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#5/2016 And my dad finished a second one today. Trumpeter kit with decals from the CA kit. Regarding the a/c number, the 8 has to be exchanged with a 9. Added the missing gunsight from the sparesbox and used a plastic rod for the missing headrest support strut. The Classic Airframes decals were a bit brittle and partly little pieces came off before sealing so some repainting was done. EZ Line for the aerials, painted with Gunze and Tamiya acrylics. Model shows an a/c that was used during the hoax invasion in Operation Starkey August/September 1943.

Soviet Su-11 Fishpot 1:48 Trumpeter The Sukhoi Su-11 was part of the rapid development of jet fighters after WWII and was developed from the Su-9, which we reviewed here not so long ago. It was meant to be an improvement, but despite a bigger engine and radar, it was still heavily reliant on ground control to find their targets, and had only limited interception capability, carrying two R-98 missiles and having no cannons. Only around a hundred were built, and they were quickly phased out in favour of other models, to be left standing in museums with a few exceptions that soldiered on into the 80s. The Kit Following on from the Su-9 reviewed by my colleague recently, the new kit shares very little in the way of sprues with the older one, although the cockpit parts have been copied and pasted directly from the CAD files for the earlier kit. A set of additional fuel thanks have also been included that are shared between the two aircraft. The kit arrives in a standard box with a painting of the eponymous contents on the top, five sprues in mid-grey styrene, a small clear sprue and a decal sheet, plus the instruction booklet in landscape A4, and separate colour painting guide on two sides of A4. Although it bears a resemblance to its forebear, all the exterior parts are different, even if only subtly so in cases. The common cockpit is first in the construction process, and has a reasonable level of detail plus a decal for the main instrument panel. The ejection seat is slide-moulded to incorporate most of the detail in the main part, with only two additional parts required to finish it off. The exhaust trunking is next, with a styrene afterburner ring and engine face, which appears to be the wrong way round, as it faces the font of the aircraft, leaving anyone looking up the exhaust tube seeing its back face through the burner ring. To be honest, it's unlikely anything will be seen from either the nose or the tail, in fairness. The nose gear bay is built from individual panels, and traps the detailed gear leg in place in holes in the side walls, so it can't be left off until later. With the addition of the radome, which is built up from a cylindrical rear and tapered cone, the fuselage can be closed up, and a pair of main bay inserts added to the sides of the fuselage. The delta-wings of the Fishpot are wafer-thin, so the gear bay roof detail is moulded into the upper wing, and the flying surfaces are all mobile, so can be posed at your whim, but don't forget to drill out the holes for the pylons if you plan on using them. The main gear legs have separate pivot lugs and retraction jacks, and are topped off with two-part wheels and two captive gear-bay covers, although these can be left off until after painting. The wings attach to roots on the fuselage via the traditional tab and slot method, with three in total per wing to help get the very slight anhedral of the real thing. The large fin is attached to the aft fuselage by a pair of pins, and the elevators fit with just one pin each on a nicely detailed fairing. The most obvious difference between the Su-9 and Su-11 is the long external fuel pipe fairing that runs over the wingroot on the port side, with another on the underside, both of which are supplied as separate parts. A couple of auxiliary intakes are added to both sides of the aft fuselage, and the two-part canopy is placed over rather flat and featureless coaming and turtle-deck behind the pilot, which isn't at all how it should look. The clear parts are very nicely done however, with crystal clear glazing, and a satin patina to the metal frames and fairings. This is probably a cockpit that is best left closed unless you wanted to add some detail to these areas. The Fishpot usually carried a pair of R-98 Anab missiles, one of each of the semi-active radar (MR) and infrared (MT) seeker types, to give it the best chance of bringing down its chosen target. Unfortunately, only the former type has been included, so if you wanted to show an accurate load, you would need to shorten one of the missiles and round the tip to accommodate the infrared seeker lens. A pair of fuel tanks are also included that hang side-by-side from the belly between the main gear legs. The underside of the nose is dotted with a few additional sensors, the slender nose gear bay covers, and flipping the kit over, the long pitot probe is slid into a recess in the nose that has a delicate fairing moulded-in. Markings The Su-11 flew in a protective coat of aluminium lacquer, so it's any colour as long as it's silver, and do check your references before you decide whether to vary the panel colours to add a little extra interest, as this effect varied with the age of the paint. There are two options from the box, and as usual with Trumpeter, they give you precious little background information. From the box you can build either red 14, or blue 10, both of which share the same national markings and a few stencils on the rear of the fuselage. Decals are printed in-house, and register, colour density and sharpness seem good, but the blue of Blue 10 seems a little purple in tone. Fishpots weren't renowned for wearing fun and interesting schemes however, so it won't get much more fun than the kit decals. Conclusion This is a curious kit, which has some areas that are nicely done, while the finishing of the cockpit leaves a little to be desired. With care and painted sympathetically, it should look great in your cabinet. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

