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le.gl.Einheits - Pkw (Kfz.1) German Personnel Car (35582) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd Made mostly by three German companies, this all-wheel drive staff car designed by Stoewer was produced with different bodies during the early war, the most prevalent being the four seat staff car depicted here. It was however complicated and unreliable, so was eventually replaced by the ubiquitous Kubelwagen. The Kit This is a re-release of their kit (35581) but with new parts for a deployed soft-top roof, which hasn't yet been available with only the stowed roof released so far. The box contains five sprues in grey styrene plus a single clear sprue and decal sheet, not forgetting the instructions with integral painting guide at the rear. The additional sprue contains the new parts for the roof, but you'll still find the retracted roof parts on the original sprues in case you change your mind. New Sprue Construction begins with the chassis, which is first to be built up with dual springs supporting independent suspension and a driveshaft linking the two transfer boxes, plus the steering linkage front and rear. Fuel tank and stowage are placed to either side of the chassis rails and an exhaust pipe is threaded through to the engine compartment, which is filled with a full rendering of its 4 cylinder 2 litre Stoewer power plant over the front axle. The floor of the cab is built up and added to the chassis, then the three part styrene wheels with moulded-in tread are fitted to each corner along with the radiator at the front. The firewall and rear passenger bulkhead are installed next with the former having instruments and transmission tunnel moulded in and pedals attached to the floor. The cab sides, boot/trunk cover, engine cowling and gear shifter are all put in place before the seats are built up from base, cushion and curved back at the front, with a bench seat at the rear of a similar construction that has just enough room down the sides for two Kar98 rifles to be stowed in shackles. Two more rifle points are attached to the front bulkhead, bumpers/fenders and doors are all added with steering wheel and windscreen also made up. The rear light cluster is fitted to racks for additional fuel on the rear quarters with a spare wheel in between them, and the folded canvas roof above is still available if you decide you don't want to install the new one. If you do, and that's probably the main reason you would chose this boxing, the semi-rigid side panels with the glazing panels that mostly stayed on the sprues previously are inserted into the frames which are then attached to the sills and the windscreen. The rear of the hood has a small rectangular window inserted into the flat panel, then has the corners attached before the assembly is fitted to the rear of the car. The external retraction frame drops into grooves in the sides of the rear hood, and finally the top fits on to complete the roof. Of all the joins on the hood the only ones that may need sanding and/or filling are those on the corners at the rear, as the top panel has a handy overlap so has a natural step that matches the kit's panel. Front lights, jerry cans and pioneer tools are attached to the fenders, and windscreen wipers are fitted into the depressions on the frame, with wiper-motor boxes moulded into the frame for completeness. The lights and windscreen all have clear parts so the passengers don't get bugs in their teeth. Markings There are four theatre specific options included in the box with early war Panzer Grey the colour of choice, and these haven't been changed from the earlier boxing, as they're essentially the same vehicles but with the hood up! From the bag you can build one of the following: WH-102 360 16 Pz.D, Don area, June 1942 WH-240 663 11 Pz.D, Ukraine, July 1941 WH-307 582 Panzergruppe 1 Kleist, Ukraine, July 1941 WL-22662 I./JG51 Stary Bykhov (Belorussia), July 1941 Conclusion A welcome addition to the Kfz.1 line from ICM, and perfect for a rainy day... literally! Great detail, crystal clear parts and only a few ejector pin marks on the hood parts if you think they'll be visible. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I recently received an order from Hannants. One of the Quickboost sets was received damaged. I've tried emailing Hannants and included pictures of the unopened package to show the broken piece. A week plus later, there has been no reply from them - which I find quite disappointing. The set is still listed on their website and they do have stock. Any suggestions? TIA.

WWII Luftwaffe Airfield Set (DS4801) 1:48 ICM via Hannants During WWII the Luftwaffe operated from all manner of airfields, from rough temporary strips to fully furnished airfields with all mod cons of the time, including brick-built barracks and even a specially oversized bath for a visiting Hermann Göring. They often hosted numerous aircraft types at once, plus all of the attendant crew, in groundcrew and aircrew flavours. The Kit This is a boxed set of three kits that have been brought together to fit the theme, and includes a Messerschmitt Bf.109F-4 fighter (48103), a Henschel Hs.126B-1 Reconnaissance aircraft (48212), and a set of Pilots & Ground Crew (48082) to finish off the set. All of these kits have been released previously under their own individual codes, but in this compact box they represent excellent value and an exercise in convenience too. The kit(s) arrive in a small top opening box with ICM’s usual captive inner lid, and inside are three bags of sprues for the three kits. The Henschel has three sprues and two wing halves in grey styrene, a small clear sprue and decal sheet, the 109 has three in grey, one clear and a decal sheet, while the figure set is on a single sprue, each one also having their own instruction booklet and painting guide. They are all relatively modern toolings with good detail, engraved panel lines, and in the case of the figures, realistic sculpting and fabric drape. We’ve not reviewed any of these kits previously, so let’s get on with it. Henschel Hs.126B-1 This kit originated in 2010, so is of recent vintage and has plenty of detail included. Construction begins with the cockpit, which has plenty of parts, including a clear two-part instrument panel that is augmented with styrene details and is arranged around the floor panel with a rear bulkhead, rudder pedals and other controls, then the cockpit sidewalls are decked out with a substantial number of boxes, instruments, ammo cans and other parts that liven-up the interior. The gunner’s section of the cockpit is a more spartan affair with a rear bulkhead, simple seat and machine gun with concertina dump bag hanging from the breech. The fuselage can be closed up around the sub-assemblies once the engine mount is attached to the bulkhead behind, and a donut (not a real one) is inserted into the front ready to accept the engine later. A group of inserts are fitted around the front of the fuselage, and the top deck closes over the forward portion, then main wheels are made up either with or without spats and two-part wheels that are surrounded by a teardrop-shaped fairing for the spatted version. At the rear a single-part wheel, yoke and mudguard are inserted into the space under the tail, permitting the aircraft to stand on its own three wheels for the first time. The 126 has a large greenhouse canopy that affords the crew a good view of their surroundings, which is key to any recon bird. The gunner however isn’t given a canopy, so he’d better dress warmly! The pilot’s windscreen and canopy are separate parts, and are accompanied by a pair of handrails, one down each side. The engine is next, and a full rendering of the Bramo 9-cylinder radial engine is provided, from the bell-housing at the front, through the piston banks and out the back with the ancillaries. It is fitted to the donut at the front of the fuselage, then the cowling is assembled round it, after which the three-blade prop is built on the boss and secured in place with a ring that is covered over by a spinner. The wings are of the parasol variety to improve situational awareness of the crew further, totally supported by two large v-shaped struts and a set of cabane struts in front of the windscreen. All the flying surfaces are separate and have separate hinges, so can be fitted deflected, as can the rear feathers, which are supported by two struts each, almost parallel to each other. Markings You get a generous and disparate three markings options from the decal sheet, one more traditional with splinter uppers, one in a winter distemper, and the other in a North African sand camouflage. From the box you can build one of the following: 1.(H)/32, Finland, December 1941 4.(H)/23, Russia, Winter 1942 2.(H)/14, North Africa, 1941/1942 Decals are printed by ICM’s usual provider, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Messerschmitt Bf.109F-4 This kit harks from 2006, and while it isn’t the newest 109 in the world has all the parts you’d expect, although time has introduced a little flash here and there, but it’s always preferable to short-shot parts any day of the week. For a change construction begins with the DB601E engine, which is quite well-detailed and includes exhaust stubs and flame-guards over the top. The cockpit is straight-forward, based upon an L-shaped floor with the cannon breech between the pilot’s knees, the instrument panel supported on a panel projecting from the forward bulkhead. The clear gunsight, rudder pedals, control column and seat pan finish that off, then the engine is attached to the front by joining the bearers between the two sub-assemblies, with machine guns and ammo cans between them. With the addition of a trim wheel on the sidewall and some paint, the fuselage can be closed up around the completed interior. The elevators are each single parts, and are installed in their slots, then joined by a separate rudder that can be posed deflected. The fuselage is completed by fitting the four-part cowling around the engine, adding the windscreen with bullet-proof insert, fixed rear canopy and the opener, which has a set of head-armour installed inside. The lower wing is full width and the upper halves are glued to the top, then the wingtips are inserted into the newly formed slots. The wings are brought together with the fuselage, and underneath the nose the chin intake for the oil cooler goes in, and the two radiator baths are inserted into their underwing positions then the flaps are put into their tracks in the trailing edge. The narrow track main gear legs are each made up from strut, captive bay door and wheel, which are narrow enough to be moulded from a single part each. The tail wheel is a single part and slots into the rear under the tail, then it’s back to the front for the supercharger intake on the port side, and the prop with spinner and retaining ring. Markings Four markings options are supplied for the 109, again all pretty varied and colourful. From the box you can build one of the following: Ofw. Eberhard von Boremski, 9./JG3, Ukraine, May 1942 Hpt. Hans Philipp, Gruppenkommandeur of I.JG54, Siwerskaya (Leningrad area), March 1942 Lt. Hermann Graf, Staffelkapitan of 9./JG52, Rogan (Ukraine), May 1942 Lt. Heinrich Ehrler, Staffelkapitan of 6./JG5, Petsamo (Finland), July 1942 German Luftwaffe Pilots & Ground Personnel (1939-45) This set includes a combination of three pilots and four ground crew on one sprue, one of the former bearing more than a passing resemblance to Adolf Galland, complete with his customary moustache. The other officer is wearing riding trousers and boots, with his hands folded behind his back, while the third pilot is being helped into his parachute harness by one of the groundcrew. The other three figures are groundcrew in overalls, one standing with a toolbox, another with his hands out in front of him, while the final figure is on his knees working on something, screwdriver in hand. The instructions show the figures complete, and points out parts and painting suggestions for each one. The paint codes are referenced in a table overleaf using Master Model colour codes and colour names in English and Ukrainian. Conclusion A compact and bijou boxing that is full of modelling fun. The Henschel is the better of the two kits, and the inclusion of the figures is a bonus. Make sure you have enough gloss black in stock for Mr Galland’s perennially slicked back hair. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

le.gl.Einheitz-Pkw.Kfz.4 (35584) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Made mostly by three German companies, this all-wheel drive staff car designed by Stoewer was produced with different bodies during the early war, the most prevalent being the four-seat staff car, although it was used in other roles, notably the mobile light anti-aircraft units that were fitted with a twin MG34 mount for deployment, as depicted here. It was however complicated and unreliable, so was eventually replaced by the ubiquitous Kubelwagen. The Kit The box contains seven sprues in grey styrene plus a single clear sprue and decal sheet, with two sets of instructions with integral painting guide at the rear of the larger one. This is a re-box and amalgamation of the staff car with their recent Zwillingssockel 36, plus a few extra parts on new sprues that helps merge the two together into the completed vehicle. New Sprues Gun Sprue The chassis is first to be built up with dual springs supporting independent suspension and a driveshaft linking the two transfer boxes, plus the steering linkage front and rear. Fuel tank and stowage are placed to either side of the chassis rails and an exhaust pipe is threaded through to the engine compartment, which is filled with a full rendering of its 4-cylinder 2 litre Stoewer power plant over the front axle. The floor of the cab is built up and added to the chassis, then the three-part styrene wheels with moulded-in tread are fitted to each corner along with the radiator at the front. The firewall and a new rear passenger bulkhead are installed next with the former having instruments and transmission tunnel moulded in and pedals attached to the floor. The cab sides, boot/trunk cover, engine cowling and gear shifter are all put in place before the seats are built up from base, cushion and curved back in the front, with a large tread-plated area for the gunners that has just enough room down the sides for spare ammo cans in racks lining the lip. Two rifle points are attached to the front bulkhead, bumpers/fenders and doors are all added with steering wheel, and windscreen also made up between the front and rear compartments with tripods racked on the rear deck of the vehicle. The rear light cluster is fitted to the rear quarters with a spare wheel in between them, and the folded canvas roof above the divide between compartments. Front lights and pioneer tools are attached to the fenders, and windscreen wipers are fitted into the depressions on the frame, with wiper-motor boxes moulded into the frame for completeness. The lights and windscreen all have clear parts so the passengers don't get bugs in their teeth. The guns are built on a separate instruction sheet, and the completed assembly is shown in the main instructions being dropped into place in the rear fighting compartment. The Gun The ammo cans are made up first, joined to the twin frame, which then has the gun mounts fitted on top. The guns are still fitted with their bipods, which along with the breech cover are moulded separately to the rest of the guns. If you’re a detailer, you may want to drill out the muzzles very carefully with a tiny bit in a pin vice. With the guns on their frame, the outer frame is fitted around it in two halves, slotting into the pivot points moulded into the frame, and supported by a cross-brace lower in the frame. Another bracing strut fits across the front and has a canvas brass catcher curtain suspended beneath it that is attached to the tube by a series of rings moulded into the part. The conical base is built from two parts and inserts into a socket in the underside of the outer frame, then it’s a case of making up the seat that fits at the very rear of the outer frame, and choosing the correct sighting part for your chosen pose, pivoting the guns to an appropriate elevation during the process. A pair of scrap diagrams shows the two finished poses, and overleaf is a painting guide in greyscale that could be a tad confusing as it has no paint call-outs on the two greyscale profiles. Markings There are three theatre specific options included in the box with early war Panzer Grey the colour of choice. For whatever reason, my scanner had trouble with the grey, so please accept my apologies for the lower than usual standard of the profiles. From the box you can build one of the following: Luftwaffe Ground Units, Greece, 1940 1st Panzer Division, Greece, 1941 11th Panzer Division, Eastern Front The decal sheet is small and printed on a bright blue paper, with good register, sharpness and colour density. Conclusion It’s nice to see these more unusual kits being made from adding existing kits together with a few additional parts to create something new. Detail is excellent, and it’s a cool little early WWII vehicle. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Zwillingssockel 36 Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Mount (35714) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Zwillings is German for twin, and according to Google, sockel translates as “socket” or “base”, the former sounding vaguely suggestive. In WWII Germany, it was a twin MG34 mounted on a frame and attached to the ground/deck via a conical base with a seat for the gunner on a cantilever frame. It was often used to provide anti-aircraft cover on an S-38 S-boot in the midships position, and was also used as mobile anti-air cover in the flatbed of a vehicle. The guns could also be used to strafe targets on the ground, as the mount was capable of a substantial range of elevations, and the sights would adjust position on their supports to remain useful to the gunner at all inclinations. The Kit This is a new tool from ICM that you can just bet is also going to be seen again mounted to other kits. Truthishly, I have one such example in the review queue already. It arrives in a small top-opening box with the usual ICM captive inner flap, and within is a small sprue in grey styrene, accompanied by a sheet of A4 instructions with spot colour. The mount can be built in either horizontal or anti-air positions by swapping out the sighting frame at the very end of the build. The ammo cans are made up first, joined to the twin frame, which then has the gun mounts fitted on top. The guns are still fitted with their bipods, which along with the breech cover are moulded separately to the rest of the guns. If you’re a detailer, you may want to drill out the muzzles very carefully with a tiny bit in a pin vice. With the guns on their frame, the outer frame is fitted around it in two halves, slotting into the pivot points moulded into the frame, and supported by a cross-brace lower in the frame. Another bracing strut fits across the front and has a canvas brass catcher curtain suspended beneath it that is attached to the tube by a series of rings moulded into the part. The conical base is built from two parts and inserts into a socket in the underside of the outer frame, then it’s a case of making up the seat that fits at the very rear of the outer frame, and choosing the correct sighting part for your chosen pose, pivoting the guns to an appropriate elevation during the process. A pair of scrap diagrams shows the two finished poses, and overleaf is a painting guide in greyscale that would be a tad confusing if it weren't for the box art, as it has no paint call-outs on the two profiles. Oops! Conclusion It’s a well-detailed kit of this unusual piece of equipment, and could be used in a diorama, or to replace a mount if you have an S-38 from Italeri, or put in the back of a wagon of your choice to add some interest. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

RS-132 Ammunition Boxes (35795) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The Katyusha rocket launcher was loaded with a load of RS-132 rockets, which had their origins in the early 30s from a project to create a type of smokeless rocket of a standard type and diameter. The 132 was approximately 85cm long with a diameter of just over 13cm, and fins that projected 30cm from the body. It could carry just under a kilo of explosive of one of two types. The RS was high explosive fragmentation with a destructive range of 10m, while the RBS was armour piercing, although with minimal accuracy when aimed at specific targets, the latter wouldn’t have been much use unless unleashed en masse. They accelerated up to almost 800mph and had a launch radius of under 5 miles with the lack of precision that ensured that although you knew something was going to be blown up in a given area, it was anyone’s guess who or what would fall victim to its detonation. The Kit This set from ICM is a new tool that is made to supplement and resupply a Katyusha wagon like the one we reviewed here. It arrives in one of ICM’s small top-opening boxes with a captive inner lid, and inside are four sprues of grey styrene in a resealable clear foil bag. All four sprues are identical, and from the box you can build four ammo crates, each holding four rockets apiece. Construction begins with the base and lid, each of which has two strengthening planks fixed to the outside, with a planked texture engraved in the surface. The sides of the box have the same planked surface with corner protectors, and each end has a cross-brace for lugging them around. The rockets are in two parts, and slot into three supports with semi-circular cut-outs to cradle the body. Another set close over them to hold things in place, and the lid finishes off the assembly, which is where I began scratching my head. The instructions show the lid having two hinges on the back that lock into grooves in the corresponding side. Those hinges aren’t present on the parts, but you can fix that easily enough with some 1mm rod cut to length. How do I know? I possess eyes and couldn’t resist building one up for funsies. I’ve not glued the rockets in yet as they need painting, but you can see them in their slots in the picture below. Conclusion There’s plenty of scope for weathering in this set, and with four boxes you can either put them in the back of a truck for carriage, stacked ready for use, or open on the ground. The perfect complement to a Katyusha wagon. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Roman Gladiator (16303) 1:16 ICM via Hannants It’s a well-known fact that Romans were a bit mad, and enjoyed some realistic and sometimes fatal combat between Gladiators, Gladiators and big cats and even Christians vs big cats on occasion. The professional Gladiators were often slaves that were expendable and were pitted against each other in amphitheatres for the delight of the bloodthirsty onlookers, and probably more than a little gambling on the outcome was involved. This is a new tool from ICM, and arrives in a shallow box with the usual captive inner flap under the lid. Inside are two sprues in grey styrene and another sprue and base in black, the latter being a staple of their figure range that you will see in other boxings. The instruction sheet is simple, and an additional print of the box art is included on glossy paper for your wall if you are so minded. It is a proper dyed-in-the-wool 60s era Spartacus figure that is dressed almost identically to the famous victor in the painting Pollice Verso. He is dressed as a Murmillo and is wearing a large bronze “Cassis Crista” colander-like helmet with full facial armour and a plume bristling from the crown. His torso is unarmoured save for his mighty six-pack, wielding a Spartha with a curved tip, while his sword-arm is protected by cloth Manica armour that is wrapped with leather bands. His legs are protected at the front by bronze Ocrea, with more cloth wrappings tied with leather thongs at the rear. In his free hand he carries a Roman “Scutum” shield that would be equally at home in the possession of a Legionary, and lastly his feet are bare. His stance represents a typical on-guard pose, with feet spread wide, knees flexed and his shield forward waiting for the next onslaught. He is wearing a loincloth around his waist that is held up by a large leather belt with bronze decoration and an oversized buckle at the front. The sculpting is excellent on the figure, and the accessories such as the metal armour are finely engraved with raised details, which were 3D scanned to obtain greater accuracy. There is also a smaller round shield on the weapons sprue with handle for the rear in case you feel like personalising your build a little. You’ll be pleased to hear that behind the helmet you are supplied with a complete face to show off if you can figure out how or if the helmet opens at the front. The de facto base for this range is moulded in black, and has a top and bottom plate to close up the fluted sides, and if you elect to add some groundwork that should make for easier creation and allows you not to avoid masking during the process. Conclusion He’s a big lad, and will look great with some sympathetic painting. With a few of these on a sandy base, you could tell the story of a battle. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B with Crew (35111) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The Sd.Kfz.247 was a small four-wheeled 4x4 armoured car that was ordered in small quantities to keep battalion commanders and other officer types safe whilst ranging around the battlefield marshalling their subordinates. They weren’t intended for front-line use, but were sufficiently well-armoured to withstand a 7.62mm round from a distance, although the open rear compartment would have been a tempting target for a well-tossed grenade. They were manufactured by Mercedes Benz on a Horch 108 chassis, and could maintain a good 50mph top-speed on a made-up road thanks to its 8-cylinder 3.5L Horch petrol engine. It had better off-road characteristics than its 6-wheeled Ausf.A predecessor, and saw extensive use in the early part of WWII, during the fast-paced Blitzkrieg advances through France and the lowlands. The Kit This is a reboxing of a new tool from ICM that adds a group of crew figures to the mix, but it does share a few clear parts with one of their earlier Mercedes kits, using the light lenses and little else, plus the tyres from the Horch. It is a fairly niche product with only 58 having been made and used at the beginning of WWII, but it’s an attractive armoured car, and as they intimated on their Facebook page, it bears a passing resemblance to the recently announced Tesla Cyber Truck. It arrives in ICM’s usual top-opening box with captive tray lid, and there are six sprues in grey styrene, a tree of black flexible tyres, a clear sprue, decal sheet, and a glossy-covered instruction booklet with painting guide on the rear cover, with a booklet for the figures tucked inside. Detail is excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ICM, including an almost full interior with engine, radio gear, seating for the crew and pioneer tools all depicted in styrene. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, with two beams running front to back that have a box-section profile thanks to an insert, separate suspension mounts and cross-braces, plus the two axles with their differential bulges in the middle. The upper swing-arms are fitted onto the chassis and mate with the combined hub/brake drum parts, then the steering arms and other parts are installed, the two-part twin springs per wheel are glued in, and the lower swing-arms close up the assembly. The power pack is built around the two-part block with cylinder heads, ancillaries, exhaust manifolds and timing belts added before it is inserted into the chassis over the front axle. The front bumper iron is built up and fitted with hooks, then placed at the front of the chassis rails, after which the wheels can be made, comprising three parts to the hubs, which press on either side of the flexible tyres, being well-detailed and come from an earlier Horch kit. These could be painted and weathered after a good scrub in warm soapy water to improve adhesion. This is replicated on each corner, with a keyed shaft ensuring correct location on the rear of the hubs. Attention now turns to the bodyshell, which begins with a tread-plated floor pan that has a number of parts added to the underside first, then is flipped over and receives the driver’s foot pedals. The lower sides are separate, and have doors with handles fitted, external arches and other clamshell doors, then they’re attached to the floor along with the radiator to create the angular lower hull, which is then joined to the chassis and has all the remaining underpinnings and mudflaps added along the way. With the two assembles mated, the radiator is joined up and the rest of the driver controls are installed with the instrument panel, plus decals for the dials in the dash. The gear shifter, hand brake and the crew seats are next, with a bench seat opposite the large double-stack radio rack that is built from a large number of parts into a well-detailed assembly that just needs a few cables. Another jump seat is positioned next to the radio stack, and it has tubular framing, just like the rest of the seats in this vehicle. The upper bodyshell is prepared with front drivers’ inner and outer hatches plus three more hatches on each side, with mechanisms applied from the inside, and each one is shown in a scrap diagram to assist with correct placement of the parts. A hatch on the bonnet/hood is installed, then the hull halves are mated, with an armoured panel and headlamps at the front, plus width “lollipops” on both fenders and the exhaust on the right rear one. There are numerous raised shapes on the exterior of the vehicle, which are location points for the many scabbed-on stowage boxes of various shapes that clutter the sides of the vehicle, and are joined by rear lights, covered spare wheel, towing hitch, aerial mast and the familiar pioneer tools that adorned the outside of almost every WWII German truck, tank of armoured car. Convoy light, wing mirror and another aerial finish off the build. Crew Figures The figures are all found on one sprue in a separate bag, with the instructions hidden in the main booklet as previously mentioned. Sculpting and moulding are first rate as you'd expect from ICM with impressive detail and realistic drape of clothing throughout, plus sensible breakdown of parts around belts, clothing seams etc., and once the seams are scraped smooth and a little sympathetic painting is carried out (sounds easy, doesn't it?), you should have a great-looking crew for your model. On the sprue are four figures, including a driver figure and two radio operators, one adjusting his set whilst listening in on headphones, the other with his headphones round his neck writing on a pad that is resting on his left knee. The officer of course is wearing his rank appropriate cap, binoculars and riding breeches, and is resting his right arm on the lip of the vehicle's walls and his corresponding foot propped up on a box within the vehicle. His other hand is looped through his belt/over his holster and he is leaning forward as if he is interested in what's going on. The accessories are fairly sparse due to the duties of the crew, and consist of bands for headphones, binoculars, pistol holster and notepad, while the figures themselves are broken down into separate legs, arms, torso, head with moulded in caps, or separate cap for the officer. The driver figure has his arms split at the elbow to obtain a more realistic position while maintaining detail on the hands etc., and to give a little adjustment when fitting his hands onto the steering wheel. Markings There are four decal options on the small sheet, with three in panzer grey and another in the late war dark yellow, having survived up until D-Day. From the box you can build one of the following: Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Grossdeutschland, Ukraine, Summer 1942 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Russia, Autumn 1941 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Russia, Summer 1941 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B France, Summer 1944 Decals are printed by ICM’s usual partner on a bright blue backing paper, having good register, sharpness and colour density as well as nice crisp instrument decals to detail the interior. Conclusion It’s a fairly rare piece of WWII German hardware, and a detailed model in the bargain, with just about everything you might need to build an excellent replica of this coupé of the armoured car world, now including a group of tasty figures. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

