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R-3S AA-2 Atoll-A and R-13M AA-2 Atoll-D 1:48 Eduard Brassin The AA-2 Atoll as it is known by NATO terms was a reverse engineered copy of the AIM-9 Sidewinder that was fielded in the early 60s, with upgraded versions in the form of the AA-2C and AA-2D both increasing range, a proximity fuse and accuracy due to improved manoeuvrability. The missiles saw fairly wide service with Soviet Bloc forces as well as export operators, while China decided to copy it as the PL-2. The sets are available separately and arrive in Eduard's familiar bubble pack, with parts for four missiles and their launch rails included. Each set includes four missile bodies with moulded in rear fins, four blocks of four forward fins, four launch rail adapters, four clear seeker heads and four resin covers, plus a small PE sheet and a large (for the size of the set) decal sheet. All of this is well protected by a double layer of foam, with the PE and decals trapped between the front of the case and black backing card that is taped in place. R-3S AA-2 Atoll-A (648125) R-13M AA-2 Atoll-D (648122) Construction is easy once the casting plugs have been removed, involving adding the four steering vanes to the holes on the forward portion of the missile, the clear seeker heads, or resin covers (which involves removing the very tip of the missile), and a few small PE parts including the exhaust ring at the rear. The AA-2A has a larger, more rounded seeker head and no green proximity fuse section behind the steering vanes that is visible on the D. Their launch rails are also different, with the newer D rail being more streamlined. Markings There are a surprisingly high number of decals included on the sheet, split between the missiles and rails almost equally. Keys show where each one goes, and detailed colour call-outs are made using the excellent Gunze paints, which although not widely available in the UK, are becoming more so via MDC, and are a good basis for a conversion to your favourite brand. Conclusion Excellent detail and decals to create some highly realistic looking Atolls. Suitable for using on Mig-21s, Mig-22s and Mig-23s, plus the many variants of the Sukhoi Su-17/20/22. Construction is simple, you have all the painting references you need, and the decals to add that final detail. Much improved over almost any OOB offering you could mention. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Here are my recently finished models of two ill-fated russian submarines - the K-19, that suffered severe reactor damage back in 1961 (I think it was) and K-141, tragically lost in the Barents Sea in 2000. K-19 is first.

you dont see many pics of these beasts,sorry the missiles? http://rt.com/politics/redesigns-missiles-railway-based-soviet-era-243/ cheers Don

This new one from Panda struck right from the blue, and appeals to my sense of the weird. A nuclear blast-proof assault tank that was designed to lead the advance and clear a path for the "lesser" tanks, and blast the opposition to kingdom come with its 130mm gun. It had anti-HEAT projectile armour panels, four tracks to improve off-road handling, and thick armour of over 300mm in places. Like so many of the post-war super-heavy tanks it was abandoned before entering service for all the same reasons as the others. High cost, complexity of manufacture and maintenance, poor transport options by road or rail and heavy weight making it slow over wet ground. It should be leaving Panda's factory within the month, and we're looking forward to seeing the review sample soon. If you have an British A-39 Tortoise and an American T-28 Super Heavy Tank in your stash, you'll probably want to get one of these to go with it to complete your collection of the evolutionary dead-end that was the super-heavy tank. Images courtesy of

Etched set for Russian T-26 Light Tank MOD 1931 for HobbyBoss 1:35 ET Models E35-167 The T-26 tank was a Soviet light infantry tank used during many conflicts of the 1930s as well as during World War II. It was a development of the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and is widely considered one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s. It was produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the period, with more than 11,000 manufactured. During the 1930s, the USSR developed a record number of 53 variants of the T-26, including different combat vehicles based on its chassis (flame-throwing tanks, combat engineer vehicles, remotely controlled tanks, self-propelled guns, artillery tractors, armoured carriers). Twenty-three of these were series-produced, others were experimental models. The Hobbyboss T-26 Mod1931 is a great little kit, having recently built one I couldn’t really see a need for any etch, other than that which came with the kit. But ET Models obviously don’t feel the same way as they have released this two sheet set just for this version. The larger of the two sheets is bigger than the model itself. Most of the sheet is taken up with the replacement fenders, which will need particular care when folding and bending into the correct shape. The myriad of straps and support brackets are also included. As with the other ET sets, there are a number of hinges and the like that will need the modeller to supply the correct gauge styrene or brass rod. The main storage box on the right hand side of the tank is completely replaced with a new brass item and comes complete with new hinges, catches, brackets, handles and locking clasp. Each of the tool tie downs are replaced with new brass items and this will require the removal of the kit details first. For these ET have even included the smallest details such as the wing nuts for releasing the tool clamps. On the rear deck of the tank, just aft of the turrets is a large air intake. Once again the kit part is completely replaced with a brass assembly consisting of the main surround into which the individual shutter parts are attached. Now this does make for a better look as the completed assembly is of a more scale thickness. Staying aft, there is another intake on the left hand side, just forward of the exhaust silencer, this will also need some careful bending to get the curve right and is also fitted with two grilles, The silencer is also another fun part to get right as the modeller will have to roll the flat brass part to the correct diameter before adding the end pieces and the three clamp supports. Whilst working on the engine deck, there are several grab handles and lifting handles fitted along with a couple of inspection ports. The main turret plate is fitted with extensions to either side and again the kit parts are replaced with brass bent to shape and attached to their respective positions. The drivers hatch plates are also replaced with brass and detailed with hinges, catches and internal latches, whilst the turret hatches only have external details fitted. If the model being built includes the 37mm gun in the right turret then there is a new shield provided. Conclusion Having said at the beginning of this review that I didn’t think the model required this much etch, I can see now that the scale thickness of most parts would be much improved with this set. It is surprising how much detail ET Models have included as apart from the hull and turrets there isn’t a part that hasn’t been changed or replaced. I will definitely be getting another T-26 kit to be able to compare the difference between one model with no etch and on with a complete etch makeover. Highly Recommended. Available soon from White Ensign Models in the UK Review Sample courtesy of