The “Bismarck” was the first of two Bismarck-class battleships built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind theunification of Germany in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched in February 1939. Work was completed in August 1940, when she was commissioned into the German fleet. Bismarck and her sister ship Tirpitz were the largest battleships ever built by Germany, and two of the largest built by any European power. In the course of the warship's eight-month career under its sole commanding officer, Capt. Ernst Lindemann, Bismarck conducted only one offensive operation, in May 1941, codenamed Rheinübung. The ship, along with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, was to break into the Atlantic Ocean and raid Allied shipping from North America to Great Britain. The two ships were detected several times off Scandinavia, and British naval units were deployed to block their route. At the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Bismarck engaged and destroyed the battlecruiser HMS Hood, the pride of the Royal Navy, and forced the battleship HMS Prince of Wales to retreat; Bismarck was hit three times and suffered an oil leak from a ruptured tank. The destruction of Hood spurred a relentless pursuit by the Royal Navy involving dozens of warships. Two days later, while heading for the relative safety of occupied France,Bismarck was attacked by obsolescent Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; one scored a hit that rendered the battleship's steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, Bismarck was neutralised by a sustained bombardment from a British fleet, was scuttled by her crew, and sank with heavy loss of life. Most experts agree that the battle damage would have caused her to sink eventually. The wreck was located in June 1989 by Robert Ballard, and has since been further surveyed by several other expeditions. (source: www.wikipedia.com) 1/200 - Trumpeter's big Bismarck Several time ago, Trumpeter released the Bismarck as 2nd kit in their big 1/200 scale series (after the USS Arizona). Later, several more kits were released until today, and more future kits were expected. The kit of the Bismarck consists of more then 1.700 parts, 13 plates of PE-parts. The total length will be about 125cm. I already built one of the big Trumpeter kits with the additional parts by KA Models / MK.1 design (and more) several time ago. This time… I will do it in a different way.... First of all… what parts will be used to build the Bismarck as detailed as possible? This time… I will use the big “Advanced set” by Pontos Models which includes a lasered wooden deck, 318 turned brass parts, turned gun barrels for all guns on deck, 15 plates of PE-Parts, 27 resin parts, 25 life rings, dry transfer decals. Additionally used are some resin parts by CMK which were very high detailed. Further PE-Parts by Modellschlachtschiffe.de (which I still have on my stock from last Bismarck project). Fabric flags and EZ-line for rigging, decals for the big markings on the deck by Blue Ridge Models, and the wonderful 3D figues by North Star Models. Brass lamp risers for the display of the kit are ordered and needed before starting the project finally. Right now I am waiting for these to start the project. The painting of the kit will be done mostly with colors by Lifecolor in the camouflage 1941 scheme with the white/black stripes and the painted waves at the bow/stern. Weathering will be done with several oil colors, pigments, and other stuff. I hope that you would like this new project and that it will be of interest for you! Starting soon, as soon as the parts for the display arrived! I think it will become a long lasting project again..... and a lot of patience Cheers. Michael

Well, I've spent plenty of enjoyable hours reading and marveling at other members' WIP topics, so I thought it was about time that I put something back and did one of my own. I don't claim to be anything other than a mediocre modeller, and I don't have the literary skills of a Procopius, but I do have ... well, what do I have? A stash, some paint, some hairy sticks, and a love for building things out of plastic. Anyway, the title may just have included some spoilers, but I'm taking the plunge in partnership with Trumpeter's 1/72 Gannet. I've loved the Gannet for a long time, with its rather idiosyncratic shape, the contra-rotating prop, the Double Mamba and its diesel fuel (has there ever been an engine with a sexier name?), and I picked up this kit at Old Warden a few years back on a Father's Day trip. I've been on a bit of a FAA run recently, briefly interrupted by building an Airfix Tiffie to hang in my son's bedroom, but this is my first Trumpeter experience. It's going to be straight OOB, finished in one of the FAA schemes. Some quick checks suggest that this is a kit with few devils other than the challenge of getting enough weight into the nose, which suits me. First construction shot, this is as far as I have got while applying the finishing touches to the aforementioned Tiffie. Very conventional start to the build, and it's all fit very neatly thus far, just needs some touch-up work on the paint and maybe some masking tape harnesses. And my apologies for the quality of photos on this thread. I live in an old house with unconventional lighting conditions, and I model almost exclusively at night once the bairn is abed. To make things even worse, I don't own a proper camera, being the sort of odd chap that has no desire to take photos of anything much, so this is taken with the phone. Thanks for taking the time to read this far!

G'day guys. I'm getting ready to get the crayons out and do some colouring in on my 48th Suez Seahwk. Before I go and drill out the holes for the rocket rails can someone give me the low down on how the rockets were mounted. The Trumpeter plans and other 3rd party profiles suggest four individual rails on each wing. I have however seen it mentioned that the rockets were stacked in pairs with only two rails per wing. Which way should I be headed? If you've got pics/refs that would be even better Much appreciated, Mick

There is whole host of new plastic model kits from Trumpeter available to order now; including aircraft, military vehicles and ships. Of particular note is the new 1/16 US Oshkosh M-ATV MRAP, the first modern subject in Trumpeter's 1/16 scale kits range. For full details, please see our newsletter.

