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Bloody Vienna (March – May 1945) The Soviet Offensive Operations in Western Hungary and Austria ISBN: 9786155583261 Peko Publishing As the might of the Soviet war machine rolled the Nazi troops back toward their own land, it began to look increasingly bad. So much so that even Hitler began to realise that the end could be nigh, and switched the Western front to defensive operations to withdraw troops to hold the Eastern front that was collapsing hard. Two Soviet armies approached the Austrian border, and the opportunity to take Vienna and the last remaining oil sources was too good to miss. Stalin and his generals organised the next assault to take Vienna, West Hungary and the surrounding area, while Guderian battled with Hitler over where to send the troops freed from the West. For once Hitler chose the longer-term solution, which was the oil fields, which Guderian grudgingly agreed with in hindsight. The book is hard-bound in a landscape format, with 212 real pages and a few blank pages at each end. It is written by Kamen Nevenkin, and is an interesting combination of a military history book and a pictorial history, with plenty of reading in between numerous often page-sized photos. From a Western European perspective we’re perhaps not as well-versed in the details of the conflict from an Eastern European standpoint, but this book goes through the history of the various parts of the conflict, taking the story up once the Nazis were in full retreat following Kursk, and ending with their removal from Hungary and the area around Vienna, plus a cameo from the British. Yay! Nebelwerfers! The book is broken down as follows: Chapter 1 – Soviet Military Planning and Preparations The strategic and political background of the operation The plan Chapter 2 – The German Catastrophe at Balaton The Soviet offensive begins The clearing of the Danube bank The fall of Western Hungary Chapter 3 – The fall of Vienna The first battles in Austria Street fighting in Vienna The struggles for Sankt Pölten and its vicinity Battles on the flanks Chapter 4 – Endgame in Austria The Allied advance in Western and Central Austria Capitulation and surrender in Austria The British Participation The photographs are large enough to show the details that might be harder to see at a smaller size, with a lot of them showing the state of German and Russian hardware after battle, some in a sorry state of repair after penetration by enemy rounds, others after they have been retrieved to a dumping ground. A few of the photos have evidence of wear and old age present, while a few have been reprinted from something resembling newsprint style photos, but that’s to be expected of 70+ year old pictures from cameras in the hands of possibly unskilled photographers. There are a few photos with victims of the conflict shown, and while they aren't particularly grizzly in black and white, they could be upsetting to the young or those easily upset. Forewarned is forearmed. Conclusion There are some great photos and some interesting text within the book, and I have again learned more about the subject during my speed read for the review. I’m hoping to go back and re-read it soon, and it’s definitely worth a look and a read. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fascinating history if you like history. another short video. sering a lot of talk about Spitfire is going on, and everyone is building one in large scales right down to smaller scales, I thought you may like to see it. If these videos have been posted before and you HAVE SEEN them then MY BAD !! Anyway ENJOY

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1939-42 (ISBN: 9781612008486) Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1943-45 (ISBN: 9781612008790) Casemate Publishers Pilots are a competitive lot, and there won’t be many of them that would deny that fact. Many aimed to become an Ace, an appellation that was achieved by shooting down five enemy aircraft or more, which is a lot more difficult than it sounds in warfare where the pilot’s lifespan is measured in weeks, days or even hours of combat. At the beginning of WWII the German Luftwaffe were pitched against a number of countries and their aircraft, with the latter often deciding the battle. The Germans had excellent fighters in the Bf.109 and later the Fw.190 and their opponents were often poorly equipped, a situation that would prove fatal for many of the Nazi's opponents, regardless of their flying skills. There were many Luftwaffe aces during WWII, but only a few of them survived the war, as continuous combat took a toll on even the best of them, with random chance or “bad luck” also conspiring against them the more sorties they flew. The Books These two books are best looked at and owned as a set, but as it’s a set of two it won’t break the bank. Because of the sheer number of aces within the Luftwaffe during WWII it has been split into two volumes that cover the time between the outbreak of WWII in 1939 to 1942, then 1943 to the end of the war in 1945, by which point the Luftwaffe was a faint shadow of their former glory and were essentially a spent force with few serviceable aircraft, even though time and money was still being spent by the RLM on development of new wunderwaffe that might have had an effect earlier in the war, and ignoring the fact that the German war machine was in tatters at that point. The books are perfect bound in attractive covers that match, and each has 128 pages of satin colour printed paper within. Both are written by Neil Page and illustrated by Vincent Dhorne with an appealing look to the pages and layout. Each book is laid out in a similar manner as you’d expect, as follows: Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1939-42 Table of Contents Timeline of Events Introduction The Polish Campaign and the Phoney War The Campaign in the West, 1940 Over England, 1940 Waiting for Barbarossa, 1941 Barbarossa, 1941 Africa, 1941 On the English Channel, 1941 Over the USSR, 1942 In the West, 1942 The Mediterranean, 1942 Afterword Glossary Bibliography Index Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1943-45 Timeline of Events Introduction The USSR, 1943 The West and the Reich, 1943 The Mediterranean, 1943 The West and the Reich, 1944 Normandy and the Invasion of France, 1944 Defence of the Reich The East, 1944 The Mediterranean, 1944 1945 Afterword Glossary Bibliography Index The Timeline pages can be placed side-by-side for a complete overview of the war in simplified terms, in case you aren’t familiar already, and the introductions are appropriate to the time period, so differ between the two volumes and have a more downbeat theme for the second book. The book contents are broken down in the same manner to the Timeline, so within each section pages with details of the pilots that became aces, with photos of them in best dress posed photos as well as more candid photos in front of their aircraft or with colleagues around the airfields they were stationed at. There are also excepts from war diaries of many aces, which have been accented in Luftwaffe blue, or feldblau in German. The photographs are of high quality and large enough to be useful as references or inspiration for dioramas, with some quite poignant as they show the pilots and ground crew laughing and joking, more so during the early war but even when things are bad and getting worse there is always room for gallows humour. There are profiles in each volume on a background of feldblau again, and there are even a few contemporary photos in colour thanks to some wealthy pilots or official photographs using comparatively rare colour film. At the top corner of each odd page is a tab with the section name printed in white to ease finding of the sections, which uses different colours to differentiate between them. Conclusion This is a good ready-reckoner of notable Luftwaffe pilots, and if you are interested in their exploits these volumes place them firmly within the context of when during the War they were active. The bibliography should provide a starting point for a deeper dive, should you be inspired. Highly recommended. Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1939-42] Day Fighters of the Luftwaffe 1943-45] Review sample courtesy of

