Search the Community

Remover Sponges – Round, Teardrop & Wedged Drop Ammo by Mig Jiménez This new product from Ammo is a repurposing of a make-up sponge to use in our hobby, which is something that happens a lot to modellers and modelling. They are made from shaped foam, and can be machine-washed if you pop them into a mesh bag, which is another tip from those wot wear make-up. Removing what? Removing a number of things, such as washes that have been applied and the excess needs removal after a suitable drying period. The different shapes are there to allow you to choose the most suitable one for the size and shape of the area you need to work on, and the big round one can be torn or cut along the pre-cut wedge shapes, giving you some nice points to work with as well as flat or curved sides. You can also cut them in any way you feel would work to give you the best results. As well as washes, they can be used to tone down, move around or soften pigment applications where the fixer used has been non-permanent. You can also dip them in pigment to apply it to the model, so the uses are many, and no doubt someone will come up with more tricks as time goes by. The softness of the foam will allow them to conform to the surface, removing all but the pigment or wash in the crevices and recessed lines thanks to the absorbency of the foam. If you swipe along the line of flight for an aircraft, or gravity for an AFV, the resultant streaks can represent rain marks or the effect of dirt being pushed along at several hundred miles an hour over time. Sure, they’re make-up sponges, and you can get them for a similar price at a make-up store, but now you can also go into a model shop without any embarrassment if you’re bothered about that sort of thing. You can tack some on to an order online in this Covid-19 lockdown affected world, and they’re guaranteed not to add much weight to your parcel. Very useful if you're just a couple of quid away from free shipping Wedged Drop Sponge (A.MIG-8560) A pointed tip, and a flat bottom. Sounds horrible! Round Sponge (A.MIG-8561) Useful for large areas, or if cut apart, has flat, curved and sharp surfaces available. Teardrop Sponge (A.MIG-8562) Great for flat or less curved surfaces, and for padding at pigment you want to adjust. Conclusion I’ve not done much if any modelling this year, so I’ve not tested them myself, but I have seen them used in a video that I now cannot find (typical!), and it was almost miraculous to watch, cleaning the excess wash off effortlessly, and softening a pigment application. When I finally get to the stage where I need to clean off a wash or adjust a pigment application, I’ll be sure to use them. Review sample courtesy of

How to Paint Imperial Galactic Fighters – Solution Book 05(A.MIG-6520) AMMO of Mig Jiménez There are a huge number of people that love the Sci-Fi movies of the Star Wars franchise, and some of the designs are amongst the most recognised spacecraft designs in the world. Of course there wouldn’t be any drama without a worthy adversary for the heroes of our story, which leads to the Galactic Empire, and later the First Order, who stepped in to fill the power vacuum after the apparent death of the evil Emperor Palpatine. Initially is was Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters, with the TIE Advanced making an appearance at the end of Episode IV during the Deathstar Trench battle, but the range of imperial equipment broadened with each successive movie. With the ending of the nine films of the Skywalker Saga, we’re spoiled for choice whether we enjoy portraying the baddies or the goodies. The Book This book deals with the baddies, although the techniques can be applied to many craft of either side. It is the turn of The Empire, specifically the TIE Advanced, and provides copious advice on how to create, paint and weather the 1:72 model, with kits from Bandai, Fine Molds, which is also reboxed in Revell garb, which is probably the easiest and cheapest option, given their excellent distribution network. After a brief introduction to the series, the first section of the book covers the various products that will be used during the second section, which are the products that are needed to complete the task, which are all available from AMMO as you would expect, but of course there are similar products available from other manufacturers that you might already have in your modelling arsenal. The second section contains a ton of advice on using the products mentioned in section 1. There is another short introduction regarding the specific subject as mentioned above, then it launches into the painting and weathering process beginning with a group of sub-assemblies that enable the modeller to get to work on the cockpit, the Darth Vader figure and the instrument decals around his seat. Then basic exterior painting is begun, initially having a bland overall coating, followed by painting the cranked “solar” sails and lots of masking of the black areas. The panel lines are darkened then various lightening phases are applied, plus accents, streaks and other grime that starts to individualise any model. As well as various captions, there are also a series of icons that help to guide you along, with a key at the beginning in case you can’t figure them out from the graphics. Oil Brusher highlights then gives way to washes of various colours to further break the monotony of the base colour and adding more streaks, stains and general degrading and weathering of the paintwork. Finally, a two-page spread shows a summary of the finished model with the product images around it with arrows showing where they were used. Conclusion These books are quite wallet friendly, and if you’ve not come across the techniques documented within they’re a useful resource. Even if you have used them before, they’re a useful quick reference, and for someone like myself with the memory of an amœba, they’ll come in very handy indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