NEW FROM TRUMPETER We have had in today the New Releases from Trumpeter. TRU00922 - Trumpeter 1:16 - German Pz.Beob.Wg.IV Ausf.J (Medium Tank) TRU00930 - Trumpeter 1:16 - US M-ATV MRAP TRU01024 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Ex-Soviet 2P19 Launcher w/R-17 Missile (SS-1C SCUD TRU01027 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Russian URAL-375D TRU05109 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Chinese Z-9WA Helicopter TRU02894 - Trumpeter 1:48 - De Havilland Hornet F.3 TRU05587 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Soviet JS-1 (Heavy Tank) TRU02878 - Trumpeter 1:48 - T-38C Talon (NASA) TRU05783 - Trumpeter 1:700 - USS California BB-44 (1941) TRU05403 - Trumpeter 1:12 - Ford GT 40 Mk.II TRU02872 - Trumpeter 1:48 - EKA-3B Skywarrior Strategic Bomber TRU05537 - Trumpeter 1:35 - PLA Type 62 Light Tank TRU01667 - Trumpeter 1:72 - Russian Su-33 Flanker D TRU00434 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Soviet Soldier - Scud B Crew TRU06706 - Trumpeter 1:700 - HMS Dreadnought 1918 TRU01552 - Trumpeter 1:35 - Russian T-62 (Mod.1972+KTD-2) Follow us on Facebook for all the latest news https://www.facebook...eativeModelsLtd Check out the website for all new releases www.creativemodels.co.uk

Soviet Soldier – Scud B Crew 1:35 Trumpeter This kit is designed to be used with Trumpeter's recent Scud B kit we reviewed here a little while ago, and although it is marketed as a figure set, it is a little more than that. The box that it arrives in gives the first clue that there is more to it, as it is an awful lot deeper than your average figure box. Inside are three figure sprues and one sprue relating to the missile itself, all in grey styrene, a black sprue of AK-47s, a flexible sprue in sand coloured styrene, a substantial length of black flexible hose, a sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, and a small decal sheet. There is also an instruction sheet that relates to the missile parts, which allow you to replace the standard warhead with one of two different types, as well as adding a number of scabbed-on PE panels to the body itself. You will of course need to remove the original warhead from the missile body, but the cut-point is marked on a scrap diagram to help you with this. A painting diagram shows the correct colours of the two options, which are the 9N33 nuclear and 8K44 conventional warheads. More PE parts are used around the launch cradle, adding brackets, control-wheels, more realistic shrouds to the lighting, as well as the tie-downs for the vinyl hosing that is also included, although the location of the ducting isn't well documented. The flexible tan coloured sprue is full of cold-weather gear for the vehicle, which includes a radiator cover that has two cut-outs that can either be posed closed by applying the two quilted square "cushions", or open by adding the rolled-up parts. There is also another similar though smaller set for The black sprue contains a number of exceptionally well-moulded AK-47s, four of which have fixed wooden stocks, the other two with metal folding stocks in the closed position. These are shown slung over the backs of many of the crew members, but no sling material is provided because the straps are moulded into the torsos of the figures. The crew figures themselves are well sculpted, but appear on the large side of normal, and scale out at over 6' in old money. There are seven figures in the box, with five of them standing, some based on similar basic parts, but with different arms and detailing parts. One of the remainder is stepping up into a cab or onto ladder, while the other is bending over with his hands on his knees looking at something near the ground (or throwing up!). Markings The markings consist of a number of stencils and a large black band for the warheads, but it would have been nice to see some uniform badges and insignia for the crew as well. Conclusion An interesting and misleading set that contains a lot more than you'd think, which makes it a lot better value for money. The crew are a bunch of big strapping lads, and the addition of the cold weather gear is a bonus, although it won't always be appropriate to your needs. Better instructions for all those hoses would have been appreciated too. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

BTR-60PB Upgraded Trumpeter 1/35 First finished model of 2016. It's a nice kit apart from the rather fiddly headlights, which put up a bit of a fight. I've had the kit hanging around for over a year so I'm glad to finally get it built. I've got a long term plan to build a collection of some of the various 8 wheeled APCs and related vehicles that operate around the world, so this makes a good start to that collection. The wip is here Thanks for looking Andy