German Road Signs Ardennes, Germanny 1945 (35609) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd During WWII German forces loved to signport their way around the countryside, and often when they retreated there wasn't time to "scorched earth" everything. This set is full of signs of this nature, and includes military signs to guide their troops, distance and direction of nearby towns and so forth as they didn't have the luxury of GPS and satnav back then, which is probably just as well. This is one of their range of sign sets, in the shape of German road signs from the Ardennes, most likely used during their long retreat during the Allies' D-Day offensive and the following Defence of the Reich. The set arrives in a shrink-wrapped figure box with a painting of the contents on the front and brief instructions on the rear. There are five sprues in grey styrene in the box or four if you ignore the fact that the large one has been cut to fit the box, plus a decal sheet on thick paper that contains all the painted descriptive fronts of the signs. As the box art implies, you also get a concrete telegraph pole alongside the signs, of which there are thirty-eight in total spread across two identical sprues. Each sign is either metal or moulded with a restrained wooden texture that will show through the decals if you use enough decal solution during drying. Some of the larger signs are also made from a few planks, so the joins will also show through the decal. There are 48 decals on the sheet, so plenty of options that could be spread over multiple dioramas. The telegraph post is made from two halves with lightening holes through the centre, and a pair of isolators on each side, for which you’ll need to add some wires either taut or cut and dangling from the post. Conclusion Dioramas rely on the minutiae of the background to give that "lived in" look to the terrain, and signage is essential for all but the straightest of roads. The addition of the telegraph pole gives extra depth to any road scene, and the painting guide helps with painting the plastic parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Eastern Front Fighters (ED72010) 1:72 Exito Decals During WWII the Eastern Front was a cauldron of death and destruction for both the Soviet and German troops, and a heavy toll was exacted on all that participated. The German Luftwaffe fought there in large numbers, drawing experienced aviators from the Western Front to try to stop the advance of the Soviets back into their own territory, rolling the Nazis up and over the border into Germany and their eventual defeat between the jaws of the allied vice. This decal set arrives in Exito’s high quality resealable packaging with a big piece of card keeping everything straight and tidy. Within is a glossy cover sheet plus three double-sided glossy sheets detailing each of the three decal options with many views to assist with the painting and decaling process. Small photos confirm the design choices of the artists and a list of colours necessary to complete painting is given in a number of brands, with a handsome pair of profiles on the backside that is suitable for hanging on the walls as a poster once they have fulfilled their job as instructions. The decals are printed by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt/gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. From the set you can build any or all of the following: Bf.109E-7 “White 2”, flown by Lt. Heinrich Ehrler of 4./JG5, Alakurtti, Finland, late April 1942 Bf.109F-4 Trop, W.Nr.10266, Flown by Maj. Gordon Gollob, Kommodore of JG77, Oktoberfield, Crimea, Soviet Union, June 2-6 1942 Bf.109G-6 “White 10”, flown by Oblt. Robert “Bazi” Weiß, Kapitän of 10./JG54 Northern sector of the Eastern Front, USSR, January 1944 Conclusion Another cracking set of decals from Exito, who are showing their attention to detail and pure quality in every release. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of [url=" https://exito.site/"][/url]

