried internally. There were two major variants, one for carrying many types of equipment and designated as G-518, the other a specialist water carrier that was given the catalogue designation G-527. The main contractor was Ben-Hur Manufacturing Co., which garnered it the nickname ‘Ben-Hur Trailer’, and its 1-ton load capacity in 3.2m3 volume meant that it saw a lot of action, mostly ignored by war historians and modellers alike, as it was a transport and not as interesting as the things that went bang. Nevertheless, there were over a quarter of a million built, and many of them spent their days dutifully following a Chevrolet truck around the roads and tracks of Europe and the Far East. This is a derivative of a new tooling from MiniArt, launched just after the G-527 Water Buffalo we reviewed recently, this kit has excellent detail as usual with MiniArt, including a full chassis, well-rendered chunky treaded tyres, and even a set of slat extensions to the sides of the structure with moulded-in wooden texture. Construction begins with the bodywork, starting with the two sides that have leaf springs moulded-in, which have the axle retention bolts added to both sides, PE tie-down loops down the sides, and the light cluster that is fitted on a PE bracket next to the rear suspension mount. A choice of external framework to the sides with or without the extension slats is glued to the sides, including small PE brackets at both ends of the slatted sections. The wheels are built from two parts, the larger having the outer hub, tyre carcass and the tread moulded as one, the smaller having the opposite sidewall details moulded-in. They are then put to one side while you build up the rest of the load area. The two sides are mated with the floor part, adding brake actuators underneath and on the side, and bringing in the ends to create the load box, with more PE brackets and foot stirrups to aid entry. While the chassis is upside down, the two-part inner hubs are fitted to the ends of the axles, adding a short length of 0.5mm wire to each one, and another length to a bracket under the floor. The towing frame is made from two converging lengths, which are fixed under the front of the floor on a pair of U-bolts, while a pair of mudguards are mounted on the chassis sides on pegs, inserting the wheels into their wells. The load bed is populated by a large generator that fills most of the area with a storage box at the front, which is first to be mad, including a PE padlock for security. Four jerry cans with PE straps are made with spare fuel to power the generator, starting work on the rear face where the control panel is located, which can be posed open or closed. The open option involves two PE door sections, the largest of which is the door that pivots up and slides into the housing with a styrene handle that is also found on the styrene closed door. Seven PE wingnuts are inserted between dividers for power connectors, which will still be visible when the main door is closed, exposing the wingnuts. This is fitted as one end of the generator’s cowling, adding another to the other end, and gluing PE handles between the columns of louvres on the sides, plus a pair of styrene tie-down loops. The opposite end has a radiator core mounted in the centre, and the top cowling has curved edges, and four more PE grab handles, a lifting eye, and a filler cap on the rolled edge. The tailgate is completed by adding the PE retaining pins on chains at floor level, then the two-part towing eye is mounted atop the front of the A-frame, and a jockey-wheel is built from two halves plus a yoke and pivot, with an alternate all-steel wheel if you prefer. This can be fitted under the hitch in either horizontal position for travel, or vertically for a parked trailer, locking it in place between two halves of the pivot. Another longer length of wire is fitted under the left chassis rail and hitch frame, dangling the end down over the hitch, adding a plug for the electronics, which has a hole moulded-in for the wire. The safety chains are cut to length, and are each trapped between two halves of their bracket, adding the hook on the loose end after drilling a hole in the part first. For protection of the equipment in bad weather, a tarpaulin cover can be made from five sides, adding PE clasps to the opening end, straps to the front, and short lengths of wire to represent the bungees that hold the tarp down around the lower edges. If you elect not to cover the generator with a tilt, the stowage box, generator and four jerry cans are installed on the floor, strapping a spare tyre under the chassis on a PE frame, which is held in place by a small hook at the rear. A third choice involves a slatted extension to the trailer’s sides, adding PE brackets to the sides earlier in the build, and fitting front and rear slatted sections to the front and rear, topping off the vertical sections with curved supports for the tilt when fitted. Markings There are five decal options on the sheet wearing green, including 1one in British service that has black camouflage over the top. From the box you can build one of the following: British Forces Radio Station, 8th Army Sector, Italy, October 1944 1st Armoured Division, 829th Signal Battalion, North Africa, Spring 1943 102nd Infantry Division, ETO, Autumn 1944 US Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, Pacific 1944-5 Corps Signals Unit, 2nd Polish Corps, Italy 1944-5 Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This is an interesting variant of the G506 chassis doing the job that many of this type were built for, and with the addition of the trailer it looks substantially different from its siblings, which with the detail that MiniArt pack into all their kits, it’s a very tempting offering. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Even if that's the case, it's just another thing that's making Boeing's products look shoddy. Every single thing that goes wrong, falls off or dribbles out of a Boeing for a LOOOOOONG time is going to have that effect

