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After the Do.17 (thread) ICM is to release Dornier Do.217 kits. Expected in Q4 2018 Q2 2019 a 100% new tool 1/48th Dornier Do.217N-1 - ref. 48271 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48271 V.P.

In 2024 (originally in Q4 2023, but...) , ICM is to release a 1/32nd Henschel Hs-123A-1 kit - ref. 32014 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM32014 Box art V.P.

Leopard 2A6 Armed Forces of Ukraine (72820) 1:72 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The Leopard 2 is the successor to the earlier Leopard Main Battle Tank (MBT), and was developed in the 1970s, entering service just before the turn of the decade. The original had a vertical faced turret front, while later variants had improved angled armour applied to the turret front that gives the tank a more aggressive look and provides superior protection, and more likelihood of deflecting incoming rounds harmlessly away. It has all the technical features of a modern MBT, including stabilised main gun for firing on the move, thermal imaging, and advanced composite armour, making it a world-class contender as one of the best tanks on the market. The original Leopard 2 variant entered service in 1979, but has been through several upgrades through its service life and the current production variant is the highly advanced 2A7+, with the 2A8 waiting in the wings. The 2A6 is still a powerful battlefield resource however, and likely to be so for some considerable time. It sports the Rheinmetall 120mm smoothbore gun with the barrel extended over the A5, which results in a higher muzzle velocity that improves its penetration power over its predecessor, allowing it to reach targets at a greater range and hit harder. It also has an armoured ammunition storage space in the turret that is engineered to blow outward in the event of a detonation of munitions, which again improves the crew survivability further. For close-in defence they are fitted with an MG3 machine gun, and the armour is installed to give it an arrow-head front profile to the turret, as well as several more subtle upgrades that follow on from the 2A5. Sales of the Leopard 2 have been good overseas because of its reputation, and Canada, Turkey, Spain and most of the Nordic countries use it as well as many other smaller operators. Since the unlawful invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, many nations have been providing military and other strategic assistance to keep the brave Ukrainians able to defend their nation against the aggressor. Although Germany initially appeared reticent to proffer their leading-edge A6 variants to a non-NATO nation, they eventually supplied A4 and A5 variants, but policy changes led to a small number of the more capable A6s being added to the roster, to be used as “tip-of-the-spear” at the centre of the attack to punch a hole in the front line and give the less capable tanks a helping hand. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough available of the A6 to spare from the nations that are supplying them, or more would doubtless be forthcoming. The Kit This kit is based upon a tooling that was initially released by Revell in 2011, and has since been re-released several times in their boxes, and is now in an ICM box with additional styrene and PE parts. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with a painting of a 2A6 wearing slat armour around its turret, while the lower tray has a captive lid, and inside are six sprues of various sizes in grey styrene, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, although it has a more coppery tone, a small decal sheet, and the instruction booklet, which is printed in colour on glossy paper and has the painting profiles on the rearmost pages. Detail is good, and the addition of PE slat armour will give it a more realistic look with careful painting and weathering. Construction begins with drilling holes in the lower hull sides, then gluing them to the underside and supporting the structure by adding an internal T-shaped bulkhead into a slot within the hull at roughly the engine firewall position. Much of the suspension is moulded into the hull sides, adding extra parts to enhance this, then fitting the swing-arms, stub-axles and return rollers over the sides, then making two drive-sprockets, two pairs of idler wheels and fourteen pairs of road wheels to complete the running gear ready for installation of the tracks, which are moulded in two lengths per side in styrene. After gluing the four parts into two lengths, the instructions advise heating the tracks in hot water so that they will bend around the rounded ends of the runs, of course taking care not to burn or scald yourself in the process. You are advised to wrap them around the upper run first, hiding the joint on the lower run, cutting superfluous links from the tracks to keep them taut. Once the tracks are in place, the upper hull and rear bulkhead with moulded-in radiator grilles are glued in place, followed by three-part side-skirts, and a set of grousers applied to the fenders above the front mudguard. Towing shackles are fitted low on the rear bulkhead along with the convoy shield, and adding pioneer tools to the engine deck, which includes a pair of towing cables with moulded-in eyes. The glacis plate has the driver’s hatch installed, more towing shackles, and two L-shaped palettes of track grousers arranged around the shackles and headlights, with a two-link run of spare track-links in the centre. A stowage box is applied further up the glacis under the gun barrel, attention then turning toward the massive low-profile turret. Firstly, the single-part barrel is inserted into the mantlet block, bracketing it with side plates, the port side having the coax machine gun moulded-in. A long narrow top plate is then fitted, and the completed assembly is put to one side while the turret body is made, starting with the floor, adding a bustle plate at the rear, and cheek panels to the front, so that the barrel can be slotted between the cheeks on separate trunnions, using no glue if you wish to leave the barrel mobile. The turret roof has an insert added from inside under the TV sighting box, then it is glued over the lower turret, and the side detail panels are fitted, inserting a trio of lifting lugs around the turret roof. Appliqué armour panels are attached to the sides, including an arrow-head part to the sides of the similarly-shaped mantlet armour, adding surrounds to the commander and the gunner’s cupolas, then fitting the two-layer hatches, with a choice of posing them open or closed, plus a wide vision block to the front of the commander’s cupola. The TV sighting box can be posed with the doors open or closed by either placing the single part over the opening, or cutting it in two, positioning the two parts on either side of the box, as per the scrap diagram nearby. Tapering stowage cages are made for the bustle by cutting a small section from the long flat part, folding the styrene around, and securing it with glue and a separate inner face. The smoke grenade barrels are mounted above and below a shallow shelf, making two pairs that fit in the space between the bustle cages and frontal armour, adding an optional MG3 mount to the gunner’s cupola, and a two-part 360° periscope to the commander's. For one decal option, two rectangular PE parts are applied to the rear of the bustle cages made earlier. The turret can be twisted into position in the ring on the hull and locked into place, which is the end of the basic build, to be followed by the new parts. The PE fret includes both slat armour for the turret and additional panels to fit on the side skirts and at the front of the glacis plate. There are styrene brackets for the turret sides, consisting of three sizes, tapering toward the rear, which supports the slat armour after bending the first section slightly inwards. The flat panels are glued in place without bending, but if you check your references, you will notice that they become bent and damaged over time, which is easy to replicate with PE parts. A styrene travel-lock can be slipped over the barrel before inserting the muzzle tip, locking in place between the circular vents on the engine deck, and a pair of wing-mirrors are applied to the front of the vehicle, either deployed, or folded-in for their protection during combat. Markings There are four decal options included on the tiny sheet, all ostensibly camouflaged the same, but with differing individual markings applied to each vehicle. There’s no information given regarding the dates and locations that these units are depicted, but that’s hardly surprising, given the fact that it’s an ongoing conflict. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A thoughtful reboxing of Revell’s kit, depicting actual in-service machines, rather than a quick reboxing. The base kit is good, and a more accurate build will result from using the extra parts. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

This is ICM's recently released AC-40 Firetruck, which is a re-tool of their previous Zil-131 truck. The real thing dates back to the early '70's, although the 137A upgrade represented by the kit first appeared in '84. They're still in extensive use in Russia and the former bloc countries, and the marking option I went with is for a fairly current vehicle based in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. It's a pretty good kit overall, although a few errors with the parts and instructions seem to have crept in during the re-tooling from the basic Zil truck. The only really weak point are the vinyl tyres, which I had to essentially melt to remove the ragged moulding line around the tread. They'd be much better swapped with resin replacements. The real things seem to be quite patchy and faded, so I tried to represent that with the paint job and weathering. Thanks for looking Andy

My second entry to the GB will be the ICM North American Rockwell OV-10A Bronco. Quite a new kit and looks nice. Never build an ICM aircraft before, so should be fun. Sprue shots Then these two are identical. Loads of ordnance! Decals, masks and some detail for the cockpit. Only 2 weeks to go! Roll on the 15th! George