Russian T-62 Mod. 1975, (Mod 1972 + KTD-2) Trumpeter 1:35 History The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became a standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be manufactured in the Soviet Union and elsewhere after T-62 production was halted. Its 115 mm gun was the first smoothbore tank gun in use. It could fire kinetic penetrator rounds, a new larger turret and ring, which in itself required a re-designed larger hull. Additional armour was incorporated in the re-design, but this was concentrated in the upper hull at the expense of the lower hull and roof area. Once in service the tank underwent a seemingly endless upgrade process, of which the Mod.1975 was a T-62 Obr.1972 equipped with a KTD-1 or KTD-2 laser rangefinder in an armoured box over the main armament. It also has concealed bolts around the commander's cupola. The kit represents a MOD 1975 fitted with a KTD-2 laser rangefinder. The Model Yet another T-62 release from Trumpeter, they really are getting their money’s worth from the moulds. The boxart shows a vehicle on the road during a parade in the standard Indian colour scheme for this type. Inside there are ten sprues of light grey styrene, separate lower hull, seven of brown styrene, five of black styrene, one of clear, a sprue of a rubbery material, a bit like Dragons DS material, three sheets of etched brass, a turned alluminium barrel, plus a length of copper wire and decal sheet. All the parts are beautifully moulded with great detail and surface texture. There is no sign of flash or other imperfections, but there are a lot of moulding pips that need to be removed and will add to the cleaning up required. Construction begins with the road wheels: each wheel consisting of the wheel and separate tyre. The wheels are then paired up, the outside wheel being fitted with a central hub part. The idlers are of similar construction, whilst the sprockets are made up from three parts. The rear bulkhead is then fitted to the lower hull and detailed with a spare length of track and the four rear lights. The modeller is given a choice of lower glacis plate, which is then fitted to the lower hull, along with the torsion bar suspension, onto which each pair of wheels is attached, and gear covers onto which the sprockets are fitted. The tracks are made from individual links, unfortunately the instructions don’t tell you how many are needed per side, so it’ll be a matter of trial and error. With the tracks fitted the upper hull requires some holes to be drilled out before being fitted out with periscopes, towing hitches, turret ring rails, headlight and other small fittings. The engine deck hatches are now assembled, consisting of a mixture of styrene with etched grilles. The upper hull deck and engine deck sections are then glued into position. The two track guards are then fitted out with the various storage boxes and spare fuel tanks, as well as the front and rear mudguards, the completed items are then fitted to the hull. The two rear mounted fuel drums, each made from six parts and are fitted to the rear bulkhead. The searchlight and hatches are now assembled; the hatches have detail on both the internal and external faces. The upper turret section needs some hole being opened up before going any further. Once they’re done the vision blocks are fitted from the inside, whilst on the outside the hatch rings and side mounted hand rails are fitted, along with the aerial base. The hatch assemblies are then glued into position, followed by the commanders sight, searchlight, periscopes and numerous other fittings. The upper and lower turret sections are then joined and the snorkel assembly attached to the rear. Two more searchlights are then attached to the turret roof, followed by the ten part thermal sight. The barrel is then assembled, provided in three sections, with each section moulded in two halves. If you don’t want to use this method, Trumpeter have kindly provided a metal barrel which just need the muzzle gluing on to the end. Whichever you use the barrel is then slid through the mantlet cover and onto the turret. The heavy AA machine gun is made up from nine parts and when complete can be fitted to the commanders hatch ring. The completed turret is then fitted to the hull completing the model. There is only one decal option, that of Tank 720 in overall Russian Tank Green or similar. Rather unusually for Trumpeter they have included four crewmen in this kit. There are three standing, and one squatting, AK in hand. Whilst the figures are in normal styrene, their helmets are in the DS style material, which look quite realistic. There is also a sprue of weapons, four AK’s with separate magazines, two with folded stocks and two with extend stocks. Conclusion Yes, Trumpeter have release4d another T-62 variant. At least you can’t say you haven’t got a choice if Russian tanks are you thing. I’ve built a few Trumpeter and Hobbyboss AFV’s and haven’t ever had a problem with the build, although I would probably change the tracks for a set from Friulmodel or the like. If you like tanks then you need at least one of these in your collection, highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

