Model Art

Model Art Model Magazine

No. 698 - February 2006

Reviewed By Dennis Tennant, #41582

The February issue of this Japanese-only magazine is overflowing with interesting photo galleries of a wide variety of subjects.  Though heavy with aircraft articles, this month’s offering has something to for ship, car and armor modelers too – even if they can’t read Japanese.  As usual, the quality of the photography within is excellent.

The magazine’s first article grabbed my attention immediately.  It’s a collection of photos of John Vojtech’s exceptional 1/72 AC-130H Hercules.  I had seen this model up close at the 2005 Nationals in Atlanta (where it won the Best Aircraft and Popular Best in Show awards), so I knew it was a beautiful build.  This article showcases the interior details and provides in-progress construction photos I haven’t seen anywhere else.  After looking at the 27 photos in this feature, I’m even more impressed with John’s work.

A Luftwaffe painting techniques article is the next feature of note.  Four WWII German aircraft are showcased: a Hasegawa 1/48 Fw190A-3; a Hasegawa 1/32 Bf109G-10; a Hasegawa 1/72 Me-410B-1/U4 and a Dragon 1/48 Ju88C-6.  Detail photos show the various masking and painting techniques used for each aircraft’s paint scheme.  Most of the painting is done with an airbrush but the Ju-88 received its distinctive camouflage scheme with the help of colored pencils!  In addition to the usual photo gallery, several pages of profile drawings provide several alternative camouflage schemes for all four aircraft.

The cover of this issue features a diorama with an Fw190A-8/R8 “Ramjager.”  Ten pages inside are devoted to this exceptional 1/48 diorama by Miura Kyouri.  The diorama depicts a battle-damaged Fw-190A-8/R8 with a third of its port wing missing from a collision with an Allied bomber (great damage modeling here!).  A group of officers looks over what appears to be a piece of wreckage from the B-17 “Berlin Sleeper” in one corner of the diorama with a Kubelwagen and Kettenkraftrad rounding out his presentation nicely.  In addition to the model photos, drawings showing the armament and armor placement on the Ramjager are also included.  Vintage photos of a late-war Ramjager complete the package.

Filling out the rest of the magazine are:

• A painting guide to 1/48 modern JASD aircraft weapons.  In color.
• Reference photos of a restored jagdpanther photo gallery with detail shots from underneath, front and rear.
• Tamiya’s latest 1/48 M10 Tank Destroyer kit in a diorama featuring not one, but two of these models, plus an M4 Sherman.
• A thorough review of the new Trumpeter 1/350 Admiral Kusnetsov Russian aircraft carrier.  Plenty of detail shots of a finished model plus shots of the sprues.  Mommy, I want one!
• A kit review of the Detomaso Pantera GTS mixed-media kit in 1/24 scale.
• A review of Fine Molds Bf109G-6 with detail photos, painting guide, sprue shots plus two pages showing off Fine Molds complete 1/72 Bf109 inventory to date.
• Sixteen pages of new armor, auto, aircraft and ship releases plus new decals, resin kits, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this issue of the Model Art Modeling Magazine.  In addition to the features mentioned earlier, the advertisements provided a tantalizing glimpse of models that I’m sure will soon be headed our way.  All things considered, this particular issue is an excellent value.  I spent over two hours enjoying it and recommend it highly.  Thanks to Model Art for providing the review copy.

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