How to Paint Modern Russian Tanks – Solutions Book #07 (A.MIG-6518) ISBN: 8432074065180 AMMO of Mig Jiménez You may already have heard of the AMMO Solution Boxes, and the Solution Books that complement them, but if not, the boxes are comprehensive sets of products that can be used to complete the weathering of their chosen subject, and for those that don’t already know the techniques, the books walk you through the process step-by-step, holding your hand and supplying tips and tricks in a graphic context with written captions and icons in English, Spanish, French and German. This book, number 7 in the series, covers Modern Russian Tanks in great detail, from the base painting through chipping, grime, mud splashes, leaks and final finishing. The book is printed in a glossy magazine cover containing 68 pages including the covers, with full colour printing throughout and using the Trumpeter T-72B in 1:35 as the example model from start to impressive finish. After a brief introduction to the series, the first section of the book covers the various products that will be used during the second section, which are the products that are needed to complete the task, all available from AMMO as you would expect, but of course there are similar products available from other manufacturers that you might already have in your modelling arsenal. You didn’t hear that from me though. The second section contains a ton of advice on using the products mentioned in section 1. There is another short introduction regarding the specific subject as mentioned above, then it launches into the painting and weathering process beginning with a completed but bare tank model that is festooned with the small Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) blocks. The first steps involve the basic painting, which is pretty patchy initially, especially during the pre-chipping period when much of the easily damaged areas are painted a metallic silver before the chipping fluid and paint are applied. As well as various captions, there are also a series of icons that help to guide you along, with a key at the beginning in case you can’t figure them out from the graphics. The chipping then gives way to masking and spraying the rest of the camo with the help of the magic putty that sags over time to fill in any gaps. The next few pages show the degrading and weathering of the paintwork, as well as some shading of individual panels to give additional visual interest. Dirt and dust accumulations are added, then the tracks are painted a dirty brown and weathered to within an inch of their lives over the next few steps. The wheels are given the mud treatment, adding wet and dry effects to show leaks and grime, which is then extended to the underside, an area that is often overlooked by some of us. As the process moves toward the end, the model is weathered with an airbrushed dust coat and messed up with enamel thinners. More dirt, earth and dust areas are applied, as are copious splatters with a brush flicked using a cocktail stick, then a number of pages show the last few details such as additional leaks and stains where dirt has accumulated in the escaping oils. Finally, a two page spread shows the finished model with the product images crowded around it with arrows showing where they were used. Conclusion These books are at a quite pocket friendly price point, and if you’ve not used the techniques documented within they’re a useful resource. Even if you have used them before, they’re a useful quick reference, and for someone like myself with the memory of a goldfish, they’ll come in very handy indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Masking Sheets (A.MIG-8043) AMMO of Mig Jiménez If you’ve ever wished that you could get larger sizes and bigger areas of kabuki-style masking material, wider than 40mm that’s available on rolls, you’re about to have your wish granted. AMMO have released this new set of five sheets in a clear foil bag with branding over-printed, and a stated size of 280x195mm written in yellow on the front. The bag is resealable, which will allow you to keep the dust out, and other than that there’s not an awful lot to say, other than to extoll the virtues of Kabuki tape, which is a paper-based washi tape that gets its name from Kabuki theatre, where it is presumably used on the paper figures and backdrops. It is a low tack tape that can last years in position on your model without leaving any residue (I’ve done this in the past), is flexible so that it can conform to curved surfaces well, and you can burnish it down to reduce the likelihood of paint creeping under the edge, although not hoofing too much paint on a masked model is still the best way to avoid creep. Having played around with it for a while, it might be wise to peel larger sheets of masking material off the backing paper before drawing out or transferring your design, applying it to a flat surface such as a mirror or a spare tile to finish preparation. Peeling the paper off a very complex design may cause a few more grey hairs as well as risking puckering the edges with the resultant stretching and potential lack of adhesion. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sanding Sticks – Various Types Ammo of Mig Jiménez Sanding sticks are a standard part of your average modeller’s toolbox, and have been for some time, as they’re convenient, small and easier to store than sheets of sandpaper and blocks. Everyone and their dog has a brand now, as a lot of manufacturers offer a branding service to print your logo on a standard stick. These new sticks from AMMO are a little bit different in that they have Step numbers printed on their faces, and have varied cores, depending on their use. Each one arrives in a resealable clear foil bag with the type printed on a sticker on the back. Inside is a single stick of one type. Standard Stick (A.MIG-8563) This stick has four grits of 180/320/600/2000 with the coarse marked as step 1 with a moderate grit that will be useful for smoothing away steps in seams etc., while not being too aggressive. Working through steps 2 to 4 will result in a shiny smooth surface if you vary the angles at which you sand. The stick has a stiff spine with just enough flex to be useful without it bending too much. Multipurpose Stick (A.MIG-8564) This stick has six grits of 150/240/320/600/1200/2000 on all sides of a boxy flexible core, starting with a very coarse step 1 and less coarse step 2 on the main faces, then steps 3 to 6 on the “sides” with the abrasive wrapping round the curved ends to maximise usage of space. The core is flexible insofar as it allows the sanding surfaces to flex, but not so flexible that it deforms too easily. Large Surface Stick (A.MIG-8565) As the name suggests, this is suitable for large open areas that need smoothing, with three grits of 320/600/4000, with step 1 and 2 sharing one side, and the smooth 4000 grit covering the complete opposite side, both sides having a deep foam core sandwiched around a flexible plastic spine. The smooth grit will be great for final polishing of models and other such large areas. Conclusion Having so many grits on a small number of sticks makes for a compact sanding toolkit, and these are the type of items you grab as spares while you’re shopping for other things either in-person or shopping online. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

White Winter Camouflage Solution Set SP02 (A.MIG-7803) Ammo of Mig Jiménez During winter conditions, fighting doesn’t just stop because the weather is inclement, whether it is rain, wind or snow. Winter snow is incredibly harsh on vehicles and crews, with many succumbing to harsh weather during WWII on the eastern front predominantly, but also in the west. In order to reduce the visibility of their tanks and other vehicles during winter, a water-based “distemper” paint similar to whitewash was applied over the standard camouflage, often with brooms in a slapdash manner or in camouflage stripes/blotches. Subsequent use of the vehicle, meltwater and mud from boots and overalls can result in a patchy finish to the white, as can scratches and scrapes of everyday traffic and passing vegetation. For years there have been techniques to use in order to depict this camouflage, but this boxed set of everything you need to make a winter AFV, including white paints, dirt effects and subtle filters to change aspects of the finish, and of course the chipping fluid. It arrives in a large flat box with all the bottles in two plastic trays and any small space taken up with a piece of dense foam to reduce movement within. In the box you get the following: A.MIG-0024 Washable White Camo 17ml eyedropper bottle A.MIG-0050 Matt White 17ml eyedropper bottle A.MIG-1010 Neutral Wash 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-1205 Streaking Grime For Winter Vehicles 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-3501 White 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1254 Rust 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1255 Winter Grime 10ml Oilbrusher A.MIG-1500 Brown For White Filter 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-1502 Dark Grey For White Filter 35ml screw cap bottle A.MIG-2011 Heavy Chipping Effects Fluid 35ml screw cap bottle There are no instructions for the set within the box, but you can find plenty of videos on AMMO’s YouTube channel, and in order to save you a little time, we’ve assembled a few below that will help you with learning what they’re for and how to use them correctly. The videos have English and Spanish captions for the most part, so you should be able to get a good head start on becoming an expert. The Chipping Fluid is the important part, and the heavy version has been included with the set to allow the flexibility of removing big chunks as well as fine scratches. White wash and chipping tutorial The difference between washable white & chipping techniques Streaking Grime in action (can also be used for Oil Brushers) Conclusion As a Solution Pack, this is a highly comprehensive set and well-named too, with everything included to which you add the white spirit, paintbrushes and a model to use it on. If you’re a bit short on paintbrushes right now, AMMO have you covered here, with white spirit available from them (you’ll know it works), or your hardware store if you choose the high quality brands. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AMMO Black Cyanoacrylate Slow Dry (A.MIG-9034) & Activator (A.MIG-8037) AMMO of Mig Jiménez Cyanoacrylate, Super Glue, Crazy Glue or CA for short, its origins were as a suture-free solution to closing small wounds, although the stuff we use now isn’t medical grade and is usually made mainly from Methyl CA, which is low-grade toxic, so don’t be tempted to use it next time you cut your finger with a scalpel you might not feel any ill effects, but it's not recommended. Modellers have been using CA for a long time now for attaching disparate materials, gluing things that really don’t want to be glued, and for almost instant joins. It is normally clear, but it can be coloured with pigments, and it is available in various viscosities that are useful for different tasks at the workbench. Black Slow Dry CA (A.MIG-9034) Arriving in a 21ml bottle with elongated cap covering the typically long applicator, this glue has been pigmented black, and if you look closely you can see tiny particles suspended in the original clear glue. The cap screws off, the applicator is already exposed and ready to use, and has a chamfered inner lip to reduce the likelihood of blockage. Around the base of the applicator is a recessed ring that the cap fits into, and also captures any dribbles of excess glue rather then letting them stick your bottle to the desk. I decanted a little into an old Pringles lid for use, and applied some to a clear sprue that I had cut to repair it. In small quantities the glue appears more smoky than black, but it has enough contrast with lighter surfaces to show up when you’re using it. It lives up to its slow drying moniker, which is intended to give the modeller time to position parts properly before it begins to cure properly. This can be accelerated by using the next item below. Activator for Cyanoacrylate (A.MIG-8037) Super Glue isn’t always as instant as the adverts would have us believe, and that can extend to minutes if you are using a slow dry glue as above. If you’re in a hurry or want to freeze your parts in place once you’ve positioned them correctly, an accelerator is the way to go. The glass bottle contains 20ml of activator and comes with a screw-off cap that has a captive brush on a long shaft for you to flood a little activator around your glued-up joint. You also get a separate screw-on cap with pump spritzer for when you don’t want to touch the glued area. When you apply the stuff it causes the glue to spread as its surface tension is reduced. It then skins over and goes quite hard quickly, taking a little time if you’ve got a big puddle like my test piece. CA that has been activated is often more brittle than naturally cured CA, so bear that in mind if you’re gluing something structural. You also need to remember that some plastics are affected by activators, and in my experience that applies especially to the type of styrene used in vacform models. It seems to denature it and cause crazing, so use it sparingly on plastics just in case. Conclusion Super Glue is a great tool for the modeller, and if it’s coloured it’s easy to see once you’ve applied it. The activator is very useful when it comes to fixing a part in place immediately, rather than waiting for the natural curing process to take place. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Panzer Crew Figures Acrylic Paint Set (A.MIG-7024) AMMO of Mig Jiménez During WWII German Panzer crews wore a dark grey/black uniform to differentiate them from the Field Grey of the Wehrmacht troops, and probably with an eye on soot and grease too! Black is one of the more taxing colours to paint on a figure, or any model for that matter, so any help is good help. This four-paint set arrives in a clear clamshell box with a card header and some colour use suggestions on the rear. Inside are four bottles that are best described as shades of grey and black. Each bottle contains 17ml of paint that is dispensed by a dropper that is found under the white screw-top cap. Inside each bottle is a little stirring ball that rattles when agitated aggressively. AMMO paints separate quite readily as you can see from the box photo, so having a ball in the bottle makes mixing them a lot easier, as does my electric paint shaker. We’re probably all familiar with the quality of AMMO paints by now, and they have a pretty good reputation amongst us modellers, and as they dry a little slower than some of the competition it's a useful feature when you’re talking about painting figures. The paints are as follows: AMMO.F-502 Outlining Black AMMO.F-521 Grey Light Brown AMMO.F-522 Slate Grey AMMO.F-530 Bluish Grey The shades should be pretty useful for creating a good range of tones to your figure’s uniform, and if you use a wet palette (have a Google - they're quite cheap), you should be able to get a myriad of shades between each one to help your figure look more realistic. I brushed out a few patches of the paint onto my paint hulk Fw.190 fuselage (I’m a bit short of spare figures post workshop refit), and can report that they cover well, the colours are good, with the slate grey making a good backdrop to base your scheme on, and the black adding extra depth where needed. While the Slate Grey and Black shades look similar when separated by another colour, when used adjacent they have enough difference in tone to be noticeable as you can see below. My amateur paint test If you’re crewing your WWII German tank and you don’t have the right colours, you could certainly save yourself some time and head-scratching by picking up this set. Review sample courtesy of