Oopsie! Boeing's entire culture is broken, and it stems from the top down. The CEO is just some big paycheck who they can sack off to make it all look like he's to blame, paying him handsomely in the process, but the problem is way deeper than that. I suspect they'd do better even if they just took all the McD execs out of the equation, as that seems to be when the rot set in. Like flies round

I've used my PS-270 to spray all sorts over the years. It's a bomb-proof brush with very little in the way of foibles. I've also got a PS-770 and the more recent PS-771, which are the fine brushes with .18mm needles. They're almost (read: completely) identical to Iwata, and cost a lot less, even in these inflationary times. I can't get enough of the Gunze Sangyo brushes, apart from their weird names. What's a Procon Boy?

I forgot to mention - there's an A2 calendar included in the box that is folded in quarters, with the box art and all the months of 2024 along the bottom edge. If I had some spare wall, it would be up there!

We got ours yesterday evening, and the review is now complete:

B-26B Marauder (48320) 1:48 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd Instigated on the eve of WWII in Europe, the Marauder was a medium bomber developed over two years by the Glenn L Martin company, entering service in early 1942. Due to its high wing and relatively small planform, loading was high, which resulted in a faster than usual landing speed, which could cause problems for an inexperienced crew during final approach, and similarly if a single-engined approach was necessary. Its stall speed would bite the pilots aggressively if they varied even slightly from the documented landing procedures, resulting in excessive losses due to accidents, which earned it the nickname ‘Widowmaker’ amongst crews. To counter this, changes to the aircraft’s aerodynamics and wing length were undertaken, together with additional crew training, a combination that proved successful, and led to the type’s loss rate being amongst the lowest of the Allies bomber fleet. After initial orders, more followed, and improvements led to the B-26A, and soon after the B-26B, which by Block 10 benefited from longer wings and the other improvements that gave its pilots a longer life-expectancy. The type saw extensive service in Europe, flying with the US Army Air Force and with the RAF, where it was known as the Marauder Mk.1 for B-26A airframes, and Mk.1a for the B models. It also saw service in the Pacific, with a total of over 5,000 airframes built, 500 of which were flown by the RAF, with all airframes withdrawn from service by 1947, after which the A-26 Invader was given the B-26 designation, creating confusion amongst many aviation buffs and modellers over the years. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine in nacelles under the wings, the rotund fuselage could carry up to 4,000lbs of bombs in a bay between the wings with a range of 1,500 miles at a substantially higher cruising speed than a B-17, giving it a better chance against fighters and flak, which contributed to its low attrition rate. An early adaptation saw the main armament increased from .303 machine guns to .50cals in all four turrets that could take a bigger bite out of any enemy fighters that ventured too close. The Kit This is a brand-new tooling from ICM, of an aircraft that has been neglected for many years in 1:48 scale, so there was much joy when the kit was announced, and many of us, myself included, have been waiting as patiently as we can manage for its release. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with an attractive painting of a brace of Marauders braving flak over Europe, and under the lid is the usual captive flap on the lower tray, and under that are eight large sprues in grey styrene, plus one of crystal-clear parts, a large decal sheet and the instruction booklet that is printed on glossy paper in colour with painting and decaling profiles on the rear pages. Detail is up to ICM’s modern high standards, with most of the fuselage full of detail that includes the cockpit, bomb bay and fuselage compartments around the turrets and waist gun positions. Construction begins with the fuselage halves for a change, preparing the interior by drilling out some flashed-over holes for gun packs used on two decal options, and adding the outer bomb racks plus other small details, along with the windows and hinges for the bomb bay if you plan to pose them open. There are also two decals to be applied to parts of the nose compartment, one on each side. The nose bay is built upon its roof, adding side walls and details to the interior, then the cockpit floor is layered on top, fitting the pilot’s four-part seat and separate rudder pedals, making the centre console from another five parts, and attaching