AMW122, January 2021
FIRE GOD'S CHARIOT
Academy's re-issue of its fearsome 1/35 M163 Vulcan Air Defense System is built as a NATO warrior by Huw Morgan.
COMBAT TO COMPETITION
Dean Large bedecks the 'Civilian Scheme' edition of Airfix's recent 1/48 Spitfire Mk.XIV with a smart and shiny Canadian air-racing livery.
Airbrushing Part 1 - The Airbrush
AIRBRUSHING PART 1 In a highly useful instructional series, Jay Blakemore offers insightful tutorials on choosing and using airbrushes and compressors, based on his 40 years of experience. He begins with a look at the basics.
DISPLAY CASE
There's further modelling mischief in this month's selection of reader projects as some of TV's best-loved characters get involved in the hobby, alongside several impressive aircraft builds.
Airfix Model World January 2021
Welcome to Airfix Model World January 2021 featuring model builds, the latest news, product reviews and more. Read the full issue page-turner here or dip into our reformatted online features for KeyModelWorld at your leisure.
FESTIVE RELEASES
While Airfix's December/ January releases will see the return of several favourites, the highlights are the arrival of newly tooled 1/72 Sherman Firefly VC, Tiger I and Spitfire Mk.Vc kits.
FAR-EASTERN SPECIAL
Zoukei-Mura has followed its 1/48 F-4E (see News, December 2020) with a stunning Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Kai commemorative version - even better, there's a special campaign to mark the tenth anniversary of the firm's Super Wing Series kits.
TRANSPORT WORKHORSE
December 2020 marks the 85th anniversary of the Douglas DC-3’s first flight – a type later synonymous with D-Day due to the military C-47 variant.
GULL-WINGED EXPORT
Although a Polish design, PZL’s P.11 entered service with the Romanian Air Force before its home country’s air arm, and IBG has released a 1/72 offering representing these exported aircraft, which were designated P.11b.
ALLISON-ENGINED PONY
Brengun has added new wings plus a resin dorsal intake to KP’s 1/72 P-51 Mustang, for an early Mk.Ia airframe.
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
While there have been many accounts of service during World War Two, few are as personal, arguably, as this narrative of Halifax bomber wireless operator Jack Clyde.
HYBRID CARRIER
With the regular renaming of Soviet/Russian ships, it is always worth checking which is which – this TopDrawings volume is dedicated to the Moskva, lead vessel of the Moskva-class helicopter-carrier, and not the later renamed Slava-class cruiser.
GUNS AGAINST AIRCRAFT
Most examinations of the struggle between German air defences and Allied bombers during World War Two tend to focus on air-to-air combat, but Osprey’s Duel 98 instead analyses how the ground anti-aircraft units, the Flakartillerie, factored into the campaign.
MIDDLE EASTERN MACHINERY
Israeli armour subjects garner significant interest with modellers, so it’s no surprise aftermarket marking specialist Star Decals has catered for such vehicles, with this set covering M48 Magach and AMX-13 tanks.
FELINE MACHINERY
Modellers with 1/35 kits depicting early-model Tiger tanks may wish to consider this selection of unusual markings options from Star Decals.
D-DAY MARINES
While small-scale kits depicting the Sherman M4A4 variant with the Chrysler A57 ‘cloverleaf’ engine housed in an extended rear hull and widely spaced bogies are unusual, those seeking an alternative scheme for such offerings will enjoy this Star Decals’ product.
MEDICAL TRANSPORT
Food Machinery Corp’s M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been adapted to provide a wide array of specialist vehicles and its ambulance variants are the subject of Star Decals’ 13th collection of Israel Defense Force (IDF) Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs).
ANTI-TANK MUNITIONS
Although they appear similar to conventional explosive munitions, Eduard’s 1/72 Brassin fittings depict the BL755 cluster bombs developed by Hunting Aircraft and used by the RAF between 1972-2008.
AUXILIARY ADDITIONS
Intended to replace the styrene representations of the external fuel tanks supplied with its 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109G kits, Eduard has released this Brassin set, containing two distinct fittings.
ELECTRONIC WARFARE PROTECTION
Eduard’s 1/72 AN/ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) pod is suitable for a range of US Air Force types and is a simple addition, comprising just a single cast component.
'PONY' PIPES
Here’s a simple but effective upgrade for Revell’s recent 1/32 P-51D Mustang, in the form of Eduard’s Brassin exhaust outlets.
RETAILER RESURGENCE
THERE’S BEEN a boost to the scale model industry with an announcement that hobby retailer Modelzone has been relaunched as a specialist brand under the ownership of the WHSmith retail chain.
MODELLING TRIBUTE
Members of Bedford and District Scale Model Club have produced a Battle of Britain-themed diorama and are raising funds for two mental health charities as a tribute to a club member who sadly took his own life during July 2020.
REGULATIONS, RAIN AND RESOURCES
NEWARK AIR Museum has responded to COVID-19 restrictions and extreme weather conditions with work on several exhibits plus a JustGiving page to raise funds for further projects given the imminent loss of visitor revenue.
VALIANT UPSIZING
IN FURTHER good news, popular aviation and specialist modelling publisher Valiant Wings has announced it has moved to a larger warehouse space – safeguarding its survival for the future.
CELEBRATIVE STORM
WITH 2020 marking 80 years since the Battle of Britain, it’s fitting that a new reference covering the Hawker Hurricane has been announced, in the form of Valiant Wings’ latest Airframe & Miniature title.