Masking Tape 20, 10, 6 & 2mm AMMO of Mig Jiménez Masking tape for modelling was revolutionised by the introduction of Kabuki tape from a well-known Japanese model manufacturer, and since then it has gone on to become one of the modeller’s staples. It is traditional low-tack paper tape that was allegedly used in Kabuki theatre in the construction of the intricate shadow-puppets and scenery, which is where the name comes from. Whether that’s true or not I have no clue! This new tape from AMMO is available in a range of widths, and each one is supplied on a standard sized roll with 25m/82ft of tape on each one, although I’m not about to unroll one to check that assertion. The tape is bright yellow and each roll arrives in its own resealable clear foil bag with the AMMO logo and colour scheme printed upon it. The 20mm, 10mm and 6mm rolls are wide enough to be quite sturdy, while the two 2mm rolls we were given are flexible and if you are rough with them the tape could fall off the reel and make a mess, so treat the narrow ones with care, possibly reusing the bag to keep dust and fluff out of the reels. The tack of the tape is very familiar, as is the texture and stretch of it, so no surprises there either. One thing or note is that as it has been wound around a larger reel (just over 8cm diameter), the tape comes off the roll with less curl and is fractionally easier to handle as a result. It burnishes down well, and even those areas I tested on acrylic paint came up easily without any lift at all. Conclusion It’s a large roll kabuki tape that has all the same properties as the rivals, so if it’s available near you or you need some tape and your favourite online retailer sells it, you can grab a roll or two as part of your order with confidence. Highly recommended. 2mm Tape 6mm Tape 10mm Tape 20mm Tape Review sample courtesy of

Republic Of Korea (ROK) Army (A.MIG-7173) Ammo by Mig Jiménez More paint from those prodigiously productive people at Ammo. This set includes four colours in 17ml bottles in the pack, each with a dropper top and yellow cap that is an indicator that there is a stainless steel "stirring ball" inside to assist with mixing the paint, which is also mentioned on the pack. This is a good thing, as AMMO acrylic paint does tend to separate out when left untended. By now it's common knowledge that AMMO paints are pretty good, and I have a used them and find they cover well with good adhesion. They go on easily, settle down and once fully dry after 24 hours they are robust enough to withstand careful handling. They dilute with AMMO thinners (A.MIG-2000) or water, and can be airbrushed or brush painted. The name of the set should give you a good idea of the colours involved, which are for South Korean Army Vehicles. The colours are as follows: A.MIG-050 Matt White A.MIG-046 Matt Black A.MIG-500 Khaki Green A.MIG-501 Khaki Brown You can of course mix the shades to give yourself even more variety, or use them on other projects. These will be ideal for such kits as the new Academy 1/35 K" Black Panther. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Encyclopaedia of Figures Volume 0 (A.MIG-6220) AMMO of Mig Jiménez The mere mention of figure painting causes a great many modellers from other genres to break out in a cold sweat, because replicating a realistic human face, fabric and other details at small scale is a terrifying prospect to us. Figure painters obviously like a challenge, but I'm sure even those brave souls would appreciate some hints and tips to improve the finish on their models. This is a Quick Guide to figure painting, which is the precursor to the full series, and it may be all you need or want to enable you to raise your game in the figure department. It also coincides with the release by AMMO of a number of figure related products, such as paint sets, oilbrushers and other books. As already mentioned, this isn't meant to be a full, detailed instruction on how to paint figures from A to Z, which is only fair as it extends to 48 pages within its magazine binding, so much is covered, but not in massive detail. It's a great way to determine whether that's enough to get you going, or whether you want to hear more and would be interested in the full volumes when they arrive, and I suspect that is its goal. The pages are broken down as follows: 1.0 Original Concept and Sculpting 1.1 Legends of the Jade Sea 2.0 Workbench 2.1 Lighting and organising the workbench 2.2 Brushes 2.3 Mixing palette (Wet palette) 3.0 Assembly and Preparation 3.1 Cutting tools 3.2 Sanding and filing tools 3.3 Drilling tools 3.4 Fastening devices 3.5 Glues and cements 3.6 Putties 3.7 Final assembly 4.0 Primer 4.1 Cleaning 4.2 Priming 4.3 Preshading 4.4 Lighting 5.0 Painting with Acrylics 5.1 Acrylics 5.2 Techniques 5.3 Airbrush 5.4 Painting metals. Non-metallic metals technique 5.5 Textures 5.6 Varnishes Looking down that list of subjects, you might think that there's an element of "teaching your grandmother to suck eggs", which of course there is bound to be with any modelling book if you've already taken up the hobby. Where it differs from books on armour of aircraft however, is how these subjects apply specifically to figure painting, with the theme of a particularly handsome Orc used throughout to guide us. It doesn't matter if you're a WWII or mounted cavalry figure painter though, as the techniques can be applied to pretty much any figure, or anything organic, and even some things inorganic. I learned a few things whilst reading it, and most people probably will too, unless they only read books to confirm their already encyclopaedic knowledge! There is a fair quantity of text, interspersed with picture driven step-by-step "how-to" methods with copious captions, and the pictures are of exceptional quality as we've come to expect from AMMO publications. There's some pretty obvious product placement at times, but as it's an AMMO book, you can't really blame them, and everyone knows that "other brands are available" anyway, but it was nice to see "Swann Morton – England" on the pictures featuring scalpel blade as an Englishman, reminding us we still have a little industry left in our sceptred isle. There are also a number of instances where the author tells us that larger subjects such as airbrushing figures will be covered in greater detail in the full volumes, which is fair enough, and you couldn't really expect it all to be crushed down to singularity proportions to fit within these relatively few pages. Conclusion It's a great taster of what's to come in the series, or you could use it as a refresher to reignite your desire to paint figures, or even to improve your existing skillset a little without committing yourself to a long quest to become a master of the art… yet. An enjoyable read and a feast for the eyes and braincells that should appeal to anyone with an interest in figure painting, and is considering trying to "git gud". Review sample courtesy of