Etched set for Russian PT-76 MOD 1951 1:35 ET Models S35-014 The PT-76 has a typical tank layout: the steering compartment at the front, the combat compartment in the center and the engine compartment at the back. The tank has a three-man crew, with the commander also acting as the radio operator and gunner. This reduces his effectiveness as an observer. The commander and loader stations are located inside the turret, the commander sits on the left-hand side of the main gun and the loader sits on the right. They have a large oval shaped double hatch which opens forwards on top of the turret. The driver sits in the center of the front of the hull and has a one piece hatch that opens to the right, with three vision blocks and periscopes located beneath the main gun at the top of the sloping glacis plate. Under the driver's seat there is an emergency hatch which can be used by all crew members. At night the center periscope is swapped for a TVN-28 night vision device which gives the driver clear vision up to 60 meters. Its main armament consists of a 76.2 mm D-56T series rifled tank gun which has an effective range of approximately 1,500 meters and a rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute. This gun is 42 calibres long. The PT-76 carries 40 rounds for its gun. A typical ammunition load consists of 24 x OF-350 Frag-HE, 4 x sub-calibre AP-T, 4 x AP-T and 8 x BK-350M HEAT rounds. The gun is mounted in an oval dish-type circular truncated cone turret with flat sloping sides which is mounted over the second, third, and fourth pair of road wheels. All PT-76s have a fume extractor for the main gun at the rear of the turret. The 7.62 mm SGMT coaxial medium machine gun comes with 1,000 rounds. This weapon has a maximum effective range of 1,000 meters in daylight while the vehicle is stationary, 400 to 500 meters in daylight while the vehicle is on the move and 600 meters at night. Maximum range is 1,500 meters. It can be fired in 2 to 10 round bursts and has a practical rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute and a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute. From 1967 the machine gun was replaced with PKT of the same calibre. The commander/gunner has a cupola on the left side of the double hatch. The cupola has the TPKU-2B observation device and two TNP day periscopes and can be rotated 360 degrees by hand. The commander also has a 4X optical sight mounted to the left of the main armament and a TShK-66 sight/rangefinder. The loader has the MK-4 observation device mounted on the turret's roof in front of the hatch. S35-014 The Trumpeter PT-76 is one of their older releases, so it’s surprising that there haven’t been that many aftermarket items released for it. So finally ET Models have turned their attentions into designing a detail set for it. Now, this set is a in their value range and is made up of the details set E35-080 and the Fender set E35-082. Together there are six sheets of relief etched brass, a resin aerial base and a turned metal barrel for the 7.92mm machine gun. Four of the brass sheets are taped to the standard issue black card, whilst the two smallest sheets, aerial base and barrel are held in a separate zip lock poly bag. The instructions, on their green paper are for the most part very clear, but there are a couple of sub-assemblies that aren’t shown where they fit on the model so check with the kit instructions and make your own mind up on where they go. One of them I can only presume that they are the water jet outlets which will only be needed if the outlet doors are positioned open. The first parts to be built up are the various brackets and clamps, plus a new spade blade, tie downs for the spade, pick axe and spare shackles. There are new clips to be attached to the towing hooks, the two outlets mentioned above and ten new grab handles. The spare fuel cans on the rear decking are fitted with new handles, filler cap and tie down straps whilst each of the engine bay doors are fitted with new lifting handles. The engine intake grilles are replaced with new ones from the set and the exhaust vanes are replaced with new brass ones with their upper and lower locating plates. Up front on the drivers hatch cupola the three kit periscopes are removed and replaced by brass units. To the rear, the fire extinguisher has a new clamps and hull mounts. Returning to the bow, the lights are fitted with new catches and mounts, whilst their protective cages are completely replaced with very fine brass items and fitted with new hinges and locking plates, complete with separate wing nuts. The bows spray guard is completely replaced by a brass unit, and is made up of the front plate, the rear strengthening lattice, three lower hinges and the two side arms which raise or lower the guard as required. There a number of scratch built parts also required, such as side mounting blocks and styrene or brass pins. The turret has quite a few new parts added. Most notably new hatch hinges, periscopes for the commanders cupola, a complex searchlight mount, spare track clamps, a secondary rotatable periscope fitted just behind the searchlight, the turned brass machine gun barrel replaces the kit item and the aerial base. The kits aerial will need some care to remove, as it within a curved indented mount on the turret. If the turrets hatch is to be posed open, then the interior latches and handle are also provided as is the protective ring around the shell port at the rear of the turret. The main communication aerial around the turret is fitted with ne supports and there are several grab handles around the base of the turret. Finally the main gun is fitted with a clamp, like a large jubilee clip where it meets the mantle. Fender set (E35-082) This single sheet set has exactly what it says on the card. The two fenders are each fitted with their respective supports, and strengthening beams. The forward and rear mudguards are then bent to shape and glued into position. Construction looks to be fairly simple, but will make for a much better scale thickness on the model. Conclusion This is a very nice set, and with not too many really small items, should be fairly easy to use, The only real problem are I can see is the removal of the kits aerial, so I would say that is optional if the modeller doesn’t feel up to the job or doesn’t have the right tools it won’t make too much difference. With a bit of care when bending the various parts, some good tweezers and a bit of patience, this set will really enhance the model taking it to another level of realism. Highly recommended. Available soon from White Ensign Models in the UK Review Sample courtesy of

