Fran

ICM 1:48 Luftwaffe Airfield Equipament Price Tag: €17,80 Catalogue number 48409 ICM is unstoppable. Now a new important 1:48 for Aircraft modeler to adventure themselves to the diorama world. As you can see in the boxart, inside the box, some 50kg bomb crane, 250kg bomb crane, jerry can, fuel barrel, barrel for lubricants, compressed air cylinder, toolbox and even an airbrush. A LWC 500-IX (finally one in plastic in 1:48) and fabulous field tripod crane. The parts are very detailed even the chain in plastic is well made for 1:48 but if there is anything that is worth upgraded is the chain and it’s an easy upgraded to make. If these wasn’t enough, ICM gives you even more, a road barrier, a watchman`s booth and a small stepladder. To complete this beautifull airfield set, a decal sheet for the crates, barrier and booth. All these plus a full ordnance set. All parts have no flash at all, and the surface detail is very very good as the actual ICM standards. The small parts like a tiny 1:48 airbush are just perfect and very well mold with no flash and very little cleaning or almost none. The connection points sprues in perfect places to make easy the cut from the sprues. BUT, This set has much more to offer than ordnance. We already review part of this set when we took a look on the Luftwaffe ordnance so everything is here too inclusive a large decal sheets for the bombs. Just check here. The instructions are very clear and easy to understand as usual. Th color charts is only with ICM paints. Conclusion Wow! What a set! A Perfect invitation at low cost to all aircraft modeler to make a diorama!! No excuses anymore! Kudos ICM! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Our sincere thanks to ICM for making this fantastic set. To get one just click here Francisco Guedes www.largescalemodeller.com

Building WWI Aircraft Dioramas in 1:32 Scale Jeroen Veen Publisher: KLP Publishing 106 pages Landscape format (A4 size with softcover) in all digital format 3 full features build Price tag: 15 $AUD (around 9€ and 9,5$) Click here KLP Publishing is an all-digital publisher that have in Kevin Futter is CEO. I think is a one man show and for quite a few year having published several digital books of modelling several subjects that are quite inspiring and gives the modeler reader quite a boos in the mojo. I know because I do have two previous digital books releases by KLP, the Felixstowe and the Fw-189 and they are both great. This time, I had the honour to be asked to make a review of the latest release: Building WWI dioramas by the great modeler (and also friend) Jeroen Veen. This book has 106 pages, is divided in 5 chapters - Introduction - About Jeroen Veen - The Smoke - Crashed - Survivors The book is full with very quality pictures and step by steps of the 3 dioramas named “The Smoke”, “Crashed” and “Survivors” as the chapters name. The first diorama is “The Smoke: Preparations for a Dawn Patrol” and it`s with the a RE.8 “Harry Tate”, probably my favourite British aircraft made by Wingnut Wings and it is always a pleasure to see one full build in such a quality. The author shows every single step of the building with very nice tips for all modellers. I mean it as some of those I already has forgetten and others I never heard about, so I need to try them out! I cant tell you which one as for that you need to get the e-book. The inside wood work and all the busy interior is marvelous. The build goes for more than 30 pages, before it enter to the base diorama itself for more than 10 pages of WIP. Despite of having several figures, there`s nothing about the painting of those. At page 57, starts the “Crashed” It’s a very small vignette, very intriguing but fantastic. Here, the figure has a bit of text to explain the modifications made specially on the hair but there`s not step by step of painting job. On this chapter, the step by step pics are much less and only a few on the engine. However the explaning text is quite rich and comprehensive and you can almost “see” the steps made by the Author. Now moving to my favorite diorama on this book is the “Survivors – Memories from another era” It stars at page 73 until the end of the e-book (pag 106) Here again several step by step on the Fokker DVII build, with a very comprehensive explaning text. It`s a joy to see the step-by step pictures alongside the text.! Really inspiring. For the Page 93 starts the diorama construction but there`s no step by step of it specially for the base itself (the Floor, the wall, figures etc) but you get the display cases scratchbuild, the propeller rack and he Wade Meyer`s painting Conclusion: It´s a great e-book for 9€ (or 9,50$) that gives you good tips and very inspirational stuff along 106 pages. For just 9€, you will have a grat reading and re-reading and watching over and over again all those pictures It´s a great book to all modeler that have some interest in WWI. And also it`s a mojo elevator looking for Jeroen Veen works. Highly Recommend Thanks to Jeroen Veen for the chance of making this review and go to KLP website to get yourself a digital copy – click here.