Streaking And Vertical Surfaces Brush Set (A.MIG-7604) & Dioramas & Scenic Brush Set (A.MIG-7601) AMMO of Mig Jiménez Brushes are an essential part of any modeller's toolkit, whether or not you use an airbrush for the majority of your paint application. Detail painting, touch-ups and weathering are all manual jobs that require some paint brushes, so with AMMO's goal of being able to provide specific tools and products to help us all achieve modelling nirvana, we now have a number of brushes available from them, which can be bought singly or in sets such as these. Each set comes in a long box, and contains four brushes that are individually wrapped, and protected further by a clear tube over the bristles and shiny metal ferrule. The handles are made of wood, and coated with a high-gloss AMMO yellow paint with the brand and size overprinted in black for maximum visibility and clarity, and the tip dipped in black too. The bristles are high quality synthetic, so no squirrels were harmed in their creation, and they are suitable for use with acrylic, enamel and oil paints with no worries about them melting! I have been using them for a little while to see how they perform, and have been pleasantly surprised at their quality. They hold their point (where appropriate) well, don't dry out too quickly in use, and when cleaned the paint leaves very little residue in the root of the bristles. Their light colour also makes it easy to see whether you have cleaned them properly, which is a bonus. Streaking & Vertical Surfaces Brush Set (A.MIG-7604) This set contains a long pin-striping (liner) brush in size 1 for individual streaking, two size 6 with a filbert (curved) and angled head, and a size 8 saw flat that has its bristles cropped to a castellated shape for multiple streaks in one swoop. That last one is a bit funky, and as long as you ensure that you don't create a line of uniform streaks, it works really well. The other brushes can of course be used for washes, oils and filters just as well as with ordinary paints. Dioramas & Scenic Brush Set (AMIG7601) This set has three round brushes in sizes 000 (written 3/0), 1 and 6, with another size 6 with a flat head for larger areas. The 3/0 is a nice brush for finer work, but its bristle seems larger than my other 000s, so bear than in mind. Conclusion If you're looking to stock up on brushes, this is a great way of doing so, and they're relatively inexpensive into the bargain, so you can get lots of different types and hone down to the ones you really enjoy using. There are a great many more brush sets than the two we've reviewed here, so have a mooch around while you're buying and pick some others out that might suit you too. Review sample courtesy of

WWII German and Soviet Figures Paint Sets (A.MIG-7021 & A.MIG-7023) AMMO of Mig Jiménez Mig Jiménez's company AMMO has been producing acrylic paints now for some years, and they have a deservedly good reputation in the hobby. There are an ever-widening range of shades, available singly and in sets to bolster your collection and make painting specific themes easier. These two sets are under the Figures Sets banner, and are designed as a one-stop pack to permit you to paint uniforms with the addition of a brush and a little skill. Each set arrives in a blister pack with four 17ml dropper-type bottles that have a white cap, but still have the little metal mixing balls that you'll find in all the new paints from AMMO. The header card has a figure on the rear with the colour call-outs showing where they have been used in painting the examples, although you'll have to visit the AMMO website for a little more assistance with techniques, where you'll find lots of help in video and step-through form. Furthermore, a new set of encyclopaedia books for figure painting are underway, so if you're a little clueless on how to achieve the superb results you see online and at shows, prepare yourself to be enlightened. We'll bring you some reviews of these books and the other figure-related products that are being released to coincide with the books in the near future. German Field Grey uniforms (A.MIG-7021) AMMOF512 FIELD GREY FS-34159 AMMOF513 FIELD GREY HIGHLIGHT FS-34414 AMMOF514 FIELD GREY SHADOW FS-34086 AMMOF502 OUTLINING BLACK Soviet Uniforms WWII (A.MIG-7023) AMMOF503 DARK OLIVE GREEN FS-34130 AMMOF504 YELLOW GREEN FS-34259 AMMOF505 PALE YELLOW GREEN FS-33481 AMMOF506 MEDIUM RUSSIAN GREEN FS-34092 More sets will be along soon, so we'll expand this review as time goes by. Review sample courtesy of