the instrument panel to the rear, both it and the console receiving decals to depict the dials. The cranked control column has a bow-tie yoke, applying them to the floor in front of the pilot’s seat, and a bottle behind it, plus a single-part co-pilot seat, two-part yoke, and a stiff neck from straining to view the instrument panel. In the front of the floor is the bomb aimer’s seat, with a three-part sight for him to look through when the time for dropping bombs arrives. The bomb bay front and rear bulkheads have spars moulded-in and show off the circular cross-section of the fuselage, detailing both with small parts, and joining them together via the roof, which is ribbed for strength. Six bombs are built from two main parts with a separate spinner trapped inside the fin structure, gluing three to each of the central bomb ladders, then mounting those onto a pair of rails that fit into the bottom centre of the two bulkheads during the installation of the bay roof. The completed assembly is inserted into the port fuselage half, hiding the short empty sections of the fuselage by inserting another bulkhead behind the bomb bay and in front, the latter having the cockpit floor slotted into it before installation. Before the fuselage halves can be closed, there is a lot of armament to be built, starting with the rear gun turret, which has two guns glued to a central support, sliding the barrels through the two slots in the rear cover, and adding a tapering bracket to the top. The fuselage waist defensive armament is stowed away inside until needed, mounting the two guns facing aft on a section of flooring via two supports, which is depicted with two options, although I can’t see any differences between the two, but it’s late. The waist guns are glued into the rear fuselage on a flat area, inserting the rear turret in the aft, and fitting an armoured bulkhead forward, which the gunner sits behind on a circular seat that is also included. The top turret has the front section with ammo cans built first, inserting it and the gunner’s seat into the turret ring from below along with the control levers. The twin .50cals are inserted from above with the sighting gear between them, slotting the completed interior into a surround, then sliding the glazing over the barrels and securing it with a non-fogging glue before it is slipped into the cut-out on the upper fuselage. Another ovoid bulkhead with a hatchway is inserted between the rear gunner and waist gunners, suspending a box overhead in the waist compartment, then sectioning off the nose from the cockpit with a horseshoe-shaped bulkhead. If you skipped ahead and prepared the starboard fuselage half to speed through painting and weathering, it’s all good, otherwise the starboard fuselage is drilled out and dotted with detail parts, windows, braces and bomb racks, plus bomb bay hinges if you are leaving the doors open, then closing the two halves after putting 50g of nose weight in the space between the cockpit and bomb bay to keep the nose wheel on the ground when the model is complete. The tail fin is a separate assembly on this kit, starting by gluing the two halves of the fin together, then building the stabilisers as a single unit made from a full-span lower and two upper parts plus two smaller inserts. The two assemblies are brought together at the rear, covering the rear of the fuselage, and adding a curved insert behind the cockpit, covering the nose weight, whilst giving you a last chance to add some if you forgot earlier. The rudder and two elevators are each made from two halves, and can be glued into position deflected if you wish, to add some individuality to your model. The bomb bay has four actuators fitted to each of the fore and aft bulkheads, installing the four doors folded into pairs, or covering the bay with a pair of doors if you intend to close it. Two of the decal options carried cheek-mounted gun packs, which mount on the holes drilled earlier, after building each one from fairing, barrel, and nose cap for each of the four, with the instructions advising to install them after applying decals in that area. The main canopy and tail gun glazing are attached, adding two clear roof panels to the canopy, and making the nose glazing with a rectangular box on one side, and a gun in the centre before it too is glued in place. Two detail inserts are applied between the spars that project from the wing root, with the detail facing inward, so remember to paint those at the same time as the rest of the interior for your own convenience. The wings are each separate, and slide over the spars that are moulded into the bomb bay bulkheads. Before closing the wing halves, the gear bay structure is made, consisting of three parts forming an H-frame, adding two more ribs in the forward compartment, and closing off