Russian BTR-70 APC Early E35-160 1:35 ET Model With the release of the Trumpeter BTR-70, ET Models didn’t waste much time in getting this set out. The set comes packaged in their standard card headed thick poly sleeve, with the etched sheets taped to black card and the instructions on green A4 sheets. ET Models have included two sheets of relief etch brass, one small sheet of what looks like etched nickel, a turned brass 7.92mm machine gun barrel and resin 14.5mm machine gun barrel and aerial base. The instructions in the review pack have a faded section on page two, but you can still just make out what’s to be assembled. Other than that they are very clear and well laid out, but they will still require careful reading before starting to assemble the etched parts, as some of the kit parts need to be altered or removed before these can be added. Where holes need to be cut or drilled there are clear measurements to help the modeller get it right. Plastic or brass rod of various diameters will also be required to use as directed. The two windscreens for the driver and co-driver are also required to be hand made out of acetate sheet as, unlike other sets, they are not included in this one. Unlike the sets for the BTR-60’s this set is rather basic, in that it doesn’t come with the waterjet intake grid or the impellor and shroud, making this a much easier set to work with. That doesn’t mean it’s bereft of detail as most people won’t notice the intake and the waterjet outlet is covered by a door anyway. In fact there is nothing for the underside of the vehicle with all the detail being added to the upper hull, where it will be actually be seen. The majority of the etched parts build up into the many sub-assemblies that make up the numerous hinges, brackets, access doors and hatches, gun port covers. If the hatches are to be posed open then there are locking latches and handles for each hatch. The drivers and co-drivers windscreens and hatch covers are made up of the internal surround, handmade acetate window, external surround, windscreen wiper and outer cover with its associated hinges, when complete, and fitted to the model, these assemblies will look really good. The etched nickel parts make up the gratings for the rear storage racks, covering the kits tubular structures. The kits strengthening webs between the engine intakes are removed and replaced with etched parts and the support brackets are added forward, between each pair of intakes. The turret receives a new mantlet, optical sights, whilst the 14.5mm gun gets a new support structure and barrel brackets onto which the resin barrel can be attached. Once these are fitted, the brass 7.92mm machine gun barrel can be added. Conclusion What can I say, other than this is another great and very useful set from ET Models. Maybe not as complex or comprehensive than the sets for the other BTR’s, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. In fact it might entice modellers new to PE to give it a try. That said, the quality and detail are still superb and will certainly make great additions to the completed model. As with the other sets, there are numerous very small parts, so good pair of pliers or tweezers are a must, as is a fair amount of patience. Recommended. Available soon from White Ensign Models in the UK Review Sample courtesy of

Hi guys! Started another project few days ago. Trumpeter MiG-3 Early version. Nice kit. Also I got Eduard photo etched set for cockpit. Artbox got few books as references With planning to get A. Pokrishkin plane... probably something like this: I know this kit got few mistakes but not critical. Going to change armour back plate on pilot seat and not to use harness straps because no one wartime photo showed it. So, lets go rock and roll Tried to deepen and make thinner pilot's seat First version armour back plate beside original one Progress at the moment. Hope you like it Ivan.

R-27ER / AA10 Alamo-C Missiles 1:48 Eduard Brassin We've reviewed both the Alamo-A and the Alamo-B, and now Eduard have released the Alamo-C, which is an extended range version that is almost a metre longer, and a little wider that has a maximum range of almost 130km, taking it way into the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) category. It homes in on its target by semi-active Radar, and is most useful for tail-on engagements where its extra range allows it to chase-down the enemy. Arriving in Eduard's rectangular box, the set includes a lot of resin - four missile bodies, eight pylons/adapter rails, sixteen forward fins, four FOD guards for the tips, sixteen forward strakes, four exhaust parts, a small fret of partially pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) metal, and finally, a large (for the subject) decal sheet. The missiles themselves are long, measuring in at almost 10cm from stem to stern, with only the exhaust and front fins & strakes to be added from the pile of resin. If you are planning on installing the FOD guards, you will need to remove a portion of the nose, replacing it with the FOD solid cone, and you will need to install the linked rectangular covers to the proximity fuses, plus of course some pre-painted Remove Before Flight (RBF) tags for the missiles and their launch rails. Depending on the application, the missiles are either mounted on the APU-470 spaced rails for the Mig-29 and Su-27, or the AKU-470 ejector rails for the Su-27's fuselage mounts. If you're modelling anything else, you're on your own and will need to check your references or ask a Russian weapons guru. Conclusion Made by Vympel, the Alamo-C is in impressive looking weapon and will look good on any Russian subject that can carry it. As usual with Eduard, the casting is first rate, but the missile bodies are slick with mould release agent, so ensure you give them a good wash in warm soapy water before trying to paint them. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Finished the component parts and added them all together on the great MiniArt Russian Street base. The howitzer was a little tricky in places, but came out ok, as did the tractor with the added ET Models etch set. The whole diorama was a very enjoyable build. Now with added dust and better photographs. I will be adding some more debris when it arrives then some wire between the gantries. Street scene build HERES-65 tractor build HERE ML-20 build HERE

To go with the S-65 Tractor and ML-20 152mm Howitzer combo I'm going to build a diorama using the MiniArt Russian street base, which I got cheap from Creative Models as the box was damaged. First thing to do is to fill the underside of the base with tile grout for extra strength and stiffness. The woooden board it's lying on will be the base for the completed dio.