Russian GAZ-66 With ZU-23-2 Trumpeter 1:35 History The GAZ-66 light utility truck entered production in 1964 at the Gorky Automobile Plant, where it replaced the earlier GAZ-63 on the lines. Originally produced for both civilian and military use, the military versions gradually became paramount. The overall design follows the usual Soviet guidelines of relative simplicity, strength and versatility. There are no design frills on the GAZ-66 as it is an orthodox forward control design capable of being produced in, or modified into, many different versions. This truck had been produced for 35 years. It's production ceased in 1999. Nearly 1 million of these trucks were built. The GAZ-66 is still used by the Russian Army, many ex-Warsaw Pact armed forces and wherever Soviet influence has spread. Many are used throughout the Middle East and nations in Africa. The GAZ-66 was simple in design and technology. Also it was easy to maintain. The basic cargo/utility model has an all-steel cargo body with an optional canvas cover over bows mounted on a chassis frame that can be arranged to carry any number of body styles. Cab is mounted over the engine and provides seating for the driver and one passenger. Standard equipment of the GAZ-66 includes a powerful cab heater and an engine pre-heater but these are omitted on models intended for tropical use. The GAZ-66 is powered by a 4.2ltr V8 petrol engine developing 115 hp. The truck has a full-time all-wheel drive and made a name for itself as a superb cross-country vehicle. Models produced from 1968 onwards, the GAZ-66A, have a central tyre pressure system and may feature a soft-top cab. Different variants have been produced specifically designed so that, over the range of vehicles, they can operate in climatic conditions ranging from -50°C to +50°C. There are numerous sub-variants of the GAZ-66, with or without winches, and with many equipped for special roles such as a twin 23mm AA gun carrier, the subject of this kit. A follow-on GAZ-3308 Sadko was developed as a replacement, however Russian Army preferred the KRAZ-4350, which offers more payload. However the GAZ-66 remains in widespread use and full replacement may take some time. The Model The kit comes in a sturdy top opening box with a artistic impression of the vehicle with the twin 23mm gun in use in a rather desolate landscape. Opening the box reveals ten sprues in various sizes in a nice light grey styrene, three sprues of green styrene, one sprue of clear styrene, three small photo etched brass sheets, two brass tubes, seven vinyl tyres and a small decal sheet. The mouldings for all the parts are superb, with no sign of flash or other imperfections and very few moulding pips. As with most truck kits there are a lot of parts that will probably never be seen, particularly the nicely detailed chassis, suspension and engine, but in my view it’s better to have them than not. There also lots of very thin parts such as the guns mountings rails across the top of the breech sections, so care will need to be taken when handling these parts. The build begins with the several sub-assemblies, beginning with the superbly detailed V8 engine. The engine block is provided in two halves, which, once joined together, are fitted with the sump and intake manifold. Each of the exhaust manifolds are provided in two pieces, these are fitted to the upper sides of the engine block, with the two cylinder heads fitted above them. The crank case and two piece starter motor are then attached to the rear end of the block, whilst the ancillary drive plate is fitted to the front. The two piece alternator is fitted to the right hand front with the water pump fitted to the front. On the top of the engine the six piece throttle body, three piece oil filter and single piece distributer are attached. The inner drive belt is fitted along its idler and tensioner wheels, followed by the outer drive belt and its idler and tensioner wheels and completed with the fitting of the cooling fan. The last part of the engine is the air filter, and this is made up from six parts before being fitted to the top of the engine. The next sub-assembly is for the pedal box, which consists of two halves, between which the brake and clutch pedals and a spacer bar are sandwiched. Each of the pedals are then fitted with their respective pads. Support bracket and box structures are then attached to the top of the box, followed by the steering column and steering wheel. The centre console of the cab is the fitted with the lid of the large storage box, whilst the two seats, each made up form three parts are also assembled. Each of the cab doors are also assembled, each with from the outer skin, clear part, door card and associated handles. The centre console is attached to the single piece floor moulding along with the accelerator pedal and seats. On the outside of the cab, just behind the rear of the centre console a selection of five levers which make up the oil tank pump controls are fitted. The instrument binnacle is fitted out with the various instrument decals, gear stick and the co-drivers grab handle before being fitted to the raised section of the floor moulding in front of the centre console. The single piece cab is then fitted with the two door assemblies, two windscreens, two rear screens, two quarter screens, a vent cover and the grille. The cab and floor assembly are then attached before the roof is fitted, followed by the headlights, with their clear lenses and side lights. To finish off the cab, two, two piece frames for attaching to the chassis later on, are attached to the underside, followed by the windscreen wipers, mud flaps, spotlight and two, three piece door mirrors. The completed cab is then put to one side to dry properly. Moving on to the running gear and each of the five tyres are fitted with their two piece rims, with the driving wheels also fitted with centrally mounted caps. The spare wheel frame is now assembled with the two frame rails joined together by seven crosspieces and two wheel supports and trough. The frame also carries the three piece electrical box for the gun mounting and a two piece tool box, oh and the spare wheel, or course. The next sub-assembly is that of the winch unit. This is made up from the drum, to which a universal joint if fitted, this attaches to the four piece gearbox and three piece support frame. The front and rear differentials are assembled next, each from two halves, and fitted with the over and under spring clamps. There are two large air accumulators, and each of these are made up of two halves, to which a two piece valve is fitted as well as the support frame. The truck bed is assembled next, with the single piece bed fitted with eight cross beams on the underside. The rearmost pair are fitted with the rear light clusters and mud flaps respectively. The bed sides come complete with the upper rails. These rail need to be removed, before the sides are attached to the bed itself. The front and rear panels are fitted with the numerous hooks for the tilt ropes to tie onto. The rear, opening panel is also fitted with the hooks, along with the foot rests and grab handles, before being attached to the bed, along with the two wheel arch covers. Usually assembled at the beginning of most truck kits the chassis construction finally takes place. Each of the chassis rails are fitted out with the air accumulators, cab suspension springs, suspension mounts, and two, two piece oil tanks. They are then joined together by five cross members, with the front capped off by the winch assembly and the rear capped off by the hook mounting strut and its associated braces. The engine assembly is mounted to the front cross members, followed by front bumper along with its PE brackets, a PE footplate and a PE tow eye. There is a small power take off box fitted to the rear of the engine which will eventually connect to the electrical unit on the spare wheel frame. On the underside of the chassis, the four leaf spring units are attached along with their respective clamps. The exhaust pipe is then attached to the exhaust manifolds of the engine and clamped to the right hand rail about half way down the chassis. The front differential is fitted with the two, five piece hubs and ball joints, along with the steering rack. The two differentials are then glued into position along with the three piece transfer box and joined together by the three drive shafts, each with separate universal joints. The radiator housing is made up from the housing, radiators rear mesh, front mesh, and top cap, along with the intercooler and two support struts. The assembly is then fitted to the chassis in front of the engine. On the upperside of the chassis, several support frames are attached, along with the rear PE bumpers, which need to be carefully bent to shape using the jig provided, as well as the four shock absorbers, and anti roll links. Each of the two petrol tanks is made up form top and bottom halves, two piece filler caps and their respective pipes. These are then fitted to the support frames fitted earlier. Two small tow hooks are fitted to the rear chassis cross member via two PE plates. The truck really starts to come together now, with the fitting of the four wheels, truck bed, spare wheel rack and finally the cab assembly. There you have it, one complete GAZ 66 model. But that’s not where this build ends, oh no, there’s still the twin 23mm gun mount. Each of the guns are made up from eight styrene parts and two turned brass tubes that are fitted to the muzzles. The gun frame is is assembled from seven parts, to which the guns are then attached and further detailed with an extra eight parts. The large trunnion wheels are then assembled, each from four parts, the centres of which can be left unglued if the modeller wishes to change their elevation every now and then. The trunnion mounts are fitted to the mountings floor plate and the gun assembly fitted between them. The complex sight/control block is made up from no less than twenty three parts, so be patient as you could easily miss a part or two out. The gunners seats, each made from five parts, and the two seven piece ammunition boxes are fitted to the mounting, followed by the sight/control block and rear gun plate. The mounting is finished off with the fitting of the foot controls, manual rotation wheel, guard rails, and wheel arches, complete with lights. The gun base is then made up from upper and lower halves, before being fitted with the fixed part of the axle arms, adjustable ground plates, movable axle arms, wheel hubs, wheels and towing hitch. The gun mounting is then fitted to the base unit before the whole assembly is placed onto the truck bed. The model only comes in one colour scheme; that of overall light green with a black chassis. Decals are provided for four different number plates and a few placards for the gun mounting and the instrument cluster for the cab. Conclusion I’ve always had a soft spot for the Gaz 66, ever since, as a teenager, I used to do wargaming with 1:300 scale metal vehicles. This is a lovely, well detailed kit of this vehicle and the addition of the big twin 23mm gun mounting makes it even more interesting as it seems to have been a common addition to quite a few battlefields. If you want, there are parts included in the kit which will allow the modeller to produce a vehicle with a standard truck bed, complete with tilt rails, (but no tilt, although this can easily be scratch built), thus leaving the gun as a separate entity for use in a diorama? Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