the rear of the bay with a final stringer, painting everything as you go. A bay insert is also included for the ailerons, and this is fixed to the lower wing as the upper is brought in and the two halves are mated. The two-section flaps are each made from upper and lower halves, as is the aileron, and all three are fitted in the trailing edge of the wing, attaching actuator fairings, detail parts inside the nacelle roof, a landing light in the leading edge, and a tip light over the moulded-in recess, which has a likeness of a bulb moulded into the area. A pitot probe is cut from near the wingtip, then the same process is carried out on the opposite wing in mirror-image, setting the completed wings to one side while the engines and their nacelles are built. Each Double-Wasp engine is made from a layer of six parts, depicting both banks of pistons and push-rods, adding the bell-housing and magnetos to the front, trapping a prop axle between them without glue, and inserting the intake ‘spider’ at the rear, with nine exhaust stubs mounted behind the engine. The completed engine is then locked between two circular carriers, and two exhaust collector parts are attached at the rear next to the cooling gills that are moulded into the rear carrier. The cowling is a complex shape that has a substantial portion moulded as a single part, inserting a curved plate inside to create a broad intake trunk in the base, then fitting two more inserts into the top sections of the cowling that fit into position, creating the familiar intake ‘ears’ at the top. The engine slides into the cowling from the rear until the cooling gills butt up against a cut-out, then attention shifts to the nacelle, which is made from two halves after adding covered exhausts and hinge-points to the gear bay sides on a single carrier per side, then gluing the two halves together with three bulkheads holding everything to shape. Once the glue has cured and seams have been dealt with, the engine and cowling are glued to the front and fitted under the wing. Again, the same process is carried out in mirror image for the opposite nacelle, after which the wings can be slid into position and glued in place. The Marauder was another tricycle gear equipped bomber, and the nose leg is made from the main strut with scissor-links added on both sides, fitted into the bay with a retraction jack behind it. A crew access ladder is provided, and is fixed into the roof at the rear of the bay, locating the two bay doors on the sides after fitting hinges along the upper edges, with a small retractor jack installed at the mid-point to complete the area. The main gear legs are fitted with twin supports at the top and door openers mid-way down, inserting them into the nacelles along with a V-shaped strut, and a pair of bay doors on each nacelle. The main wheel tyres are made from two halves, with two more parts for the hubs, as is the nose gear wheel, but with flat hub caps, all three installing on stub axles so that the model can sit on all three wheels, or the rear two if you forgot the nose weight. I can’t laugh, as I recently did that, but got away with it. An aerial and a faired-in D/F loop are fixed under the belly, and another aerial is mounted behind the cockpit, with just the two four-blade props with separate spinners to complete the build. As is common now with ICM kits, there is a page of the instruction booklet devoted to the masking of the canopy, using the printed shapes on the bottom of the page and the diagrams above to create your own masks if you wish. It consists of only thirty-two elements, some of which are used on the side windows, landing lights and around the cowlings at the front of the engine nacelles. Markings There are three decal options on the large sheet, all of which were European-based, with only one wearing camouflage, whilst all wear invasion band ‘special markings’ due to the period they were in operation after D-Day. From the box you can build one of the following: B-26B-55MA 42-96077 ‘Ladies Delight’, 584th Bomber Squadron, 394th Bomb Group, probably Boreham, England, Summer 1944 B-26B-55MA 42-96214 ‘Coral Princess III’ 494th Bomber Squadron, 344th Bomb Group, Pontoise, France, Autumn 1944 B-26B-55MA 42-96165 ‘The Big Hairy Bird’ 599th Bomber Squadron, 397th Bomb Group, Peronne, France, December 1944 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 Like a lot of modellers, I’ve had a soft spot for the Marauder for a while, and I’m now extremely pleased that a new well-detailed model has been released by ICM, with the prospect of more to come in various boxings. The Marauder saw a lot of action, so there’s plenty of opportunities to depict a well-weathered example, and I’m looking forward to seeing them popping up on the forum. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