I'm new to late war Luftwaffe colors. I'm working on a 1/72 FW-190A-8 with a late war scheme (RLM81/82/76). I am using my Hataka (Lacquer) Late war Luftwaffe set and this is the result of the RLM 81 and 82: Of course shooting it was maddening, because I couldn't quite get the colors right, but this is fairly close. In reality the green and the violet are a little more vivid. As near as I can tell, the RLM 82 green is about right, but the RLM 81 is really a puzzle to me. I seem to remember seeing paintings of green and violet German A/C (Me-262s), but most often the RLM 81 is more of a brown than a violet. It just seems awfully purple to me, but I'm new to this so i could be wrong. Eduard's instructions for late war FW-190A's look about the same for the Violet, but a little darker for the RLM 82, but in general it seems like my paint would be authentic. The reviewer on "the modelling news" seemed to think that the Hataka Acrylic version of RLM 81 was a little vivid, but felt it was in the realm of possibility. Any thoughts?

Next small project to take away, a WWII steam tug full of character These were a series of emergency tugs built from 1943 to '45. A total of 182 of these little prefabricated tugs were built in modular units, by several different yards around the U.K. often by women workers. Unusual in being of a hard chine design and all welded construction. Plenty of further info available here http://www.steamtugbrent.org/history-of-tid-class-tugs.html Keel shear piece laid started on the frames Hopefully along with Stuart's we'll inspire some scratch building. I hope you'll join us for the trip Kev

G’day all, One of my fellow Adelaide Soaring Club members sent this out last week. Some fabulous footage of Lancasters, Manchesters and other WWII aircraft in amongst this, some of it in colour. Very well worth a look as a tribute to the heroes who risked their lives night after night so that we can live in a free society. Lest we forget.

Today sees the launch of a new brand of Acrylic Lacquer paints from well-known company AK Interactive, which have been worked on in association with a number of respected aircraft and armour colour experts for over a year, including our own @Nick Millman. They have produced a range of colours that will be of great use to anyone making models of WWII aircraft or AFVs of the main protagonists in the European arena, namely Great Britain, America, Russia, and their foes Nazi Germany. Using their own knowledge of paint manufacture and formulation, coupled with the named experts (you'll see those names later on), they are more than a little bit proud to launch the range, which is accompanied by a book on the subject that looks to be well worth a read. At time of writing we are waiting for our samples, plus a copy of the book, but from looking at the pre-release publicity material, it all looks very interesting. If you scroll to the bottom there are some useful links to the initial range of paints and other information, so you can see all the shades that will be available initially, and if you visit their site you should be able to see the new racks with the branding on so that you can hunt them down in your local bricks & mortar model shop if you're not ordering online. You should be able to buy the pots individually or in themed sets, and as well as the Real Color AIR sets, there are also a range of Real Color AFVs coming too, with 133 available AIR and a further 114 in AFV flavours. If you're feeling flush you can buy the whole set in one fell swoop, which will ensure you have every colour to hand plus their clear coats right from the outset. The formulation is suitable for use their own thinners which are odourless (always good), and other thinners that can be used with non-latex acrylic paint formulations. The pots are glass, and contain 10ml of paint with a textured lid that makes it easier to remove, and the details of the paint colour and number are easily seen on the colourful labels. To accompany the range of paints, AK have also launched two books, entitled Real Colors of WWII Air and Real Colors of WWII AFV, which are a companion to the colours, and have a serious quantity of information and colour photographs that will amuse you for hours, and serve as a reference for future use. You can see details of both volumes here, but we have reproduced a few pages of the Air edition here in case you're short of time. You can find a handy PDF conversion sheet here, the full release information and range of paints can be seen on their dedicated website here along with information about how to use them, the names of the collaborators, and how they went about selecting shades for "The Accuracy". We're really looking forward to seeing the fruits of their labours, and will report back in due course when we have the paints and books to hand. Thanks to Fernando at AK for the information, and to all the people that took part in this expedition into colour accuracy.

Hi all, hope you all are ok and safe... This is my first completed model during my quarantine here in Spain (started several months ago). I bought this one because of the color scheme, without knowing anything about the sprues or reviews, etc. so it was a surprise when I opened the box. Airfix did a strange thing with this product, I don't mean it's a bad thing, but at least strange. Half of the sprues are from the '70s and half are modern ones, designed for this D-Day edition... I think it had been better to design completely a new one model, if you plan to design the half of the sprues (the fuselage, and the top part of the wings, mainly). I must say that the old moulds almost haves a more crisp and fin details, except for the outside panel lines. The new parts haves modern negative panel lines, but a bit oversized. There had been some serious fitting problems, specially with the wings, and a lot of putty and sanding, and again sanding. But I think at the end it turn out nice. I must say that it had been in some points a bit painful, but in the other hand is a nice project to test my skills... I completed the model with a set of PE from Eduard designed for a Tamiya kit, and a bit of scratch, specially in the cockpit. The bad part is that behind the glass and the fuselage it will be all this work hidden. May be the thing I like more of my build is the cockpit, with all that wiring and scratch added to de PE, it had been very pleasant to do. I had follow some points on the page Scalespot.com and his beautiful Mossie in 1/32 from HKM for the references specially in the cockpit parts. Also added some scratch to the wheel bay and landing hear, because out of the box is very simple. Also rivet works by me, and I split the back control surfaces to have a more dynamic form. The decals are very hard to work with Mr Mark Setter/Softer and they are very thick... Well, I hope you like it. Thanks for take a look... Ricardo.