I am looking to create a cold war diorama with Russian ground crew, I am assuming that people use other ground crew figures to achieve this as I cant locate any specific Russian ground just a few seated Russian pilots. Any information, ideas, comments gratefully received. Peter.

Well i havent done a WIP for ages so i thought i would give it a go again. My Wife bought me this wheil we were on Holiday at my Parents in Devon. Actually we got it for a good price.Ive been wanting to build a Sturmovik for ages and i had been looking at the Hobbyboss 1/32 one. Im glad she bought me the Tamiya 1/48 one. I was blown away when i opened the box. Amazing molding , beautiful surfaces , great decals and even canopy masks! Fantastic! Work starts in the cockpit and as you would expect from Tamiya it litterally falls together. I have painted it RLM Grey and dry brushed with a lighter shade. The decals for the instruments settled down perfectly with some Klear. The front and rear interiors slide in from underneath so the fuselage can be assembled. The front intake and parts all fit perfectly. NO filler anywhere yet Thats it for now. I will post more pics later

Russian 2S3 Self-Propelled Howitzer (Early) 1:35 Trumpeter Developed in the late 60s as a direct counterpart to the US M109 self-propelled Howitzer, the 2S3, which is known as Akatsiya by its users, was developed using a cut-down chassis from a pre-existing SAM system, and mounting a large 152mm howitzer in a turret set to the rear of the upper hull. It is NBC capable, diesel powered, and has a crew of 6 men in ideal conditions, with four inside the hull and 2 passing ammunition through the rear doors if it is safe for them to do so without them coming under fire. The initial prototypes suffered from a tendency to gas its crew as rounds were fired, but once this was solved, series production started, and over the years a large number have been produced in various forms, the latest being the 2S3M2, which has a slightly larger gun, and modern GPS and satellite guidance equipment that was added at the turn of the new millennium. It was used by the former Soviet Union, its allies in the Eastern Bloc and Africa, and has participated in Afghanistan and most conflicts that have plagued some Eastern European states since the dissolution of the Union, as well as taking part in Libya during the civil war. There are still a large number in active service of former Soviet Union countries, and more in storage "just in case" throughout the many current operators. The Kit This new tool kit is part of Trumpeter and Hobby Boss' current (perceived) bid to kit almost every piece of Soviet Cold War armour before the end of the decade. It arrives in a standard top opening Trumpeter box, and inside is a divider annexing the hull and turret parts from the sprues, of which there are quite a few - nine to be precise, all of them in a medium grey styrene. The hull halves and turret upper are separate due to their complex slide-moulded detail, and the tracks are supplied on 30 (yes, that many) three-dimensional sprues in bags of five. More on that later. A small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) brass is included, plus a small decal sheet, instruction booklet and an A3 full-colour painting and markings guide. As always with AFV kits, six of the sprues contain wheel and suspension parts, plus small parts that are required in greater numbers. The other three sprues are full of the upper hull, turret and entrenching equipment parts, and once you have completed the suspension, the model should go together quickly. Detail is excellent, and the major parts have been tooled using modern slid-moulding moulds to give detail on sides of parts that wouldn't normally be possible with older methods. There is no interior to the howitzer, but this is fairly common, and what is provided is of good quality. The lower hull is supplied as a bathtub with missing rear panel, which is on one of the sprues, and detailed with the rear doors for ammo supply, latches, shackles and armoured breathers before being added to the hull, which is festooned with bump-stops and return rollers, plus final drive housings and then the suspension arms with twin wheels on six sets of single axles on each side. The idler wheels are also paired and installed on a short axle which also acts as the track tensioner, while the drive sprockets are made up from three parts and installed in a hole on the final drive housing. The track links are all separate, and have been tooled in a way I have not seen before. Each sprue contains eight links with three attachment points and NO ejector pin marks, which have slide-moulded detail to the ends depicting the track pin ends, by cleverly splitting the sprue so that it resembles a ladder, admitting the sliding detail parts of the mould during manufacture. The result are very well detailed links that click-fit together, taking a lot of the hassle out of using individual links for the uninitiated, and needing very little clean-up. Full marks to Trumpeter here. The fenders attach to the lower hull on large tabs at each end and one in the middle, which seems a little flimsy to this reviewer, although in action the joint might well be strong enough. Jack blocks and small parts are added to each fender, and attention turns to the upper hull. A fording bow wave deflector is the first item installed on the hull at the front of the glacis plate, behind which is the driver's compartment with vision blocks and separate hatch cover. To his right is the engine compartment, which has two rectangular grilled, which use PE mesh to cover the openings, and then either two grids that cover the mesh, or an armoured cover to the rear-most grille, which requires a couple of holes to be drilled in the hull to accommodate the mounting pegs. A trio of hatches are installed on the port side, and the front headlight is first installed in a rather delicately moulded cage before being added to the hull front on both sides. At the rear under the turret are a few spare track links and other shackles, of which there seem to be a lot on the 2S3, some of which are made from PE. Grab handles are also numerous, as are filler caps on the engine deck, and the travel lock for the barrel is installed centrally on the glacis, just forward of the driver's station. The gun is supplied as two halves, split horizontally, and it is hard to see how this could have been done any other way, due to the massive size of the twin baffle flash-hider that adorns the end of the barrel. It assembles into a rather happy looking mantlet, with two recuperator cylinders sat above it and partially buried in the mantlet. It is trapped between the turret top and bottom, and has no breech detail whatsoever - just a cylinder with two pegs on the ends that allows the gun to elevate. The commander's hatch and close-quarters machine-gun station is built up with a complex remote-controlled mount and 7.62mm PKT general purpose machine gun with searchlight fitted to the front. Periscopes, grab-handles and tie-downs are added, before the mantlet surround is added, with a PE protector around the sight, and the side-access hatch completes the turret with detail inside and out, despite there being no interior. The upper and lower hull halves are joined together at the last, and optional self-entrenchment tools are added to the front and rear of the hull, before a pair of PE mudflaps are installed on the rear fenders, and the turret is dropped into place. Unlike kits of yore, the turret ring is smooth, having no retaining lugs, so should either be glued into place for all time, or care will be needed when handling the model in case the two parts come apart and are damaged. Markings It's not a case of "any colour as long as it's Russian Green" with this vehicle, and the Painting & decaling guide show two vehicles. One is in Russian Green with white detailing and a bright banner on the turret for parade purposes, while the other is painted in a tri-tone soft-edge camouflage with a green base that is overlaid with black and sand patches to break up the outline of the vehicle. The only decals shown being used are the CCCP banner, but a double set of numerals are included on the decal sheet in case you wish to model a particular vehicle. Decals are printed anonymously, and are in good register. The white numerals look a little thin however, so it would be wise to test one that you won't use to see whether it will allow the colour beneath it to show through. Conclusion A nice modern tooling of a classic piece of Russian Cold War armour, which is announced as "Early Version", with the possibility of the M, M1 and M2 versions to follow, as after the M variant when the rear bulkhead was changed, the small equipment fit was the main difference between the early version and the later marks, and a lot of this was inside the hull, so irrelevant for tooling purposes. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello Everyone: This is my first post here, my first Russian plane in 48th and my first Flanker! I have done what a I could to take better pictures, as it was to resplendent I changed the gloss finish to semi-gloss and I added a picture of the conversion I used. It is a conversion I found on ebay time ago, does not have any brand on it (or box... or bag...), i guess is the copy of a copy... of a good conversion. Interior, seat, windscreen and IR were not included so I used some parts from the academy kit, seat from wolfpack and scratch for the windscreen and IR. Decals from begemont, demo flankers and PE ladder from Turbine. It was painted with water based acrylics, Akan for the interior and the dark brown, Vallejo for all the rest, including primer, varnish and decal solution (first time working with this kind of paint and I loved them, no smells, no thinners, just tap water!). I tried to build a model of the first prototype, as it was seen in FIDAE 98 in Chile. I have just started to work on Flankers and I`m not an expert so would be great to have some feedback. All comments and constructive criticism welcome. Thanks for watching. Adrian