WWII British Vickers MG Crew (35646) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The Vickers Machine Gun was a development of the original Maxim, the company Vickers had bought in the late 1800s, lightened and with an inverted breech to improve the type, which entered into British service at the outbreak of WWI in insufficient numbers due partly to the price being asked for each one, which was soon rectified by accusations of war profiteering that resulted in a huge price cut per unit. It was used first by the infantry, then by the newly formed Machine Gun Corps when the lighter Lewis gun arrived on the scene. The gun remained in service throughout WWI and WWII, and was finally replaced by the General-Purpose Machine Gun in the late 60s. Quite an impressive service run, and a testament to its enduring design. The Kit This is a reboxing of the gun, which is essentially the same as the one used in WWI, but a new tooling of the crew with WWII era equipment and uniforms. It arrives in a small top-opening box with their usual captive inner flap, and has four sprues in grey styrene plus two sheets of instructions and painting guides. You have a choice of whether to build the gun up in prone or seated shooting positions in the instructions, but as the figures are seated you should choose the latter to make full use of the included figures. Construction of the gun is simple, with the breech details and firing handle attached to the ribbed or smooth barrel jacket, followed by the two arms that hold the gun in place and their central arm with adjustment wheel at the bottom. A length of finely moulded ammunition slides through the breech, and the unused end is fixed to the ammo can with more moulded rounds in an insert that sits on top of the box. The weapon is inserted into the hole at the top of your choice of tripods, then the aforementioned ammo can and the water reservoir for the cooling jacket, which is linked by a hose to the underside of the muzzle, but isn’t mentioned at all in the instructions. Depending on how you will deploy your gun, you could use a length of lead wire or similar to portray this, gluing it to the can. If you’re unsure of the correct locations, it is shown on the box top, and there are a number of good resources online. The figures are covered on the glossy instruction page, with two views of each of them showing the parts in position and giving full painting options using their usual letter codes in red. The figures are well sculpted with sensible parts breakdown into torso, head, arms and legs, with battle-bowlers that glue onto the flat tops of their heads. The gunner is in the crouched position operating the weapon with one knee down, while the ammo feeder is kneeling, feeding the link into the breech of the gun from the ammo box in front of him. Rucksacks, pouches and water bottle parts are included on the other sprues, plus a pair of Lee Enfield rifles and revolvers. You can use as many or as few of the accessories as you wish, keeping any spares for use in future projects. Colour call-outs are made throughout the build using red letters in boxes that correspond to a table on the rear that gives the paint names plus Revell and Tamiya paint codes. All the codes have the colour names in English too, so if you’re not a user of those brands you should be perfectly able to find some alternates from your preferred brand. Conclusion The machine gun was still an important part of WWII, and there were many Vickers guns used in action throughout the conflict. It’s another nice little kit either on its own or as part of a larger scene. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

WWII French Tank Crew (35647) 1:35 ICM via Hannants We reviewed the new FCM 36 from ICM recently here, and in the same shipment there was also this figure set that will work perfectly with this kit, and could also be pressed into use on many other French WWII tanks with little or no modification. Truthfully, calling it a tank crew kit does it an injustice, as it also includes two children that are being shown around the vehicle by the crew, which you can use to create a scene, or put the little ones to one side for another day if you have a different atmosphere in mind. The box is a top-opening affair with a captive inner lid, and inside is one sprue and a single sheet instruction and painting guide, similar to those found on the back of a standard figure box. There are three tankers and two boys, two tankers are stood, presumably showing the kids around, one pointing out some part of the vehicle to the lad clutching his beret in both hands. The final figure is sat half inside the turret on the hatch, with a WWII style French tank helmet with bumper at around brow level. The other two crew are both wearing berets with badges on the front and all three are dressed differently, including pull-over, tunic and overcoat, as well as a heat-resistant gauntlet for the seated figure. The chap with the tunic has a separate rear to the back of his tunic, to give the correct overhang (underhang?) as he bends slightly forward to bring himself down to the level of the boy he’s talking to. The boys are both dressed as you would expect two young lads in WWII France to be, with shorts, socks & shoes, but with different tops as would be expected. As usual with ICM figures their sculpting is exceptional with crisp detail, realistic cloth drape and sensible parts breakdown plus loads of extra detail moulded into each part as appropriate. Conclusion The perfect accompaniment to any French tank from interwar, or early WWII to give the model some human scale. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

FCM 36 French Light Tank (35336) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The FCM 36 was a light infantry tank that was the result of a proposal issued by the French government in 1933 after Hotchkiss had offered a design to the ministry. Of the resulting series of designs from the different manufacturers, three were taken forward including designs by Hotchkiss, Renault and of course FCM, which stands for Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, who were based at Toulon in the French Riviera. The FCM offering was well-liked due to its sloped welded armour, and was continued with despite the fact that they couldn’t get the thing working during the initial test period. It was sent back for repair, and that also turned up a number of other issues such as weak suspension and insufficient armour, increasing weight even further over the original limit. It was originally equipped with a pair of machine guns in much the same way as the German Panzer I, but one was removed in favour of a 37mm cannon, mounted in a turret that was intended to become the standard turret design for all French light tanks, despite a number of problems. One of the reasons it was well-liked was that it was considered to be the design with the most design potential, which was in part responsible for some serious delays spent working on an upgraded version that eventually came to nothing. By the time they had reverted back to the comparatively superior original it was outdated, and too late to fight the advancing Germans in any great numbers. The Kit This is a new tool of this type from ICM, so is a thoroughly modern kit, arriving in ICM’s usual top opening box with captive inner flap, holding six sprues of grey styrene, two runs of flexible black tracks, a small decal sheet and instruction booklet within, the latter having colour painting guides on both sides of the glossy rear cover. It is crisply moulded with lapped panels, rivets and weld-lines over the exterior, and although there is no interior, the crew hatches can be posed open as long as you either block the view with figures or prepare yourself for some scratch-building of any visible areas. Construction begins with the lower hull, which is made up initially of the floor and two sides, with bulkheads added to the sides to support the lower sponson panels that give the vehicle more ground clearance. The running gear is made up from a three-part drive sprocket, eighteen sets of twin wheels that are fitted to eight double bogies and two singles, then the big idler wheels at the rear of the hull on sliding tensioning axles. The sloped armoured upper sponsons are installed along the way, with the mud-shedding “windows” on each side. Two pairs of return rollers on the top run are glued inside the sponson, then the flexible black “rubberband” tracks are glued together, the instructions neglecting to mention that styrene glues won’t join them, so you should use super glue or epoxy instead. Each run has two sections, with the joints best placed in the centre of each run so they stand less chance of being seen on the finished model. Detail on the tracks is very nice, with twin guide horns and perforated centres like the real thing, but of course the links will curve round the ends, rather than give the correct faceted look that individual links provide. The upper hull is mostly complete, needing some small facets adding near the glacis, and some louvered vents on the engine deck and sides. Lifting eyes, latches and other small parts are added around the rear and sides, then are joined by a set of pioneer tools, a loop of cable, and a large bifurcated exhaust system that exits the top of the engine deck and has two mufflers, one on each rear fender with a hollow flared exhaust pipe. Stipple those with some Mr Surfacer and paint them lots of shades of rust, and they should be a nice focal point of the model. The driver’s pop-up hatch has grab handles, armoured vision port and large exposed support ram on the left side that can pose the hatch open if you wish. Hinges for the moulded-in lower panel on the glacis are also fitted at this time, as is a folded tarp on the left side. Despite the kit having no true interior, you get a full breech and coaxial machine gun that slots through a perforated inner mantlet that bears a passing resemblance to a piece of swiss cheese, then has supports added to the sides, which are in turn glued to the turret bottom with the upper dropped over it, and an outer mantlet cover slid over the barrel. The barrel is tipped with a hollow muzzle, a domed recuperator cap, and armoured bell-shaped cover for the machine gun barrel, then the various vision ports are fixed to the sides, and the large trapezoid hatch at the rear is made up and can be attached open or closed. A couple of grab-handles are glued to the sides of the hatch aperture to assist the commander in and out of the turret, then the completed assembly is twisted into position on a pair of bayonet lugs that should hold it in place throughout most of its traverse. The final task is to make up four lengths of chain from the two sprues of oval-shaped styrene parts, which are held on the towing eyes front and rear by a pair of pegs. Markings There are two decal options on the colourful decal sheet, both being French as you’d expect. From the box you can depict one of the following: FCM 36, 7th BCC, Chemery, France, 14th May 1940 FCM 36, 4th BCC, France, 10th June 1940 The decals have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A fairly niche subject that has been well-represented by this new kit. We understand that technical assistance was provided by Michael Brodhaeker for this project. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

BM-13-16 on WOT 8 Chassis w/Soviet Crew (35592) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Made by Ford UK under the Fordson brand, the WOT 8 was the last of a long line of vehicles using similar nomenclature in service of the British Army. Introduced in 1941 there were approximately 2,500 built, with a number of those sent to Russia as Lend/Lease vehicles, of which a number were converted to carry BM-13-16 Katyusha rockets on an angled rack that extended partially over the cab and is bolted firmly to the chassis. They carried 16 RS-132 rockets in an over-and-under configuration on each of the eight rails, which made a uncanny howling roar as they were unleashed from the rails. Its large fuel tank gave it a healthy range and a reasonable top speed thanks to the Ford V8 engine that put out 85hp, which wasn’t terrible for the day. The Kit This is rebox of a new tool from ICM as part of their WOT line, based upon the initial WOT8 we reviewed here. The kit arrives in a standard ICM box with their captive inner lid and a nice rendition of the vehicle and crew on the top. Inside are thirteen sprues in grey styrene, five tyres in flexible black plastic, a clear sprue, a small fret of Photo Etch (PE) brass and glossy colour instruction booklet. More than a few of the parts aren’t used in this variant, and those parts are overprinted in pink to assist you in ignoring them. Detail is excellent throughout as we’ve come to expect from ICM, and the extra figures are the icing on the cake that gives the model a human scale once complete, and will come in handy if you plan on including it in a diorama. Construction begins with the amended chassis ladder and the front sub-frame with cross-members and leaf spring suspension, plus a full V8 block made up from a good number of parts. The exhaust has a silencer near the rear and exits the underside at the rear of the aft suspension springs, to which the rear axle and differential are fitted, then joined to the central transfer box by a driveshaft with the front axle having a similar reversed layout plus steering box. The drum brakes are hidden behind the wheels, which are made up from the flexible “rubber” tyre that is sandwiched between the inner and outer hub, plus extra detail parts on both sides, eventually slotting onto a long axle front and rear. The underside is mostly complete, and attention turns to the body beginning with the engine compartment between the two curved front wings. Radiator, air filter and fan are added along with a hand-crank for manual starting, then the radiator hosing is installed so that the side plates that isolate the power plant from the crew cab interior can be added. In the right foot well the driver’s controls are added, with a handbrake further to the rear, and a central instrument panel sits almost on top of the engine. The crew seats sit atop boxes and have separate cushions for back and base, after which the cab can be boxed in, adding detail parts and glazing panels as you go. The sloping cab is trimmed with a dash panel and steering wheel, then separate doors with handles and more glazing are put in place either open, closed or anywhere in between at your whim, then closed in with the rear cab and finally the curved-sided roof. The PE radiator grilles have to be bent to match the contours of the sloped front, and should be attached with Super Glue (CA). The spare wheel and the substantial fuel tank are built next, and positioned behind the cab on their brackets. On the original kit the truck bed would now be made up (and the parts for it are still in this boxing), but for this boxing the rocket launching rails and their elevating apparatus are constructed. The eight rails are built up from three parts each to create an I-beam, it has stoppers and end plates added, then they are all threaded together on three tubular cross members. The modeller will need set the spacing of these using the provided jig, gluing them in place whilst being careful not to glue the jig in place too. The complex frame with elevation mechanism is assembled, which can be in either the raised or lowered position by swapping out the long or short elevation jack before joining the two assemblies and adding clips over the bare cross-braces. The full complement of 16 rockets are then added to the rails after adding the additional fins in the aforementioned over/under configuration. The amended flatbed for the launching system is then built up onto the curved rear mudguards and attached to the back of the truck along with a few small additions to the chassis, such as supports for the completed rocket assembly, which itself is held in place by the addition of brackets and washers around the framework. Two rear ground stabilisers are fitted to the rear of the chassis along with lights, shutters over the cab, heat/fume deflector over the radiator, windscreen wipers, rear view mirrors and extended elevation adjustment winders on the port side are all added, with folded shutters to protect the cab windows from the blast and heat when the rockets were being fired. Figures (35648) All four figures are on one sprue with a separate instruction booklet and product code. They are moulded in ICM’s by now familiar lifelike style, with lots of detail, realistic poses and sculpting, and including a number of weapons to sling over their shoulders. Three of the figures are shown loading rockets onto the back of the rails, while the fourth can either be their commander watching over the process, or with the tweak of his arm, he can be propping up the next rocket for loading with one of his hands, as can be seen in the picture below. Markings There are no markings in this boxing, as they weren’t technically frontline units due to the trajectory of the rockets necessitating distance between them and their targets. Unless the users daubed patriotic slogans on the sides, identification clearly wasn’t a priority. You can guess that the scheme is Soviet Green, with the rockets in steel. Conclusion Another first-rate variant from ICM of a previously overlooked British truck that was fairly common both during WWII and after. The inclusion of a Russian Katyusha conversion increases the interest to those of us that like their models to go BANG!, and for me the figures complete the package. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B (35110) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The Sd.Kfz.247 was a small four-wheeled 4x4 armoured car that was ordered in small quantities to keep battalion commanders and other officer types safe whilst ranging around the battlefield marshalling their subordinates. They weren’t intended for front-line use, but were sufficiently armoured to withstand a 7.62mm round from a distance, although the open rear compartment would have been a tempting target for a well-lobbed grenade. They were manufactured by Mercedes Benz on a Horch 108 chassis, and could maintain a good 50mph top-speed on a made-up road thanks to its 8-cylinder 3.5L Horch petrol engine. It had better off-road characteristics than its 6-wheeled Ausf.A predecessor, and saw extensive use in the early part of WWII, during the fast-paced Blitzkrieg advances through France and the lowlands. The Kit This is a new tool from ICM, but it does share a few clear parts with one of their earlier Mercedes kits, using the light lenses and little else, plus the tyres from the Horch. It is a fairly niche product with only 58 having been made and used at the beginning of WWII, but it’s an attractive armoured car, and as they intimated on their Facebook page, it bears a passing resemblance to the recently announced Tesla Cyber Truck. It arrives in ICM’s usual top-opening box with captive tray lid, and there are five sprues in grey styrene, a tree of black flexible tyres, a clear sprue, decal sheet, and a glossy-covered instruction booklet with painting guide on the rear cover. Detail is excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ICM, including an almost full interior with engine, radio gear, seating and pioneer tools all depicted in styrene. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, with two beams running front to back that have a box-section profile thanks to an insert, separate suspension mounts and cross-braces, plus the two axles with their differential bulges in the middle. The upper swing-arms are fitted onto the chassis and mate with the combined hub/brake drum parts, then the steering arms and other parts are installed, the two-part twin springs per wheel are glued in, and the lower swing-arms close up the assembly. The power pack is built around the two-part block with cylinder heads, ancillaries, exhaust manifolds and timing belts added before it is inserted into the chassis over the front axle. The front bumper iron is built up and fitted with hooks, then placed at the front of the chassis rails, after which the wheels can be made, comprising three parts to the hubs, which press on either side of the flexible tyres, being well-detailed and come from an earlier Horch kit. These could be painted and weathered after a good scrub in warm soapy water to improve adhesion. This is replicated on each corner, with a keyed shaft ensuring correct location on the rear of the hubs. Attention now turns to the bodyshell, which begins with a tread-plated floor pan that has a number of parts added to the underside first, then is flipped over and receives the driver’s foot pedals. The lower sides are separate, and have doors with handles fitted, external arches and other clamshell doors, then they’re attached to the floor along with the radiator to create the angular lower hull, which is then joined to the chassis and has all the remaining underpinnings and mudflaps added along the way. With the two assembles mated, the radiator is joined up and the rest of the driver controls are installed with the instrument panel, plus decals for the dials in the dash. The gear shifter, hand brake and the crew seats are next, with a bench seat opposite the large double-stack radio rack that is built from a large number of parts into a well-detailed assembly that just needs a few cables. Another jump seat is positioned next to the radio stack, and it has tubular framing, just like the rest of the seats in this vehicle. The upper bodyshell is prepared with front drivers’ inner and outer hatches plus three more hatches on each side, with mechanisms applied from the inside, and each one is shown in a scrap diagram to assist with correct placement of the parts. A hatch on the bonnet/hood is installed, then the hull halves are mated, with an armoured panel and headlamps at the front, plus width “lollipops” on both fenders and the exhaust on the right rear one. There are numerous raised shapes on the exterior of the vehicle, which are location points for the many scabbed-on stowage boxes of various shapes that clutter the sides of the vehicle, and are joined by rear lights, covered spare wheel, towing hitch, aerial mast and the familiar pioneer tools that adorned the outside of almost every WWII German truck, tank of armoured car. Convoy light, wing mirror and another aerial finish off the build. Markings There are four decal options on the small sheet, with two in panzer grey and another in the late war dark yellow, having survived up until D-Day. From the box you can build one of the following: Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Grossdeutschland, Ukraine, Summer 1942 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Russia, Autumn 1941 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B Russia, Summer 1941 Sd.Kfz.247 Ausf.B France, Summer 1944 Decals are printed by ICM’s usual partner on a bright blue backing paper, having good register, sharpness and colour density as well as nice crisp instrument decals to detail the interior. Conclusion It’s a fairly rare piece of WWII German hardware, and a detailed model in the bargain, with just about everything you might need to build an excellent replica of this coupé of the armoured car world. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

WWI British Vickers Machine Gun Crew (35713) 1:35 ICM via Hannants The Vickers Machine Gun was a development of original Maxim, the company Vickers had bought in the late 1800s, lightened and with an inverted breech to improve the type, which entered into British service at the outbreak of WWI in insufficient numbers due partly to the price being asked for each one, which was soon rectified by accusations of profiteering that resulted in a huge price cut per unit. It was used first by the infantry, then by the newly formed Machine Gun Corps when the lighter Lewis gun arrived on the scene, and I’m proud to say my paternal Grandfather was one of the operators of this type, surviving the war despite getting gassed, and bringing home a medal for bravery into the bargain. We’ve still got his cap badge that has been polished so much that the ribs on the cooling jacket have all-but worn away. The gun remained in service throughout WWI and WWII, and was finally replaced by the General Purpose Machine Gun in the late 60s. Quite a service run. This set includes the parts of the earlier kit that contained just the MG (35712), but adds a two-man crew and lots of accessories. It arrives in a small top-opening box with their usual captive inner flap, and has three sprues in grey styrene plus three sheets of instructions and painting guides. You have a choice of whether to build the gun up in prone or seated positionss in the instructions, but as the figure is seated you should choose the latter to make full use of the included figures. Construction of the gun is simple, with the breech details and firing handle attached to the ribbed or smooth barrel jacket, followed by the two arms that hold the gun in place and their central arm with adjustment wheel at the bottom. A length of finely moulded ammunition slides through the breech, and the unused end is fixed to the ammo can with more moulded rounds in an insert that sits on top of the box. The weapon is inserted into the hole at the top of your choice of tripods, then the aforementioned ammo can and the water reservoir for the cooling jacket, which is linked by a hose to the underside of the muzzle, but isn’t mentioned at all in the instructions. Depending on how you will deploy your gun, you could use a length of lead wire or similar to portray this, gluing it to the can. If you’re unsure of the correct locations, there are a number of good resources online. The figures are covered on the glossy instruction page, with two views of each of them showing the parts in position and giving full painting options using their usual letter codes in red. The figures are well sculpted with sensible parts breakdown into torso, head, arms and legs, with peaked caps that glue onto the flat tops of their heads. The gunner is in the seated position operating the weapon, while the ammo feeder is prone, feeding the link into the breech of the gun from the ammo box in front of him. Additional rucksacks, pouches and water bottle parts are included on their sprue, with many more parts on the accessory sprue, which has a separate instruction sheet, mostly for painting purposes. There are copious Lee Enfield rifles, a Lewis gun, spades, axes, more pouches, binoculars and some battle bowlers that could be used instead of the earlier caps if desired. There are also pistols, grenades, wire cutters, a rifle mortar, pick-axe and sheath, and even a football-style rattle for signalling. You can use as many or as few of the accessories as you wish, keeping any spares for use in future projects. Colour call-outs are made throughout the build using red letters in boxes that correspond to a table on the rear that gives the paint names plus Revell and Tamiya paint codes, or Model Master for the accessories. All the codes have the colour names in English too, so if you’re not a user of those brands you should be perfectly able to find some alternates from your preferred brand. Conclusion The machine gun is an important part of WWI, and there were many Vickers guns used in the trenches. My own personal connection aside, it’s a nice little kit either on its own or as part of a larger scene. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Wight (16203) 1:16 ICM via Hannants This chap is described as a “Wight”, but one look at the box art makes it eminently clear that it’s one of the undead army from Game of Thrones. If you ignore the last season especially, it was quite a show and there will still be lots of fans out there that thought (like me) that the last season was unfulfilling, but doesn’t detract from the earlier seasons. We have had a few of these figures from ICM, the Great Other (White Walker – here, and the King of the Night (White King – here, all in 1:16 scale, and all with the same style of bases so you can build up a nice collection. Arriving in a top-opening box with captive inner lid, with a sprue of grey styrene, another in black, plus a single oval base. There is also a poster of the artwork that fits within the box for you to keep, plus a sheet of instructions that has a sprue diagram and paint code table in the rear. The parts on the sprue are well-moulded and have various textures as appropriate for this rather stinky, rotten fellow. He’s wearing the remains of some trousers with cloth shoes, and bits of armour on his shoulders, butt and one of his feet, with a patch of chain-mail on his groin, held up by an old belt. The rest of his tunic is missing below his rib cage, and his chest is easily seen through the gaps and holes in his clothes, which is achieved by adding sections of the outer layer over the chest. The arms are as thin and desiccated as the chest, and the head is equally thin, damaged and puckered, with lips shrunk back and teeth bared. Altogether a scary visage, as you can see from the magnified part of the photo. In his right hand he is carrying an old axe, which has his fingers separate in order to latch onto the axe. The base is moulded in black, and has a top and bottom plate to close up the fluted sides, and if you elect to add some groundwork that should make for easier creation and allows you not to bother with masking during the process. Conclusion If you’re a Game of Thrones fan this is definitely one for you, but it’s generic enough to also have a number of alternative uses if you’re a general figure painter. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

British Vickers Machine Gun (35712) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd. The Vickers Machine Gun was a development of original Maxim, the company Vickers had bought in the late 1800s, lightened and with an inverted breech to improve the type, which entered into British service at the outbreak of WWI in insufficient numbers due partly to the price being asked for each one, which was soon rectified by accusations of profiteering that resulted in a huge price cut per unit. It was used first by the infantry, then by the newly formed Machine Gun Corps when the lighter Lewis gun arrived on the scene, and I’m proud to say my Paternal grandfather was one of the operators of this type, surviving the war despite getting gassed, and bringing home a medal for bravery into the bargain. We’ve still got his cap badge that has been polished so much that the ridges on the cooling jacket have all-but worn away. The gun remained in service throughout WWI and WWII, and was finally replaced by the General Purpose Machine Gun in the late 60s. Quite a service run. The Kit At 1:35 it’s a small model, although it took a fairly large crew to operate it, mostly in carrying the equipment from place to place, as it had a prodigious thirst for ammunition. The kit arrives in a small box with one sprue inside along with an A4 instruction sheet that is folded to fit the box. You can build one complete assembly from the box, but there are two guns and two tripods, the former having options for the fluted and straight cooling jackets, while the latter are set up for seated or prone operation. Construction is simple, with the breech details and firing handle attached to your jacketed barrel of choice, followed by the two arms that hold the gun in place and their central arm with adjustment wheel at the bottom. A length of finely moulded ammunition slides through the breech, and the unused end is fixed to the ammo can with more moulded rounds in an insert that sits on top of the box. The weapon is inserted into the hole at the top of your choice of tripods, then the aforementioned ammo can and the water reservoir for the cooling jacket, which is linked by a hose to the underside of the muzzle, but isn’t mentioned at all in the instructions. Depending on how you will deploy your gun, you could use a length of lead wire or similar to portray this, gluing it to the can. If you’re unsure of the correct locations, there are a number of good resources online. Colour call-outs are made throughout the build using letters in boxes that correspond to a table on the rear that gives the paint names plus Revell and Tamiya paint codes. Conclusion It’s a useful item to have in any diorama or vehicle, and with its huge length of service it can fit into many different situations. I’m looking forward to a set with figures, especially if it is WWI era. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Dornier Do.217J-1/2 (48272) 1:48 ICM via Hannants The origin of the Do.217 was the Do.17 Flying Pencil as it was colloquially known, to extract more power from the engines, extend its range and give it a better bomb load amongst other improvements. The resulting airframe was a good one and left the early war designs in its wake becoming known as a heavy bomber in Luftwaffe service, something they were very short of throughout the war. It was also a versatile aircraft much like the Ju.88, and was adapted to many other roles like its predecessors, including the night fighter role, to which it was suited, although not initially. Various engine types were used through the endless rounds of improvements, with radial and inline engines fitted in a seemingly random pattern throughout the aircraft's life. The first night fighter was the J-1 with radial engines, had a crew of three in an enlarged cockpit and solid nose sporting four MG17 machine guns and another four 20mm cannons in the front of the gondola for concentrated forward fire. The crews disliked it due to the increased weight of the extra equipment however, and criticism led to an order to cease production of the night fighter variants, which Dornier either didn't receive or chose to ignore. The J-2 was little better, changing the 20mm FF/M cannons out for MG151s and removing the vestigial aft bomb bay, which was faired over with an appropriate drop in overall weight. Some of this weight was gained back with the installation of the FuG 202 Lichtenstein radar. This still wasn’t enough and the crews continued complaining, leading Dornier to produce the improved N series, which eventually entered service in small numbers as the N-1 and N-2 variants. The Kit This is a minor tooling revision from ICM, based upon the sprues from the J series’ successor, the N series that ICM tooled first. You can see our review of the N-1 here, and you might recognise the main sprue pictures below if you view them side-by-side (hint: they’re the same pics). The additional sprues cover parts for the backdating of the engines and nacelles to the earlier BMW 801 radials, as well as a new nose cone and cover for the radar equipped J-2 and earlier J-1 with its clean radar-free nose. New Sprues Construction begins with the well-detailed cockpit and fuselage, which is almost identical to the N until you reach the nose cone, giving you a choice of the unadorned J-1 nose with cover for the tip where previous variants had searchlights, or the similar J-2 nose that has a pair of supports for the radar whiskers. The wings and tail are also identical to the N, although the new engines and nacelles are where things start to diverge properly. The radial BMW units are made up from two banks of pistons, the rear set having a bulkhead moulded in, then has the ancillaries and cooling fan added to the front. The cowlings are built in sections with exhaust stubs fitted to the insides, with three sections linked to complete the cylindrical cowling into which the engine slots before being locked in by the front cowling lip. This of course is done twice, as are the nacelles, which have ribbing detail moulded within and bulkheads to add detail and prevent see-through issues. The engine cowling slots onto the front of the nacelle and the retraction jacks are installed from above before it is fitted to the wing, as are the main oleos, mudguards and the two-piece wheels. You can also add in the gear bay doors at this point if you’re a masochist, or leave them off until main painting is over. The underside is completed by adding in the engine nacelles, completing the rear of the gondola under the nose with its glazing and inserting the closed bomb bay doors for the J-1, or by leaving the bay open, adding the extra fuel tank that was used to extend range, and installing the bifold doors in the open position. The retractable rear wheel also has its doors fitted with a small insert in front of the bay, finishing off the area. Flipping the model over shows the open cockpit, which needs the remaining parts adding before the glazing can be glued in place. Some small parts are added to the inside of the canopy before it is put in place, with the rear turret and defence machine gun added into the rear fairing. Additional appliqué armoured glass is present on the two front canopy panels, which can be “glued” with some clear varnish, making certain you haven’t trapped any bubbles between the parts before you set it to one side to dry. The next steps involve guns. Lots of them. All the barrels are slotted into the nose and your choice of nose cap is fitted, with the radar whiskers made up and cut to size for the J-2 decal options. The props are made up from a single part with all blades moulded in, then trapped between the front and rear parts of the spinner. The last parts are a set of cheek “pouches” at are fixed to either side of each nacelle with a set of curved grilles moulded in, and two exhaust deflectors on the top of the nacelles. Markings There are four decal options available from the decal sheet, only one of which is a J-1, the rest being J-2s of course. There are a variety of paint schemes too, with three using splinter on the upper surfaces but with three different heights of demarcation between the top and bottom colours that will require you to stay on the ball when masking. The other option is an all-black machine with all the opportunities of weathering and fading that black allows. I remember my art teacher telling me there is no such thing as true black, but that was before Black 3.0 was released! From the box you can build one of the following: Do.217J-1 II./NJG 1, Hungary 1944 Do.217J-2, Germany Spring 1942 Do.217J-2, Germany Autumn 1942 (with optional camouflage variation) Do.217J-2, 4./NJG 3, Denmark, 1944 The decals aren’t marked by its printers, but they’re in good register with colour density and sharpness that should be more than acceptable for use and have a glossy carrier film that is cut close to the printing, with a few exceptions on the codes. Conclusion Another detailed kit of the Flying Pencil and its relatives, filling a gap in the range that’s now available from ICM. I can’t wait to see what’s next? Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Wehmacht 3t Trucks (DS3507) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd. While tanks and fighting vehicles maybe the more glamours side of vehicles used by armies it is often forgotten that the humble truck is the back bone of logistics; without which no army in the world can unction. This set from ICM brings together three of their 3t German truck models under one box lid. Typ L3000S German Truck (35420) Standardising from 1940 on the Mercedes Benz design in order to simplify spares and maintenance, the L3000S was one of many variants of the truck to see service. Powered by a 4 cylinder 4.85 litre diesel engine with four-wheel drive and able to carry up to 3 tonnes of cargo, it was a workhorse that saw service in almost every theatre of WWII where there was a German presence with almost 30,000 made. Consisting of three large sprues, a clear sprue, three pairs of rubberised tyres, decal sheet and instructions, this is a full engine kit with detailed chassis, multi-part engine assembly, cab and truck bed. Construction begins with the chassis and engine, suspension and exhaust, then moves to the front fenders, driveshafts attaching the rear axle in place, and steering arms at the front, both attaching to the leaf suspension. The wheels have two-part hubs that the rubbery tyres slip over, with two at the front and two pairs on different style hubs on the rear axle. The crew cab is made up with floor, instrument panel with decals, bench-style seat, then the various external panels that box in the crew. There is a small window to the rear, and the main windscreen aperture is moulded into the roof and firewall cowling, while the doors are separate mouldings that can be posed open or closed with separate winders and handles, plus clear panels all round the cab. Before the engine bay is boxed in the cab is joined with the chassis, then the front bumper/fender is glued to the end of the chassis rails and the three-part cowling with separate radiator is dropped between the front wings to complete the chassis. If you were minded, you could score the top panel of the cowling to display the engine, and if the thickness of the part bothered you, you could cut a new one from brass using the original as a template and rolling the edges. The smaller parts such as lights, number plate holders and windscreen wipers are fitted after the cargo bed has been made up. The cargo bed is built on the floor, with upstands latching into their hinge-points and the addition of front fixed panel and the rear door giving it some rigidity. Five cross-braces are added underneath and are joined together by two additional longitudinal rails where they join with the chassis. A spare wheel, stowage boxes and spare fuel cans in cages are then fitted to the underside with the rear mudguards suspended from boxed in sections. The bed fits onto the chassis by a quartet of pegs that locate in corresponding slots in the chassis rail, then the aforementioned lights, pioneer tools and windscreen wipers are glued in place around the model. Markings There are four options on the decal sheet, only two of which are theatre specific to this boxing and painted grey. Not everyone will stick to the theme though, which is fair enough as it's your model. From the box you can build one of the following: WH-272 104 Ukraine, Summer 1941 WL-34548 Russia, Summer 1942 WH-858 842 North Africa, Summer 1942 WH-76836 Italy, Summer 1944 KHD S3000 German Truck (35451) From 1940 onward the German army, by standardizing and simplifying the numerous types of trucks, tried to improve the procurement of spare parts and facilitate repairs. The result was the standard 3 ton truck, which all German manufacturers now used as a basis for construction. This was also the basis on which the motor manufacturer Klöckner Humboldt Deutz AG, (KHD) of Cologne produced the A3000. Various bodies and sets of equipment were available, including a half track, “maultier”. A typical recognition feature was the oval radiator grille and one-piece windscreen. In total about 5960 examples were built between 1940 and 1944. The 4 wheel drive A3000 came to be used on all fronts in the Second World War and was indispensable for supplying the troops with goods of all kinds. The build starts with the nicely detailed engine with the block and gearbox halves glued together followed by the addition of the rocker covers, starter motor, alternator, front engine mounts, cooling fan, air filter, and other sundry items. The instructions then move on to the complicated transfer box, with its input and output shafts and cross member frame that fits onto the chassis rails with the addition of four other cross members and rear chassis end piece, to which the towing eye, cover and pin are added, along with the front mudguards and engine are attached. The front and rear leaf springs are pre moulded to the chassis rails, the front and rear axles and transfer box are then fitted. Turning the rails over the engine can now be fitted plus the exhaust system, which comprises of four parts, and looks particularly fragile so it may be an idea to build in situ rather than as a separate assembly the instructions call for. The two driveshafts are then be added, as are the radiator/front chassis end piece. The steering rack assembly is built up using the four parts provided and, if the modeller chooses can be built up so that the front wheels are pose able, although this may make it rather fragile, particularly the rear tie rod. After fitting the various brackets and supports as well as the front bumper, it’s onto the wheels, these come as single piece tyres plus inner and outer hubs. There are seven provided, singles for the front, doubles for the rear and a spare which fits on the chassis behind the cab and under the bed, along with the four piece fuel tank. The building of the cab begins with filing off the ejection pins marks on the underside of the floor, before fitting the pedals, steering column, steering wheel and handbrake handle. The seat support and cushion is fitted to the floor, whilst the windscreen, instrument panel, (with decal instruments), are fitted to the roof/front part of the cab. Onto the rear panel of the cab the seat back and rear screen are attached. The next assembly for the cab is the bonnet, which is made up of left and right hand parts, bonnet and radiator grille. The completed bonnet cannot easily be made to be posed either open, which is a shame. To finish off the foot plates are attached along with the doors, which are made of the external panels, door cards, clear parts, and door handles. Last details are the wing mirrors, lights, wipers; grab handles, spade, triangular roof marker, jerry can and its support bracket. The last assembly is the truck bed, with the bed itself being fitted with the side, rear, and front plank sections. On the underside, four lateral strengthening beams, plus the two wheel arches are fitted with their attachment struts. The kit comes complete with four tilt rails that attach to the outsides of the truck bed sides. To complete the build the windscreen wipers, wing mirrors, grab handles, headlamps, and width markers are glued into their respective positions. Markings There are two markings on the sheet; A. KHD S3000 Ukraine 1942 in overall Grey B. KHD S3000 France Summer 1944 in Yellow/Green camo. V S3000 (1941 Production) German Army Truck (35411) From 1940 onwards the German army, by standardizing and simplifying the numerous types of trucks, tried to improve the procurement of spare parts and facilitate repairs. The result was the standard 3 ton truck, which all German manufacturer snow used as a basis for construction. This was also the basis on which the motor manufacturer in Cologne produced the "V3000S" from 1941 onwards. Various bodies and sets of equipment were available. A typical recognition feature was the oval radiator grille and one-piece windscreen. In total about 25,000 examples were built. The "V 3000 S" came to be used on all fronts in the Second World War and was indispensable for supplying the troops with goods of all kinds. The build starts with the nicely detailed engine with the block and gearbox halves glued together followed by the addition of the rocker covers, starter motor, alternator, front engine mounts, cooling fan, air filter, cooling pipes, gear stick and other sundry items. The instructions then move on to the chassis rails with the addition of five cross members and rear chassis end piece, to which the towing eye, cover and pin are added. To the top of the main rails the two sub rails are added. These are then further secured to the main rails by six ties and clamps. The front and rear leaf springs are fitted along with the rear axle and transfer box. Turning the rails over the engine can now be fitted plus the exhaust system, which comprises of seven parts, and looks particularly fragile so it may be an idea to build in situ rather than as a separate assembly the instructions call for. The two driveshafts can then be added, as can the radiator/front chassis end piece. The steering rack assembly is built up using the four parts provided and, if the modeller chooses can be built up so that the front wheels are posable, although this may make it rather fragile, particularly the rear tie rod. After fitting the various brackets and supports as well as the front bumper and tow hooks, it’s onto the wheels, these come as single piece tyres and outer wheels. There are seven provided, singles for the front, doubles for the rear and a spare which fits on the chassis behind the cab and under the bed. The inner wheels are glued whilst an middle part is not, to enable the wheels to turn when fitted to the axles which most modellers probably wouldn’t be bothered with. The building of the cab begins with filing off the ejection pins marks on the underside of the floor, before fitting the pedals, steering column, steering wheel and handbrake handle. The seat support and cushion is fitted to the floor, whilst the windscreen, instrument panel, with decal instruments, are fitted to the roof/front part of the cab. Onto the rear panel of the cab the seat back and rear screen are attached. The next assembly for the cab is the bonnet, which is made up of left and right hand parts, bonnet and bonnet ornament strake. The completed bonnet can then be posed either opened or closed. The final part of the cab is the engine bay which is built up of the left and right hand sides, radiator grille, and rear bulkhead. These five sub assemblies are then fitted together to make the full front assembly, which is then fitted to the chassis. To finish off the front, the mud guards/foot plates are attached along with the doors, which are made of the external panels, door cards, clear parts, and door handles. Last details are the wing mirrors, lights, wipers; grab handles, spade, triangular roof marker, jerry can and its support bracket. The last assembly is the truck bed. This is built up with the bed itself, five strengthening beams on the underside along with two storage containers and rear number plate. There are four supports for each of the rear mudguards and the mudguards themselves to be fitted before flipping the assembly over and attaching the front sides and rear panels. On the front panel, two brackets are attached, into which the hoops for a canvas cover, which is not supplied. The whole assembly is then attached to the chassis, completing the build. Markings There are four markings options on the small sheet;; A. V3000S Russia Summer 1942 (Overall Grey) B. V3000S Russia Winter 1942 (Overall white) C. V3000S Italy 1943 (Overall Grey) D. V3000S Sicily June 1943 (Two tone grey camo) Conclusion This is a great combination set that offers a lot in the box that would keep you busy for quite a long time, and for the price of one large tank model (i.e. almost half its individual RRP). Two vehicles and eight figures plus weapons in total, and lots of lovely detail that just begs to be made into a diorama. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Heinkel He.111Z-1 Zwilling (48260) 1:48 ICM via Hannants For much of the late 30s and well into WWII the Heinkel He.111 was pretty much the largest bomber in the German arsenal, as they had pinned their colours wholeheartedly to the fast bomber getting in and out without being molested by fighters that could barely keep up with them. This wasn’t the case by the time hostilities broke out, and as this became apparent with mounting losses, the Heinkels were sent out with a swarm of fighters protecting them from the Hurricanes and Spitfires of the RAF over Britain. In a parallel track the Reich had some positive experiences with using gliders to take troops into combat, which led to the designing the massive Me.321 Gigant (pronounced Geegant in German) glider that was capable of carrying a huge amount of hardware and manpower within its voluminous interior. They needed a towing aircraft, and initially used a trio of Bf.110s, but it was difficult to synchronise their activities to maintain thrust and directional control. This led to the bright idea of attaching two He.111s together with a new central wing panel to reduce the engineering load of designing a whole new airframe for the purpose. They took the fuselages of two He.111H-6s each with the port or starboard wing removed outboard of the engine mount-point, and a new aerofoil linking them housing an additional engine, in order to give extra power to the twinset. Zwilling is German for twin, so you can see where the Z came from. Later on, it occurred to the RLM to use the same airframe as a long-range bomber, and even as a reconnaissance aircraft to take advantage of the additional fuel load it could carry, as their front-line airfields were pushed further back by the advancing Allies. The Kit Starting in 2017, ICM have been bringing out a new range of He.111 kits that we have reviewed over the years. One such boxing was the He.111H-6, which is the basis for this kit, although there are a lot of additional parts in this boxing, both in duplication of engines, fuselage, tail planes and landing gear, but also the main plane between the two fuselages with three new engine nacelles and a giant flap at the trailing edge. The spars have also had to be revisited to adapt to the flat plane of the central section, so as you can imagine there are a lot of sprues in the box. The box is long and large, with a painting of the aircraft on the front in a winter distemper, and when you cut the tape holding the lid on, there is an immediate surprise as two parts trays drop out, with the usual ICM captive lid on each one. The parts are spread between the two trays, and you have twenty six sprues in grey styrene, four in clear, a long decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that has colour profiles at the rear for painting and decaling. Construction for most of the build follows the building of a single kit…. Errr, twice. The bit in the middle is completely new of course, so that’s where we’ll concentrate our attention. It starts with the two asymmetrical spars, which consist of two lengths separated by the boxed-in wheel wells and a walkway part. One is left-handed, the other right with the two horizontal lengths making the basis for the centre panel. It is worth noting that although the majority of the centre panel is horizontal, there is still dihedral on the section between the wing and first inboard engine to reduce the changes needed to the wing root. Small parts are added to the pair of fuselage frames along the way, and these are joined by a mid-upper gun mount and accompanying seat that is fixed to a length of floor behind the wings that leads to another smaller bulkhead toward the tail. Two cockpit floors are assembled in tandem with the pilot’s precarious frontal position and controls attached along with rudder pedals and comfortable-looking armoured seat. The four fuselage halves are prepped with wing root internal skins, windows and small exterior inserts, then a long rack of ammo for the mid-upper gun, the gun itself with dump-bag, and more glazing in the gondola. Each airframe half still runs on its own main gear and tail wheels for weight distribution, the latter being made up from a large leg, retraction jacks and a two-part wheel with integral hub that slips between the fuselage halves before closure. Each spar/cockpit assembly is then slid into the starboard fuselage half and once the radio gear is installed in the port side near another MG, the fuselage is closed up, another seat and the pilot’s control column are fitted in the forward compartment. The rudder is glued to the moulded-in fin with an actuator, and the bomb bay sides are slid inside the fuselage, then the assembly is flipped over to add the mid-upper insert with turret framing added above and below the aperture. The elevators are separate from their fins, and an insert is placed over the bomb bay, which includes raised portions for the carrying of bombs that is, for this version at least, a vestige of its original role that is reused to extend the aircraft's range. The cockpit’s three-part asymmetric nose glazing is joined together using a non-hazing cement with the same glue used for the overhead panel, which has its own decal like the other panels in the cockpit, then it is added to the nose along with the roof opening panel that slips into the frame provided. By this stage you should have two almost complete fuselages and a hankering to join them together! Each one has an underside skin added between the fuselage and the inner wing, then the main lower wing panels are added left, right and centre, giving you the first indication of how big this model is going to be. There’s no going back now though! Five engines are built up from a good number of parts each, then they are mounted in their firewall positions on their four bearers. The centre engine has a new panel slotted into the gap between the two spars, then all five engines are cowled up and have their radiator scoops added in a step-by-step manner, then covered up by the wing root panels and the three main upper wings plus ailerons, of which there are only two. That must be one long control wire/rod. The cowling is finished off over the next few steps with the exhaust stacks, another intake on the topside and the two hemispherical nose gun glazing parts. Everything happens in multiples on this kit, which is a good test of your production-line skills. The next line includes making up the four main gear legs and two-part wheels, the two front and rear gondola glazing parts with their guns in each section. Additional leg supports are added once they are secure in their bays, then the semi-flush pylons under the bomb bays are decked out with a pair of fuel tanks each, using two sway-braces on each one to hold them steady during flight. Main gear bay doors are fitted in four pairs, then you’ll need to get a friend to help you flip the airframe over to add the props, which are made up of two part spinner and a single three-bladed prop, plus a choice of mid-upper glazing in the open or semi-closed position. Add some aerials and pitot probes and then it’s time to realise your spray-booth isn’t big enough for the task. Oops. Markings There weren’t many of these built, but two of them have made it onto the decal sheet, with schemes as different as chalk and green splintered cheese. Look below if you can’t understand a word of what I’m talking about. From the box you can build one of the following: He.111Z-1 Eastern Front, Winter 1942-1943 He.111Z-1 Eastern Front, Spring 1943 Decals are printed anonymously, but it looks like a DecoGraph affair, with good register clarity and density of print. Conclusion I’m beyond excited about this release. I’ve no idea why, but I have a fondness for the Zwillings and to have one of the He.111 in 1:48 in injection moulded styrene is an awesome thought. The ICM He.111 is the new gold standard in 1:48, so two of them joined in the middle is just gravy. Super-dooper highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Wehrmacht Radio Trucks (DS3509) Henschel 33D1 & Krupp L3H163 w/Kfz.72 1:35 ICM Via Hannants Ltd Radios were a little larger in WWII than they are now, so any radio with a decent range needed to be transported by a truck if it was to be mobile, and to a certain extent that's still true. The German Army use different chassis with the same Kfz.72 body with panelled wood sides to contain the equipment and crew needed for communications, which was a crucial aspect of their then-new Blitzkrieg warfare technique. the Henschel 33 truck was a product of the mid-30s and remained in service with the Wehrmacht until 1942, able to carry just over 3 tonnes and powered by a 6-litre petrol engine and made in substantial quantities. The Krupp L3H163 chassis was also used, with similar capabilities as the Henschel, although it was a slightly more modern design originating in 1936 and using Pneumatic braking systems to slow the 110hp engine’s roll. The Kit This is an amalgamation of two kits from the ICM stable, both of which were released originally in 2012 in their radio truck guise. It makes a lot of sense in the same way it did to the Germans at the time, although why they used two types rather than one for simplicity… well, it’s a good thing they did as it made for more complex and back-end heavy maintenance that helped slow things down for them. The kit arrives in a deep glossy box with a painting of the two types next to each other, showing how they differ mainly forward of the Kfz.72 body section, although the accessories and so forth are different between the two types, giving them some individuality. It’s a full box with seven sprues of grey styrene and a clear sprue for the Henschel truck, and nine sprues plus clear in the Krupp bag. Each kit has its own instruction booklet in the slightly older style, with a small decal sheet hidden within the pages of each one. Henschel 33D1 w/Kfz.72 Radio Truck Beginning with the six-cylinder engine and its ancillaries, the chassis rails are next with running boards fitted along with cross-rails, crew stirrups and some stowage, oil containers and jack block. The rear wheels are made up from a pair of tyres with moulded-in hub, joined to the rear by a two-part brake drum assembly. Four of these are made, and then set aside while the chassis is progressed by the insertion of the engine, front axle, steering box, exhaust and air-tanks at the rear. The transmission is assembled with the transfer boxes and drive shafts distributing the power to the rear axles that are mounted on twin leaf-springs on the top and bottom of the hub. The twin wheels are added to the ends of the four axles, and two single-part front wheels are attached to the front along with steering linkage. At this point the chassis is complete, and the body is then begun, starting with the cab. The cab is begun with the driver controls being inserted into a pedal box, instrument panel installed on two brackets, and steering wheel made up and all three assemblies fitted to the firewall along with the window frames and their clear glazing. A full-width bench seat is assembled and added to the cab floor with the front, sides and rear, the latter three having glazing added along the way. The back of the seat fits to the rear wall, and after a lick of paint, the corrugated roof is added, then closed in by the two crew doors with glazing, handles and winders. These can of course be fitted open or closed as you see fit. The front wings/fenders glue onto the chassis with large tabs holding them in place, and the radiator is slipped into the front rail of the chassis in preparation for the cab, which has its cowling made up along the centre rail, which can have its doors flipped up to view the engine. The cab is fitted to the chassis with the cowling once the radio cabin is completed. The cabin is basically a rectangular box with window (and door) cut-outs on the sides and front, a door cut-out at the rear, and two wheel well inserts cutting into the cabin floor. The rest of the cabin is empty, so if you want the extra detail inside you’ll need to do some research on the likely configuration of the interior. The wooden panelled cabin is completed by the curved ribbed roof, the rear door and side door with their glazing panels. The chassis, cab and radio cabin are mated with additional tools, antenna tubes, rear-view mirrors and an upstand enclosure for stowage on the roof, then more small parts such as jacks, lights, cowling clasps, a roof-mounted light bar, pioneer tools, steps, ramps for getting out of mud, and even some foot-pegs to reach the roof and get the stowage. Markings Any colour you like as long as it’s panzer grey. The two decal options are for vehicles in Poland and the Ukraine, with just a few number plates and small stencils completing the job. Decals are well-printed with crisp instrument dials for the panel in the cab. Krupp L3H163 w/Kfz.72 Radio Truck The build of this truck is very similar to the Henschel for obvious reasons. There are some differences to the equipment attached to the chassis, such as winches and the placement of fuel tank and stowage, then at the rear wheels there are large horizontal springs playing a part in the suspension while the front rests on leaf-springs. The cab has a central driver position and full-width instrument panel with some minor cab shape differences, which also extends to the cowling over the engine. The Kfz.72 cabin is based on many of the same parts as the Henschel as you'll see from the pictures, with the differences mainly in terms of the equipment attached to the exterior. In addition, the cab roof also gets a stowage enclosure fitted to the roof for even more carriage capacity. Externally, all the same tools and equipment are fitted to the vehicle but in different places, plus the addition at the rear of a pair of covered-up wind-up antennae that sit either side of the back door of the cabin. Markings It’s panzer grey again, and this time the vehicles depicted are from France and the Ukraine, with a similarly small and concise decal sheet including instrument panel dials for the cab. Conclusion Thanks to the communication needs of Blitzkrieg, these vehicles were ubiquitous wherever German command was established, with more sent closer to the front lines to extend lines of communication and keep abreast of changes on the battlefield. Having two of them in one box gives extra options and the opportunity to load up on Panzer Grey once to paint them both at the same time. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