Eagerly awaiting the start of the GB. Here is the beginnings of my build. - 1/48 Tamiya P-51B Mustang - Eagle Strike IP4810 Blue Nose Birds of Bodney Part 4 - Ultracast 48026 Detailed Exhausts - Ultracast 48139 Corrected Flaps - Ultracast 48133 Block Tread Wheel - Ultracast 48014 Seats (may or may not use these, depending on Aires set) - Aires #4223 Cockpit Set (not yet arrived...thought I had a set) - Resin propeller blades as well (no sure brand, they are in the bag with the exhausts. More yellow resin so guessing not ultracast) Gonna depict PZ*D from the 486th Fighter Group as seen in the photo below with plane not fully striped.

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

The Me-262 is, hand’s down, my all-time favorite aircraft. I really love them! In fact, when the “Stormbird Project” was building its replicas, I got in touch with them about volunteering. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_262_Project Unfortunately, the commute from central Texas to Seattle, Washington killed the deal. 😉 I built this Monogram Me-262 somewhere between 1992 and ’96 I’d guess. I really should’ve kept better build records back then. I knew very little about weathering and wear, and looking back now, my models from that era look more toy-like I guess. Because of that, I had never taken the Me-262 out for a proper photo session. So, a couple years ago, I decided to take her out to the airport, along with a Monogram F-15 in Israeli livery that had never been photographed either. Both the Me-262 and the F-15 photographed well out there, surprisingly. Nothing like a good background of hangars and skies to bring out their best I guess. This aircraft belonged to 2./KG (j)54, based at Giebelstadt in March of 1945. The paint is Model Master and Humbrol enamels, sprayed through my Paasche Model H. The red paint was from an ancient little tin that I bought when an old hardware store in Cameron was closing it's doors. Amazingly, the paint was still viable and worked great through the AB. I did make some belts and buckles for the pit as well. So, here’s a look at this old warbird. It’s best to go ahead and lower your expectations jes’ a lil’ bit before diving in though. Thanks for your interest and support! 😀

Junkers Ju.88A-4 & A-5 Wheel Sets 1:32 & 1:48 Halberd Models Halberd Models’ recent flexible resin tyre sets require a slightly different method of construction to standard resin wheels, so I’ll refer you back to my initial review in 2019 here, which explains the process and design ethos in more detail. It also has a link to a video that shows the process fully, so if you’re unsure about how to use flexible resin tyres it’s worth a read. The assemblies are a drop-in replacement for the kit parts, so they should glue straight onto the landing gear axles, but it's always wise to test and adjust as necessary, as you'll be using either epoxy or super-glue to attach them because resin doesn't adhere with styrene glue. The tyres will deform slightly under weight, just enough to give them a more realistic look, but not so much that they'll look in dire need of more air before the next mission. Ju.88A-4 “Continental” Wheel Set (3233) This set is designed for the big Revell kit, which has been available for a while now, and this one is getting treated to a set of new wheels. Arriving in the by now familiar box, there are six resin hub parts on two casting blocks, plus three tyres – two main and one nose. Construction involves liberating the resin from their undercut base either with a razor saw or motor tool, then cutting the spoked centres out of the tyres and smoothing the inner face with a burr chucked into a motor tool. Each main wheel has a thick rear part with a deep hole in the centre, and a stepped front hub face, while the nose nose-wheel has two hub parts as you’d expect, over which you slip the tyre. They’re best glued with super glue (CA), and the wheels can be painted with latex based acrylic paints if necessary. Ju.88A-5 Early Type Wheel Set (4832) This set has a huge range of models it can be applied to with a little adjustment of the axle hole being the only possibility. They arrive in the same box as their larger sibling, and inside are ten resin parts that allow the modeller a choice of two types of hub, with and without a vented outer rim. Choose the correct parts after checking your references, and glue each hub half into the tyres using the groove in the rim to guide you, checking the scrap diagrams for the correct orientation of the tyres on the ground. The little tail wheels are built in the same way, but with one style of hub. Detail is excellent both on the hubs and tyres at either scale, and with sympathetic painting they should far outstrip that of the kit parts. Highly recommended. They’re currently being sold direct to customers via their Facebook page and through their distributors worldwide. Review sample courtesy of