Trumpeter is to release in late January 2016 a 1/72nd Chengdu J-10B kit - Ref.01651 Source: http://www.trumpeter-china.com/index.php?g=home&m=product&a=show&id=2749&l=en Box art V.P.

Here I present my last model completion for 2015. One way or another been in a bit of the modelling doldrums last month or so, so I was casting round for a quickish build to get my hand in again. I picked the Trumpeter Whirlwind in a fit of excitement, only to be somewhat disappointed when I opened the box. I am not a huge stickler for accuracy, but this was a bit of let down. The decal sheet is, as reported elsewhere, awful. The cannons are woeful and the cockpit looks a bit squashed (no gun sight either). I promptly dumped in the stash and tried to forget about it. However I was was reading through the September issue of AMW, which has a build of this model, and despite the issues it did sound like a relatively quick easy build, so possibly a good way to get the modelling juices flowing again. However I still just couldn't face those decals. I had a search on the web, and came across this: https://en.wikipedia...d_whirlwind.jpg It appears that this aircraft, P7048, was used as a Westland "hack" and had no armament (so no gunsight as well?) as well as very simple markings which I could easily source from the spares box. Here is my representation, brush painted with Tamiya Acrylics, build thread here. Not my best effort, but I think she doesn't look too bad, and it got me modelling again. Thanks for looking.

Russian Su-33 Flanker D 1:72 Trumpeter Instantly recognisable to enthusiasts of Cold War or modern jet aircraft, the Su-27 Flanker has formed the backbone of the Soviet Union/Russian Air Force's air superiority fighter force for much of the last thirty years. The design marked a departure from previous Soviet aircraft, with its podded engines, large wing and sophisticated avionics (it was the first fly-by-wire aircraft to enter service in the Soviet Union). Emerging in prototype form as the T-10 in 1977, the design showed great promise, and before long it had beaten the time-to-height records set by the modified Streak Eagle in 1975. Although originally designed as a long-range air superiority fighter, like many of its contemporaries the Su-27 has been developed to take on a variety of roles, including air-to-surface missions. The multirole Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker D is the navalised variant of the successful all-weather interceptor. Around 35 examples of the type have been constructed for Russian Naval Aviation, all of which operate from the Aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznestov. The Su-33 differs from the Su-27 in a number of respects. Most noticeable are the canards, situated forward of the wing to provide additional lift and manoeuvrability. The Su-33 also features larger wings with a powered folding mechanism, folding horizontal stabilisers, in-flight refuelling capability and the ability to carry a range of air-to-surface weapons. Despite the relatively small number of aircraft produced, this is the latest in a steady trickle of kits of the Su-33 to emerge. Things got off to a less-than-promising start, with the old and not very accurate Italeri Su-27 Sea Flanker (re-boxed by Zvezda). A few years ago Hasegawa gave us a much more sophisticated kit which, while still not perfect, was very good indeed. Now Trumpeter have released an all-new kit along with a typically generous selection of ordnance. Inside the large top-opening box are 230 parts spread across fifteen sprues of grey plastic and a single clear sprue. In typical Trumpeter style, the plastic parts are exquisitely moulded, with engraved panel lines, rivet and fastener detail. Also in the box is a small fret of photo etched parts, two decal sheets (one for markings and one for stencils) and a colour painting diagram as well as instructions. In common with other Trumpeter kits, the parts are extremely well packed and all of the sprues are individually bagged. Certain parts, such as the clear sprue are wrapped in foam for extra protection. Trumpeter seem to be in something of a purple patch with their recent 1:72 releases, and happily this kit continues that run of good form. The overall shape and arrangement of parts appears to match photographs and plans of the real thing very well. The canopy has the correct profile, which means a seam down the middle, but this is a five minute job to clean up with the right tools. Trumpeter have even included the option to build the model with the wings and horizontal tails folded, which is very pleasing to see and exactly how I will finish mine. Construction begins with the cockpit. This is made up of five parts, including a crisply moulded K36 ejection seat, which slots into a cockpit tub adorned with convincing moulded details (although decals re also provided). Once completed, the whole sub-assembly fits inside the fuselage halves. As with most kits of blended-wing aircraft, the fuselage is split vertically with the inner section of wing moulded in place. The outer sections of the wings are moulded separately so that the model can be built with the wings folded. Some modellers will find this a pain as it creates an extra joint to deal with, but I'm made up that Trumpeter included this option because it wasn't possible to finish the Hasegawa kit like this without major surgery. Do note, however, that you must drill a number of holes in order to fit the appropriate pylons to the outer wing sections before your cement the parts together. There are different parts to use for each option, as the outer flaps are dropped when the wings are folded. The same applies to the horizontal tail surfaces, with different versions provided for folded and unfolded options. The engine air intakes are next. These are slide moulded, which makes construction relatively pain free. Engine turbine faces are included, which will prevent the dreaded see-through effect, and parts such as the auxiliary air intake louvers are moulded separately in order to maximise the level of detail. The Su-33's rugged landing gear is next. Each main gear leg is moulded as a single part, which should translate into a degree of structural strength, while the more complex nose gear leg is made up of seven parts. In both cases the wheels are moulded separately. While the model is on its back, you have to add the Su-33's beefy tail hook a nicely detailed part is made up of four parts. The pylons have to be added at this stage too, so make sure you drill out the appropriate holes at the start of the build, or this is the point at which you'll really regret it. The canopy is nicely realised and, as mentioned above, accurate in profile. Because of the shape of the canopy and the way it has had to be moulded, there is a little distortion around the sides, but by way of compensation it can be finished in either open or closed positions. In typical Trumpeter style, a very extensive range of ordnance is included. Of course there is so much that you can't possibly use it all, but who doesn't like spare ordnance? All told, you get: 4 x KH-31 Krypton air-to-surface missiles; 4 x KH-35 Zvezda anti-ship missiles; 4 x KH-59M Ovod cruise missiles; 2 x B-8M rocket pods; 1 x APK-9 data link pod (for use with the KH-59 missiles); 2 x R-77 active radar homing air-to-air missiles; 4 x R-27ET extended range infrared homing air-to-air missiles; 4 x R-27ER extended range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles; 2 x R-73 infrared homing air-to-air missiles; A choice of two schemes is provided on the decal sheet - Su-33 Flanker D 'Red 67' and Su-33 Flanker D 'Red 80', both of the Russian Navy. The decal sheets are nicely printed and you get a full set of stencils too, which is a bonus. Conclusion Trumpeter are definitely on a role with their 1:72 aircraft, having given us fans of Soviet/Russian aircraft a hat-trick of very decent kits in the shape of the MiG-29, Su-24 and now the Su-33. This is a very decent representation of an interesting variant of an important aircraft. The basic shape of the aircraft looks to be about spot on and, with the option to fold the wings, it has much to recommend it, even when compared to the Hasegawa kit. No doubt this kit will find its way into the collection of a great many modellers, and justifiably so. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