WWI ANZAC Desert Patrol (DS3510) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Formed in 1914, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) played a substantial part in WWI often in areas that are seldom given the prominence of the Western Front. They were a major player in Gallipoli where they were heavily mauled due to the Lions led by Donkeys approach that pervaded at the time. They also served in Palestine and Egypt, and it was the former where they used the then new Ford Model T to replace the previous vehicles that were suffering due to the poor availability of spares, They used six of them as Light Armoured Cars, often mounting weapons in a manner that became more familiar in WWII in the shape of the LRDG. The Kits The kits arrive in the usual ICM top-opening box with the captive flap on the lower tray and artwork depicting the contents on the lid. Whoever puts those lids together certainly makes them tight and difficult to get off even after cutting the tape between the two parts. Model T 1917 Touring WWI Australian Service (35667) Despite being small, this is a full-detail kit and includes a nicely detailed representation of the engine using 11 parts, a two-part radiator that is moulded into the front axle and attaches to the front of the body shell along with four lifting eyes inside the engine compartment. The completed engine is dropped in behind the rad and with the chassis upended the exhaust is put in place linked to the exhaust manifold on the side of the block. The rear axle of the Model T was suspended on a single lateral leaf-spring, and this is next to be constructed along with the differential and drive shaft assembly. This is also fitted to the underside with various swing-arms and the steering mechanism, then the four single-part wheels are installed and the model is righted once you've had a few moments to appreciate the detail of the wheels, which even have the valves moulded-in. The vehicle looks a bit odd with no upper body, so with the steering column fitted the crew compartment is made up from front, sides and back which have the doors moulded in and the base of the windscreen mount added as a separate part. The cylindrical fuel tank is fitted across the cab in a gap in the floor, and additional fuel is glued to the front bulkhead as a row of four jerry cans in a box on the left side as this is a right-hand drive vehicle. The foot pedals and handbrake are added on the right and the bench seats are made up from bottom cushions (literally!), stiff back with additional cushion and armchair-like sides. Before these are fitted the fuel tank is boxed in and then they can be fixed in place alongside the folded four-part hood and the steering wheel complete with boss and two stalks, one of which was the throttle, surprisingly enough. The pedals on the floor didn't work exactly as you or I would expect either, so it's probably for the best that few of us would ever get chance to drive one. The windscreen can be found on the clear sprue as you'd expect as can the rear light, the front ancillary light and both of the wing-mounted headlights. The screen is in two parts with a C-shaped frame attached to the two halves and a pivot to allow them to be folded or opened. Another pair of fuel cans are attached to the left running board and a spare tyre (no hub) is found on the right. Markings There is only one colour and that is olive green that is used on both decal options, both of which were used in Palestine in 1918. Each one has a code on its bonnet/hood and a unit crest on the rear passenger door. Model T 1917 Utility WWI Australian Army Car (35664) The engine, chassis and floor pan of this kit is the same as the Touring except for a tow-part fuel tank set below the cab. The truck bed is made up of the bed, sides, front and rear sections in addition to the outer curved panels, bench seat and optional rolled up canvas cover attached to the right bed side. The two-part battery is fitted to the driving compartment bulkhead, along with the scuttle, doors and foot pedals. The gear stick and steering column are then fitted to the chassis as is the truck bed assembly. This assembly is then glued into position between the truck bed and engine compartment. Each of the two-part bonnet sections are fitted with grab handles, then fixed 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. The semi open cab consists of the rear three-piece bulkhead, roof and two side sections, which leaves the upper door areas exposed. The windscreen is made up from upper and lower sections that can be folded or extended. The two headlights and single tail light are assembled and fitted, along with the spare tyre, a storage box and water container rack. Markings The small decal sheet contains identification numbers and markings for two vehicles. The two vehicles are both painted in the overall sand scheme with khaki for the canvas cover. Model T Utility 1917, Palestine 1918 Model T Utility 1917, Dead Sea Region, Palestine 1918 Model T 1917 LCP WWI Australian Army Car(35663) Yes - these are the same sprues. This kit shares the same sprues as the Utility car, and diverges after the creation of the truck bed and crew cab, omitting the canvas roof and including a yoke for the machine gun in the passenger seat foot well plus a back for the bench seat. The gun is in three parts with the barrel seemingly rested on the yoke and having no other visible means of support, which might require some detective work to make look realistic. The same water rack, tool box and lights are fitted to this model as the previous option. Markings 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 ICM have amalgamated three kits into the one box for a very cost-effective package that would be most useful for the diorama buff as well as someone that just wants all three variants on the Model T, but not in black. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

FWD Type B 3 ton truck (35655) 1:35 ICM via Hannants Built by the Four Wheel Drive (FWD) company, this was a very early truck used by the military of Britain and the US during WWI, beginning in 1915 with a small order from the British Army. It was full of curious technology from a modern standpoint, but then vehicles of this type were still in their infancy, so that’s hardly surprising that there were a few dead-ends. It was originally supplied with solid tyres and the front wheels had a strange toed-in look due to the suspension geometry set up to give a light steering load. Its T-head engine produced a monstrous 36bhp for rice-pudding skin removal, and it could be connected to all four wheels or either front or rear in the event of necessity or damage to either drive-shaft. It also had a distinctive pig-nosed front due to the fact that the engine was mounted below the cab, with only the radiator housed in the front and precious little (read: none) cover for the driver and crew. Over 12,000 were made up until the end of WWI, with them finding a ready market in the post-war period in the civilian sector, sometimes with pneumatic tyres added to improve the ride quality. The Kit This is a new tooling from ICM, widening their WWI vehicle range again. Arriving in their usual captive inner lidded box, there are four sprues in grey styrene plus a tiny clear sprue, a similarly small decal sheet and the instruction booklet with colour cover and spot-colour inside. It benefits from the same attention to detail that they have lavished on their other WWI kits and you get a full model that includes engine and chassis details not supplied in some other manufacturer’s kits. Construction begins with the double ladder chassis with suspension and cross-rails included and adding the axles, brakes and drive-shafts, most of which are broadly familiar but a little odd looking into the bargain. The larger rails of the chassis denote the rear of the vehicle, and at the front the steering linkage is added before the wheels are made up from three layers each plus hubcap, then fitted to each corner of the vehicle. The radiator core has its sides fitted then it is dropped into the front of the chassis, then joined by the peculiar engine, which is very well detailed with almost 30 parts devoted to its construction. Once it is painted and in place the exhaust is threaded through the chassis and attached to the manifold outlets, with the diagram helpfully ghosting one of the wheels to improve your view. Power transfer boxes are suspended from the underside of the chassis rails with more drive-shafts, then up at the front the chassis is widened by adding tread-plated “shelves” to the sides before beginning work on the cab and snub-nosed bonnet. This assembly also includes an engine cover that ends up with the crew sitting on it and in the gap between the cowling and radiator the crew have a small footwell with driver controls and a fire extinguisher present, louvered side panels to the cowling and cooling fan for the radiator that is surrounded by a shaped cowling that plugs into the back of the radiator later. The fuel tank is made up from four sections plus two supports, then the lovely deeply upholstered crew sofa is put together with moulded-in buttons giving it a Victorian drawing room feel. The steering wheel and control levers are added to the sides of the cowling, then the seat is dropped on top with a nice cosy fuel tank right behind it. The perfect cab. Exposed to the elements, high up and with extra heating in the summer, plus a big flammable tank right behind your seat. Awesome! The old-skool railway-style front lamps and U-mounted searchlight are put in place on the front and stowage is placed on the left foot-plate, presumably tied down so you don’t lose it on the corners, and the hand-crank starter can optionally be inserted into a socket on the front chassis rail if you wish. The 3-ton load bed begins with the floor and has five cross-beams slotted into position underneath, a front panel and two side panels that have braces added down the sides before they are installed, located on the pins on the end of each cross-beam. The tail gate is made up from frame and panel parts, then two stowage boxes are built up and fitted to the underside front of the bed, which is then mated with the chassis on a number of tabs and slots. You can model your truck with the tilt stowed or in place, with the former having five hoops fitted down the side panels to complete the assembly. For the covered bed there are five parts to make up the canvas tilt with some nice sag moulded-in. Hide the seams and paint it accordingly and you’ll end up with a believable looking tilt. That’s it. You’ve finished. Markings There are two decal options on the tiny sheet with just stencils on the sides to differentiate them from each other as they are both painted olive green. The few decals on the sheet are all white, so there’s no worries about registration, but colour density and sharpness are good. Conclusion An early truck that became a staple of the battlefield in WWI and beyond in injection moulded styrene with plenty of detail. It’s a nice kit and great for WWI military modellers. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Model T 1911 Touring with American Motorists ICM 1:24 (24025) The Ford Model T car has gone down in history as the worlds first mass produced car. By 1927 in a little over 9 years 15 million cars were produced. In 1999 the Model T was crowned the most influential car of the 20th Century. 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 four sprues of grey plastic, a clear spure and 4 rubber tyres. There is also one sprue for the figures. 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 attached to 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. The rear axle, drive shaft and differential are built up from only three parts and fitted 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, rubber tyres are added to the spoke wheels and are glued to the axles, the construction moves to the body work. The rear engine wall (not a firewall as its not solid) is made up and added, the engine covers are then added. The rear coachwork body is then made up and added to the chassis. The driver floor pan is added along with the steering wheel and column. Drivers pedals are added. The seats are then made up and added, along with the windscreen and its supporting stays. If fitting the roof this is the next part to be added (note there is no option for the roof down). The rear part has its window added and then its fixed to the roof. The stays are then added and the roof can be fitted. The horn arrangement is made up and fitted . The last items to be made up are the head lights, lights and the motormeter for the radiator. Decals There are no decals included in this kit. Figures This is ICM set 24013 "American Motorist". One is a male driver and the second is a female passenger. Both are what would be considered well dressed for the period. In general the mould in crisp and clean with plenty of detail. . Like ICM's recent figures these are well sculpted and should build up well. Conclusion This is another great addition to the Model T series that ICM have been releasing. As with the other versions, it looks like it wont be a difficult kit to make, but will look great once painted. Recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Chernobyl#1 Radiation Monitoring Station (35901) 1:35 ICM via Hannants We’ve probably all heard of the nuclear power-station at Chernobyl and the disaster that befell it in 1986 due to a mistake made by the staff that resulted in a core meltdown. The behaviour of the neutron absorbing cooling rods wasn’t properly documented (due to a cover-up) as a reason for a runaway reaction under certain circumstances, and this was responsible for a huge quantity of radiation being released over much of Europe and beyond. Initial responses by the authorities were inadequate and a number of firemen and staff were exposed to fatal doses of radiation early on. Eventually a huge sarcophagus was built up around the site, with yet more work being done on the site today, although it has since become a rather mawkish tourist destination for some. The ZIL-131 is a general-purpose utility 6x6 truck, one of the mainstays of the many Eastern Block armies along with the Ural-375, with over a million made. The basic model is a general utility tuck powered by either petrol or diesel engines, depending on the type. Like most armies the chassis for a general truck has been used for a multitude of different versions from a fuel truck to the BM-21 rocket launcher. The KShM is a command vehicle with a compartment at the rear for staff and their commanders to carry out their tasks. The Kit This is a reboxing with a few extras from ICM of their 2015 initial release of the command post boxing, but with added parts in the shape of crew and additional figures, plus a checkpoint shack and barrier to complete the scenario. There’s even an impressive folded card backdrop with the destroyed power station that you can use as your backdrop if you wish. Inside the large box are ten sprues in grey styrene, three in clear, two sprues of nobbly flexible tyres, two small decals sheets, instruction booklet for the base kit, and two further instruction sheets for the five figures and the shack/barrier combination. Detail is excellent throughout, but with only a few boxed-in details within the command post, while the shack fares much better with table, chair and bed, plus a field telephone and even some coat hooks. The final item in the box is the aforementioned folded card backdrop. Construction begins with the chassis, which consists of two rails and multiple cross-braces to which tanks, transmission, transfer boxes and even the engine are attached, with lots of parts used in the process, including a pretty full rendition of the 8-cylinder power pack and the stamped, welded fuel tanks on outriggers to each side of the chassis. Leaf suspension, exhaust and drive-shafts are also fitted to the chassis along with a winch power take-off behind the large bumper irons and under the radiator. A perforated step-plate fleshes out the bumper with some towing hooks, then it’s a case of building up the axles, with two at the rear on their own leaf-springs, fitted with dampers and drive-shafts for better off-road performance. The front axle is a single one with drive-shaft again, which slots into the front suspension and benefits from another few extra dampers. The wheels are simple but well-detailed, consisting of a hub with separate centre that a big black tyre is pressed onto, handed into sets of three each side. The crew cab is next with its structure made up from individual panels fitted to the shaped floor, onto which the driver controls are added, including pedals, gear and ratio sticks, then with a dash slid inside the scuttle area after adding some dial decals following painting. The steering wheel and crew seats are then made up and put in place, having a separate seat for the driver and a wide two-man seat for the passengers, both with adjustment framework between it and the floor. The rear wall with clear rear-view window support the ribbed roof, and the doors have door cards inserted along with handles/winders, then a clear part acting as the window. These can be fitted closed or at any opening angle, and at the same time the curved windscreen panel is also slotted into place on the front of the cab. The sides of the engine compartment are moulded into the cab, but the big wings and tread-plates are separate with light clusters and clear lenses added along the way, then glued in place during its mating with the chassis, after which the front grille if added to surround and protect the radiator. The large bonnet closes up the bay, but you could always leave it open if you are sufficiently proud of your work on the engine. Three roof lights, wing mirrors, windscreen wipers, light