Hello, everybody! Starting with a new model(s)... well actually started with these a while ago, but due to a slow progress haven't yet published it here. The kit is ICM ANZAC Ford Model T 3in1 kit, of which I'm building two. I have a Microdesign PE sets for both of them, a GasPatch Models beautifully made Lewis gun set and one figure from D-Day Miniature Studio for now. There is a small diorama setting with those two vehicles and a few more figures in my mind. Here are all the goodies I have at hand. The mudguards and the frame are molded into one piece and have quite a few KO marks underneath that will not be visible really, but I filled these anyway. One thing I wanted to try is to make the front axle movable at least on one of the vehicles to make the setting more lively. It required some on-the-edge surgery, but turned out to be not as hard as one might expect, As both of the kits have double details for the axle and the steering parts it made it a lot easier to do. Underneath I added brake linkages and rods. Again - won't be much visible, but an the other hand, why not. To date I'm a bit more than on a halfway there with the engine compartment, that included some added wiring and replaced piping. Here is the thing with the details dry-fitted. And with another one that is disassembled. Cheers! Kristjan

ICM is to release in 2016 two new variants from its Junkers Ju-88 kit. Already released: Ju-88A-5 kit http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234975682-148-junkers-ju-88a-5-by-icm-released/ - ref. 48233 - Junkers Ju-88A-4 - WWII German Bomber - released Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48233 - ref. 48234 - Junkers Ju-88A-14 - WWII German Bomber - released Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48234 V.P.

Confirmed as new tool with ref.48261. Release expected for Q3 2017 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48261 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not mentioned in the 2016 catalogue (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234995418-icm-catalog-2016-programme/), dixit scalemodels.ru ICM is to release in 2017 a new tool 1/48th Heinkel He.111H-3 kit - ref.48261 Source: http://scalemodels.ru/news/10678-anons-ICM-1-48-He-111H3.html A new family of 1/48th He.111 in view? Would make sense after the 1/48th Do.17/Do.215 & Ju-88 ICM kits but wait and see. Scalemodel.ru info also show a box art... Dubious as it's the Revell 1/32nd He.111H-6 one! V.P.

I greatly admire ICM's figures, in particular their range of 1/48 fellows. They are superbly sculpted with convincing drapery and exquisite detailing, and are a joy to paint. This one is one the RAF pilots in the 'Bomber & Torpedo Pilots' set, number 48090 and I painted it to form part of a vignette featuring 2 other figures from that same set (1 slightly modified) and the torpedo also from ICM. I have a wee video about painting this pilot on my YouTube channel, should you be so interested.

https://www.facebook.com/ICM.Models/posts/1508778282648438 Not sure (and tried to do a search and nothing came up) if this has been notied - ICM seem to be teasing a silhouette of a Tiger Moth on their Facebook feed at the moment asking people to guess the plane in 1/32nd scale! Possible incoming announcement of a large scale Tiger Moth?

At the Moscow "Мир детства 2021" expo, ICM has announced a 1/35th Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe kit for 2022. Source: AlexGRD V.P.

Here is my little creature which I've finished in 5 days during our regular "Build & Chat" session last week. ICM's kit builds with no problem. I've replaced the landing gear legs with the excelent Aerocraft set. Some PE from Eduard is used in the cockpit. Decals are from AOA "FAC & BS BOMBER OSCAR DEUCES". The conversion parts for O-2B (loudspeaker and leaflet dispenser) are my own 3D construction and print.

WWII US Army Kitchen Truck (35587) 1:35 ICM via The Hobby Company The Chevrolet G506 truck formed the basis of a range of 4x4 load-carrying vehicles that could carry up to 1.5 tonnes of cargo or equipment. They were initially made under the 4100 code, then moved to the 7100 range, and usually had a standardised enclosed cab, a 3.9L straight-6 engine under the bonnet, with a four-speed “crash” (non-synchro) gearbox putting down an uninspiring 80hp through all four wheels. It rapidly became the Allies’ standard light truck, and served in substantial quantities with the Allies in the West, the Soviets in the East, and the forces fighting Japan in the Far East. There were a myriad of variants, some in US Army service, others in USAAF service, with almost 50,000 of two specific types, the G7107 and G7117 sent over to the Soviets under the Lend/Lease program. The G7017 had a cargo bed with canvas top, while the G7117 was the same except for the addition of a winch to give it some static pulling power. They were well-liked by their drivers and crews, and were adapted to other tasks due to their ubiquity, such as being used by the Soviets to carry Katyusha rockets on a stripped-down flatbed. In US service, they were sometimes used as mobile field kitchens, filling the load bed with equipment and supplies that were unloaded at the intended destination to feed the troops. The Kit This is a reboxing of a recent kit from ICM with extra parts, and is one of a wide range that is now available from them. It’s a full interior kit, with engine, chassis, cab and load area all included, along with some very nice moulding and detail, particularly in the chunky tyres, plus the new parts of course. It arrives in one of ICM’s medium-sized top-opening boxes with the usual captive inner flap, and inside are fourteen sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and glossy instruction booklet with colour profiles on the rear pages. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, first removing 14.5mm from the front of each rail, as the winch is fixed to this area. Leaf-springs are installed fore and aft, adding cross-braces and a multi-part rear towing eye fitted to create the structure, and the winch spool made from four parts with a pair of arms to the sides, one side fitted with the motor housing, the other the braking assembly. The front bumper has a roller added to the lower centre portion, and is attached to the main chassis rails by a pair of beams that also support the winch assembly underneath. The engine is built up based on the straight six-cylinder block, with carburettor, dynamo and transmission added, plus the pulleys and fan at the front, and a short drive-shaft at the rear that links to the transfer box in the middle of the chassis. The rear bumper irons, fuel tank, transfer casing and front axle are installed, before the rear axle is made up and fitted with another drive-shaft, while the front axle gets the steering arms installed, keeping the two ball-jointed hubs pointing in the same direction, providing you’ve not been over-enthusiastic with the glue. The exhaust and its manifold slip into the underside of the chassis from below, and the battery box attaches to the outside of the ladder chassis next to a pair of tread-plated steps, then on the left of the engine, the air box and intake are attached to finish it off. The crew cab is next, beginning with the dashboard that inserts in the front bulkhead complete with decal for the dials, along with an overhead panel that has a rear view mirror added, joining it with the cab floor and decked out with a pair of levers, gear stick and hand-brake on the floor, three foot pedals and the steering wheel on a long column that slides through a hole in the kick board in front of the pedals. The driver and co-driver share a bench seat that is made up from back, cushion and a C-shaped surround under the front, fixing it into the rear of the cab that has the back wall with small radiused window, then the roof is fitted, after which the doors are made up with handles, winders and glazing, locating them within the frame in the open or closed position. On the front of the firewall a vent is glued to the scuttle panel, and two reservoirs are attached, then the cab is mated to the chassis along with a couple of additional engine ancillaries and linkages to the front axle. The radiator is laminated from core, surround and tin-work, with a bezel fitted to the front and the assembly applied to the front of the engine, attaching to the chassis and input/outlet hoses that are already there by this stage. The cowling sides and front fenders are installed to permit the front grille to be attached, plus the bonnet, and it shows a large front bumper iron that runs full width again, and is quite literally a girder, although the one in the second drawing doesn’t have the roller for the winch, so is most likely a faux pas by the instruction designer. Behind the cab a spare tyre is placed on a bracket near the exhaust on the left, and attention then turns to the load bed. The load bed floor is a single moulding with a ribbed texture down the centre, and a thick headboard base with hooks, and the reflectors moulded-in. The same is true of the shallow sides, which also have a series of tie-down hooks fixed along their lengths, and the headboard gets the same treatment. An upper headboard incorporating two vertical pillars is glued to the front, and a pair of planked sides that consist of siding on five pillars per side are made up and are added to their locations, while underneath the floor is stiffened by adding four lateral supports, a trapezoid rear valence with lights, and four vertical mudguard boards and their supports. The front valance has a hole with a length of tube for the fuel filler to thread through, and the final position of this tricky part is shown in a scrap diagram to help you with placement. It’s time for the wheels to be made up, with singles at the front, each made from two halves each, and twin wheels at the rear axle, put together with two two-part wheels each, and two hub parts added to the finished pair. Each wheel slips over its respective axle, and is secured in place by a central cap. There is a choice of steps when completing the lower portion of the load bed sides, as they can be built either vertically to make maximum use of the floor area, or with the lower sections flipped down to form seats for the transport of troops. This is accomplished by using a different set of supports, fitted vertically for stowed, or diagonally below for deployed to support the weight of the troops. Both options then have the five tilt hoops fixed into the tops of their pillars at the end of the build to finish off. The base model is finished off with front light with clear lenses, side lights, door handles, bonnet clasps, wing mirrors, windscreen parts and wipers, plus two large hooks on the top of the chassis rail ends, and a pair of circular wing mirrors on long stalks. Kitchen Equipment There are three portable ovens that are built from a high number of parts that includes the heating mechanism, control knobs, handles and doors that can be posed open or closed, arranging them along the front of the load bed against the headboard. A single shallow stowage box is made up from five parts, building a larger multi-drawer unit with a working surface on top that sits on the right side of the bed, with three detailed jerry cans made up from four parts each on the opposite side. A large cooking pan with twin handles is made up and installed in a two-part frame to keep it stable, and it is accompanied by two large cylindrical pots with domed lids and twin handles, plus a large handle on the lid. These are placed on the floor or on one of the open ovens as you see fit, adding utensils such as spoons, a two-art ladle and knives to add interest to the area. All this detail is best built, painted and installed in the back of the truck before adding the five tilt support frames mentioned earlier, as otherwise it will complicate the task. Markings There are three decal options on the included sheet, all of which are in a WWII Olive Drab scheme, with mild variations in the markings. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion Given that an army marches on its stomach, kitchen trucks were a crucial part of military planning, and an everyday sight, even dangerously near the front. This kit is well-detailed and provides accessories to improve the realism, leaving you to build and paint it in a realistic manner. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