Hi, This is a 120mm figure from Andrea Miniatures painted in acrylics. Joseph

Newbie here (to the forum that is). Signed up on the forum last year with the intentions of trying to spark the building again........but my lack of motivation over the past year or so has done me in. Modeling and Photography have been no existent. Woodworking has been a little here and there. Been playing a little World of Warships here and there and decided to get a kit, well actually a couple, and see if I can get motivated a bit. So I am going to be building this kit........guess it's a 1942 version. The kit instructions call out Mr Hobby Aqueous and Mr Color. They call out Mr Color 14 for Navy Blue and Mr Color 365 for Deck Blue. Looks like 365 is Gloss Sea Blue (USN Fighter)..........which seems odd to me, but then again I build planes. I primarily use Tamiya or Mr Color. No longer have a local hobby shop so I'll have to order all my paints. Anyone have any Tamiya Formulas for those two colors...........or any other suggestions? Not worried about accuracy kit wise, but would like to get colors close. Might try to do an in-progress build along just to motivate a little. Thanks! Hope you don't mind a Yank hanging out and asking questions! 🤣

EDIT: This was my entry to the Flying Boats and Float Planes GB, which I hosted. As usual, I didn't manage to finish the build before the GB deadline. As I may take some time to finish it, due to several real life obligations, I decided to move the thread to the Aircraft WIP area. This was my last post before moving the thread here. Thanks all for looking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi all, As the original proponent of the "Flying boats and float planes" GB it is my obligation to participate with an entry that, hopefully, will be interesting to follow. I'm chronically short of time for modelling and my GB track record is shameful: I only managed to finish an entry in the recent Prototypes GB, not to mention a half built Bf 109 E4 moved to and finished in a KUTA GB. All other entries where finished after the deadline or are still to be finished one day. So, I decided to choose something that could be built out of the box but also not too scandalously easy. All things considered, I chose Italeri's Dornier Do 24T: The kit is a 2013 retooling of the original 1978 kit. It looks well detailed in the box and comes with a small PE fret for detailing the cockpit and a few external bits. Another plus, considering my objectives, is the absence of rigging (there are only two aerials to install). EDIT: there's also simple cross-rigging between the wing struts but nothing too frightening. I'll build paint scheme A, a RLM 73/RLM 72 top, RLM 65 underside plus yellow under-wing tips and tail band: IMAG4908 Unfortunately, in my brief search online I couldn't find any information on this specific aircraft. From the Group name we can only know it was used for maritime search and rescue operations. Anyway, I can't resist a Luftwaffe aircraft with yellow under-wing tips, so this will be the chosen scheme Cheers Jaime

I imagine most of you older modelers might've built all of these models at some time. Heaven knows, like us, they've been around a really long time. 😄 These were built a long time ago, pre-internet in fact for the most part. Monogram kits may not have had all the bells and whistles of more modern offerings but they mostly got the shapes of the airplanes right and provided a good "canvas" upon which a modeler could "do his stuff". These were all built at a time when nobody saw them but myself and my family. As time progressed and I completed more kits, I started to think that they weren't worthy of photographing. But obviously, a few years back, I decided that even these old kits should be documented by some pics, if for no other reason than to see how my skills might've improved. Back in August of 2015, I took two models to the Cameron Airport for a little photo session, and neither had been photographed before. Although it was really hot out there, I managed to get some pics of each plane. These are both ancient 1/48 Monogram kits (as are all four), and both were built at least 25 years ago now, maybe even longer. The Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX has an entirely scratch-built cockpit, resin wheels/tires and a vac-formed canopy from Squadron. The camo paint job was sprayed with my venerable Paasche H airbrush. The Douglas SBD Dauntless is pretty much OOB. I remember being a bit “daunted” myself by all that greenhouse canopy masking. For sure, there were no pre-cut masks back then! Again, all enamels, and applied with the Model H. I did drill out the holes on the dive-flaps, and added a few other details. The Curtis P-40B and the Mitsubishi A6M5 were photographed back in 2013, again at the by-now so recognizable Cameron Airport. Both reveal my limitations as a model builder back then, and those probably haven’t improved as much as I’d like since then. 😉The A6M5 has my first fully scratch-built cockpit but with the one-piece kit canopy, most of the work is largely unseen.😥 I’ve been telling myself for years that I’ll buy a Squadron vac canopy and open it up to show off the details. Maybe still...one o' these days. I used the book, “Great Book of World War Airplanes” with illustrations by the great Rikyu Watanabe for the detail information. Best as I can recall, the 'pit turned out pretty good; maybe someday I’ll get to see it again. I just remembered that I used rubber O-rings from the hardware store to replace the kit's tires. I scratch-built the wheels from plastic scrap. The P-40, long a favorite type of mine, may well be the oldest of these builds. I can still recall sanding a big step down where the wings and fuselage met. That took a while! I believe that other than the radio aerials, it is completely OOB. All four have received some rudimentary weathering; I guess my very first attempts at that feature. As with the others, the paint was all ModelMaster and Humbrol enamels, sprayed with the Paasche H single-action AB. I hope everyone enjoys my little look at scale modeling back in the day and perhaps feel a bit of nostalgia for that simpler time. 🙂 Thanks for letting me humbly share this “blast from the past”, in more ways than one! Thank you also for stopping in and looking around, and as always, please leave your comments and critiques! Cheers! Gary Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX more spitfire Mk IX pics Douglas SBD Dauntless more Dauntless pics Mitsubishi AGM5 Type O Curtis P-40B Warhawk