World War III The World in Crisis (A.MIG-6116) Ammo of Mig Jiménez I'd like to open by saying DON'T PANIC! You haven't missed anything on the news, and the world as we know it isn't going to come to an end…. Yet. Set in an alternative reality and only a few leaps of faith into the future, this book is a modelling book, but depicting some of the hardware that would be likely to be used if diplomacy came up against a brick wall, a Lesser-known character from "In The Night Garden" managed to get their missile systems to work, or someone's really really big brain accidentally lent on the big red button. That's as close to a political rant you'll get, and we'd really appreciate it if you'd keep politics out of the comments too. This perfect-bound book extends to 200 pages between stout card covers which fold-over to give the impression of a dust-jacket, printed in full colour on good quality glossy paper. It isn't a reference book, as the main thrust of the book is fabricate, with a focus on the techniques you can use to give modern "grey jets" a more weather-beaten in-service look as if they have been pressed into combat with no time for niceties such as a good wash and polish every time they return from a sortie. It opens with a build-up to conflict, and then moves through the hypothetical phases of conflict, demonstrating aircraft from all the major participants from the UK, US and Russia to North Korea and China. Introduction 1. Warnings 2. Trade War Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark 3. Outbreak Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey 4. Total War: Pacific Front Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker E Chengdu J-20 Fire Dragon 5. Europe, A Second Front? Eurofighter Typhoon 6. Local Fronts: India Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker C General Atomics MQ-1 Predator 7. The Winds Are Changing Sukhoi Su-57 Foxcat Lockheed F-35C Lightning II Mikoyan Mig-29 Fulcrum McDonnell Douglas F-15K Slam Eagle Epilogue Each aircraft is shown during construction, adaptation and painting, with a heavy emphasis on wear-and-tear, plus some interesting colour schemes that can be seen in the accompanying page spreads, and each step is documented with photos and captions, with a preponderance of the products used being AMMO offerings, but it's their book, so why not? You could well argue that the weathering is "overdone and unrealistic", but as I often say, they are showing you the techniques in a manner that is easy to see, and you can copy them slavishly to get the same results, or tone them down to what your perception of an active war machine would be. There is also a higher than usual amount of text in between build articles, which is of course creative prose that will be of interest to many, but try not to get too wound up if you don't agree with the timeline – it's only make believe afterall. My only complaint is the overuse of mugshots of the major political leaders, as politicians turn my stomach at the best of times! Conclusion A harmless bit of escapism (hopefully!) that gives more than a nod to the What-If genre, whilst dishing out lots of tricks and tips to weather your models. As well as English, the book is also available in Spanish. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Depot Areas & Sludge Tracks Weathering set (A.MIG-7470) Ammo by Mig Jiménez More weathering products from those prodigiously productive people at Ammo. This set is six enamel washes and includes A.MIG-1002 TRACKS WASH, A.MIG-1004 LIGHT RUST WASH, A.MIG-1407 ENGINE GRIME, A.MIG-1408 FRESH ENGINE OIL, & A.MIG-3020 METAL SLAG (pigment). This set is designed to compliment the "Fast Method" set we reviewed here. You can of course mix these to create highly realistic vistas. Your artistry will of course play a part in whether you achieve such levels, but this is a good palette to start you railway diorama career or step up a level. Of course there are many other uses for these prducts outside of railway modelling. Review sample courtesy of

The Weathering Magazine - Die Cast From Toy to Model Ammo by Mig Jimenez We have now seen a few weathering magazines from Ammo and it is good to see they are keeping up the same high quality. There are 78 pages of glossy high quality paper in an A4 format, all in colour. As the title would suggest this edition concentrates on painting & weathering techniques to make your die cast models more lifelike, and less toy like. Even if you dont have any Die Casts the weathering techniques can be used elsewhere. This title features Excavators, trains, cars, trucks, figures & buses. Different products are show , though as the title suggests Ammo products feature. Conclusion This looks to be a very useful publication, although in magazine format the print quality is more like a book. Another good thing with Ammo publications is they are available in a wide range of languages if your first language is not English. Overall a high quality publication. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

M1A2 SEP Abrams Main Battle Tank in Detail (A.MIG-5950) (ISBN: 8432074059509) Ammo by Mig Jiménez The M1 Abrams is America's current generation of Main Battle Tank used extensively in the Gulf Wars and beyond, with various upgrades to the original specification applied throughout its service life in answer to deficiencies in the original design, or new combat circumstance, such as the asymmetric combat that is inherent in the Middle East giving rise to the TUSK and TUSK II urban upgrade kits. The M1A2 SEP (System Enhancement Package) upgraded the armour to new and refurbished Abrams tanks to improve performance. This book is a new edition of their original book, which has been updated and expanded with additional information and pictures. It is perfect bound in a card cover and extends to 143 pages with a huge number of high quality photos of the Abrams, many of which are candid, and show the crew either in action or posing for the camera. It has just a few sections due to the nature of the book, which are as follows: The 144 page is an advert for their M2A3 Bradley, which is a two volume sister title to this one, as the Bradley and Abrams usually operate closely on the battlefield. The photographs are almost all high quality, with just a few slightly lower due to circumstances beyond the photographer's control, with tons of detail visible, as well as crew personalisations and crew appearing in a great many shots too. The has clearly been a high level of cooperation between the US Army and the photographers due to the nature of some of the shots both from in the field and at maintenance depots and bases. There are even some photos of the new Barracuda camouflage system that the Army is trialling to help reduce the visual and infrared signature of the Abrams and thwart the enemy. Some of the field and base maintenance photos will be of great use to anyone that wants to build a diorama, as it shows items such as the engine compartment without the gas-turbine in, tracks being added/removed and some of the tools in the background, as well as mechanics at work. Conclusion A worthy title for anyone considering building an Abrams, or just if you're interest in armour. The pictures are impressive, and the captions add an extra dimension to the story, which makes for interesting reading. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Urban Diorama Acrylic Colours (A.MIG-7177) Ammo by Mig Jiménez More paint from those prodigiously productive people at Ammo. This set includes six colours in 17ml bottles in the pack, each with a dropper top and yellow cap that is an indicator that there is a stainless steel "stirring ball" inside to assist with mixing the paint, which is also mentioned on the pack. This is a good thing, as AMMO acrylic paint does tend to separate out when left untended. By now it's common knowledge that AMMO paints are pretty good, and I have a few friends that swear by them. They go on easily, settle down and once fully dry after 24 hours they are robust enough to withstand careful handling. They dilute with AMMO thinners (A.MIG-2000) or water, and can be airbrushed or brush painted. The name of the set should give you a good idea of the colours involved, which are muted browns, greys and reddish browns, typical for brick built structures, tiled and slate rooves, cobbled areas and so forth. The colours are as follows: A.MIG-041 Dark Rust A.MIG-059 Grey A.MIG-064 Earth Brown A.MIG-075 Stone Grey A.MIG-102 Ochre Brown A.MIG-921 Red Primer Light Base You can of course mix the shades to give yourself even more variety, as is demonstrated on the box front and back, which shows a few examples of the use of these (and other) colours to create highly realistic vistas. Your artistry will of course play a part in whether you achieve such levels, but this is a good palette to start you diorama career or step up a level. Review sample courtesy of