Model A Standard Phaeton 1930s (24051) 1:24 ICM via The Hobby Company Phaeton was originally a name for an open-topped, cut-down horse-drawn carriage, which translated into motoring parlance for soft-top, or open-topped vehicles that didn’t possess side windows that could be rolled down, and if they had a roof, it was one that was installed for inclement weather, or removed for sunny days. The name fell out of use in favour of Cabriolet and Convertible, but before it faded into history it became a broad term that could refer to any four-wheeled vehicle with two rows of seats and an open top, although triple-Phaetons and double-Phaetons were also a thing, just to muddy the waters further. After the runaway success of the Model T Ford, it was eventually replaced eighteen years later by the more modern Model A, reaching showrooms at the end of 1927. It was produced until 1932, by which time almost 5 million units had been sold. The chassis ran a 3.3L inline four-cylinder petrol engine that could propel it to a maximum speed of around 65mph, which might seem a little slow to today’s motorists (unless they’re on modern British motorways), but with only drum brakes slowing each wheel, it was probably for the best. There were several body styles available, the Phaeton being one of the most unrecognisable names to us today, other than the fact that the name was recently used by Volkswagen for an enlarged luxury coupé variant of their Passat for a while, and that most definitely had a roof. Ford’s Model A Phaeton was available in two- or four-door format, and the gearbox gave a single option of a three-speed unsynchronised (crash) gearbox, plus one reverse gear. Due to the difference in controls that were offered by most competitors by this time, the quirky layout of the driver’s controls were standardised to clutch, brake and accelerator pedals left to right on the floor, and a shifter in the centre for gear selection. It was replaced by the Model B after ‘32, and just to carry on confusing people, the Model 18. The Kit This is a new boxing of a recent tooling of this type, with other variants still to come. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with a captive lid on the bottom tray, and inside are seven sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, a bag of five flexible black tyres with short lengths of runner still attached, and a small decal sheet that is slipped inside the colour instruction booklet that is printed with a glossy cover and matt paper insides, with profiles on the rearmost pages. Detail is up to ICM’s current high standards, portraying the full chassis, engine, interior and bodyshell in glorious detail, plus a removable soft-top that can be fitted or removed at will once complete. Construction begins with the main chassis rails that are set apart by five cross-members of various shapes and widths, adding bell-housings near each end, L-shaped front bumper supports, and a steering column with box at the bottom end attached to the left chassis rail, as this is a left-hand drive model. The engine block is made from two halves and a sump, making the transmission and clutch housing from four parts, emplacing the cylinder head, and ancillaries such as the generator, fan & belt, and the exhaust manifold, bringing the sub-assemblies together before it is inserted into the front of the chassis along with a long drive-shaft to the rear axle, which has the differential moulded-in to slot between the two axle stubs that are moulded into the end cross-brace on the chassis. The front axle with short laterally oriented leaf-springs is fixed to the front cross-rail, and a two-part exhaust is slung under the chassis, mating with the down-pipe of the manifold. Rear drum-brakes have small parts fitted to their rear before they are glued to the ends of the axle, adding small control pivots and more L-shaped supports along the outer length of the chassis rails, plus a brake actuator rod that fits on a pivot. The front drum-brakes are made from the same number of parts, adding links to the axle, and more control rods running down the outer faces of the chassis rails, plus an extension to the chassis, and two diagonal strengthening supports under the rear on either side of the drive-shaft. Two more control rods attach to the brake drums and pivots, linking the hubs together with a rod, and adding a V-shaped damper between the two ends. By this time wire-wheels were available, and this kit has five made from two styrene parts that are joined together, trapping a flexible black tyre in between them, sliding four of them onto the ends of the axles, and leaving the last for the spare later in the build. The bodyshell is made by fitting the combined arches and running boards to a tapering floor after removing the texturing of the running boards, and strengthening the assembly by adding another layer on the underside of the floor, sandwiching the sides between the two layers. This is carefully mated with the chassis, making a small three-part fairing for the front of the car under the radiator, taking care to align the two triangular parts with the slots on the outside. The firewall is extended by adding a diagonal kick-board, steering column, lever and foot pedals, plus a stylish two-part dashboard with lower fairing that slots into place horizontally, applying decals to the central instrument binnacle after choosing a colour to paint the assembly, depending on which colour option you have chosen. The panels under the A-pillars are made up from dual layers, fitting to the sides of the firewall and supporting the dash, with a scuttle to top, a central filler cap for the fuel tank, and dash pots on the engine side, fitting it to the growing assembly at the front of the floor. The body side panels are fitted with three interior cards per side, adding handles and a rear panel that is best placed on the floor pan during curing of the glue to ensure it sets straight, mounting a three-part radiator and housing to the front, with engine cowlings linking it to the rest of the bodywork, fitting a handle and a pair of catches on each side, plus the top-cowling that is moulded as a single part. The front and rear bench seat cushions are layered from three parts each, and are located on L-shaped location marks, fitting a rear shroud to the front seat to support the back, which is a single part, and has a pair of tapered arms added to the sides of the shroud, painted to match the seat cushions. The same style of rear cushion is fitted to the back seat, supported by the rear of the bodyshell without additional arms, mounting the steering wheel and control stalks on the column, and the gear shifter on the transmission tunnel. A two-part rear-view mirror is fixed in the centre of the windscreen, adding a wiper motor housing to the top left frame, which operates the single wiper that is moulded into the windscreen part. The remaining wheel is mounted on a back-plate with a diagonal tube that links it to the back of the car, adding short bumper stubs, light clusters and a number plate holder to the sides. The front of the car is finished off by a full-width dual-rail bumper, a pair of headlights with clear lenses, horn and number-plate on a curved rod that is placed between the forward arches, adding a pair of clear wind deflectors to the sides of the windscreen, completing the model by building the stowed roof from upper and lower halves, attaching it to the rear of the car. Markings There are three colour options depicted on the decal sheet, which will also affect the choice of interior colours during the build, so choosing early will be a benefit. From the box you can build one of the following: Indiana, 1930 California, 1931 Pennsylvania, 1932 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. As is common now with ICM kits, there is a portion of one page of the instruction booklet devoted to the masking of the windscreen, using the printed shapes on the right of the page and the diagram to create your own masks if you wish. There are two masks, one for each side of the screen to ease painting of the frames. The deflectors don’t have masks, as they are attached to the screen by two small metal clips, so can be left off until late in the build process. Conclusion Detail is excellent, and its size should make the build a pleasurable experience, resulting in a realistic replica of this short-lived early sports car. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