1:35 Leopard 2A6 with Crew Armed Forces of Ukraine ICM Catalogue # 35013 Available from Art Scale Model for 49€ Click here. ICM is a train at full speed even with a war at their literally, at their door step!! Brave ICM!! So here we are again checking the contents of the new limited edition Leopard 2A6 with Ukranian crew. So the Leopard A26 is the Revell mold, very well rebox in ICM boxing, a big box with 291 parts (246 for the assembly tank and 45 for figures). This release don’t have the green plastic originally release from Revell but the later one, in grey color and much more friendly to work with. Anyway, still Revell plastic and Revell injection and is a very good one. So it`s in fact a very good choice from ICM to rebox it with some figures. Checking the interior of the box, it`s comes in a plastic bag, different of the usually of other ICM boxes. Looks like that it come directly from Revell, and packed on the ICM box. Its my first time seeing the Leopard… it`s not really my cup of tea but I must confess that I`m very impressed. The parts that it impress me the most was the large circular cooling fans on the rear decking are particularly nicely done as separate parts, The parts are flash free (except the muzzle and towling cable in vinyl) and with very nice surface detail like the patches of anti-slip coating on the surfaces. The side suspension also being the side walls of the lower deck and the lower turret are on the sprue A. The side hull along with the lower hull looks like being quite easy to aligned. This is normal daily in AFV plastic kits as you have two bulkheads that sit in the central are of the chassis. The constructions looks like quite straightforward with the wheels and suspension being the step that probably will take more constructions time unless you decided to get some metal tracks. The turret is in one single piece. I think that if it comes in several parts, you could`t get it all aligned properly. The turret is a big one and a bit complex shape but easy to construction. The upper hull come in a single large and big piece with very very good surface details The back end also is given with great surface detail. For me the most impressive detail parts are the engine covers. The small parts are quite good with sharp detail and no flash that is always difficult to remove in such small parts. The side-skirts are model in a single part to make easier for the modeller A clear part is given with a simple acetate sheet. The wheels and suspension system are quite detail Speaking of wheels tracks, the vinyl tracks does have some good details. Personaly, this point is almost a non subject.I always get some AM tracks but it’s a personal choice (details and weathering) as with these vinyl tracks in the model you can get some good results. Two things here: the main barrel and the antennas. Well, the antennas will have to be yourself to build them. As for the barrel, comes in two halves. I don’t like to have a two parts barrel but with care and some work you can get a solid barrel. Or you can get an aftermarket one (I know I will). If with these two things every modeller could live with, I think that the towing cable in vinyl is the worst part in the entire kit. Flash and very hard to paint and weathering so a strong recommendation is to get some AM stuff like XXL Eureka cable. As for the figures set, just check our review - The decal sheet is quite comprehensive and I didn’t don’t know where ICM make their decals but they do have a good color saturation and good printing details, but it’s a quite small decal sheet. So with this decal sheet ICM gives the modeler 6(six) options (with the standard 3-color scheme): 1. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Summer 2023, Zaporizhzhia region 2. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Summer 2023, Robotyne 3. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Autumn 2023, Zaporizhzhia region 4. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, December 2023 5. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, winter 2024 (marking option 1) 6. Leopard 2A6 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, winter 2024 (marking option 2) The instructions booklet. These are in an ICM way, with the first pages in stain paper and the rest on normal paper with 55 steps, quite easy to follow. A small information about the model, and the color references, as always, only with ICM references. I already said in past reviews that it would be nice to have other references as Tamiya or AK. Conclusion This Leopard rebox with figures and Ukranian markings are most welcome to armour modern modellers. The plastic and tolling are not actually from ICM but from Revell. The quality is very good but there`s a little bit of flash in some parts (barrel muzzle) but nothing hard to remove. The figures are very good and an extra to make his box are all in vignette! Highly recommended My sincere thanks to ICM for making this! To purchase directly, click HERE. Fran

An entire new cockpit for the ICM CH-54 from Screaming Toad (price 68 £) And brand new 3D in 132 CAPRONI Ca3!!! and finally a new Re-box from ICM Marauder

@Lusitanian and @HubertB, well, looks like that we will have to have a LSM dinner sometime soon here in Portugal!!

ICM 1:35 Tank Crew Of The Armed Force of Ukraine (Catalogue number: 35756) Price Tag: 13,80€ ICM is a quite prolific model manufacture, releasing AFV, Airplane and figures, in 1:48 and 1:35. This set is n 1:35 and it´s perfect for a diorama in honor in the brave women and men that are in the front in combat again the invasion of their country. And they put the pride on the box, as they should. So you get four figures in the poses that you can see in the box, appropriate for any modern tank, specially the Leopard. But inside the box, you can get five figures (not 4) and an extra dog. All parts have no flash at all, and the surface detail is the best I ever seen from ICM I saw a vast improvement when I had the pleasure to review the 1:48 Sally figures. That quality is also present in this set, with very sutble details on the cloths and on the faces with less seam line from the mold. The figures have the torso in one piece without arms or legs as they are separated No assembly instructions are given… but if you look carefully we see the parts numbers on the figures. So there´s is assembly instructions. Well done ICM and thank you for an extra figure and a dog! Conclusion As usual, ICM delivery are very good product at very good price, despite working every day in their country in war and fight against the invader!! Brave ICM and stay strong! So you can really get a very good figure set, using all together or just one as the posture could be used in several other scenario, with an extra bonus is having an extra figura and a dog that are not expected when you see just the box. Great Work ICM! Keep Then coming! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Our sincere thanks to ICM for making this fantastic figure set. Get yours here. Francisco Guedes www.largescalemodeller.com