R-23T and R-23R AA-7 Apex Missiles 1:48 Eduard Brassin (648090 & 648088) These two sets of resin missiles from Eduard's Brassin range are intended to be slung under the wings of the new Trumpeter MIg-23 Flogger B, for which is was developed in the 1960s. It was available in two variants, the R version, which used Semi-Active Radar Homing, and the T version, which used Infrared to track its target. The main visual difference is the seeker head of the R, which has a pointed nose cone, while the T has a rounded nose. Each set is boxed in the usual Brassin cardboard, and contains sufficient parts to build two missiles with their seeker head covers. Inside each both are two bags of resin and another containing a small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) and a decal sheet containing stencilling details. R-23R Semi-Active Radar Homing R-23T Infrared Homing Construction of each type of missile is identical, with only the main body differing. The small rear fins are moulded into the missile bodies, and four large fins are added to the rear, with another four smaller vanes at the front. A pair of highly detailed APU-23M launch rail adapters are also included to suspend the missiles from, and these also have stencils provided on the decal sheet. If you want to portray the missiles with their Remove Before Flight covers in place, you need to remove the tips of the main body parts, which is detailed in a scrap diagram, and add the cover part instead, being careful to centre it on the missile. A pre-painted set of sensor covers is then wrapped round the body, lined up with the sensor apertures that are engraved in the missile body. The stencils and their locations are shown on diagrams on the front of the instruction booklet for the missile, and on the main page for the launch rails, along with simple painting instructions using the Gunze Sangyo range of paints. Conclusion Resin missiles easily trump styrene parts due to the level of detail that can be accommodated on all sides, and the absence of moulding seam lines on the curved bodies - the bane of a great number of modellers. Adding the PE parts, RBF covers and stencil decals rounds out the package well, making it a great alternative for the super-detailer, while still being accessible to the less experienced modeller due to the ease of construction. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello friends. New item from Northstarmodels - NS48014 Set of 2 resin Soviet tactical air-to-surface missiles with APU-68 launchers. For MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, Su-15, Su-17, Su-24, Su-25, YaK-38 Decal from "Begemot".