#7/2025 My dad´s next finished one. The ICM Hs126 was first released in 2010, this is the 2015 edition with only Legion Condor markings, also includes bomb racks. Was a tricky build, camo and construction. Plastic was a bit brittle and smaller and thinner parts tended to break already when cutting them off the sprues. All the struts and getting the parasol wing in a more or less correct position was a PITA. The fuselage halves had minimal different length and thickness, the main fuselage to wing struts also slightly different length and the horizontal stabiliser support struts too. Don´t know if the real aircraft had an angled to the left tail, the model has. Added Eduard PE seabelts and used EZ Line for the antenna wires. Painted with AK RC (old ones) RLM/61/62/63/65. Build thread here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235150826-spanish-civil-war148-henschel-hs126a-1-legion-condor/ Six Hs126 were sent to Spain in late 1938 and served with the 5.A/88 Aufklärungsstaffel of the Legion Condor. They were painted in 61/62/63 and 70/71 camo. DSC_0001 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0002 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0004 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0005 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0006 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0007 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0008 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0009 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0010 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0011 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0012 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0013 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0014 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0015 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0001 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0017 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0018 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0019 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0020 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0021 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0022 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0023 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0024 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr Parasol wings united.....one could think they are in different scales DSC_0025 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0026 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr

I-153 Luftwaffe with Pilots and Ground Personnel (48094) 1:48 ICM via The Hobby Company The I-153 was an interwar creation by designer Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov, and was a sesquiplane, which means that the lower wings were substantially smaller than the uppers, giving the pilot a better view below, and benefitting from retractable landing gear, that gave it a sleeker profile that improved its top speed, the prop driven by a Shvetsov M-62 radial engine. The prototype first flew in summer of 1938, although not with its intended engine, as it wasn’t available at that point in the type’s development. Even with the lower specification engine, it outflew its predecessor the I-15, although once the M62 was installed it proved disappointing with only a small increase in performance. They considered upgrading the power plant, but as it was important not to disrupt or delay production, these changes never reached fruition, making do with the I-153 as it was. While it lacked a top speed that could make it a formidable fighter, it was equipped with four guns that although they were of rifle calibre, they had been re-engineered to increase the rate of fire to around 1,800RPM, effectively increasing the weight of fire to punch above its weight, at the expense of burning through the 2,600 rounds that were carried somewhat faster, giving less than 40 seconds of fire in combat. It first fought in 1939 against the Japanese in Soviet hands, where it acquitted itself well, partly thanks to the manoeuvrability of the biplane, although it wasn’t without problems. The lack of a cockpit firewall meant that an engine fire would quickly penetrate the cockpit area, fanned by a draught that turned the fire into a virtual blow-torch that would leave survivors with terrible burns. The M62 engine was only good for a few sorties before it needed a rebuild, often because of the supercharger breaking down, reducing the availability for combat missions. Various prototypes were built with improvements such as cannons, a pressurised cockpit, and a replacement laminated wooden aft fuselage, none of which went into production, save for a ground-attack variant that carried additional ShKAS machine guns in panniers under the wings, or 20 light-weight bombs, depending on their tasking for the day. Production of the type finished in 1941, but the aircraft continued in service with Soviet, Chinese, and Finnish Air Forces during WWII, and in Luftwaffe service using captured airframes in the usual Nazi style of reusing other people’s gear, despite maintenance and supplies problems. The Kit This is a fresh reboxing of a 2015 tooling by ICM, but with added figures that depict German pilots and ground crew, plus new decals to portray German markings in the service of the Luftwaffe during WWII, which were tooled in 2004. The kit arrives in a top-opening box with a captive lid on the lower tray, and inside are five sprues in grey styrene, a small sprue in clear parts, a decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that is printed on glossy white paper in colour, with profiles of the decal choices on the rear pages. Detail is good on the kit, with a fully-fledged cockpit, engine details, and despite the figures being 20 years old, the detail there is excellent, with crisp sculpting, and moulding that looks as fresh as the first pressing. Construction begins with the fuselage internal framework around the cockpit, which is made from four sections, plus instrument panel with decal, two additional dials on the side frame, assembled and applied over the cockpit floor after installing the seat on two L-shaped brackets, plus rudder pedals and control column on the floor. The completed cockpit is laid in the trough in the centre of the lower wings, which is moulded with both sides having ribbing detail present. Eight holes are drilled out at the ends of the underwing hard-points, putting the assembly aside while the fuselage is made from two halves, adding upper sidewall inserts to each side, and two pressurised bottles low on the fuselage insides, detail painting as per the instructions, then joining the halves, dealing with the seams in your preferred manner. The completed fuselage is lowered over the cockpit in the centre of the wings and glued into position, fitting two thick, aerodynamic interplane struts between the upper and lower wings, the uppers glued to a fairing in the top of the fuselage in front of the cockpit. The elevators are each single parts that slot into the sides of the tail, with their flying surfaces moulded-in. The 9-cylinder M62 engine is moulded as a single part, fitting a star of push-rods to the front with a prop axle in the centre, inserting the detail-painted engine into the front cowling, then adding the intake and exhaust trunking to each cylinder, with a spacer ring in the centre rear. The completed engine is then installed in the forward fuselage, taking care with the exhaust stubs so you don’t bend or break them. Two cowling halves are fixed to the fuselage sides to cover most of the engine, adding an oval exhaust to the lower port side at the rear of the cowling. The two-blade prop has two small triangular parts fitted to the boss, with an optional spinner pushed over the centre to complete it. Another cowling segment covers the top of the engine, and the clear three-pane windscreen is applied over the coaming after fixing a gunsight to it. The main gear bays are moulded into the lower wings, and the struts are built from a single leg with moulded-in jack, adding a retraction jack to the rear, and mounting a single-part wheel to the stub axle at the bottom of each one. A captive door bay is attached to the lower end of the leg after painting, with a pair of inner doors along the centreline between the bays, painted the same colour as the captive doors. The tail-wheel is moulded into its strut, and a pair of V-shaped supports are attached between the fuselage and elevator just forward of the tail-wheel to complete the build. The last diagrams of the instructions show the location of rigging wires in red, which you must make from your preferred material, which you can use in conjunction with your references and the box art to carry out the task to your satisfaction. Figures There are seven figures on the sprue The parts for each one found in separate areas of the sprue for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent, as we’ve come to expect from ICM’s artists and tool-makers over the years, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model. There are two officers in flat peaked caps, one in a leather flight jacket and riding jodhpurs over calf-length boots, while the other is wearing a three-quarter leather coat. A pilot in cold-weather gear is being strapped into his parachute by a member of the ground-crew, with two more crew working on the aircraft, one kneeling, the other stood. The final figure is a mechanic standing with one hand on his hip, the other carrying a wooden tool box, while he does nothing much other than spectate. Markings There are three decal options on the included sheet, all wearing German markings in two main schemes. The drawings have diamonds where the swastikas would usually be, as these markings are banned in some territories, and some modellers prefer not to apply them to their models. For those that want to depict their models with historical accuracy however, there are halved swastikas included on the sheet. From the box you can build one of the following: Jagdfliegervorschule 3, Wien-Schwechat, 1942 Luftlandegeschwader 1, Eastern Front, 1942 Reichlin Test Centre, 1942 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A well-detailed model of this Soviet interwar design, one of the last biplane fighters, depicted in German markings with figures to give it a human scale. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

