Military reviews
TANK AND ‘BATTLE TAXI’
Having surprised and delighted modellers with its newly tooled 1/72 Chieftain Mk.10/11 combo, Takom has included different parts to allow an earlier Mk.5 tank to be built, plus original components for a same-scale FV432 Mk.2/1 armoured personnel carrier.
DOWNSIZED DISH
Brengun appears to have ‘downsized’ the ex-Extratech 1/72 FuSE-65 Würzburg-Riese radar system in subsidiary firm Hauler’s range to produce this 1/144 version.
THE LEADER’S HEAVY HITTER
Dragon’s 1/35 JS-2 Stalin II Soviet heavy tank includes parts for three options: either a JS-1 early model with 85mm gun, a JS-2 with 122mm weapon or a JS-2m with a late-production simplified hull front.
Airfix 1/72 Tiger I / Sherman Firefly Vc
Airfix’s new dual package featuring the Tiger I and Firefly should interest armour modellers who favour smaller scales. CHRIS CLIFFORD inspects the contents.
Star Decals 1/35 Releases
CHRIS CLIFFORD highlights two recent items from prolific Swedish company Star Decals
ICM 1/35 Model T Ambulance
If you enjoy building military medical vehicles, ICM’s 1/35 early Model T Ambulance kit is just what the doctor ordered, says CHRIS CLIFFORD
CLOSE-SUPPORT CROMWELL
The second iteration of Airfix’s new-tool 1/35 Cruiser Mk.VIII A27M Cromwell tank caters for the Mk.VI variant, which differs by featuring a 95mm howitzer for close-support operations.
BASTOGNE THUNDERBOLT
Released as part of Dragon’s Battle of the Bulge series, its up-gunned ‘wet-stowage’ Sherman has returned with new markings to depict vehicles operated by American units involved in countering the German Ardennes offensive of 1944/45.
ARMED HAULAGE
This is the first time IBG’s 1/72 Diamond T 968 has appeared as a standard cargo lorry since the initial release in 2014, and adds a Browning M2 machine gun to the cab roof.
TANK CARRIER
A common sight behind Sd.Kfz 7 or Sd.Kfz. 9 half-tracks, the Sonderanhänger 115 trailer could carry vehicles of up to 10,000kg, yet this is the first styrene kit of the type in 1/72.
NORMANDY DEFENDERS
It’s great to see Dragon’s 1/72 re-releases, such as its mid-production Panzer IV Ausf. H with schürzen armour plating.
WEHRMACHT WEDGE
ICM’s newly tooled offering depicts a Schwerer geländegängiger gepanzerter Personenkraftwagen (heavy off-road armoured passenger motor vehicle) – also known as Sd.Kfz. 247 Ausf.B.
BRITISH ARMY WORKHORSE
Despite the Leyland Retriever being a common 6x4 truck in British service during World War Two, ICM’s kit is the first 1/35 styrene offering of the type.
'PLAY' OR DISPLAY
Italeri has been a pioneer of wargaming/modelling crossovers and its ZIS 3 with ‘servants’ (gun crew) is typical, with a low parts count and ‘snap-together’ construction, yet providing well-moulded components, making it ideal for builders of all skill levels.
Italeri New Tool 1/72 T-55A Tank
Fans of small-scale armour and military vehicles have an ever-growing selection of subjects to build, and the quality seems to improve constantly. A good example is Italeri’s all-new 1/72 T-55A tank (kit 7081).
EAST-GERMAN MINE CLEARANCE
This version of Revell’s recent 1/72 T-55A/AM contains new runners E and F for the KMT-6 and EMT-5 mine-clearance systems used by the East German Army.
IMPROVED HOWITZER
IBG’s 1/35 Skoda houfnice vz 14/19 gun has been reworked to depict modernised artillery used by Polish forces during World War Two, notably featuring large tyre-shod wheels.
AIRFIELD HOT STUFF
Derived from the six-wheeled Saladin/Saracen armoured cars, the Salamander fire tender was a common sight on RAF and RCAF airfields, yet this is the first kit of the type in 1/72.
STALIN’S ORGAN
This is another great set from ICM, combining its WOT 8-mounted BM-13-16 Katyusha rocket launcher (35591) with a four-man reloading team (also available separately as 35648).