Chinese Jiaolong Manned Submersible Item No.: 07303 Scale: 1:72 Trumpeter will release deep submarine very similar to the Hasegawa Shinkai 6500:

A question for anyone that have ventured into the build of Trumpy's Mongol. Is it just me or does the cockpit tub sit too low and too forward in the fuselage when attached to the stubs in the fuselage. I am thinking of going "Aires" on the tub to fuselage fit, namely sand everything until satisfactory fit is achieved. (parts U5 and U10). Test fitted to the complete tub and the fuselage. Same for the avionics bay details. (Part E2) If fitted where it's supposed to go, the fuselage does not close up, and the panel cover fits (Part E13), while the intake cowl (E19) is too small. if left out, the fuselage closes but the cowl is too large and the avionics panel cover looks like taken from a different kit altogether. Did anyone encounter these things?

Good afternoon all! I an in Seattle Washington, USA. I like the 1/16 because it is large enough to detail without a microscope, yet small enough so that you do not need to build an addition to your house to display it. Those Tiger IIs are truly impressive. I have bought one of the Trumpeter 1/16 Pz IV H models and intend to build it doing as much detailing as is possible. After the Pz IV H I would like to build the tiger and if there is a Pz III N that would be sweet! I am primarily Tiger I and Pz III fan and have an extensive collection of books, DVDs, etc. on these subjects. Now I need the get myself some Pz IV references so that I might start my build. Panzer Tracts has not released their Pz IV book yet. I have the Meng AFV Modeler subscription. What other references would you recommend top me? This will be a very long build and my lovely assistant, Kristi, and I are looking forward to starting it soon. Thank you for the help and have yourself a good day! Brian and Kristi

Hello, i started my new project. After my B-17 I am back to my love - 1/350 ships Here are some photos of box content: And some work from past few days: That is all for now

After the 1/32nd - ref. 03213 - Junkers Ju-87A - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234960465-132-junker-ju-87a-stuka-by-trumpeter-released/ - ref. 03215 - Junkers Ju-87B-2/U4 - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234944403-132-junkers-ju-87b-2u4-stuka-by-trumpeter-released/, - ref. 03218 - Junkers Ju-87G-2 - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234977636-132-junkers-ju-87g-2-stuka-new-variant-by-trumpeter-released/ Trumpeter is to release a 1/32nd Junkers Ju-87D Stuka - ref.03217. Release is expected late December 2015 Source: http://www.trumpeter.cn/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=61&l=en Box art V.P.