Panzerwaffe Steel Cats (DS3524) 1:35 ICM via The Hobby Company During WWII Germany’s tanks were both feared and respected by their Allied enemies, although initially the Panzers I and II weren’t particularly technically advanced, they were however an integral part of the Blitzkreig tactic employed by the Nazis during the early days of WWII as they overran France and the Lowlands after taking over Poland, Czechoslovakia and much of Eastern Europe at a similar speed. The Panzer III was more competent, and was in-turn outperformed by the Panzer IV until that encountered the Soviet T-34, which forced upgrades to weapons and armour, and the early entry of the Panzer V and VI into service, which were given the names Panther and Tiger respectively. Never satisfied with big, Hitler was obsessed with bigger, perhaps compensating for something? The almost entirely re-worked Ausf.B variant of the Tiger was given the name King Tiger (KT), Tiger II, or Königstiger, depending on who you ask, but either way, it took the mantle of heaviest tank from the retroactively named Tiger I in the German Panzerwaffe for a while, but without much of an upgrade to the running gear. We can forget the Löwe (Panzer VII), Maus (Panzer VIII), as there is conjecture as to whether the prototypes saw action or not before the end. The Panther is sometimes described as the “best” or most effective tank of WWII, and was available in larger numbers than the KT, although still not enough to change the eventual outcome of the war, sometimes losing out on kudos due to panicked Allied survivors telling the story of being attacked by Tigers. The Set This boxed set includes both a King Tiger and a Panther Ausf.D, and the name is of course a reference to their own naming after big cats. The box contains both kits in separate re-sealable bags in a compact package, arriving in a top-opening box with a captive flap on the inner lid. King Tiger The successor to the much-vaunted Tiger heavy tank instilled more terror in the Allied forces due to initial encounters lending an almost invincible air to the design. It was soon found that although it packed a formidable punch, and could absorb a lot of punishment, it was in fact a flawed design from an engineering standpoint. Further stressing the almost identical transmission even further than the Tiger I, they suffered terrible attrition due to breakdowns, leading to many examples being captured or scuttled by their crew if these breakdowns occurred during combat. When it worked, it was very difficult to kill, and could seriously outrange almost everything on the battlefield, but as with the Tiger I before it, the Allies worked out a strategy to take them out by cooperative attacks between multiple Allied tanks. As well as the reliability issues that were never fully addressed due to the state of the war, the complexity of the design was such that they were never available in sufficient quantities to make a difference, and even when they were, Hitler's obsession with micro-managing every aspect of the war led to some poor placement of resources. Many King Tigers were captured by the Allies and taken back for analysis, with a few remaining intact long enough to find their way into museums, such as the one at Bovington. The Jagdtiger was a development of the King Tiger, using the chassis to mount an even more powerful gun in a casemate, but again very few of these saw action, as it was too late in the war, and they were even heavier than their progenitor. Inside the bag are six sprues and two hull halves in grey styrene, four lengths of flexible black tracks, a decal sheet and the instruction booklet, printed on glossy white paper in colour, predominantly on the rear cover where the profiles are found. Construction begins with the breech, with breech-block, shell ejection guide, the gun mounts and recuperator tubes fitted to create the basics to hold the gun tube. The basic breech is then fitted to the twin slots in the front of the turret floor, and the upper turret gets its mantlet and weather strip glued in place before the two are mated, after adding the roof-mounted vision-block, which is moulded in grey styrene. The two-part gun barrel is outfitted with the studded ring found at its base, and the two-part mantlet ring that sits behind it, protecting the gun and turret front from incoming rounds. Once complete it slots onto the breech, and can be left loose for painting, so you get paint right behind the shield. Next are the commander's cupola and the gunner's hatch, the latter being well-detailed with hand-holds and latches, and the former having a hatch hinge-point protector fitted before installation. Lifting lugs, mushroom vent, shell ejection hatch, periscope armour and the commander's lift-swivel hatch are fitted, with the rear hatch that doubles as the exit route for the gun during maintenance built up with latches and handles, plus the armoured hinges and a representation of the early pistol port moulded in. The delicate mount for the commander's machine gun is fitted to the top of his cupola, and hooks for the spare track links are installed over small marks on the side of the turret, with the links being added from styrene links that are found on the sprues. Now for the hull. There isn't a traditional "tub" for the hull, and you start by building up the sponsons with internal and external parts such as dampers, and the torsion bars for the suspension. The hull floor is a sled that is fitted under the torsion bars that extend across the hull floor. Two perforated ribs are laid front to back on the floor around the torsion bars, stiffening the floor in the process. The engine firewall bulkhead is installed in the rear of the hull along with two plates that are installed under the turret position, with another laid over it that has a cut-out for the turret basket. Two more periscopes are installed in the front of the upper hull, adding a cross-member to the lower hull, clasps to the engine deck, and the armoured kugelblende around the bow-mounted machine gun port, mating the two halves of the hull. The King Tiger was designed with overlapping pairs of road wheels, learning from the mistakes of the Tiger I which had interleaved wheels to spread the vehicle's weight, which could result in taking off up to 14 wheels if an inner one needed repair or maintenance. The all-up weight increased substantially between the two vehicles, so there are a LOT of pairs of wheels on a Königstiger, with nine axles each side, plus the idler and drive sprockets, all of which are assembled from two parts each and fitted to their respective swing-arms. These are capped off with hubs, and later in the build the tracks are wrapped around them. Mudguards are attached to the fenders front and rear, adding towing shackles to the torch-cut eyes nearby, and mounting the final drive housing before installing the drive sprockets. The twin exhausts are made from two halves, and are fixed on the aft bulkhead along with two brackets for the jack, jack block, and a pair of track tools, adding armoured bases to the exhausts to protect the pass-through hole in the bulkhead from incoming rounds. The engine deck has a set of lifting eyes fixed in recesses around the radiator armour, with more around the main engine panel, making up the inspection hatch with two mushroom vents and a grab-handle in the corner before installing it in the rear. The front insert contains two cut-outs for the front crew hatches, both of which have grab-handles, and more lifting eyes for removal during maintenance, gluing it into the forward deck, then adding periscope armour over the top. Pioneer tools, fire extinguisher, mushroom vents and raised frames are added to the engine deck and around the sides of the hull, placing a headlamp on a plinth in the centre of the glacis plate, and towing cables that are moulded with barrel cleaning rods on the sloped left side. The tracks in this edition are of the rubber-band type, each length made from two sections that have overlapping joints that are best glued with super glue (CA) and hidden at the centre of the upper and lower runs to keep them out of your eyeline. Detail on flexible tracks is always a compromise, but the detail is well-done, with only the guides a little simplified. To complete the model, the turret twists into position on the hull using a bayonet connector, adding an aerial to the engine deck at the last gasp to prevent it from being damaged during handling. Markings There are four decal options on the sheet, all with a base coat of dunkelgelb (dark yellow), two with green and red-brown camouflage schemes, one with a coat of winter white distemper that’s beginning to show its age, and one wearing just the base colour. From the box you can build one of the following: Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B, s.Pz.Abt. 509 Feldherrnhalle, Hungary, March 1945 Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B, s.Pz.Abt. 503, Danzig, March 1945 Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B, s.Pz.Abt. 501, Ardennes, December 1944 Pz.Kpfw.VI Ausf.B, Stab/s.Pz.Abt. 501, Ardennes, December 1944 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Panther The Panther was Germany's answer to the surprise appearance of the Russian T-34 after they finally reacted to the invasion that was Operation Barbarosa. Although the project had been in gestation for some time before, they took some design cues from the T-34 in the shape of the sloped armour, resulting in the Panther that was intended to fill the gap between the Panzer.IV and the (then) new Panzer VI Tiger. It was eventually supposed to replace both the Pz.IV and the earlier Pz.III that were really showing their age, but in reality it often fought alongside the Panzer IV due to lack of production numbers. It was planned as a lighter, more manoeuvrable tank than the Tiger, and was fitted with a high velocity gun from the outset, which gave it enormous penetrating power that was only equalled by the 17-pounder fitted to the Sherman by the British that turned it into the highly effective Sherman Firefly. The sloped frontal armour gave it an increased effective armour thickness, but this was not quite so true of the side armour, which was weaker and more steeply sloped, becoming the preferred target area of allied tanks, especially in urban combat where this became a telling issue that led to the demise of many Panthers. Like most German tanks of WWII, it was complex and expensive to produce, so suffered in terms of production volume, which led to it being rushed into service with quite a laundry-list of problems still to resolve. Later production solved most of the initial gremlins, but losses in the interim were high with many being abandoned after breaking down during combat. Curiously, the Ausf.D was the first to enter production, with the Ausf.A following later in 1943, replacing attrition of the less reliable Ausf.Ds until they themselves were superseded by the Ausf.G, which became the final major variant, benefitting from increased ammo storage, simplified design to ease production, and further improvements to reliability, although this was never fully cured with a high rate of attrition due to mechanical issues that lingered, some of which resulted in catastrophic fires. There are four sprues and two hull halves in grey styrene, four sprues in black, a decal sheet and instruction booklet that is printed in black and white. Construction begins with the lower hull, which is completed by adding the T-shaped rear bulkhead and the armoured surrounds around the final drive housings at the front of the hull. The many stub axles are inserted into the hull with a peg holding them at the correct angle, and these are accompanied by several additional suspension parts, bumpers, the housings themselves and of course the interleaved main wheels, plus the four-part idler wheels and two-part drive sprockets. The rear bulkhead is detailed with twin exhausts that hold the detailed jack across the armoured bases of the exhaust stacks on two brackets, fitting the uniquely-shaped stowage boxes with separate doors in the top corners of the aft bulkhead. The upper hull has the inside of the glacis plate detailed with driver’s hatch and vision blocks, plus two hatches on pegs that insert into the lift-out front section of the forward deck. The rear deck also has a large inspection hatch in the centre that is decked out with mushroom vents and grab-handles, then has the various rectangular and circular vents from the engine compartment added either side, plus a couple more circular vents and lifting lugs. The stowage for the sides of the hull is made up on frames, one for each side, plus a tube for the barrel-cleaning rods and two racks of spare track links at the rear, again one each side. The separate front mudguards have width indicators added that are fairly unusual for the Panther, then it’s time to make up the tracks. The track links are made up from individual parts that are joined together to create the complete run, although you aren’t given a guide figure of how many to use, but from memory I suspect around 90 would be appropriate. They clip together, but need some glue to retain their integrity, so wrap them around the road wheels while the glue is still flexible, then hold them in place with tape, foam wads and other tools to obtain the correct sag on the return run. The good news is that there are only two sprue gates to deal with per link, but they are on a concave surface, so if you have a circular sanding stick, file or burr for your motor tool, they won’t hold you back for long. There are however two small circular ejector-pin marks in the outriggers of each link’s outer face. Sanding those could be done with a small, flat-tipped burr, or you could make your own and glue some abrasive to it, as I have done in the past. The alternative is to slap some weathering and mud on the tracks to hide any issues you didn’t fix. The turret contains the main gun, which necessitates creation of the holder, which is made from top and bottom halves that are set between D-shaped supports that are glued into the inner mantlet through the turret shell. The outer mantlet is fitted over the top, and the two-part gun tub with moulded-in muzzle-brake slots into the hole in the centre. The rear wall of the turret is first fitted with a circular hatch that attaches via an L-shaped hinge so that it can rotate outside the turret more completely, improving crew access. The shell-ejection port is also fixed on a set of hinges to permit it to swing open if you are careful with the glue, sited on the left turret wall. The turret is completed by mounting the shell on the floor, making up the three-layered commander’s cupola with hatch and pull-ring, adding a mushroom vent near the forward edge, plus smoke grenade launchers, lifting eyes and a grab handle over the rear hatch. It is locked into place on the hull, where two towing eyes and one-part side-skirts are installed, making up a four-part travel-lock for the barrel and mounting it on the forward deck between the front hatches. Markings There are two decal options included on the sheet, although the profiles are both small and printed in greyscale, as you can see below. Both have a base coat of dunkelgelb (dark yellow), with two styles of green camouflage over the entire surface. From the box you can build one of the following: Panther Ausf.D, 52nd Battalion, 29th Armoured Regiment, The Kursk Salient, July 1943 Panther Ausf.D, ‘Grossedeutschland’ Armoured Regiment, August 1943 Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A compact boxed set of two of the most (in)famous German tanks of WWII. Detail is good, although some folks may wish to add some rolled and cast steel texture to the armour. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