Modelling School – The Modelling Guide for Rust and Oxididation (A.MIG-6098) Ammo of Mig Jiménez AMMO have a sizeable library of books under their belts, ranging from magazines to reference guides, as well as technique masterclasses such as this one. This volume is focused tightly upon the decay of our technological marvels after they fall out of use, although the techniques expounded can also be used with more restraint in almost any weathering task by just dialling back the application of the various effects used. The author Jari Hermilä professes to have a liking for all things rusty, and enjoys modelling decaying vehicles more than most, all of which is evident through his enthusiasm for the subject. The book is perfect-bound in a thick card cover, with 175 pages inside, and a skill level marked in the top left corner of 3, indicating that it's suitable for your average modeller, but as long as you can read English and have paints, washes, brushes etc., there's nothing to stop even an absolute novice from diving in, as long as they take it easy and don't try to learn too much with one model. Having fallen into that trap myself many moons ago, it can become a bit over-facing. The pages are broken down into chapters, starting with the basics, going through step-by-step examples, and then incorporating those techniques into finished models, again showing the process in detail. The chapters are as follows: 0.0 Prologue 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Tools needed 2.1 Paintbrushes 2.2 Airbrush 2.3 Other Tools 3.0 Materials Needed 3.1 Paints 3.2 Washes 3.3. Pigments 3.4. Special Effect Fluids 3.5 Reactive Chemicals 4.0 Basic Techniques 4.1 Chipping 4.1.1 Paintbrush 4.1.2 Sponge 4.1.3 Chipping Fluid Technique 4.2 Washes 4.2.1 Pin Washes 4.2.2 General Washes 4.2.3 Streaks 4.3 Pigments 4.4 Reactive Chemicals 4.4.1 Burnishing Fluid for White Metal Tracks 4.4.2 Burnishing Fluid for Photo-Etch and Other Brass Parts 5.0 Rust Effects 5.1 Rusty Exhaust 5.2 Fresh Rust 5.3 Old Rust 5.4 Unpainted Steel 5.5 Bronze Rust 5.6 Oxidised Aluminium 5.7 Rusty Tracks on Abandoned Vehicles 5.8 Rusty Burned Vehicle 6.0 Special Effects Over the Rust Surfaces 6.1 Welded Joints 6.2 Dust and Mud 6.3 Water 6.4 Oil, Grease and Fuel 7.0 Example Models 7.1 Submarine Type XVIIB (Revell 1:144) 7.2 Il-2 (Tamiya 1:48) 7.3 Chieftain Mk.11 Range Target (Takom 1:35) 7.4 Panther scrap yard (Dragon 1:35) 7.5 Rusty Locomotive BR-42 (hobby Boss 1:72) 8.0 Gallery of Rust 9.0 Epilogue The techniques are simple to understand, and as long as you have the tools and supplies necessary, you are limited only by your imagination and artistic skill, as well as your ability to "see" realistic patterns and transfer them to your model in scale. Each of the models are discussed and pictured over several pages so that enough space can be devoted to the description of the techniques used, which is good to see, as people often learn better when they see things carried out in a practical manner. Also, don't lose sight of the fact that these models have been made to display what's possible, and it is then up to you to apply what you have learned, whether you choose to dial it back to a particular scene you wish to portray, or take it up to 11 to show off what you have learned. It's your hobby, so crack on with it as you see fit! Photography is first class, showing every step of the way in clear detail, with accompanying text and captions filling in any blanks. In between each section of the techniques there are a few photos of real examples of rust and oxidation, which is carried through to some of the models later on. You might wonder how an Il-2 could rust out, but as they carried heavy armour on their forward fuselage this rusted badly, as evidenced by pictures taken by Mig Jiménez himself. It's not a case of an aluminium tank covered in rust, or a wooden prop with metallic chipping marks! Of course there are a great many AMMO products on display here, as why wouldn't you use your book to advertise your own stuff? There are also other brands shown, and if you have pinned your colours to another brand of paints and washes, or that's simply what you have, it's not difficult to transpose your own stocks into the process in place of them. Conclusion If you have some of the other How To books from AMMO, there may be an element of cross-over in terms of general content, but having a "rust bible" in one place is definitely something worth having. There is a boat-load of content in the book, and if you have a hankering for decay and rust, you will keep coming back to it again and again, especially if your modelling is sporadic or memory poor like mine. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Metallic Colours Acrylic Paint Set (A.MIG-7175) Ammo of Mig Jiménez AMMO's range of paints is expanding quickly and not just with the range of colours, but also the genres that it caters for. This set of metallic paints could quite easily be used in almost every genre from Sci-Fi through aircraft and onto vehicle modelling, so it should have a wide appeal. The fact that they are acrylic is a plus-point too, as no-matter how got a lacquer paint is, there is always a worry about the fumes and clean-up that requires noxious and highly flammable chemicals. While acrylics aren't totally free of odour and chemicals, they are much more conducive toward modelling within sight and smell of families. No, I'm not insinuating you or your family smell, but paints do. Acrylics just smell less! There are twelve 17ml bottles in the pack, each with a dropper top and yellow cap that is an indicator that there is a stainless steel "stirring ball" inside to assist with mixing the paint. This is a good thing, as AMMO paint does tend to separate out when left untended. By now it's common knowledge that AMMO paints are pretty good, and I have a few friends that swear by them. They go on easily, settle down and once fully dry after 24 hours they are robust enough to withstand careful handling. The pack contains two trays of six paints each, so we'll break down the review into two parts. I have roughly sprayed patches of each shade onto a half fuselage of an Eduard 190, and would first add the caveat that the test piece had already been sprayed a few times, and was prepared by adding a new coat of glossy black primer to accentuate the metallic sheen. Any fingerprints (there is at least one), or soft detail is a result of multiple layers of paint. I also sprayed the initial colour (Gun metal) a little bit thick, which is my fault. I also think that the Steel and Polished Metal colours could have done with their lables being swapped, as most companies have a steel that is a darker shade than polished metal. These are the shades from the first tray: The second tray contains another six colours, as follows: I feel that the brass and gold colours could have been thinned a little better (my fault again), but as I'm trying to show the colour, I elected not to strip the whole thing and start again. Thinning is done either with AMMO's own thinner (A.MIG-2000) or with water. I also find Ultimate Thinner to be good with these paints, and clean-up is easily accomplished with Ultimate Airbrush Cleaner, with some PremiAir foaming airbrush cleaner to get the more stubborn metallic particles out of the paint cup. I have seen a number of modellers online that have been brush-painting this paint and obtaining excellent results, especially as highlighting colours, or for dry-brushing. Coverage is also good with a brush, but as usual your mileage will vary depending on the quality of your brush and how well you agitate the paint. I use a "manly paint shaker" (a re-purposed and re-badged nail-varnish shaker) to ensure proper particle dispersion, and I noticed that initially the brass, gold and copper bottles were the most reluctant to let go of the stirring ball, so shake these ones until your arm is tired, just to be on the safe side. A general rule of thumb is that if the ball isn't moving right from the start, you need to shake it for much longer to break up any gummy residue in the bottom of the bottle and get everything mixed well enough for application. Conclusion It has been a goal of mine to find a replacement to my lacquer metallics for some time, and I have tried more than a few types during that period, with little success. These shades from AMMO should come in very handy next time I actually get round to doing some modelling! Review sample courtesy of