Finished this fantastic little vignette from Elan13 Models. The seat is from a 75mm Dolls house furniture set, stripped and repainted. Cocker Spaniel is based on my own cocker called Louis. Painting thread Here

Well, the title sums it up, I'm going to display my 1/350 HMS Warspite on a sea base moored to a bouy (based on photo's of her in Valetta harbour) but there seems to be no single way that battleships were moored. So as my nautical experience only stretches to yachts under 50ft I have several questions - 1) Some photo's seem to show a main anchor chain to the buoy, others seem to show a cable, is there a preference? 2) other pictures then show chains descending from the extreme of the prow into the water but what to? They seem under tension so must go to something. 3) Would there be a stern line to another buoy to hold the ship in position? Yachts usually swing with the tide or wind but several hundred feet of battleship is something else. Again pictures are not clear or consistent. 4) Would keeping an anchor ready to trip if things went awry be a standard procedure? My Googlefoo hasn't brought up any manuals online. Of course I could make it all up and no one who is likely to see the finished article would be the wiser but the detail fetishist in me wants to get it right, so I hope there is someone out there versed in mooring a big ship! Dave

Hi, I would like to proudly present my first completed ship! I've had two previous attempts at building a ship, but both have failed due to different reasons. My first try was Heller's Tirpitz in 1/400 but the detail & fit was horrible, it was also my first model so I had no idea how much work a battleship was. My second attempt at ships was Fujimi's lovely 1/700 IJN Fuso but I ordered the wrong wooden deck for it which I realized after it was glued, and I lost all motivation to move ahead with the build. After building a few decent aircraft I finally got the courage to go back to ships. I originally intended to build the Warspite OOB but ended up ordering Pontos wooden deck (which came with some PE) and Eduard RN railings. I started last christmas and have been working on the build a few hours per weekend. The kit itself was lovely, most of the detail was pretty good and everything went together smoothly. The whole model is brush painted using Vallejo model colors, weathering is mostly diluted acrylic paint and a few touches of Tamiya weathering master. Rigging is streched sprue (my first go at rigging) and only after it was done did I realize I probably should have painted it . In the end I'm pretty happy with what I've achieved apart from a few mistakes that bug me: I think the waterline is too low for WW2 warspite, the wooden deck has a small crack and the forward superstructure rigging is too thick. Hope you enjoy!

Soviet Jeep Crew Special Edition (35313) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models LtdChoose... This boxed set with additional sprues for weapons is a new one from MiniArt for crewing your Soviet WWII era vehicles, with a full crew for a jeep and a matronly traffic direction lady with flags to aid the troops in their journey. The set arrives in a shrink-wrapped figure box, with five sprues of grey styrene and a small slip of paper that gives parts locations for use in conjunction with the instructions that are printed on the rear of the box. Two of the sprues contain parts for five figures that are broken down in to separate heads, torso, legs and arms, plus skirt parts for the female of the species. These sprues also contain a number of PPsH machine guns, pouches and bags, a Mosin–Nagant M1891/30 rifle and the aforementioned flags. On the other sprues are various accessory items including another two M1819/30 rifle, a shorter barrelled M1938 carbine, all of which have separate receiver tops with moulded-in bolts and a single sniper-scope that would be best suited to the longer-barrelled weapons. On another sprue two more PPsHs are found with a variety of drum and stick mags in and out of carry-pouches, and on the final sprue a number of types of pistol, flare pistols, holsters, folios, binoculars and their cases are provided, which would typically be stored around the vehicle by its occupants. Painting instructions as well as building details are printed on the rear of the box with numbers in blue corresponding to a chart which converts between Vallejo, Mr Color, LifeColor, Tamiya, AK, Mission Models and Hataka, as well as having swatches and colour names. The painting guide also extends to the weapons and accessories, which is good to see. Overall a well-sculpted set with plenty of detail and accessories to add value. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