T-62 Mod.1972 Value Package (for Trumpeter) 1:35 ET Model (S35-012) Trumpeter's T-62 is a bit of a tour de force, and this set is aimed squarely at the first edition, although most if not all of it could be applied to the kit with the ERA blocks added, which I'll incidentally be reviewing shortly. The "Value Package" from ET Model means exactly that, incorporating their Basic set, Stowage Bins set, Fender set, DShK Machinegun Set, Auxiliary Fuel Set, and DShK ammo can sets. Wow… that's quite a handful of sets in one! Arriving in ET Model's usual thick polythene outer with header card, the set contains three large card stiffener cards containing four sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass measuring 9.5cm x 14.5cm, 9.5cm x 17.5cm, 9.5cm x 7.1cm and 9.5cm x 6.2cm. In addition, there is a bag of nine (!!) smaller frets of PE brass, and one single piece of cream coloured resin. This is a very comprehensive set, and is not for the PE novice. You will need to be confident to bend pre-weakened shapes, as well as a limited amount of rolling, which although quite simple when you know how, or have the correct tools (Small Shop's Brass Assist being foremost in my mind), it can be a bit intimidating. The main set is intended for the basic model kit, and comprises of the two smaller of the large sheets, plus two of the small sheets, and the resin Antenna base. Work starts on the hatches, replacing the periscopes with entirely PE units that are hollow, as well as hinge, latch and edge detail, which extends to the hatch-mounted flood-light, for which you'll need a small supply of 0.5mm and 1.0mm rod to complete the job. Various assemblies, mounting brackets and tie-downs are then added to the turret, along with the antenna base, a plate that attaches to the top of the mantle cover, mount for the snorkel, and a mount for the coaxial flood-light. The DHsK ammo cans receive a set of PE tie-downs, and here you have the option of replacing or augmenting them with PE alternatives. The stowage boxes that sit on the fenders are then comprehensively accessorised, with additional retention plates between each one that attach to the small triangular bulkheads that separate them. The engine deck is covered with various mesh covers and detail parts, which transforms the look, improving it immensely. Aft of the deck are the two auxiliary fuel tanks, which are effectively a pair of large drums attached to the hull by strong brackets. Here you can either use the kit drums, or replace them entirely with the PE set, which you will need to roll into a cylinder and attach the end-caps to. These will take the knocks and dings that the real thing was subjected to mush easier, and will look more realistic if done well, but if you don't fancy the challenge, use the kit parts and just replace the shackles with the PE parts. The lashing points for the unditching beam that was often carried by the T-62 is also replaced with better looking PE parts, and the rear bulkhead is also spruced up with some scale-thickness brackets and detail parts, particularly those that hold a section of spare track link in place. Moving to the glacis plate, the driver's vision blocks are augmented with PE covers, the hatch is detailed with a bullet-splash lip and rotating hinge detail, while the running lights are all upgraded with detailed bracket parts, and bullet splash strip is added all around the base of the turret. The front mudguards are detailed with hinge parts, and a section of 0.5mm wire will be needed too, plus some 0.5mm rod to complete the job. The ancillary sets can be added to suit, and start with the stowage set, creating detailed bins to improve detail and give the option for damage and even open bins to the modeller. In total this covers six complete bins of varying shapes and sizes, with full latch and hinge detail, as well as mounting brackets. The fender set replaces the whole fender with PE parts, retaining only the exhaust section, which must have a 0.3mm extension at the rear to conform to the width of the fenders. Strengthening brackets are added down the length of each fender, and edging strips give the parts extra strength and realistic thickness. The final sets cover the DShK, adding a mass of tiny detail to the gun, its mount and replacing the kit ammo box with a more detailed and realistically thick PE assembly. There are enough parts on one sheet to make two boxes, and an extra sheet is included, permitting you to build up to four boxes, with ammo link that is folded over to produce a more three dimensional link, although that can't be bettered by available sets from Mission and others. Conclusion As mentioned earlier, this is certainly comprehensive, and what I've come to expect from ET. Their attention to detail is excellent, and only their instructions could really be improved by adding some clarity of what parts you're working on for inquisitive modellers like myself. Very highly recommended. Available soon from White Ensign Models in the UK Review Sample courtesy of

To all, After finishing the Fouga (still brings a tear!!) and between F-15 Eagle and !/144 Group builds, here is a retro take on a modern Russian fighter. Following the worldwide financial crisis the Russian President adjusts his Defence spending, in order to meet these new targets the Airforce cancel the PAK-FA project before its first flight and it diverts the cut down budget and new technology to help bring the S-37 from Tech Demonstrator to front-line fighter. In doing so the Russian's become the first Airforce to operate a supersonic swept forward fighter in daily frontline operations. This pleases the Russian President and he increases spending again.....The End As always all comments welcome, the scheme is a nod towards the old " Flagon" colour scheme and was painted using a Humbrol 11 rattle can and hairy stick application of various other enamels with a final drizzle of Tamiya Flat varnish to seal the lot. Photobucket is creating snags will post more images soon....sorted

Hi guys, Another vacform on the forum... this time in the shape of a IL-76 in 1/72. I'm not to sure on what it's going to look like when done, the fuselage looks 'OK' but the tail plane is going to need some work as to me it don't look right. I'm not one for rivet counting but I would like it to resemble a IL-76/78 at least. I'm actually building this as a IL-82 / IL-76VKP (See here for those that don't know!) I've cut out and sanded all the fuselage, made most of the bulkheads so the fuselage isn't far off going together. Once the fuselage is together I plan on cutting the front off to do all the interior of the cockpit etc! Here's the kit for the time being. (photos taken on a set of scales that are 4ft square to give a rough size) Sanger - IL-78 'Midas' - 1/72nd scale vacform kit. by Rainbow 1984, on Flickr Sanger - IL-78 'Midas' - 1/72nd scale vacform kit. by Rainbow 1984, on Flickr Sanger - IL-78 'Midas' - 1/72nd scale vacform kit. by Rainbow 1984, on Flickr Update soon