aboard Ian. Better late than never

Gloster Gauntlet Mk.I (AZ7866) 1:72 AZ Model by Kovozávody Prostějov The Gauntlet bears a family resemblance to the Gladiator from the same stable because it preceded it, entering service earlier after an extended development process that would be worthy of a modern defence project. Its development began as early as 1929, but it wasn’t until 1933 that it was given the name Gauntlet, and another two years before it started to enter service with the RAF in small numbers. It was intended as a replacement to the Bulldog, which it outpaced by 50mph thanks to its Bristol Mercury engine, with heavier armament that included two machine guns in troughs in the fuselage sides, firing through the cowling and propeller. Only twenty-four of the initial airframes were made before there were improvements made, which were give the designation Mk.II, resulting in the initial batch being retrospectively named Mk.I. The Mk.II made up the majority of production, with over 200 manufactured in the UK, plus more built overseas. At its peak there were fourteen squadrons equipped with Gauntlets, but as the storm clouds of war began to gather, it was already outdated. By the time war finally broke out, only one squadron was left in frontline service, the rest having transitioned to more modern fighters such as the Hurricane, which was created by Gloster’s new owners, Hawker, still carrying over some design traits from the Gauntlet through the Gladiator to the Hurricane, particularly in the rear fuselage and tail areas. Happily for the Hurricane pilots however, the speed and armament of their new aircraft was much improved and gave them a fighting chance against the enemy. The Gauntlet lingered on as a trainer in the UK and abroad for a while, with a single Mk.II preserved in airworthy condition in Finland, one of its former operators, although the engine has been replaced by something a little more modern for practical reasons. The Kit This is a reboxing of a 2008 tooling from AZ that has been re-released with new decals that depict the Gauntlet in RAF and Danish service. It arrives in a small end-opening box with a painting of a gaggle of Gauntlets over rolling fields on the front, and profiles for the decal options on the rear of the box. Inside are three sprues of grey styrene, decal sheet, a small sheet of clear acrylic with two windscreens printed on it, plus the instruction booklet that is printed on a folded sheet of A4, with a series of rigging profiles on the rearmost page. Detail is good, with just a wisp of flash here and there, and a good representation of the fabric covered framework over the majority of the airframe. Construction begins with the simple cockpit that is based on a well-detailed flat section of floor, onto which the seat, control column and rudder pedals are fixed, applying four-point decal seatbelts to the pilot’s position for a little extra detail. There is cockpit sidewall detail moulded into the insides of the fuselage halves, and once these and the cockpit are painted and weathered, the fuselage halves can be joined together, adding a two-part instrument panel at the front of the cockpit cut-out. The engine is supplied as a single part with nine cylinders arranged around the core, which is surrounded by a three-part cowling due to the teardrop fairings around the perimeter, finishing the cowling off with a separate lip at the front. The tail fin is moulded into the fuselage halves, adding the individual elevator fins to the sides in small slots, and a tail-wheel with moulded-in strut underneath. The lower wing is a single part that is inserted into a slot under the fuselage, and once the seams have been dealt with, the landing gear can be built, made from two triangular struts that are linked by the axle that has wheels mounted on each end, positioning the assembly on the underside of the fuselage using the small recesses that are moulded into the model to locate them accurately. Four cabane struts are similarly fitted to the fuselage in front of the cockpit using more guide recesses, which supports the upper wing that is also moulded as a single part. Four interplane struts are fitted between the wings, and a scrap diagram gives details of the tensioner rods that are suspended in the rigging, which is dealt with over the page. A pair of exhausts are mounted under the cowling, cutting the windscreen from the acetate sheet and folding it to shape before gluing it to the front of the cockpit, then slotting the two machine gun barrels in the troughs on each side of the fuselage. The final task (if we ignore the rigging for now) is the two-blade propeller, gluing a spinner to the front to finish it. Speaking of rigging, there are four diagrams on the rear of the booklet, detailing the location of the wiring, which should assist with the process along with the box art for a three-quarter view. Markings There are three options on the decal sheet, two RAF, and one in Danish service, the latter having a more interesting scheme, as the RAF were heavily invested in silver dope in the 1930s – perhaps someone had shares? From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion The Gauntlet was a well-used interwar fighter that in its day was an impressive improvement over those that it replaced, but was soon to be left in the wake of the next generation of fighters due to the speed of development at the time. The kit depicts its fabric covering well, with a detailed cockpit, and it comes with some interesting decal options. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I had that done on both my wrists either side of my son being born, so almost 14 years ago now. It makes life difficult for a while being one-armed, but it hopefully won't slow you down for too long. It'll take about a year to fully heal, but after a couple of weeks things will gradually start getting better