German Panzer Tank crew - Normandy 1944 (84401) 1:35 Hobby Boss via Creative Models Panzers need crews, and most kits don't include them so if you want to add some human scale to your model you'll need some figures. That's where figure sets come in, and styrene injection moulded figures are the most cost-effective way to get hold of a themed set, which is why there are so many out there. This set depicts a German panzer crew during the late war, specifically Normandy 1944 around the time of D-Day. The set arrives in a standard figure-sized box and inside is a single sprue in sand-coloured styrene containing parts for five figures, only one of which is cut at the waist to fit in confined hatches. They're a re-release of the Tristar set that originates in the early noughties, and like their other boxes we've reviewed they're pretty well done and pocket friendly. The half figure gives the impression of being stood with one elbow resting on the hatch edge, as does the seated driver type figure who does have legs. Two more figures are stood in a feet-together pose with their hand(s) on the edge of a hatch with one wearing a commander's cap and black uniform while the other is in camouflaged overalls. The final figure in the set is an officer with riding jodhpurs, peaked cap and ironwork on his chest, with a standing pose indicating he's on the tank deck or standing on the ground. In addition to the pistol holsters a set of maps are included as decoration, and these cap be found printed on the side flaps of the box. The instructions printed on the back of the box tell you to soak them in water and peel the printed surface from the card backing, then trim and fold them to your satisfaction, which is a nice touch and cleverly executed. Sculpting of the figures is good, with parts breakdown assisting with the hiding of seams and separate heads giving a little flexibility in pose along with the arm parts. Oddly, the best detail appears on the "rear" of the sprues which is why there are two photos of the one sprue. It's an odd way of doing things, but a non-issue in practice. The instructions are printed on the back of the box as already mentioned, and the parts and colours are both pointed out on each figure in relation to a table of codes for Mr Hobby, Acrysion, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol shades, which should cover most of us. In addition there are small samples of the camouflage patterns that were used by this stage of the war, which will be fun to paint unless you pick up some camo decals that are becoming popular for achieving complex camouflage patterns these days. Check out eBay if you're interested. Conclusion A welcome re-boxing of a good set. Five (4.5) figures for a good price with good detail. If you have a Panzer you'd like to fit out with a crew for whatever reason (do you even need one?), these a great, cost-effective way of doing just that. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