SU-76M Self-Propelled Gun with Crew 1:35 MiniArt The SU-76 was one of the most widely used AFVs of WWII by the Russians, and was based upon an enlarged version of the T-70 Light Tank chassis, adding width and an extra roadwheel to the length of the vehicle. Although the T-70 wasn't particularly effective or well liked, this much changed and improved development of its basic running gear was, because of its simple agricultural design, which made it easy to maintain, and forgiving in combat conditions. Initial problems with the drive-train were soon cured, and the SU-76M was the result, with the armoured roof of the casemate removed for ease of service and repair of the 76.2mm ZiS-3 gun. Production went on to reach almost 14,000 units before war's end, and although production of the SU-76 ceased, a further development continued production in the form of the ZSU-37, the first dedicated anti-aircraft tank in Soviet service. The Kit MiniArt are a growing force within the AFV world, and have a good reputation for their diorama bases and figure sets. Their toolings are more traditional in style, but an element of slide-moulding is starting to creep in, making for better detail on the parts. The kit arrives in a top opening grey box with a vignette painting of an SU-76M on grassy terrain. Inside are five sprues of mid-grey styrene, a single hull "tub", 16 sprue ladders of track links, a tiny sprue of clear parts, and a simple decal sheet printed by Begemot. The instruction booklet is printed in black and white on good stock, while the colour and decaling sheet is printed in full colour, and includes painting call-outs for the included figures. The first thing that is immediately apparent is that the hull of this tank is rather small. One of its nicknames was "bare a**ed Ferdinand", which referred to its similar layout but diminutive size when compared to the giant German design. The tub struggles to make 5" in length, but detail on the outer hull is good, with rivets, panel lines and raised detail in good supply. There is also detail inside the hull toward the rear where it will be visible due to its open top. Whether you will need to remove the large injection moulding lump that sits in the middle of the hull bottom is questionable, especially as there is a panel placed between it and the viewer during later construction. Unusually for a tank, the gun and its support-work are first to be built up, and there are plenty of parts to make this a well detailed section of the model. The barrel is supplied in two halves, so the more aftermarket conscious amongst us might want to source a replacement, but with some careful seam-work, the kit part should suffice, particularly as it has a 2-piece flash-hider that is added after the barrel is pushed through the mantlet, giving the impression of a hollow barrel. Careful assembly and judicious use of glue should permit you to retain the ability to traverse and raise the barrel, which is of use to retain until you have chosen the final position of the gun, at which time it can be fixed by freezing the pivot points with liquid glue. Once the gun is completed, the chassis makes an appearance, and each side takes six keyed suspension arms, onto which a roadwheel is glued. A triplet of return rollers fix further up the side of the hull on axles, and the idler wheel attaches at the very rear of the vehicle, almost as an afterthought trailing behind. The drive sprockets are mounted to the front on their final drive housings, the edge of which stand proud of the glacis plate once complete. The front of the chassis is boxed in with armour plate at this stage, and various shackles and detail parts are added to the forward and aft bulkheads. There are two hatches on the glacis plate, one for access to the gearbox and the other for the driver, which has a domed armoured surface that has a nice cast texture moulded in. The tracks are separate links that are provided on ladder-like sprues with only small stubs of sprue between each link and no outer runners. Detail is excellent throughout, and they should clip together with no glue, which is backed up by a symbol in the instruction. Each link has three sprue gates sensibly placed, and no ejector pin marks – these have been cleverly left on the sprue stubs between each link. Clean-up and construction of each track of 92 links should proceed relatively quickly as a result of these positives, and there are 8 links spare in case of broken pins. The slide-moulded fenders are then mounted with five bracing brackets on each side, along with some small details and stowage areas. A driving light is placed on the port fender, which has a clear lens piece, so the rear of the part will need painting silver to represent the reflector. On the rear of the starboard fender is a large box containing the radiator and the twin exhaust pipes. The open face of the radiator has moulded baffles that expand the surface area, which are neatly moulded, and the exhausts are made up from two halves with an exhaust pipe stub which will need drilling out to add a little realism. The upper hull is then covered with pioneer tools, while the fenders receive more stowage boxes, and the towing cable is bend into a C-shape for mounting on the glacis plate. My sample had already sheared where the two cooling wavefronts of styrene had met and cooled too quickly to mix, so the single-piece rope would be of no use. However, MiniArt have sensibly included an extra pair of towing eyes without rope moulded to them in case you want to make your own. As usual with my armour builds, I will be using a length of RB Models braided cable, because nothing looks quite like braided cable other than braided cable! At this stage the gun is installed onto a hub moulded into the rear of the top deck, and secured in place from the underside with a pin, which will take some very careful gluing to retain the ability to traverse. A basic floor piece is added, which has some treadplate detail moulded in, plus the aforementioned doors into the inner hull that blank off the moulding pip on the lower hull. A series of parts then build up into the rest of the cladding of the fighting compartment, blocking off the view into the rest of the chassis. Five palettes of shells are built up for the interior, containing a mixture of blunt nosed shells and more pointed armour piercing in each. These are sited around the crew compartment, making for a very loud bang indeed if it received a direct hit. The casemate is next to be built up, and is constructed from three individual sides, each of which is detailed up before installation. Painting the interior in stages is likely to be a necessity with this kit due to its open top and close confines. Fortunately, the casemate panels all meet the hull at an angle, so could be installed completely painted onto the model. A rear bulkhead is then added with a small door that simply eases the step over the back of the hull. Corner stiffener plates are added to the casemate, an aerial onto the starboard side, and safety "roll-cage" to the rear. Curiously, the exhaust pipes from the engine to the mufflers/silencers are almost the last parts to be added, disappearing into an angular box on the top of the hull. A set of five crew figures are included with this kit as a bonus item, and they are contained on the fifth sprue. There are three figures holding shells, one appearing to lean forward to operate the sighting mechanism of the gun, while the final figure would be the commander figure, who is looking through a pair of binoculars. The commander and one shell carrier are wearing heavy greatcoats, while the remaining three wear quilted Soviet tankers uniform. All the figures are wearing the protective leather helmets used by soviet tank crew, which are separate parts on the sprue. The figures are nicely moulded and the greatcoat wearers have separate lowers to their coats, to give a more realistic appearance to them. Some of the crew have separate hands where appropriate, while all have separate arms and legs. The legs are moulded separately and joined at the crotch to give better detail to the inseam area, and all the heads are separate parts. Some small personal items are included for the figures' belts, and eight shells are provided for the chaps to hold (the set is also sold separately as a figure set). The decals are printed by Begemot as mentioned earlier, and have a creamy tint to the white lettering. That shouldn't really notice on the dark background, but should in fact help them not to look too stark. Surprisingly from such a small sheet you can build one of five vehicles, which share the same Russian Green scheme, which is of course no surprise. SPG Artillery Division 11th Guard Army, Eastern Prussia, 1944 Unknown Slef-Propelled Regiment, Eastern Prussia, 1945 1238th SPG Regiment, Poland, March 1945 1448th SPG Artillery Regiment, 9th Krasnodar Kozak Division, Poland, 1944 1223rd SPG Artillery Regiment, 5th Guard Tank Army, 3rd Belorussian front, Vilnus, July 1944 Colour call-outs are provided from Vallejo, Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol, Revell and Mr Color. Colour names are also supplied, as well as a column of something unintelligible (to me) in Cyrillic. The same table applies to the crew figures who are surrounded by a cloud of arrows and legends. Conclusion A detailed kit of this diminutive but powerful Self-Propelled Gun, which grew from a mediocre lineage to become an important tank during WWII. The inclusion of five crew figures and individual workable track links makes it a very generous package, and should appeal to many. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