After my dad built the parasol-winged Republican MS230, I persuaded him to do a parasol-winged adversary.... DSC_0004 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0005 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr whereas Italeri added a decal for the IB in their reboxing, the ICM IB has to be painted DSC_0006 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr

Hello Britmodellers, Revell released several He 70s, so here is their ICM rebox with the decals from their Matchbox reissue. A little extra detail was added to the rear cockpit as well as a replacement machine gun from the spares box, plus a new pitot tube from brass tube. Thanks for watching! Luka

Luftwaffe Airfield Equipment (48409) 1:48 ICM via The Hobby Company Any airfield that is hosting a squadron or more of aircraft, whether it is bombers, fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, or other more minor types, a great deal of equipment, tools and supplies are required to keep them operational. During WWII, the Luftwaffe undertook many campaigns against enemy states, usually in a bid to assist with their invasion of that state, but toward the end of the war they were fighting furiously for the existence of their ‘Fatherland’, and the future of the Third Reich in Germany. Re-arming and refuelling were key tasks, replenishing the magazines of defensive or offensive armaments, such as machine guns and cannons, or bombing-up the bombers that went from bombing other countries mercilessly to making comparatively short sorties to the front line to rain death and destruction on the ever-advancing Allies until the Luftwaffe was a spent force, bereft of crew, fuel and at times aircraft too. This new set from ICM arrives in a shallow top-opening box with the usual captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are nine sprues of grey styrene, two decal sheets, and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on glossy white paper. It incorporates a stack of bombs of various sizes, as follows: 8 x SC 50Jb bomb 4 x SC 250Ja Bomb 4 x SC 500J 8 x SD 50Stg 4 x SD 250Jb 4 x SD 500A It also contains parts for a bomb trolley that is used around the airfield to move bombs, and can be raised to secure the weapon under the aircraft once it arrives at the aircraft. The bomb cradle is made from two halves with a central lever, while the two arms of the Y-shaped trolley are each made from two parts that trap a single wheel at the rear end. The two arms are brought together around the cradle, adding a two-part jack on the top, and a third wheel with castor mount and towing T-bar underneath, fitting a curved cross-brace under the centre of the frame between the twin arms. A tripod crane is made from a three-part set of pulleys with a chain link, which is suspended by three legs over the ground, one of which has steps welded across to permit a worker to climb to the top if necessary. A set of three each of 50kg and 250kg bomb crates can be made from six parts each, with wooden planking engraved in the surfaces along with handles and strengthening braces, along with three Jerry cans with separate triple handles and filler caps, three fuel barrels with separate end caps, and a pressurised bottle on a two-wheeled trolley with upper pull-handle that also protects the regulator, A tool box, spray gun, short stepladder, and a large oil barrel. In addition, a guard booth is made along with a barrier, a combination that is seen wherever security is higher than the surrounds, and this comes with chevron decals to lay over the planked wooden surface. Markings Two separate decal sheets are included, one from the bomb set that was released earlier, and another new sheet that includes decals for the guard booth and barrier, plus the many bomb crates, which are festooned with stencils. Even the tool box has two stencils applied to the side and end, while the bomb cradle, bottle and crane have none. Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion A great deal of detail is supplied in this set to benefit anyone considering a diorama or vignette, or just wishes to place some additional equipment near their Luftwaffe aircraft in the cabinet. Highly recommended. Available from all good model shops now. Review sample courtesy of

ICM has announced a new diorama set with a re-release from its old (2008) 1/72nd MiG-29 "9-13" Fulcrum-C". - ref. DS7203 - Soviet military airfield 1980s - Mikoyan MiG-29 "9-13", APA-50M (ZiL-131), ATZ-5 and Soviet PAG-14 Airfield Plates - Diorama Set - NEW - release Q4 2022 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICMDS7203 V.P.

In Q4 2023 Q1 2024 ICM is to release a 1/48th Martin B-26B Marauder kit - ref. 48320 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48320 V.P.

