Military reviews
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).
LAST-GASP DEFENDER
Comprising 11 styrene runners and a photo-etched brass fret, Academy’s King Tiger has been repackaged by Airfix with new markings.
GAMING GUNNERY
Although produced and released by Italeri, this 1/56 scale Sturmgeschütz is a collaboration with UK-based wargaming company Warlord Games for use with the latter’s 28mm Bolt Action system.
EASY-BUILD ARMOUR
It has been a long time since Airfix released any small-scale military kits, and its newly tooled 1/72 Tiger I Ausf. E is an absolute gem.
GUTTRIDGE'S GUN-CARRIER
ICM has added to its range of 1/35 Model T Ford variants with this armoured car version – built to Chief Petty Officer L Gutteridge’s design for service with the Royal Naval Air Service.
GERMANY'S 'SPORTY' TANK
Revell’s Leopard 1A5 follows from its 1A1 variant, adding two runners to the original seven for this sub-type’s characteristic bolt-on armour, fire-control optics and mantlet shield.
ROCKETS ON HALF-TRACK
While the original Esci kit for Italeri’s Sd.Kfz. 251 half-track might be approaching 50 years old, it’s the base for a lovely model.
'AUSSIE' TRANSPORT
Here’s another Model T Ford variation with ICM’s 1/35 offering depicting a ‘Touring’ model used by Australia’s Mounted Division during World War One.
PANZER NEMESIS
Academy’s M18 returns in Airfix packaging and new decals, with eight styrene runners and a choice of single-length vinyl or link-and-length styrene tracks.
INTERIOR DELIGHTS
As with its Ausf.E model Sturmgeschütz III (see here), Dragon has modernised its Ausf.G with the addition of NEO link-and-length tracks, and bonus parts for the interior.
DUSTY GENERAL
This re-boxing of Academy’s M3 Grant by Airfix provides the same styrene parts as previous iterations, which are presented on eight runners plus a separate one-piece lower hull and single-length vinyl tracks.
POST 'TOTEM POLE'
Takom’s newly tooled 1/72 Chieftain tank has been awaited eagerly by fans of British Cold War armour, and the firm’s Mk.10/11 dual-boxing has now arrived.
OPEN-TOPPED DEMAG
Arguably, Demag’s Sd.Kfz.10 was the most common half-track used by German forces during World War Two, and its popularity continues in kit form – Special Armour is the latest firm to offer this vehicle in 1/72 scale, with a re-box of the MK 72 product.
PROTECTION CONUNDRUM
Dragon’s latest Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H offering is slightly misleading in that it depicts a late-production vehicle with Schürzen plates, so the titular Zimmerit is just for the glacis and front/rear-facing panels – the turret and rest of hull are plain.
ROMAN ARTILLERY
Italeri has paired newly tooled components with 1973-vintage parts to produce a 1/35 Semovente da 75/18 self-propelled gun, depicting a post-1943 Carro Armarto M15/42 version.
MOBILE DEFENDER
The latest version of IBG’s Lancia 3Ro is effectively a two-for-one offering as it combines the basic chassis of the firm’s splendid truck kit with all-new parts for a flatbed-mounted 90/53 90mm anti-aircraft gun.
GALLIC TOWING
ICM’s 1/35 Lastkraftwagen 3.5t AHN (35416) has been paired with the firm’s German Drivers (35642) to form another value-for-money package.
PANZER NEMESIS
Comprising ten styrene runners plus separate upper and lower turret halves and hull, with single-piece vinyl tracks, a small photo-etched (PE) brass fret and a length of thread, Airfix’s M36B1 is a direct re-boxing of the Academy kit (based on that firm’s 2001 tooling of the M10), albeit with new decals.
DRY STOWAGE
There’s a seemingly never-ending flow of new Sherman tank releases, such as this tooling from Zvezda.
FOUR-IN-ONE PACKAGE
Although 1/56 is more commonly used for wargaming with 28mm figures, many modern offerings in this scale are just as suitable for modelling projects, such as Rubicon’s superb Sd.kfz.2 Kettenkrad, Infanterieanhänger 8 trailer, Goliath tracked mine and crew package.
FRANCO TANKS
A classic Matchbox gem returns with Revell's Char B1 Bis and Renault FT set, complete with a backing scene and figures for an instant vignette.
DUNE SCOUTS
The tenth 1/35 diorama-series combo from ICM is yet another great value for money offering, with three ANZAC Model Ts for the price of just two if purchased separately.
TINY TRACKS
Comprising just four styrene runners, Airfix’s returning 1/72 Universal Carrier and 6-pounder gun illustrates the diminutive size of the Vickers-Armstrong design, often referred to as a ‘Bren Gun Carrier’ due to the armament carried.
CLASSIC CAT
Here’s a real blast from the past from Airfix’s Vintage Classics range, with its 1/76 Panzerkampfwagen V Panther tank, which is a staggering 59 years old.
INTELLIGENCE DOUBLE
Airfix’s 1/76 German reconnaissance set includes parts for a Sd.Kfz. 222 armoured car as configured for intelligence-gathering operations plus a Type 82 Kübelwagen – a design produced by Dr Ferdinand Porsche from the Volkswagen Beetle.
WHEELED WEAPONRY
Developed from the 8-rad (eight-wheeled) Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (heavy armoured reconnaissance vehicle), the Sd.Kfz.234 armoured car is the subject of Airfix’s 1/76 Vintage Classics offering, appearing as a late-war 234/4 variant with PaK 40 gun.
NON-FLYING DUCK
Fitting the GMC 2½ ton 6x6 truck with an amphibious body resulted in the DUKW during 1942, and a 1/76 depiction of this versatile vehicle was added to Airfix's range in 1966, now returning under the Vintage Classics banner.
MACHINE-GUNNING 'CONSORT'
Here's a return for Airfix's 1/76 'Female' tank with sponson-mounted machine guns - a reworked version of its 1967-vintage mixed-armament 'Male' vehicle that first appeared during 2009 - the latter is available as another Vintage Classics product: A02325V.