Airfix Model World May 2021
Welcome to Airfix Model World May 2021 featuring full coverage of Airfix's new 1/48 Chipmunk T.10, a new tool 1/24 Bloodhound, Revell's 1/32 F/A-18E Super Hornet, Tamiya's 1/35 AMX-13/90 tank, exclusive model builds, scale modelling news and more. Read the full issue in PDF format here or dip into our reformatted online features for KeyModelWorld at your leisure.
Win Zoukei-Mura’s all-new 1/48 F-4EJ Phantom II (Standard)!
Three lucky readers have the chance to win one of Zoukei-Mura’s brand-new 1/48 F-4EJ Phantom II (SWS12) kits, courtesy of Volks Inc (Japan). The closing date for entries is Friday, June 11, 2021.
LATE-WAR LAVOCHKIN
This late version of Clear Prop’s newly tooled 1/72 Lavochkin La-5 includes a slightly reworked runner compared with the early iteration (CP72014), though the remaining six frames and photo-etched (PE) brass fret are unchanged.
FRENCH TUTOR
Esci’s 1980-vintage Alpha Jet returns in Italeri packaging, with unchanged parts and new decals.
CONVOY HUNTER
Special Hobby’s He 115 is the only 1/48 kit of the type, so its return will be welcomed by fans of Luftwaffe floatplanes.
RJ MITCHELL’S LEGEND
Modellers who missed out on Eduard’s limited-edition 1/48 ‘Spitfire Story: The Few’ package, fear not, for the Czech firm’s ProfiPACK edition has now arrived.
ARMY/MARINE SPOTTER
Unmanned aerial vehicles come in all shapes and sizes; the RQ-7B Shadow is one of the smaller types and is the subject of this lovely resin and photo-etched (PE) brass combination from Brengun.
VIOLET LIGHTNING
Here’s another double delight from Platz, in the form of its two-kit 1/144 Kawanishi N1K-J Shinden-Kai (violet lightning – modified) package, also known by the Allied callsign ‘George’.
SOVIET SCENE
ICM’s approach to figures with aircraft kits is arguably among the best, with this 1/48 Polikarpov U-2 set including the base kit, plus pilots and ground crew for no extra cost.
FLAK SUPPRESSOR
The third iteration of Airfix’s lovely 1/72 Beaufighter TF.X provides parts for a snub- or thimble-nosed airframe, matching this with markings for Royal Canadian Air Force and Portuguese Naval Aviation machines.
ROSATELLI’S FALCON
The second in ICM’s CR.42 series has been released and it’s likely to be a firm favourite with modellers, being the original Italian airframe.
MINI SPY-COPTER
Crew-less aircraft, such as Schiebel’s S-100 camcopter, are gaining in popularity – the type has recently been accepted into UK Coastguard service – so it’s no surprise to see kit representations follow.
NEW ENGINE OPTION
Having first tooled a 1/144 Airbus A321 in 1999, Revell has followed the type’s development with a completely re-tooled A321neo – featuring two New Engine Options (hence the acronym) plus wingtip ‘sharklets’ to improve fuel efficiency.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
BIG-SHOT SHERMAN
The Sherman Firefly Vc is Airfix’s first foray into 1/72 armour in many years and is aimed at all modellers, offering a choice of simplified running gear for beginners or separate suspension, road wheels and link-and-length tracks for those with a few builds under their belt.
OVER A BARREL
Dragon’s 1/35 JSU-122 tank destroyer is back, with parts for a baseline assault gun, semiautomatic breech-equipped JSU-122S or up-gunned JSU-152, plus German Panzerjäger figures.
ROCKET MARKINGS
While stencils for aircraft and helicopters are increasingly common, this isn’t necessarily true for the weapons they carry, but Ze-Ro decals has stepped into this gap with a lovely set of markings for the ubiquitous UB-32-57 rocket pods carried by Croatian Air Force assets between 1994 and 2013.
GALLIC THUNDERBOLTS
The second batch of French P-47D Thunderbolts from LPS Hobby offers a pair of late-production P-47D-30 airframes, which both had a tail fillet (fitted as standard to -40 aircraft).
PACIFIC SHERMANS
ToRo’s first collection of Pacific Theater Shermans provides markings for seven overall Olive Drab machines, with examples of M4, M4A1, M4 (Composite) and M4A2 tanks.
FEATHERED GUARDIAN
Aftermarket specialist Euro Decals has scaled down its stunning Oregon Air National Guard 2016 commemorative markings so those that prefer 1/72 can build this strikingly painted airframe.
HIND AIRFRAME DATA
Sometimes, adding refinement to a model doesn’t involve resin, photo-etched brass or scratch-building – it relies on aircraft stencilling and this comprehensive product from Eduard provides a complete set of such markings for Zvezda’s recent Mi-24V Hind-E in Russian and English.
JORDANIAN CARRIER
Fans of airline models wanting an unusual subject may find this set from Decales Global of interest, as it provides markings for Aqaba Airlines’ sole Boeing 737-300 airframe, JY-JAB.
OVERSEAS FALCONS
ICM has been quick to follow up the release of its lovely CR.42 kits with its own markings for foreign operated machines.
AIR BRIDGE SKYTRAINS
Iliad’s superb collection of Berlin Airlift C-47 Skytrains is ideal for those with Airfix’s recent 1/72 offerings as it provides markings for four machines, giving a mix of military- and civilian-registered aircraft.
UKRAINIAN FROGFOOT
Foxbot’s latest Ukrainian Warriors of Light collection features 15 Su-25 Frogfoot airframes, all clad in the current digital-style four-tone camouflage.