WWII bedspring Armour for T34/85, JS-2 1:35 ET Model The Russians pioneered stand-off armour by burning mattresses to leave just the wire springs and attaching them to the outer hulls of their tanks. This caused the Panzer faust rounds to detonate slightly away from the main hull, which caused the penetrating jet of molten metal to dissipate somewhat before it actually hit the "proper" armour. It's the same principle as German schürzen, and the more modern bar armour that we're seeing in Afghanistan today. This Photo-Etch (PE) set is relatively straight-forward in construction, but you will need some kind of longer bending tool for the long folds that create the bed-frames. Each section is made up of the frame itself, which has folded over edges to simulate the angle-iron outer frame, some of which are double-folded to give a C-shaped profile. These are then attached to the tank's hull by metal brackets, folded up from the long parts on the larger fret. The brackets differ depending on where they are to be installed, so take care when assembling them so you get it right. Five different types in all, and the position of each one is detailed on the diagrams at the end of the instructions. Conclusion If you haven't got one of those kits with the bed-spring armour in, then this is one for you. It's simple enough for all but the novice PE operative, but that's only really because of the long bends on the bed frames. If you're confident you can manage the bends, don't hesitate. Highly recommended. Available soon in the UK from White Ensign Models Review Sample courtesy of

T-55 Tank D-10T 100mm Barrel D:Vision Miniature In association with Part of the D:Toys empire, D:Vision is a new one on me, so I thought it worthwhile checking out their products. This is a replacement turned aluminium barrel for T-55 tanks in 1:35, so is therefore suitable for the Tamiya kits of the "vanilla" T-55 and their newer ENIGMA up-armoured edition, as well as the Trumpeter kits, which although cheaper than the Tamiya offerings are inferior in terms of detail and accuracy out of the box. Supplied in a Ziplok bag on a thick black header-card, the barrel is crisply turned, has a hollow end, with an impression of the rifling inside the barrel, extending some 3mm down the barrel, which is as far as the eye can see once the barrel is painted. There is a sizeable attachment pin to the rear of the barrel, so once glued with super glue, I doubt it would move unless subjected to some serious force. As usual with metal parts on kits, a slight scuffing with a sanding stick or wire wool will improve paint adhesion. Conclusion A very nice piece, and competition for other producers of turned metal aftermarket items. Review sample courtesy of

Guys, Another one for the pocket air-force...for all those with little room or small budgets . This was a straight forward build, no real fit issues or kit snags (bar the canards)..Hand painted with enamels..have another in the stash and thinking of the old Russian (MIG -21) colours for that one with silver replacing the black and black (or NATO Black) replacing the white nose and white body panels. All pointers, tips and advice greatly appreciated .

SU-25K Wing Pylons 1:48 Eduard Brassin (648054) The SU-25 modeller has had two choices of kit in 1:48 for a long while now, both of which are quite aged and simplistic by current standards. The Revell/Monogram issue is more representative of the prototype, while the Kopro/OEZ kit has its own flaws with simplistic detail and blank areas where there should be detail. Of the two, the new KP Models kit, which is an update of the Kopro model is probably your best bet as it includes a new resin cockpit and some Photo-Etch (PE) detail. It is also easily available again now that KP Models have taken up the batton. This set arrives in Eduard's familiar clamshell box, and aims to upgrade the pylons of either kit to a high standard, which it achieves well. A complete replacement set of resin pylons are included, totalling 14 pylons in all, with optional components for the outermost station on the wings. Further munitions adapter rails are provided for four pylons, on the outermost and innerpost stations on each wing. A set of sway braces make up the final resin parts of the set – eight of each fore and aft. Six tiny PE detail parts are required for the longer adapter rails, and these will be found on the postage-stamp sized fret that is trapped behind the black card on the upper part of the package. Two spares are included in case of mishap, but care will still be the order of the day for both removing the parts from the fret, and handling them prior to attachment to the rails. Conclusion The smaller details are what adds a significant degree of realism to a model, and the resin pylons perform that task well. They improve on the comparatively featureless kit parts, and if you choose to leave some pylons un-laden, the detail of the mounting surface will impress. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of