Model Art Co, Ltd

Model Art Modeling Magazine #717 January 2007

Reviewed By  Andrew Birkbeck, IPMS# 27087

MSRP: 1050 yen (approximately $9) Publisher: Model Art Co., Ltd, 3-11 3chome, Iidabashi Chiyodaku, Tokyo, Japan (www.modelart.jp). According to the front cover of the issue under review, 2007 is Model Art Magazine's 40th anniversary. Judging by what is between the covers, all I can say is "I wish I could read Japanese"! This really is a FIRST RATE magazine, and Japanese modelers are privileged to have such a great publication. Issue 717 starts out with a two page article, "Zero Fighter Illustrated" Pt. 7, consisting of color and markings art work and a lovely black and white photo of a Japanese pilot in fur lined flying suit. Following this is a four page article about building the Tamiya 1/48th scale Heinkel He219A-7 Uhu. Excellent color photography accompanies this article. The next article, 13 pages, is for AFV modelers, and covers in very good detail the building of two recent DML/Dragon 1/35th scale Panthers, the "Smart Kit" Panther Ausf. G, and the "Premiere Edition" Panther Ausf. D. Lots of excellent close up photos showing the installation of the photo etched parts that come with both kits, along with additional details added by the modelers concerned. Then it is the turn of the 1/48th AFV modeler to get some excellent articles. A four page article on building the new Tamiya 1/48th scale Henschel turreted King Tiger concentrates on adding zimmeritt to the model using modeling putty and an aftermarket photo etched zimmeritt tool, along with other scratch built items to improve the parts that come in the kit. Immediately following this is a 3 page article covering the building of the Okuno (ex-Skybow) 1/48th scale Tiger 1, both the Late and Early versions. This article is an out of the box modeling feature. Next comes an in-depth 6 page article on AFV scenic base building. This looks to be a very good article, coming as it does with 50 color "step by step" photos as the author proceeds through the project. Excellent stuff. And following this, a project to convert the Tamiya 1/48th scale Volkswagen Type 82E into a Type 60 Cabriolet convertible! For the ship modeler, there is Part 341 (!!) in a series on building 1/700th water line models, this issue covering a four funneled Japanese destroyer/frigate of some sort. Sorry, but none of this is in English. And following this, a two page article, #142 in a series (!!) on the JASDF covering F-15's, with 13 color photos. Following the front section with the above-mentioned articles comes a series of in-depth "New Kit Reviews": 1/24th Mazda MX-5 (Fujimi), 1/48th Wellington Mk.IC (Trumpeter), 1/110th Jupiter "C" rocket (Revell) and 1/700th CLV-22 USS Independence (DML/Dragon). These are full build reviews each with a dozen or more color photos covering various aspects of the build. Rounding out the magazine is a 12 page photo spread of the October 2006 Japanese Hobby Fair, a four page article on building a JMSDF "Atago" Class DDG in 1/700th scale, volume 30 in a series on building 1/43rd Formula 1 racing cars, and page upon page of "new release" information on kits, books, and aftermarket products. At 156 pages, Model Art Magazine costs 1050 Japanese Yen (US$9.00 approx). For this price the modeler able to read Japanese gets a STEAL, as this is surely one of the finest modeling magazines published in the world today. If you don't read Japanese, then of course the magazine is of less use, but given the first rate (mostly color) photos that accompany each article, there is still a lot to glean from the pages. Just perusing the advertisements in the back of the magazine is a revelation! It really is staggering how much "stuff" is out there for the modeler to buy! My thanks to Model Art. Co. Ltd for providing IPMS USA with the review sample.

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