Railway "Fast Method" Acrylic Paint Set AMMO of Mig Jiménez This set of acrylic paints from AMMO is a quick method for painting up the tracks on your diorama or railway layout in a more realistic manner than leaving them bland and uninviting, but without spending hours on every last detail. There are six 17ml bottles in the pack, each with a dropper top and yellow cap that is an indicator that there is a stainless steel "stirring ball" inside to assist with mixing the paint. This is a good thing, as AMMO paint does tend to separate out when left untended, but soon mix in once agitated. The colours included are as follows: A.MIG-0034 Rust Tracks A.MIG-0040 Medium Rust A.MIG-0042 Old Rust A.MIG-0046 Matt Black A.MIG-0073 Earth A.MIG-0072 Dust They are intended to be used through your airbrush, but there's nothing to stop you from painting them by hand, however the layers will be thicker, and you won't be able to achieve blending effects easily like you can with an airbrush, so by all means try brush painting but with those facts in mind. The method is pretty straight forward - You start working with the three rust colours on the rails, using A.MIG-0034 RUST TRACKS as the base colour. Then you apply several very diluted layers of A.MIG-0042 OLD RUST and finally with A.MIG-0040 MEDIUM RUST to give the rails a more natural, random look. Once the rails are coated, the wood is painted in with A.MIG-0073 EARTH and with A.MIG-0072 DUST in varying amounts to imitate the dust and debris. Finally use A.MIG-0046 MATT BLACK to shade the central area of the railways to depict the oily deposits that are left over time by passing locomotives and rolling stock. You can also add tiny droplets of raw paint here and there to portray larger drops from standing or slow-moving trains, and you can add a little brown to the black to give different hues. When the paint is dry, apply a track rubber (an abrasive eraser that is used to clean rails) to remove the paint from the contact surfaces so that your rolling stock can still pick up the electricity that they need to run. This simple technique should permit you to prepare long lengths of track quickly and easily, whilst giving you a realistic look without spending a lifetime on the task. By now it's common knowledge that AMMO paints are pretty good, and I have a few friends that swear by them. They go on easily, settle down and once fully dry after 24 hours they are robust enough to withstand gentle handling. If you want to add a little extra strength to your work, you can apply a layer of matt varnish over the finished paint before you rub off the contact surface, but be aware that removing the paint from there will be just a little harder as a result. The method should be posted up on their website in due course in case you wanted something a bit more professional than my description Review sample courtesy of

Lucky Varnish, Gloss and Ultra Matt AMMO by Mig Jimenez When my colleague Mike reviewed the previous incarnations of these varnishes he found there was a problem with reaction to pain and bubbling. So we had high hopes that the formulation had been changed to prevent this. It would appear that AMMO, have indeed sorted out this problem, only I found another problem. On doing a trial spray at the recommended pressures etc, the gloss went on white and splotchy, whether this was due to the warm temperatures we are currently experiencing in the UK on not, I do not know. I also tried the matt varnish and while it went on better, but still reacted to the underlying paint., When dry it had lightened the paintwork to a dull white sheen. See attached photos, gloss on the left, matt on the right. Wet Dry Conclusion Now, I love AMMO products, I use their paints and scenics almost exclusively without any problems at all, and have always had superb results, so it’s a bit surprising they cannot get these varnishes right, in fact there is something very wrong with these products, as even I can’t get them this wrong. Review sample courtesy of

Encyclopaedia of Armour Volumes 3, 4 & 5 AMMO of Mig Jiménez We reviewed the opening Volume of this series here, and followed it with Volume 2 here back in 2016, after which we somewhat lost track of the release schedule. We are now playing catch-up with the remaining three Volumes thanks to the good folks at AMMO, and bring you the final three in one easy-access review, plus the links above to go back and see the early parts. In case you haven't yet seen the earlier reviews or played catch-up by following those links, this is the AFV version of AMMO's popular series of books on Aircraft Modelling Techniques from 2015 that we reviewed here, and is a complete reference guide for modellers of all levels to improve their techniques, learn new ones, or like myself remind themselves of how to do things if it's been a while and you can't remember. What was I saying? Oh yes – The books are split between the stages of building, painting and completing an AFV model, with all the sub-steps and variations on techniques in between that the author feels may suit some of us better than others. They are laid out in a common-sense manner, with a heavy visual content that is captioned to clarify where necessary, and as these are books to teach the use of the techniques, they often use the extreme level that they can be taken to, in order to demonstrate the look at its most exaggerated, so that you can see it easily and then choose for yourself how far you want to go toward that extreme. They aren't telling you that THIS is the only way to build a model as some people think, simply demonstrating the ultimate end of said technique to give you the tools to go forward and interpret it yourself in the striving for realism or artistic expression. It's absolutely your choice, as it's your hobby. All books are printed in the same style both physically and in terms of layout, print style and format, with a stiff softback cover that has half-width fold-out sections on the inside. After a chapter listing it's straight on with the task at hand, which is education and entertainment. The tutorials are pictorially rich as mentioned above, with step numbers and captions on just about every page, going into extraordinary detail on how the techniques are achieved, even down to the best masking techniques and tools used. Volume 1 - Construction https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235000159-encyclopaedia-of-armour Volume 2 – Interiors & Base Colour https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235010718-encyclopaedia-of-armour-volume-2 Volume 3 - Camouflages 7.0 Camouflage Painting 7.1 Materials and References for Camouflage Painting 7.1.1 Tools and Materials 7.1.2 Camouflage Painting References 7.2 Multicolour Camouflage Schemes 7.2.1 Hard-Edge Camouflages 7.2.2 Semi Hard-Edged Camouflages 7.2.3 Soft-Edged Camouflages 7.2.4 Stripes and Mottling 7.3 Chipped Paint 7.3.1 Chipping Fluids: Features 7.3.2 Chipping Effects with Chipping Products 7.3.3 Other Chipping Techniques 7.3.4 Scratches and Pitting 7.4 Filters, Washes and Oils 7.4.1 Filters 7.4.2 Washes 7.4.3 Oils 7.5 Winter Camouflages 7.5.1 Chipped Whitewash 7.5.2 Washed-Out Whitewash 7.6 Desert Camouflages 7.6.1 Lightly Weathered Desert Camouflages 7.6.2 Chipped Desert Camouflages 7.6.3 Makeshift Desert Camouflages 7.7. Primer Colour and Bare Metal Finishes 7.7.1 Primer Colour 7.7.2 Bare Metal Surfaces 8.0 Advanced Painting Techniques 8.1 Light Techniques 8.1.1 Zenithal Light 8.1.2 Colour Modulation 8.1.3 Illumination by Panels 8.1.4 Spotlight Technique 8.2 Black and White Technique Volume 4 – Weathering 9.0 Weathering Effects 9.1 Weathering Materials and References 9.1.1 Tools and Materials 9.1.2 References for the Weathering Effects 9.1.3 Preparation Work for the Weathering Stage 9.2 Dirt Accumulations 9.2.1 Accumulated Dirt Stains 9.2.2 Rust Stains Accumulations 9.3 Streaking Grime 9.3.1 Streaking Grime Marks 9.3.2 Rain Marks 9.4 Streaking 9.4.1 Dirt Streaks 9.4.2 Rust Streaks 9.5 Dust and Earth 9.5.1 Scuffed Dust 9.5.2 Dust and Earth Stains 9.5.3 Dusting with Pigment 9.6 Mud Effects and Splashes 9.6.1 Dry Mud 9.6.2 Medium Mud 9.6.3 Fresh Mud 9.6.4 Mud Splashes 9.7 Oil, Fuel and Wet Stains 9.7.1 Oil and Grease Stains 9.7.2 Fuel Stains 9.7.3 Water and Wet Stains 9.8 Rust Effects 9.9 Winter Weathering 9.10 Desert Weathering Volume 5 – Final Touches 10.0 Final Steps 10.1 Materials and Graphic References 10.1.1 Materials and Tools 10.1.2 Graphic References 10.2 Tracks Assembly 10.2.1 Flexible Rubber Bands 10.2.2 Non-Workable Styrene Tracks 10.2.3 Workable Tracks 10.3 Painting and Weathering Tracks 10.3.1 Fairly Clean Tracks 10.3.2 Rusty Tracks 10.3.3 Tracks on Dry Soil 10.3.4 Tracks on Wet Soil 10.4 Painting Wheels 10.5 Exhaust Pipes 10.5.1 Painting Exhausts 10.5.2 Exhaust Soot Stains 10.6 Tools 10.7 Tow Cables 10.7.1 Replacing Tow Cables 10.7.2 Painting Tow Cables 10.8 Clear Parts 10.8.1 Periscopes 10.8.2 Headlights and Tail Lights 10.9 Armament 10.9.1 Machine Guns 10.9.2 Rifles and Other Guns 10.10 Antennas 10.11 Wood Parts 10.12 Metal Items 10.12.1 Bare Metal Items 10.12.2 Painted Metal Items 10.13 Fabric and Canvas Items 10.14 Natural Elements Gallery - 27 pages of photos of the models built for this book Conclusion This is a must-have collection of modelling assistance that will appeal to pretty much all AFV modellers, as a dip-in refresher, a good read or to glean some new techniques to try on your next model. There's a little repetition if you look at the series as a whole, but as a ready reference, these sections come into their own, not assuming you have any of the other Volumes to detail things such as your toolkit. Apply the techniques as restrained or as flamboyantly as you see fit, and as long as you're enjoying it, you're doing it right. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