Before the Assault – Eastern Ukraine 2022 (DS3521) 1:35 ICM via the Hobby Company In February 2022 an unlawful and unprovoked invasion was started by a foreign aggressor on the Eastern border of Ukraine, causing years of upset, distress, death and destruction in an innocent country and its people, not to mention the carnage inflicted on their own poorly equipped and trained soldiers in the process. Ukraine’s steadfast and determined resistance has been inspiring to many, and support has been forthcoming from Allies around the world, most of whom expect nothing in return other than friendship, as supporting a sovereign Nation during a criminal invasion by a dictator shouldn’t be a case of “what’s in it for me”. There’s such a thing as a moral compass, or should be. The Kozak Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was developed in response to a need for protected troop transports for reconnaissance, patrolling and other such tasks, and was first seen in 2014, although only a few proof-of-concept vehicles were made by Practika, in competition with several other types from other manufacturers, the Kozak going through to the next stage as one of the three that met the Ukrainian Army’s requirements. The original vehicle is based upon a heavily modified Iveco Eurocargo chassis, but this 2015 design is based on the Iveco Daily, which has a shorter chassis, resulting in a more compact vehicle. Looking at any of the variants side-by-side you wouldn’t think they were related to anything, as the outward differences are so great. It doesn’t have a sharply V-shaped hull in the same respect that custom designs do, but most of the chassis length is protected by a shallower V-shaped armoured panel that underpins the crew compartment, and in concert with the anti-trauma seating that is installed within, it satisfies the needs of the Ukrainian forces in the event of an IED detonating underneath. The exposed wheel stations would probably be sacrificed in the blast, but the diversion of the explosive energy away from the crew is the key aspect. After the initial design, the improved Kozak-2 was engineered, incorporating a weapons station on the roof that allows the operator protection from small-arms fire, with vision slots that are protected by armoured glass in each of the side wall panels, plus a splinter-guard with more vision slots at the front, through which the machine gun projects, which can either mount an NSV heavy machine gun, or a 7.62mm weapon, depending on availability and mission requirements. The Kozak-2 entered service in 2017, and has seen plenty of active service since the unlawful invasion of Ukraine that began on 24th of February 2022. The Kit This is a reboxing of the recently tooled Kozak-2 by ICM, and was designed in cooperation with the vehicle’s manufacturers Practika, as noted on the original box top, which bodes well. The kit arrives in a top-opening box, with a captive flap on the lower tray, and inside are seven sprues of grey styrene and nine figure sprues in grey, two identical clear sprues, a bag containing five flexible black plastic tyres, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) of a copper-coloured metal, three decal sheets, and the three instruction booklets that are printed in colour on glossy paper, and have profiles on the rear pages to help with painting and decaling. Detail is excellent, and as it’s a home-grown product, local knowledge will have come in very handy, as will their nearness for detail checking, although the vehicles have been rather busy of late, working tirelessly to recover parts of their country still occupied by the invader. Construction begins with the chassis rails, which have a leaf-spring attached to the front, and two double-leaf arrangements that are each made from two halves at the rear. Small armour plates and other parts are fitted to the frontmost sides, then the cross-members are built up, with two under the engine bay, a central four-part transfer box at the midpoint, a tough braced bar behind that, and another at the rear. Under the rear suspension is an additional cross-rail, plus a braced rail that has a pair of two-part tanks applied, one on each side before mounting. The solid floor pan is detailed with a three-part representation of the underside of the engine and sump, then the chassis rails are mated to the underside on tabs, adding a short drive-shaft that links the transmission to the transfer box, ready for when the axles are completed. The front axle is a thick assembly with differential bulge in the centre, which is made from two halves, and has the rear of the hub attached at the ends, and a damper bar that joins to the chassis via links, and the drive-shaft that links it to the transfer box. A steering actuator and two armoured plates are fitted over the newly mounted axle, adding two dampers to the rear, and a C-shaped linkage that joins the two hubs together. The rear axle is built from four parts, and is much bulkier than the front, as are the hub assemblies, which are each four parts. This is then glued to the leaf-springs, adding dampers, drive-shaft, damper bar, another cross-member and a towing shackle at the rear. The interior of the Kozak-2, which if you haven’t already guessed means ‘Cossack’, is a spartan compartment that is designed for a purpose and nothing more, keeping weight and clutter to a minimum, as well as reducing the likelihood of small parts becoming missiles in the event of an IED detonation. The crew seats are made first, making the back from cushion and backrest, then adding this to the base cushion and two concertina-style side panels, plus front and rear sections, taking care to line up the concertina elements to minimise clean-up. An adjustment lever is fixed under the front edge, and you should bear in mind that the seats are handed, so take care to fix the correct one to the tread-plated floor on its guide-slots. A small gear lever is made from two halves and inserted into the centre console, which is moulded into the floor. The dash is a single moulding that has the three foot pedals glued into the lower portion, then has the multi-part steering wheel, column and separate stalks fitted on the left side, with a gaiter and hi/low ratio knob mounted in the centre of the dash low down. There are three decals for the dials and controls on one of the sheets, but remember to paint the instrument binnacle black before you put the decal on. The dash is mounted on a central locating guide in front of the crew seats, and behind and between them a four-part rack with crew step/jump seat that has anti-slip tread-plate moulded into it, and acts as the support for the gunner when he is in action, folding away when not in use to keep obstruction to a minimum. For an in-action pose, the supplementary instructions show the alternative layout of those parts to give the gunner a platform to stand on. Two passenger seats are built with two-part backs, adding safety tubing to the sides and top that helps prevent flail and neck injuries, fixing onto the seat cushion that has more U-shaped tubes glued underneath that project up and help keep the sitter’s body in position in case of a sharp sideways jolt. A back frame and a pair of shock-absorbing tubes attach the frame to the deck behind the driving crew, facing forward. The other six seats are fitted centrally with three on each side facing left and right. The base cushions are all moulded as a single linked unit, to which the lower tubes are fitted, adding two central supports in the space between them, then adding the backs, which are built at the same time as the first pair. This assembly is then mounted on a pair of raised rectangular areas of the floor, ready for the body to be built up. The vehicle sides are one part each, and cover the entire length of the chassis, adding radiused bullet-proof windows in the sides, a foot-plate at the front, and drilling out four 1mm holes as indicated in a scrap diagram nearby. An interior skin is prepared by adding grab-handles and weapon stowage clips under the windows, with the inner face of the shooting loupes moulded into the surface. The laminated right side is offered up to the chassis, adding the front wing liner and inner panel to the engine bay at the same time, then doing the same for the left side, before working on the windscreen panel, which has two panes inserted into the frames, and two instruments applied to the centre frame on the inside. This is mated to the bonnet and two windscreen wiper blades are fitted into pockets in the bonnet before joining the two. The rear bulkhead has an inner and outer skin, then has the multi-part bumper and clear light clusters applied to the lower edge. It would be a good idea to prepare the front and rear panels at the same time as the sides, not just for ease of painting, but also to ensure that the side panels are mounted to the correct angle and can’t sag while the glue cures. The roof has four small parts fitted to the underside before it is glued in place, completed with a pair of moulded-in escape hatches and the circular cut-out for the roof-mounted weapons station. The grille is fitted to the front of the vehicle, and has a thick bumper with moulded-in reflectors for the clear lights that are installed and painted with suitable clear shades, then have protective cages folded from PE parts, with a winch housing between them. The front skirt is made from two layers and has small sensors fitted into recesses, then is assembled on the front with the bumper, and a cow-catcher that is built from eight parts, including three slats that protect the grille. The Kozak-2 has four side doors, two on each side, all of which have inner and outer skins plus glazing, with grab handles fitted inside, and handles on the outside, while the front doors have wing mirrors on C-shaped tubular frames, and the rear doors have a circular cut-out that doubles as firing loupe for the front passengers. The back doors are similar in construction, but with a smaller fixed window near the top, inserting into the frames at the rear. All doors can be mounted open or closed as you please. Inverting the model allows fitting of the shallow anti-mine keel panel, which has the ends closed off to prevent ingress of the explosive wavefront, which would reduce its effectiveness. Mudflaps are added to the rear of the front wheels, and on both sides of the rear wheels, then the wheels are made to fill the arches. The spare tyre is built first, adding a two-part hub from either side of the