ON THE SHELF
Keep up to date with the latest and most comprehensive round up of new model, accessory, decal and book releases from Airfix Model World. Whether you are looking for aircraft, military, figures, auto or maritime kits or that specific set of decals you will find it here. Plus you can use our search feature to look for specific suppliers, scales or types of model.
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‘BRICK’ BITS
Modellers seeking extra refinement for the second iteration of Airfix’s recent 1/72 Blackburn Buccaneer – depicting the RAF-operated S.2B – will find Eduard’s two-fret photo-etched metal set of use.
NEW SMALL-SCALE STRYKER
Dragon's 1/72 Stryker family got bigger with the new Dragoon ICV variant. Like the firm's other Strykers, it's packed with detail.
VERSATILE CANNON
A common sight on Royal Navy minesweepers and other such small craft (including converted trawlers and armed merchant ships), the 12pdr 3in gun was a dual-purpose weapon.
SPIKY OUTLETS
Here’s a ‘Quick and Easy’ solution for replicating the hedgehog-type exhausts (fitted for flame-damping purposes) on Revell’s 1/48 Bristol Beaufighter, courtesy of CMK.
DESERT DIRECTIONS
MiniArt is something of a diorama specialist when it comes to its aftermarket products, and this splendid set of signposts suitable for 21st century Syria is a good example – recycling the basic poles and backing plates from previous offerings with all-new labels for this Arabic country.
DECORATOR’S STOCK
Smaller details can make all the difference when planning/constructing a diorama, so items such as Reality in Scale’s 1/35 Paint Can set will be greatly appreciated by scene builders.
TEST MACHINES DECAL SELECTION
Test aircraft make highly attractive modelling subjects, and Air-Graphic's new decals covering British airframes represent some of the best and brightest. CHRIS CLIFFORD's review also recommends suitable kits and reference books.
RADIATION HUNTER
Introduced in 1985 and still in use today, the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missile is the subject of Brengun’s 1/48 accessory, providing a pair of these munitions (each comprising five resin parts), with pylons being separate three-part constructions.
DROPPER TONES
Figure painting is gaining in popularity, and with products such as AMMO-MIG’s specialised sets of appropriate hues – here catering for World War Two US paratroopers – it’s easy to see why.
TIGER MOTH TRIMMINGS
ICM’s newly tooled 1/32 Tiger Moth has been well-received, but those seeking additional detail will find Eduard’s photo-etched steel fret a boon.
FLANKER POINT
There aren’t many kits of the Su-33 in 1/48 scale, but regardless of their age there is one item that is readily suitable for an aftermarket upgrade: the pitot, which is either too thick or (if scaled properly) extremely delicate.
PANZER IV ROUNDS
Given MiniArt’s attention to detail, this set for a long-barrelled Panzer IV would seem superfluous, but by supplying additional shells and ammunition boxes it allows modellers to either vary the combat load or create a resupply scene.
CARB CORRECTION
Revell’s 1/32 Spitfire Mk.IX is the recipient of BarracudaCast’s resin corrective component to replace the styrene equivalent.
ALL STRAPPED IN
If there’s one aspect of a cockpit that is challenging to replicate via injection moulded styrene, it’s the seatbelts/harnesses.
ROCKET BOOSTERS
While the packaging states that these are for a Ju 88A-2, the Walter HWK ‘pods’ were also used on several other bomber and transport types.
TABLE-TOP TANK KIT
Whether built for combat within Zvezda's own Art of Tactic gaming system, or purely for a small-scale display piece, the firm's 1/100 SU-122 is a little gem.
BARRELLING ROUND A BEAR
Euro Decals’ 1/72 markings provide for a quartet of F-4 Phantom IIs, including an example that was famously photographed performing a barrel roll around a Soviet Tu-97 Bear at the request of the bomber’s aircrew!
ABRAMS’ TANKS
The namesake of the M1 Abrams main battle tank, Creighton Abrams had a reputation as an aggressive armour commander in World War Two - modellers can replicate the M4 Shermans he used with Star Decals’ 1/35 markings.
EAGLE BF 109 SCHEMES
Whether this set is used as an alternative for Eduard’s 1/48 Adlerangriff Bf 109 boxing or just the firm’s standard Bf 109E- 3 and -4 offerings, the result will be five eye-catching liveries as worn by these Luftwaffe fighters during and after the Battle of Britain.
TRAINING THE TESTERS
Air-Graphic’s compilation sheets offer a broad selection of subjects and this sheet provides markings for aircraft and helicopters assigned to the US Navy’s Test Pilot School at Patuxent Naval Air Station, Maryland.
FRITZ AND FANG COLLECTION
Suitable for either MPM or Gran 1/72 La-9 (NATO nickname Fritz) and La-11 (Fang) kits, this magnificent collection of late Lavochkin fighters provides markings for 29 schemes, with examples of Indonesian, Chinese, Soviet, Romanian and North Korean machines.
SUPERFORTRESS SCHEMES
Modellers with Academy, Airfix or re-boxings of these two manufacturers’ 1/72 B-29 kits will find the alternative schemes supplied by Kits-World’s busy decal sheet of interest.
JUMP-JET DATA
Modellers seeking replacement/ extra stencils for their Hasegawa/ Revell/Eduard H1/48 Harrier GR.7/9 kits will find this decal sheet from Eduard extremely useful.
FOXBAT FINESSE
Modern aircraft are covered in a wealth of stencil data markings, but these are often omitted from small-scale kits due to the difficulty of replicating such tiny elements; helpfully, Foxbot has produced a set of stencils for 1/72 MiG-25 Foxbat kits.
VISION IN BLUE
The French Air Force always paints its aircraft in very attractive schemes for unit/type anniversaries; one of the simplest yet eye-catching was that worn by Mirage IIIE 426 13-QG of EC 1/13 ‘Artois’ in 1990 to celebrate 25 years’ service of this delta-winged fighter.
POST-TORCH TANKS
Star Decals’ first foray into vehicles operated by the US 1st Armored Division offers a collection of early and mid-production Sherman tanks used in North Africa between 1942 and 1943.
FEATHERED FINNISH FIGHTERS
Brazilian firm LPS Hobby is something of a Curtiss P-36/H-75 Hawk specialist, having produced a range of aftermarket decals for the type in 1/72 – this is one of several to cover Finnish airframes.
CANADIAN SHORT-HAULER
These Decales Global markings are ideal for Airfix or Eastern Express 1/144 Boeing 737-200 kits, replicating the livery of one of Canadian airline Pacific Western’s airframes.
TRAVELER, CHEETAH, TIGER
The choice of GA aircraft for modellers is relatively slim in comparison to warplanes and airliners, but VFR Models is redressing the balance. Its 1/72 Grumman American AA-5 is reviewed here.
SOUTHEAST ASIA SCENE
Newly tooled from ICM is this set of five USAF personnel deployed to Vietnam, including a pair of pilots, two technicians and another individual appearing to brief the airmen.