German Train Station Staff 1930-40s (38010) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd Railway stations take more staff to run them than you'd probably imagine (unless you work in one too), and this was more true back in the days when porters were a thing and service was more important than profits. In WWII when the men were being conscripted to fight, women were drafted in to replace them in non-protected jobs where physical strength wasn't an issue. Older workers were also conscripted back into the workforce where their experience was useful. This set is a perfect accompaniment to your railway diorama, and contains four figures as depicted on the front of the shrink-wrapped figure box. Inside are six sprues of varying sizes in grey styrene, the largest containing the figures of two female conductors/platform staff, a male porter of advancing age sporting one of those attractive short moustaches that were popular in the early 40s, but not so much now (can't imagine why), and finally a Wehrmacht soldier that seems resigned to his fate. The rest of the sprues contain the ancillaries including a full sprue of army equipment such as helmets, bags, water bottles and entrenching tools – maybe a little much for one guy, but that leaves plenty of spares for another project. Two of the remaining sprues contain the porter's trolley and sundry railway equipment such as lights, oil cans, lamps etc., with the last two sprues holding lots of luggage options for the trolley and passengers. The instructions are on the rear of the box along with the colour guide, showing the parts for each figure, plus a few of the more complex suitcases and the trolley. Paint codes are given corresponding to Vallejo, Mr. Color, LifeColor, Tamiya, AK, Mission Models, Hataka, colour swatches and the colour names in English and Ukrainian. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Wehrmacht Off-Road Cars (DS3503) Stoewer Kfz.1, Horch 108 & DB L1500A 1:35 ICM via Hannants Ltd. War takes place over almost any kind of terrain which is why many military softskins are all-wheel drive with low-ratio gutsy transmission that trade top speed for terrain handling grunt. During WWII the Nazis had a plethora of such vehicles, some home-brewed while others were taken from their conquests and pressed into service. Stoewer, Horch and Daimler Benz were German companies that produced such vehicles seeing action in many theatres carrying staff, troops to and from the front lines, as well as arms, ammunition and stores from place to place. The Kit This is another of ICM's reboxings of existing kits in useful groups that would often be seen together, or used on the battlefield in close proximity. This set includes three personnel vehicles in the one box, and as well as the convenience, there's a decent saving on buying them all separately. The various kits are all recent releases with excellent detail throughout, but for the ease of description we'll handle them separately. They arrive in a newly themed box with each kit/set in its own resealable bag and separate instruction booklets and decals for each one. le.gl.Einheits - Pkw (Kfz.1) German Personnel Car (35581) 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 bag contains four sprues in grey styrene plus a single clear sprue and decal sheet, not forgetting the instructions with integral painting guide at the rear. 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 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. 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. 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 Horch 108 Type 40 (35505) This is a relatively new tooling from ICM, dating from 2015, with nine sprues in grey styrene, plus a clear sprue, a floppy sprue of black flexible tyres, a small decal sheet and the aforementioned instruction booklet. The model is built up on its ladder chassis, including the engine, transmission, suspension with nicely moulded springs, plus body supports, brake hoses and exhaust system. Overall it's a very neatly detailed underside, with the engine being the focal-point. The hubs are split between inner and outer halves, which facilitates easy painting of the wheels and tyres separately, and installation of the tyres on the hubs without struggle. The coachwork is assembled on the floor plate, which has the rear wheel arches moulded in and stops at the firewall, with spaces for the driver's pedals in the left foot well. The body sides are added, with moulded-in framework, and the dashboard is fitted between them to stabilise the assembly. The dash has a decal for the instruments, a handgrip for the co-driver, heater ducting and a lever beneath the steering column, which is added later. The front inner arches are glued to the underside of the body, and a rear load cover with moulded-in seatback is applied over the rear arches, after which the two rear doors and their handles are installed. A delicate (in this scale) framework is fitted between the rear seats and the driver's area, with the fifth wheel behind the driver, and two bench seats facing each other in the rear compartment, which also have delicate framework under their cushions. The front seats are individual, but of similar construction, and have space for the supplied KAR98 rifles between them, with two more pairs fitted in the rear compartment. The windscreen is of the flip-down type, and has two separate panes added to the frame, with no windows supplied for the sides as it is modelled with the hood down. The doors can be fitted opened or closed, with their own separate handles inside and out. Once the chassis and body are mated, more of the underpinnings are added, and the radiator with cooling fan are attached along with the louvered bonnet and front bumper irons. At the rear the hood is constructed from four parts, sitting on top of the load cover in a folded state, as there isn't an option for a raised hood on this variant. Wing mirrors, pioneer tools, front headlights with clear lenses, and number plates are dotted around to finish off the build. Markings Four decal options are supplied on the small sheet, with unit, number plate and tyre pressure stencils being about all that is to be seen. All options are from the Eastern front, with three shown in Panzer Grey, and one in the Sand Yellow scheme used later in the war. From the box you can build one of the following: 8.Pz.Div, Soviet Baltic, 1941 – grey Russia, Summer 1942 – grey Russian, Autumn, 1942 – grey KG 51, Russia, Summer 1943 – Dark Yellow '43 L1500 (Kfs.70) WWII German Personnel Car (35525) This is the larger of the three vehicles manufactured by Mercedes Benz in a predominantly personnel role, but it was also built as a truck in small quantities. There are three sprues in grey styrene, plus one of clear parts, and the black and white instruction booklet with decal sheet slipped inside. It is a full-detail kit that includes a chassis and engine compartment, together with all the associated underpinnings. Construction begins with the chassis-rails, leaf-spring suspension and crew-steps attached to the outer edges, joined together by a number of perforated cross-braces plus the front bumper and rear towing bracket. The drive train and axles are assembled along with the three-part styrene wheels separate from the chassis, but it may be prudent to at least test-fit them to the chassis before the glue sets so that they retain the correct shapes. The transfer box is at the centre of the assembly with drive-shafts leading to the axles, and it is added to the chassis with the exhaust between them, and at the front a well-detailed engine is installed, built from 16 parts. The body is then begun with the firewall which has the dashboard, driver controls and steering wheel attached along with the two-pane windscreen with clear panels added from behind. The crew seats are assembled on a raised box and a rear compartment, the boot/trunk if you like, is built up to be incorporated into the body. The bodywork begins with the tread-plated floor, onto which the rear wheel wells are fitted, then the side body panels with cut-outs for their separate doors, rear panel with moulded-in doors and the already-assembled firewall with windscreen. Next are the gearstick, seats, spare wheel and frame that helps keep the spare wheel in place and supports the front bench seat, which faces the rear seats so the troops can stare at each other while they travel. The canvas hood is supplied as a four-part folded assembly and rests over the top of the trunk area, leaving much of it exposed as a kind of "parcel shelf". The body is joined to the chassis and the engine compartment is cowled in either the opened or closed position along with the distinctive Mercedes 3-pointed star on the grille. The front mudguards are also installed and are decorated with headlights with clear lenses, convoy light and width indicators plus side mirrors, door handles and a rear-view mirror inside the screen. Underneath, two stowage areas are added between the front and rear wheels, one boxed in, the other a framework. Rear number plate and lights finish off the build. Markings As often is the case with ICM, there are four decal options included in various patterns and colours but as the side profiles are in black and white it's hard to tell without referencing the table on the opposite side of the page. Looking on the bright side, the constant flipping back and forth will help create a draught to keep you cool. Grossdeutchland Division, Ukraine, Summer 1942 Grossdeutchland Division, Kharkov, Summer 1942 North Africa, Summer 1942 Italy, Summer 1944 The decals are printed on a strange lavender coloured paper, but are otherwise identical in registration, sharpness and colour density to their usual fare, so well up to the task. There are instrument decals included for the instrument panel, which is always nice. Conclusion If you want some WWII German Personnel cars for your collection/stash or for a diorama or two, then these are just the ticket, with lots of good quality detail and decal options that give the modeller plenty of choice of finishes. Very highly recommended. Available in the UK from Importers, H G Hannants, Ltd. Review sample courtesy of