17ml Storage System – 60 Bottle Paint Rack AMMO of Mig Jiménez Once you've got a decent stock of any brand of paint, it becomes a bit of a pain keeping them neat and tidy, as they can take up quite a bit of shelf or drawer space, and looking at the tops of paint bottles that are all the same colour in a drawer isn't the easiest way to find a particular colour. A paint rack is a damn good investment once you've reached critical mass, and as a lot of manufacturers use those handy 17ml dropper bottles, one in that size could come in handy. AMMO have teamed up with HobbyZone from Poland, and created a stackable modular rack that will hold 60 of the aforementioned dropper-bottles, and although you didn't hear it from me I think you might be able to put other brands in there too. The rack comes flat-packed in a sturdy brown box that keeps shipping costs reasonable, but of course it will need a little assembly before use. There aren't any instructions in the box or on the website however, which might prove a bit discouraging at first, but after studying the photos it soon becomes evident how it goes together. The outer frame is made from four lengths of 6mm MDF, and has been cut with loose-fit dovetail joints at the corners, and has a series of diagonal grooves router-cut into the inner faces. The 3mm fibreboard/hardboard racks and other parts are similarly pre-cut and have a white painted upper surface, which accents the wooden finish, especially where the AMMO logo has been cut into the top hanger. The five rack parts have partial circular cut-outs in the leading edge, which are set diagonally from row-to-row to allow the bottles to be closer-packed, with the bottom row having a narrower "kick board" to hold the bottom row in place. A central stiffener runs vertically behind the racks, preventing them from bowing under the weight of the bottles, which is good news, as particle boards can sag as they age due to absorbing tiny amounts of moisture. How to build it? I'm not about to preach that my method is the perfect one, but in case you're undecided here's how I built mine. I first glued one joint with PVA, holding it square using two engineer's squares I have, letting it set overnight, after which I did the other long edge so I had a U-shaped frame to put all the racks in. With those joints set up I put set it on its side with the grooves for the rack upward. Then I glued the ends of the correct racks in place, taking care to offset them as I went. While the glue was still wet I then glued the opposite end on the corners and in each groove, using my engineer's squares to keep it down, and a couple of claps to ensure it stayed square. The top hanger sits on a set of tab and slot grooves for strength, and it has a small nib at each end that also supports the sides and helps to hold the rack square. That was also clamped to the frame while the glue set. There is a cut-out in the rear of the bottom frame so that if you have two or more racks you can place them atop each other, saving space by hiding the hanger behind the rack. You can place your rack on the desk against something sturdy, but they are designed to be wall-mounted, as evidenced by the two holes in the top of the hangers that will take a screw or any wall-fixture appropriate to your installation. As each bottle weighs around 36g the combined weight of the rack and paints will be approaching 3kg, so make sure you fix it securely or you'll be a bit sad when it drops off the wall. Conclusion It's a cool rack for a decent price, but I would have liked some instructions if I'm honest. The frame could stand to be a little more rigid by the addition of a few small webs in the corners, but unless you're unlucky and careen into it one day, it should stay intact with the liberal application of PVA (wood) glue of a decent brand and strength. Bear Hobbies have been kind enough to provide this rack for review, and I'd like to just take a moment to thank them for their support, and for Mark's enthusiasm for our hobby. You can find his shop in the Vendor Section, or follow the link from his logo below to his site. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bare Metal Aircraft Colors (A.MIG.7216) AMMO by Mig Jiménez Bare metal colours are a fairly personal choice and some folks swear by a brand that other folks swear at. AMMO have come up with set of acrylic metal colours that will be useful for some of the latest releases, as well as old faithfuls. They arrive in a clear clamshell box with four colours inside, all of which are in 17ml dropper bottles that have yellow caps and mixing balls inside to help distribute the pigment. Like most AMMO paints they separate quite quickly when left unagitated, but a quick shake will soon bring them back to the correct shade. Included in the pack are the following colours, although this is slightly at variance with the website, which substitutes Polished Metal for the included Burnt Iron that was found in my set: A.MIG-045 Gun Metal, A.MIG-194 Matt Aluminium, A.MIG-195 Silver, A.MIG-187 Burnt Iron The paint dispenses readily from the droppers, and once thinned either with water, AMMO thinners or my preferred one-size-fits-all Ultimate Thinners, sprays nicely through my 0.2mm Mr Hobby airbrush, so it should cope with all the larger sizes with ease. It goes down nicely, and has a fine pigment size, so won't appear toy-like when it hits the photo-booth, as you can see from the examples applied to the spare fuselage half from the recent Eduard Royal Class Fw.190A kit. I didn't mask anything up, as I was keen to crack on, so you'll have to forgive the hazy transitions between the colours as I was having issues with my own skills. The Burnt Iron appears more metallic and has a more reddish tint in the flesh than on the photo, but as I was trying to capture the full range from dark to light, it appears a little dark and not quite so burned in the picture. The instructions on the bottle advise leaving the paint to dry for a day, but it was touch-dry within 10 minutes, although I wouldn't recommend handling that early normally. The next day I performed a gloss varnish test with an acrylic varnish, and the colours stayed bright and didn't react one bit. It's a subjective thing, but if anything I feel that it slightly improved the lustre of the bright metallics, and brought out the reddish tone in the Burnt Iron. Conclusion An excellent starter set of metallic shades from the Ammo range, despite the slight confusion on what's included. They go down well without covering detail, are robust once dry, and stay metallic under gloss varnish. That ticks all the boxes for airbrushing, which is by far the best method for applying metallic if you have the facilities. Highly recommended Review sample courtesy of