flexible tyres, and mounting it under the body at the rear. The rear pair of wheels have a slightly different pair of hub halves inserted from each side, and then have a choice of two styles of dust covers fixed over the outer face. The front wheels have similar two-part hubs, with an additional centre insert, and the same choice of dust covers over the front. They all fit onto their appropriate axles, but don’t put the model on its wheels just yet. There are a pair of crew steps to be fitted onto the keel panels under the rearmost side door on both sides, then the model is turned right-side up for all the external detail to be added to it. The first item is a searchlight, which has a clear lens and opaque rear, mounting on the right wing in front of a small part near the scuttle. A perforated mount for the pioneer tools is filled with four hand-tools before it is mounted on the right rear of the body. A two-part cage is closed around the searchlight, and completed by adding two top bars, and a bracket that stands out past the side of the wing for another mirror that is added later. Under the tools a pair of three-part brackets are mounted on recesses, and on the opposite side a pair of towing arms are fitted under the windows on pins. Two small lifting eyes are glued to the scuttle, and an LED lamp with armoured shroud fits into a pair of recesses on the left wing. What looks like a tubular convoy light in a shroud is added to the centre above the rear doors, and five rungs are glued to the left side of the rear for access to the roof, with a sixth on a bracket that hangs down below the bodywork, adding a jerrycan in its holder to the left. Grab handles are fitted between and above the side doors, on the roof above the ladder, and on the front and sides of the bonnet to ease access to all the horizontal panels, and on the right flank, a cage is fixed to the body for additional storage. The detailing is still far from over though, as the wing-mounted indicators and roof-line repeaters are positioned, with the more exposed lower wing lights protected by four half-torus PE guards that create a cage around them on both sides. PE cages are added around the rear lights too, bending the ends to match the profile, then adding a pair of stirrups below the back doors. A plate is glued to the left door frame to accept a two-part exhaust that allows the vehicle to plough through water up to a metre deep without stopping to prepare. The right door frame has another assembly made up from five parts, which looks like an emergency flasher, but clearly isn’t. The machine gun turret has a pair of smoke grenade launcher assemblies made up with three barrels each on a carrier plate that is fitted to the front corners of the assembly. The two side armour panels have their bullet-proof vision panels inserted from inside, and are then assembled onto the base, which has a circular ring with bayonet lugs fixed to the underside, and moulded-in stiffeners on the top surface to keep the armour at the correct angle, even under fire. The D-shaped crew hatch is given a pair of handles, and is then fixed into position in the turret floor in the open or closed position as explained in the supplementary instructions, adding an A-frame mount for the machine gun, which needs a 1.2mm hole drilling to accept the weapon, which is built up from a breech with moulded-in barrel that is clamped between two mounting halves, with handle added to the rear and ammo feed on the top, linked to a three-part ammo box as it is slipped into the splinter shield, which also has two vision blocks inserted from within. The completed gun is then lowered onto the mount, securing its pin into the hole drilled earlier, then finishing off by adding a rear-view mirror on a U-bracket, a hand-traverse wheel on the underside, and a wire across the back of the turret. The completed assembly then drops into the cut-out and is rotated to lock it in place. Markings There are four options on the decal sheet, all with a base coat of green, and various digital camouflages applied over the top. From the box you can build one of the following: KOZAK-2, 35th Separate Marine Brigade of Ukraine, January 2021 KOZAK-2, 36th Separate Marine Brigade of Ukraine, August 2021 KOZAK-2, reconnaissance unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, November 2022 KOZAK-2, an unknown unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, autumn 2022 <ul style="list-style-type:upper-alpha"> Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Ukrainian Special Forces (35752) Ukrainian Special Forces, are highly-trained soldiers that get up to all sorts of mischief and have the best equipment available to do the most damage to the invader. They infiltrate, do their work then exfiltrate, hopefully without being seen or heard unless they want it that way, but if they become engaged with enemy soldiers, they are well-armed and trained to look after themselves, returning home to base for the Ukrainian equivalent of tea and scones, followed by some rest, before going out another day on the next mission until the country is totally free. True bravery. There are four figures in the set, representing a squad of soldiers that are discussing their next move around their leader, but with weapons ready in their hands in case they are seen by the enemy. Two soldiers are stood looking down at their commander’s handheld device, while he and the other team member are crouching down. The parts for each figure are found in separate areas of the sprue for ease of identification, and parts breakdown is sensibly placed along clothing seams or natural breaks to minimise clean-up of the figures once they are built up. The sculpting is typically excellent as we’ve come to expect from ICM’s artists and tool-makers, with natural poses, drape of clothing and textures appropriate to the parts of the model, especially the tactical vests, which are covered in MOLLE loops to hang their gear from. If you’re not a big fan of painting faces, all the troops have masks over their mouth and nose, partly for anonymity, but also to keep out the dirt and dust kicked up during combat. The accessories are on two identical smaller sprues that contain several AK74 derivatives, with a choice of different stocks, an underslung grenade launcher, and even the locally produced AK-based bullpup the Malyuk, which means baby, but it also has a more aggressive name of Vulcan-M. If you look closely, you can just about see the AK bones beneath the rifle’s skin. A light machine gun is also included, the Ukrainian variant of the PKM, which is known as the KT-7.62 that is manufactured by Mayak. One edge of each sprue has a pair of FAST helmets that are often used by Special Forces, and have side rails plus a separate night vision goggle mount on the front. The last few parts are a couple of pistols in paddle-holsters, knives in and out of scabbards, optics for the weapons, and comms headset cans (probably Peltor) that are shown on the drawings, but don’t have their part numbers mentioned, but for reference purposes are parts W12 + 13. A driver figure has been culled from another set, and is provided with cushions that are compressed under his weight, wearing similar equipment as that of his colleagues, but with his hands gripping the steering wheel, and feet on the pedals to control the vehicles. Drone Operators Two figures have been taken from the recent “War Has No Gender” figure set, one soldier stood launching a drone from one hand, while the other is controlling a drone on a remote with legs crossed in front of her as she sits on the ground concentrating on the task in hand, with a stack of gear and another drone accompanying them. Both figures are wearing modern BDU pants, with a plate-carrier or tac-vest that carries magazines and other pouches, the drone fliers wearing peaked caps to keep the sun out of their eyes, plus a pistol on a drop-leg holster for protection. Gunner & Observer Two new figures are included in this boxing, each on a separate small sprue along with their relevant equipment and gear. One member is operating the roof-mounted gun on the Kozak-2 with his arms out gripping the gun, wearing similar gear to the other figures, but with an extension on his plate cover that protects his groin area, as he would be a high-value target when engaged in combat. The other figure is standing looking through a pair of binoculars into the distance, with a weapon slung at his front, and a large medical pouch on his hip. The rest of his equipment is similar to the rest of the crew. Figure Painting Modern Ukrainian troops frequently wear Multicam or digital pattern BDUs and equipment, a swatch of both are shown on the painting guide, although solid green is also an option, however Multicam is much more Gucci, and is an effective camouflage in all areas of operation except arctic. The instruction sheet has drawings on the back of the sprue guide, which has red letters in boxes that correspond to the table overleaf giving colour names, plus the codes from ICM’s own range of paints, most of which can be found in boxed set 3041. You can find details of that set along with many others in our mega-review here. If you’re worried about painting camouflage colours, there are decal sheets available now that can make the task a lot easier, using zenithal highlighting with white on a darker primer before applying the decals, then using washes over the decals once set to deepen the darker folds. Conclusion With the addition of a suitable base, this new set will make a great subject for a diorama, with plenty of figures to give it a human scale. Detail is good, and there are four good decal choices on large sheets to keep you busy modelling. Highly recommended. Available now from all good model shops. Review sample courtesy of

Here in his own right, the Pilot figure from my Kotare Mk I (early) 1/32 Spitfire. Mostly from ICM 32105, with his arms from Aerobonus 32059. The seatbelt is from HGW 132639 and audio leads, 02 hose etc. from scratch. Painted with Vallejo Air.

My 2nd build of the year and a bit rushed. Always had a fascination for this beast of an aircraft so that's another itch scratched. A good kit though I struggled with fitting the cockpit canopies and it shows! Also had to resort to surgery to fit the front and rear fuselage sections together, but the butchery is invisible in the finished model. Finished with Tamiya acrylics (flat aluminium). Not strictly in line with the kit details but seems right for this Soviet era aircraft.