cages and even a searchlight finish off the cab if we ignore all the greeblies above it that are added later. The command part of the vehicle is basically a shed carried on the back of the truck, and for the model it is made up from individual sides onto the floor panel. There are three windows on each side with clear parts provided, and next to those are large doors for stowage that gets backed up with a simple box later on. The rear panel is open at this stage, and so is the roof, which has sloped panels at the edge that are decorated with three smaller roof lights before the assembly is closed up, given a pair of longitudinal rails and a pair of doors with small windows and handles glued in place to complete them. Under the floor a number of mud flaps, stowage boxes and a slide-out step are attached, with clear light clusters and number plates added to the rear. At the front of the cabin the environmental mechanism consisting of intakes, exhausts, impellers and various other parts along with C-shaped steps for maintenance access are made up and glued in place over where the cab roof will be, and then after adding more boxes, fuel canisters, a spare wheel on its bracket, steps, roof rails and other small parts, the two assemblies are mated. A section of perforated tread-plate is added to the cab roof on stand-off brackets just before they’re mated, presumably because the equipment above is fairly maintenance intensive. The Figures This single sprue contains all five of the figures for this set, including driver, check-point officer, a check-point soldier sat at the table in the shack on the phone, another figure with white gloves and a pointing stick/cudgel, then the final chap doing a radiation check in a suit with a long wand for scanning low-level targets. All the figures barring the gentleman on the phone have masks on, with only the check-point chap having his round his neck to facilitate communications. Sculpting is up to ICM’s usual high standard with all figures having separate legs, torso, arms and heads, some with flat tops for adding their wide-brimmed caps. The hazmat suited fellow has his hood moulded in, and a few bags are included for a few of the figures. You’ll need to find some fine wire for the link between the radiation detector and the operator’s handheld box of tricks that you’ll find on another sprue (Sprue B). The Shack/Hut The checkpoint has a sprue to itself, and has a wooden floor, plus wriggly-tin sides and roof, then a separate door and a surprising four windows, all of which have clear parts. Inside you have a chair and table made up from two H-shaped parts and linking parts, plus the tabletop and seat top, then a simple cot bed is made up with bare mattress to give an insight into the life of a check-point operator. As well as the radiation detector box, there is a simple field telephone for the man on the blower, plus a handset that he’ll hold in his left hand once you’ve wound some wire into a flex for him. Three coat hooks on a wooden pattress are glued to the long wall, and outside is the barrier. The barrier is of the horizontal swing-type, and has a heavy base, moulded-in brace and separate notice panel, with another post with base at the other end and a peg sticking out to rest the closed barrier on. Markings This monster is painted entirely in Russian Green, and can be built as one of five explicit vehicles, or with the addition of some door insignia, six more users can be depicted. The most germane to this boxing is the Soviet Army vehicle from 1986, which fits the timeframe of our story and could have been in the Ukraine at the time of the accident. Don’t forget that these instructions are from the previous boxing of this kit, which explains the other options. The smaller decal sheet includes a couple of extra STOP signs, duplicate instrument decals, and the rectangular warning notice for the barrier. Decals are well-printed with good register, sharpness and sharpness, and should leave you with plenty of spare Soviet Bloc number plates and emblems in your decal drawer. Conclusion It’s a shrewd decision by ICM to bring out this interesting boxing of their kit, and by adding the shack and figures they have created something that is quite appealing to anyone that either has an interest in the Chernobyl disaster, or has watched the excellent HBO series that aired recently. I believe there’s going to be a fire engine boxing soon, which depicts those poor guys that went in to do their job without knowing they were sealing their own fate. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

B-26B-50 Invader (48281) 1:48 ICM via Hannants The good old B-26 Marau… no, wait. The A-26 Invader? Hang on, erm... B-26 Invader. That's it, as long as it's after 1948 as that's when it was re-designated as the B-26 by the US Air Force to confuse us, and later on back to the A-26 just to complete my befuddlement. It was developed a little after the Marauder and despite using the same engines it was designed totally separately from its tubular colleague. It was designed to replace the A-20 Havoc, but it was initially less than popular in the Pacific theatre where its poor cockpit visibility due to the canopy and engine position rendered it unloved by the first users. It was more popular in the European theatre and was accepted as replacement for the Havoc fairly quickly. Two types were designed, The C with a glass bomber nose and the B with a full metal nose filled with either 6 or 8 .50cal machine guns, which coupled with the three in each wing gave it quite a punch, deserving of the Strafer title. It also had a pair of turrets on the fuselage mid-upper and dorsal positions, which were both operated by a single gunner using a complex remote mechanism that flipped between the upper and lower turrets depending on where the gunner was looking through his binocular sights. This trained the guns accordingly and also calculated the correct offset for parallax and lead, but was very complex and caused some delays to it entering service, and even more issues with maintenance in the field. After the war it served in Korea, early Vietnam engagements and other conflicts, ending its days in US service with the Air National Guard in the early 70s. It continued in civilian service as a fire bomber and in other roles, such as actor in the film Always with Richard Dreyfuss playing its brave but ill-fated pilot. The Kit This is a brand new tooling from ICM and a lot of folks have been waiting (im)patiently for it for a while now, hoping for something to replace the old Revell Monogram kit of yore. Here it is! It's the Korean War variant with the Strafer nose that we're getting first, with other options coming in due course. It arrives in the familiar top opening box with a captive inner lid on the lower tray, and inside are eight sprues in grey styrene, one in clear, a decal sheet and the instruction booklet. A quick look over the sprues reveals that panel lines are very crisp, narrow and restrained, the surface is matt and very neat-looking, with plenty of engraved and raised details on the parts, plus subtly indented flying surfaces mimicking their fabric covering. You might also notice that there are parts for an open or closed canopy, the open one having the flat top surface, while the closed canopy has the slightly blown roof that was used after 1944 to improve visibility. That might give you some latitude in case you can't wait to build a WWII aircraft. Construction begins with the cockpit, creating the pilot's seat, instrument panel (with instrument decals) with built-in door to the nose, centre console with throttle quadrant before adding those and the single control column to the floor. The aft compartment is built up around the front wing spar with a set of radio gear hanging from a pair of risers, then a pair of bombs on their racks, the reason for which will become clear in a moment. The port fuselage half is detailed with some side console and panel parts and then has the bomb racks, nose gear bay sides, forward spar with radio gear, rear spar in the centre of the bomb bay, sloped aft bulkhead and another frame behind that, followed by the cockpit floor, so you'll have to do some detail painting as you go. After this the starboard fuselage side is prepped, and here's where a little cautionary note about sink-marks on the exterior of my sample needs making. The right side of the cockpit and bomb bay with its detailed ribbing has caused the shallowest of sink-marks on the exterior, which would be best dealt with using a little filler before you get busy building. You could have dismissed it as oil-canning of the skin if it were consistent and on both sides, but as it isn't you'll need to decide whether you're going to fix it. Happily the majority of it is in areas that are open enough to allow easy sanding back of filler, so it shouldn't slow you down very much. I'll be using some Tamiya Basic on mine in due course and have no doubt it will be just fine. A 0.8mm hole is drilled in the section behind the canopy and the two remaining bomb racks are added inside along with an internal detail panel, nose gear bay side, and a hatch that does a credible impression of a toilet lid. With that and a quantity of detail painting you can then slide the starboard fuselage over the two spars, and it would be a good idea when fitting those spar parts to let them set up with the starboard fuselage taped in place to ensure they make the correct angle when they're set in place permanently. The instructions then have you building up the tail feathers, with the elevators having separate single-part flying surfaces, plus a two piece rudder to attach to the moulded-in tail fin. The gun-nose is appropriate for this model, but as it's a modular part that in real-world situations could be swapped for the glazed-nose in a couple of hours, you can bet your boots these parts will be joined by some additional glazing in a later boxing. The fixed lower and rear section of the nose are built up out of three parts, making space for the 40g of nose weight you are encouraged to fit before you add the single cowling panel that covers the gun bay, with a pair of four barrel gun-inserts added through the holes to depict the .50cals. You'll need to drill out the muzzles or take the lazy way out and get a set of Master barrels, such as the P-47 set until they get their own specific set. The nose section is a straight-forward butt joint to the fuselage, with a small half-moon cut-out that should help align it. The wings are next, and the lower parts have a smattering of flashed-over holes ready to drill out for bombs, gun-pods or drop tanks, plus three cartridge ejection chutes to be cut out for the wing mounted .50cals. The faces of the in-line radiator baths are added to the lower wings and then it's already time to bring the halves together. You'll notice that there are fairings and a hump in the upper wing where the engine nacelles will be, and these are separate assemblies to be built up later. First, the separate two-section flaps (oddly with no deployed option), and the ailerons are prepared and added to the trailing edge of the wings, the latter being of one piece each and slotting into wing via two tabs. The tip lights and underwing landing lights are added from clear parts, and a small insert is glued into the wing that includes three more barrel stubs each and will again need drilling out. At this stage the instructions have you sliding the wings onto the spars and gluing them in place. Whether you'd rather wait until you've added the engine nacelles though is entirely up to you though. There are of course two engine nacelles and these build up pretty much identically apart from their outer skins, which are handed to fit their respective fairings as you'd expect. They are split vertically, and each half has internal structure moulded-in, with bulkheads added fore and aft of the gear bays, coupled with bay lip inserts that bulk out the edges and also hold captive their bay door. This may require some clever masking and a little care during handling, but it shouldn't hold you back too much, as the hinge-points are relatively robust. The two halves are joined together, the prominent intake on the top of the nacelle is made up from two parts, then is added to the nacelle front which is in turn glued to the rest of the nacelle, with the completed assemblies attached to the wings from the underside, as yet without their engine cowlings or props. The engines are added later in the build, and the Twin Wasps are depicted in their entirety with both banks of pistons, push-rods, ancillaries and reduction housing at the front, plus the collector ring and exhausts at the rear, the latter made up from eight parts each. So that they are fitted correctly and mesh properly with the nacelles, they are attached using a jig that is discarded later, so remember not to glue it in! Again the engines are identical and interchangeable with each other, and they fit to the nacelles with a teardrop-shaped tab, after which the engine cowling is slotted over them. The cooling flaps are last to be added in four sets around the rear of the cowling. The top of the fuselage is still open at this point, as it has an insert with the top turret to fit in place, with another for the dorsal turret fitted later on. The remote turrets are both made up together with the ability for the twin .50cals to be left movable if you wish. The top turret has its mechanism and ring made up first, with the two halves brought together on either side of the insert before being glued into the fuselage closing up that area. Then the gunner's compartment with simple seat and periscope is made up and installed under the glazing that sits behind the top turret. Flipping the model over, the lower turret is added to the insert and glued in place too. Another clear light is added to the very rear of the fuselage, and attention turns to the landing gear, which is of the tricycle variety as became the fashion in late war. Each of the three tyres are made from two halves with separate hubs applied from either side, then hung on their respective legs, which have retraction jacks and scissor links added along the way. Happily these can be fitted late in the build, so the open bays can be masked quicker than if they were present. Speaking of bays, you can depict the bomb bay open or close by using either a one piece door for closed, or two separate doors with internal detail for open. This is nice to see, as it's always a little tricky to join two doors and get them aligned with the fuselage so there's minimal join-lines. The main airframe is ostensibly complete save for some antennae and the props, and if you've been sparing with the glue when assembling the engines, the latter should still spin once complete. Your final choice is bombs, tanks or gun-packs hung under the wings. The bombs are made up from two halves each with a spinner insert in the rear and their attachment points moulded into the port side, the gun-packs have a handed three part pod that fits around the central gun-tray, and the drop tanks are simple two-part assemblies with their attachment points moulded into the port side again. They are all mounted on pegs, and fit into their holes that you remembered to drill in the wings before you closed them up, didn't you? Markings In this initial boxing there are three options included on the decal sheet, one in bare metal, the other two in olive drab, one of which has a bare metal leading-edge panel to the tail and an all-over olive drab finish. From the box you can build one of the following: B-26B-30-DL 8th BS, 3rd BG, Iwakuni AB, Japan, Spring 1951 B-26B-56-DL 13th BS, 3rd BG, Iwakuni AB, Japan, August 1950 B-26B-61-DL 730th BS, Miho AB, Japan, Autumn 1950 The decals are printed anonymously, although they look like DecoGraph's output to my eye. They have good registration, colour density and sharpness, and include a number of stencils that are legible with the right eyeware. If you forgot to ream out those cartridge chutes in the wing before you closed them up, some kind soul has added two decals with three black rectangles to help you out. Conclusion This model should make a fair few people happy, and consign a lot of old Monogram kits to deep stash or eBay as a result. Detail is excellent and made so much nicer by the matt surface, and there's a fair proportion of the interior included for what is bound to be a popular kit. Smear a little filler into those light sink-marks before you get started, and no-one will know they're there. Keep 'em coming ICM! Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of