SS-100 Gigant Update sets (P48010 & 8068 for Tamiya) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby The Hanomag Gigant was a German WWII prime-mover that was originally a pre-war civilian tractor that was impressed into military service to tow aircraft, Vidalwagen V-2 rocket launch transport units, and Meillerwagen V-2 erector systems. Tamiya released their 1:48 kit in 2017 as an aircraft tug, and re-released it in 2019 towing an 88mm flak 37. These sets are intended to upgrade the detail on these kits, addressing the slightly simplified hollow tyres, and adding extra detail to the prominent radiator at the front of the vehicle. As usual with CMK and Special Hobby's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Front Radiator Mask (P48010) The name of this set is slightly misleading, but it supplies a new radiator grille and the core behind it, both 3D printed in orange resin and consisting of two parts on a single print base. The two parts are liberated from the base and are glued together, inserting the radiator core behind the grille after painting, and removing the raised nose section of the kit’s bodyshell to fit the new assembly, which locks in place thanks to a block on the rear of the radiator core. It should massively increase the realism of the area, as the individual grille louvres are printed separately, so the radiator behind it will be visible in good light. The grille also has the word Hanomag in raised letters above it, and a filler cap on the top. Wheels (8068) This set replaces the kit wheels that are a little simple, particularly in the rear twin-wheel axles, which have hollow inner sides. The single front wheels are drop-in replacements for the one-part kit wheels, giving much more finesse to the detail, while the rear wheels are mounted in pairs, correctly rendered with both sides of the tyres, and the particular hubs that permit their mounting in tandem, as per the real thing. A separate hub part is also included for each part. The spare tyres is moulded with a larger cut-out in the centre along that is flashed over on the casting block plus bolt-holes around the circumference, and comes with a pair of clamps that attach it to the rear wall of the double cab of the vehicle. Review sample courtesy of

"Soon" is one of those 'how long is a piece of string' type statements. Galactically speaking, the sun will turn into a red giant relatively soon, but that's several billion years in our tiny short measurement scale.

Terse? Moi? In fairness John (Martin), it says in moderately sized letters "Introduce yourself to the members here." at the top of this area, and we also have a rule about people engaging in Buy/Sell/Want ads, which is they must have 100 posts before they can use the specific area set aside for the job, which you can find here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/39-buy-amp-sell/ There's a thread at the top of each of those areas that gives you the reasons and rules. You might want to have a read if you're able. I've removed your want ad, and as you're the topic starter, you can edit it to say hello to the members instead. N'kay?