One way or another been in a bit of the modelling doldrums last month or so, so I was casting round for a quickish build to get my hand in again. I picked the Trumpeter Whirlwind in a fit of excitement, only to be somewhat disappointed when I opened the box. I am not a huge stickler for accuracy, but this was a bit of let down. The decal sheet is, as reported elsewhere, awful. The cannons are woeful and the cockpit looks a bit squashed (no gun sight either). I promptly dumped in the stash and tried to forget about it. However I was was reading through the September issue of AMW, which has a build of this model, and despite the issues it did sound like a relatively quick easy build, so possibly a good way to get the modelling juices flowing again. However I still just couldn't face those decals. I had a search on the web, and came across this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Whirlwind_(fighter)#/media/File:Westland_whirlwind.jpg It appears that this aircraft, P7048, was used as a Westland "hack" and had no armament (so no gunsight as well?) as well as very simple markings which I could easily source from the spares box, so with that in mind I rolled up my sleeves and got going. I glued the weedy looking cannons into the nose cap, and then once the glue had cured I nipped them off with some sprue cutters, bit of work with a sanding stick and all done. Next, tdealing with the radiators - this just didn't look right: So a bit of knife work on the wings and fuselage, and I set the radiators back a little into the wings, and I think it looks much better: I took a similar approach to how I dealt with the nose to deal with the holes for the bomb shackles on the underside of the wing:

Hi folks, After checking with the Powers That Be it looks like I can join in with a big Crusader. This was a birthday present from my parents a year or two ago - I saw it discounted in the model shop and pointed it out to my dad who mumbled something. I looked a while later and it'd gone, so I asked if they could get another at that price. Mike said it was unlikely and so I gave up hope. Then it appeared wrapped in paper weeks later - result! They had both played it very cool and I was totally fooled. Anyway, it looks like a good kit, not over-complex although there are a lot of panels that probably won't fit that well if I close them up. Apparently the raised cooling vents on the nose should be faired in or sanded down and re-cut, but I think that might be more trouble than I want in such a visible area. Here are the bits, by the way: I'll be leaving out the invisible engine and all those etched fans, and I probably need to find some bombs since the armament seems a bit sophisticated for Vietnam? There are two schemes in the box - at the moment I'm leaning towards 400 NM Although there are some cool Marines schemes with the colourful strakes which look good, I currently only have the kit decals. Construction starts with the cockpit, which looks on the face of it quite good. I shall try and actually finish it - the generous deadline is great and I could do with actually building a model this year! Cheers, Will

Usually i build models so that i can sell them on built up to pay for the next one. This one is a keeper! I love it. Its Trumpeters 1/32 A-1J. It has been built straight from the box with no faffing. I seem to have gone off weathering too. Im happy with just exhaust streaks. It is what it is , a plastic model. Great build with no problems at all. Im so impressed i am just starting a Trumpeter 1/32 A-1H , which again will be straight from the box but with gun bays open , engine shutters closed but cowling open and wings folded. I havent put the seat in this one yet , i will leave that for another day. I was too lazy to mask the camo so i just airbrushed it freehand.

72nd scale Trumpeter kit with Eduard photo etch, Aires resin main wheels, Quickboost tail wheel and gun barrels. Scratch improvements to cockpit and gun turrets with Xtradecals codes. Note the safety bar across the pilot’s window to ensure the pilot’s head did not come into contact with the propeller! The paint is Gunze mr color acrylics. The Wellington MkIII introduced the powerful 14 cylinder Hercules engine, four gun tail turret and Gee navigation to the Barnes Wallis’s canvas covered bomber. This aircraft is meant to represent ‘G for George’ of 12 Squadron, the favoured mount of Pilot Officer Bob Hodgson He flew the aircraft on ops in October to November in 1942. He then wrote off ‘G’ in a wheels up landing after engine failure. He and his crew were lost on ops with 166 squadron on 29th March 1943. With icing being a big problem for night bombers, in 1941-42 the RAF tried out a strange paste called 'Kilfrost' on the wing and tail leading edges. Photos even show the stuff on the DF fairing! Vehicles from Airfix and figures a mixture of Revell and Gunthwaite. Hope you like it? Andrew

At Wonderland Models we have just received Trumpeter's latest releases for September including the German WWII dive bomber Junkers Ju 87A Stuka in 1/32 scale, the mass produced 1980's Russian GAZ-66 4x4 Light Truck in 1/35 scale and the latest 1907 boxing of their popular HMS Dreadnought in 1/700 scale. Aircraft03213 1/32 Junkers Ju 87A Stuka 02891 1/48 Convair F-106A Delta Dart 02856 1/48 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD Flogger-K Armour01016 1/35 Russian GAZ-66 4x4 Light Truck 05563 1/35 Russian T-90SA MBT Welded Turret 05567 1/35 Soviet 2S3 152mm Self-Propellerd Howitzer Late Production Ships06704 1/700 HMS Dreadnought 1907

The Trumpeter's catalog 2016-2017 is on approach: https://www.facebook.com/TrumpeterModel/photos/a.103538733138062.8169.103526326472636/533809250111006/?type=3&theater What will be shown up? Trucks... https://www.facebook.com/TrumpeterModel/photos/a.103538733138062.8169.103526326472636/533875586771039/?type=3&theater Aircraft new tools? Trumpeter's catalogue 2015-2016 thread is here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234973381-trumpeter-catalogue-2015-2016/?p=1838263 V.P.