Handley Page Halifax – Early Merlin-Engined Variants Photo Archive Number 27 ISBN: 9781908757395 Wingleader Publications The second of the RAFs famous four-engined heavies to enter service in WWII, the Halifax was originally designed to meet the same Air Ministry Specification as the Avro Manchester. In common with the Manchester, the H.P.56 design was developed from a twin-engined design into the four-engined bomber that we are all familiar with. Although overshadowed in popular culture by the Avro Lancaster, the Halifax was built in substantial numbers and served with distinction. The type’s first operational raid was on the French city of Le Havre on 11 March 1941, but by the end of the war it was reckoned that the Halifax had dropped 224,207 tons of ordnance on Hitlers Fortress Europe, at the cost of nearly 2,000 aircraft lost. The Halifax was a versatile design and it could be adapted for a wide range of roles including anti-submarine warfare, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. The Halifax continued to serve after the end of the Second World War, and examples of the type were still in service with the Pakistan Air Force in the early 1960s. The B Mk.III was the main production variant and utilised the Bristol Hercules radial engine in place of the Rolls Royce Merlin. It featured a glazed nose with single machine gun and apart from the first few examples, extended wingtips. This twenty-seventh volume in the series details the early Halifax, covering with the Rolls-Royce Merlin engined airframes that were initially built after the cancellation of the ill-fated Rolls-Royce Vulture, which proved to be too advanced for its time, using an unusual X-24 piston layout that was so complex and laced with pitfalls that it was only perfected by the end of WWII after extended development efforts. Some of the photos are staged of course, but there are also many candid shots, a very few of which are in colour, without much in the way of battle-damaged aircraft, other than two aircraft lying wrecked on the airfield after a post-mission landing with a damaged engine resulting in asymmetric thrust that drove it off course into another parked aircraft, effectively cutting its victim in two. There are a great many photos taken of development aircraft that were used to improve the performance and durability of the aircraft in subsequent guises, and there are dozens of differences noted between the early variants that are called out in the captions accompanying all the photos. A visually impressive book with plenty of reading material into the bargain that will have you coming back to it again and again. This is the first of a series of volumes that will detail the history of the Halifax, although they’re currently a little vague about the number of volumes there will be. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

That's an impressive age.

Nice work. The boot leather looks good - what did you use for that? I dabbled with the speed paint/contrast stuff, but couldn't get the effects I wanted for the most part. When I have time, I'm going to have a go with glazing. Seems to be what the Eavy Metal painters use, but they also have talent, which is something I'm looking forward to acquiring some day

That's not a nice name to call your wife!

Thanks for the kind words and likes folks

It was supposed to be chucking it down here today, but all we've had is a quick smattering at about tea time. For early April Oop North (other locations are available), that qualifies for good weather Good job too, as I kept having to go back and forth getting different screws to hang a shelf on what I thought was plasterboard, because you never get the right ones the first time, or the second, third or fourth time It all worked out well in the end, but I certainly got a few extra steps in. I needed a lie-down after

That's purdy

Clear Box (100-Box01) Special Hobby Storing your models can be just a case of putting the finished work on shelves in a cabinet or on an open shelf, but that leaves them open to damage by incautious hands/paws, and of course, the dreaded dust. Dust has a habit of resolving itself over time into a self-adhesive layer that’s best not thought too deeply about, in case we realise what it consists of. Display cases are usually some combination of quite expensive, heavy or not of the required size, so it’s hard to find one to fit your modelling output. This new clear-topped display box is about to change that, particularly for 1:72 or smaller armour builders, or anyone that needs a display box with 5cm of headroom, measuring 13.4cm x 7.7cm at the base, internally, tapering to 12.8cm x 7.6cm at the top of the box interior. It has a clear upper of course, or you wouldn’t see much, and a black plastic base onto which the top fits neatly, although not tightly. If you grip the clear upper, it will come away without effort from the base, so to keep the atmosphere out, you’d need to glue/seal the two halves together with an adhesive that won’t mar either component. The black base has a lip at the bottom on which the top rests, and a bevelled edge around it that extends diagonally 8mm into the base. This gives 12.1cm x 6.5cm of useable flat space on the base, which is ideal for 1:72 armour, 1:43 vehicles and other such reasonably-sized models. The box arrives in a clear shrink-wrap film, with a sticker on top telling you what it is, and in the process it protects the case from scratch damage in transit. There is nothing stopping you from adding ground works to the base, the diagonal section adding a separation between your diorama/vignette and the clear sides. You must ensure that you don’t use any solvent-based adhesives or putties to create your masterpiece however, for fear of melting the base, and you should also ensure that all paints, glues and potions have fully cured before you drop the lid on your model for eternity, as it’s possible that off-gassing could result in partial melting, or frosting of the clear top, ruining your case. That’s for you to look out for however, as most cases are plastic, and the same rules apply unless you can afford glass cases. Conclusion A simple, effective and cost-conscious way to protect your creations from dust and ill-advised touching from fingers or paws. Fingers crossed that some larger boxes will arrive in due course. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Russian Fighters Version 4 Acrylic Paint Set (02.112) Jim-Scale via Hobby Colours Jim Scale is a Russian-based brand of modelling supplies that concentrates heavily on painting and finishing, with a great many products aimed at the modeller of Russian Federation or Soviet subjects, but with a broad range that will suit almost any genre. Their location might cause concerns for some of our members at the moment, but these products have come to us via Hobby Colours from Greece, and might appeal to some of our members around the world, providing that supply doesn’t eventually become a problem. The range contains products that are water-based and alcohol-based, the water-based product codes beginning with 01., and with the colour or product number after the full-stop. This is good to know, as the packaging is written almost entirely in Russian, which isn’t a language many native English speakers are familiar with. Fortunately, our mobile (cell/handy) phones are becoming more competent with every generation, and translation from one language to another is the work of moments, simply aiming your phone’s camera at the text and tapping translate. This set provides three colours often seen on Russian fighter aircraft, particularly the Su-34, which is mentioned on the rear of the set, along with a profile and a few details about the aircraft. It arrives in a bubble package with a cardboard backing card, a clear vacformed front holding the paint bottles in place until you slide the card out from behind. Each bottle contains 18ml of paint, and is topped off with a dropper tip and yellow cap that screws onto the nozzle, preventing leakage. There is also a hefty shaker ball inside each bottle to assist with mixing the paint before use, and we are told that the paints can be sprayed or brushed just as easily. The 01. code tells us that this is a water-based acrylic, and there is little to no aroma from the bottles, unless you place the nozzle just under your nose. The three colours are as follows: 01.189 Light Blue (Su-34) 01.192 Light Blue 01.193 Green Blue (Su-34) As is usual with my tests, I used plastic spoons that had been prepared by a light roughening with a very fine sanding stick, and the bowl was sprayed with primer to prepare and harmonise the surface. Based upon the results of other tests that I have run with this system, the paint will adhere equally well directly to the spoon without primer, with no discernible difference between the finishes. I can also confirm that the paint brushes out well, reaching opacity in 2-3 thin coats using a flat brush to minimise brush-marks, which were negligible and could have been a result of my inexpert application, as I’m unused to painting large areas without an airbrush. Spraying was carried out by first laying down a medium coat now that I am more confident with the system, which was given a few seconds to gas off before adding another heavier layer, repeating extra layers as necessary to improve vibrancy. The paint went down very well with no spluttering, stoppages, or other issues, and as it dried the surface became very smooth with a slight sheen visible from some angles after initial drying had occurred. The patterning I had experienced previously during the mist-coat stages didn’t occur this time, as I had brushed the surface to remove dust with an anti-static brush by Tamiya, and was more aggressive with application. After several hours of drying, the paint had taken on a matt sheen that is pleasing to the eye, across all colours in the set. Two days after spraying paint on both primed and un-primed sides of the original tests, Tamiya tape was applied to all surfaces, burnished down firmly, and torn off 20 minutes later, with absolutely no caution whatsoever. This paint is as tough as old boots, and there wasn’t any lifting of the tape, regardless of priming or otherwise, so you can paint and mask to your heart’s delight and it won’t let you down if you prepare your model’s surfaces. Conclusion Now I have tested their primers and two paint sets, this system is really growing on me. It goes down well, doesn’t lift on removal of masking, the finish is excellent, and the sets aren’t expensive. I can live with the slightly longer curing time for the paint, as my modelling is sporadic anyway, and there is always something else to do in the meantime. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of