For me, one of the best liquid mask is the one from Deluxe Material https://deluxematerials.co.uk/products/masking-magic-opaque-40g

1:48 Art Scale Kit P-51 And Me-109 Insignias Several Sheets Art Scale Kit (also known as ASK) is a model hobby shop and now it known in the modelling world all around for their decals, tools and 3D productions. And ASK can`t stop of releasing decals sheets. Today, I´m going to review two decal sheet from ASK with six striking schemes for the rand new Eduard P-51B and a very useful one: Me-109 insignias! All sets came in a ziplog bag, small A5 size sheet with profiles colors instructions steps how to apply ASK decals. The Me-109 brings the wings and fuselage indication place and which cross to put and where. So let’s looks to the P-51 option schemes first. Here, unlikewise the B-26 sheets (that are an exception) only on picture of one of the schemes is given so theres`s real photo of one of the airplanes that are represented on the decal sheets. P-51 B/C - Part 2 – Europe, foreign services Catalogue number200-D48060 Price: 11,90€ To order, click here. This sheet has 3 schemes options of P-51 B in foreign, more concretely a German, a Sweden and a Swiss scheme. 1 - P-51B Mustang, Wanderzirkus Rosarius, Germany, Hannover-Wunstorf, summer 1944. 2 - P-51B Mustang, Wing-16, Swedish Air Force, April 1945, ex 354th FG USAAF. 3 - P-51B Mustang, s/n 42-106438, Swiss Air Force, July 1944, ex. WD-U flown by Lt. Curtiss Simpson. P-51 B/C Part 3 – Capture birds Catalogue number200-D48061 Price: 11,90€ To order, click here. Here, some striking Mustangs with some unusual markings, like German or Japanese. 1. Mustang P-51B-15-NA, s/n 43-24825, ex. 334th FG (QP-G), Wanderzirkus Rosarius, Neuruppin, Germany, October 1944. 2. Mustang P-51C-11-NT, s/n 44-10816, ex. 51th FG, 2.6th FS, 1st Lt.Oliver E. Strawbridge, China 1945, captured at 16 January 1945 by navigation mistake and emergency landing. Mj. Yasuhiko Kuroe. 3. Mustang P-51B, China Air Force 1945. And finally, a very usefull sheet Me-109 Part 1 – Insignias 1937-1943 Crosses and vertical stabilizers Catalogue number200-D48062 Price: 19,80€ To order, click here. Several swastikas (lets never forget… erasing the past, is the way to repeat it in the future) and several types of Balkenkreuz, all for Me-109 in 1:48 with the clear specification that is for the timeline from 1939 to 1943. So, for sure that this sheet will be a most to all aircraft modeler. ** Checking the decal sheets, as usual the color registration e density is great and a very good definition of the details. The decals have a thin film, in fact looking very thin and delicate. Once again, there is no indication where are they printed so I assume that will be in ASK house. The printing quality is quite good, as they are sharp, with outline very well defined. The instructions are the general ones that are applicable to all decals, it is always important to remember the general principles of decal application. In this case, there is no specific rule for applying these decals. The profiles draws contains lots of information, with side view (both side) and top view with precise decal indication. *** Conclusion: So, theses sheet is quite sparkle with very striking and attractive schemes. Thanks to ASK to keep releasing these decals in the modelling world. The location indication of the decals is quite good and very perceptible. The decals as already said, have a very good colour registration, very thin, with minimum decal film, and they work quite nice! My thanks to Art Scale for producing these fantastic decals. Francisco Guedes .

1:48 Art Scale Kit B-26 Marauder Several Sheets Art Scale Kit (also known as ASK) is a model hobby shop and now it knonwed in the modelling world all around for their decals, tools and 3D productions. Today, I´m going to review two decal sheet from ASK with four strikings schmes for the ICM 1:48 B-26 Marauder. All sets came in a ziplog bag, small A5 size sheet with profiles colors instructions steps how to apply ASK decals. So let’s looks to the option schemes that are offered. But first, one detail that I loved about in all ASK decals sheets. In the applying instructions, in all sheets, theres`a real photo of one of the airplanes that are represented on the decal sheets. I really love that "bonus" B-26 Marauder – Part 1 – Over Europe: Wine, Women and Song and Hard To Get Catalogue number200-D48058 Price: 11,90€ To order, click here. This sheet have 2 schemes options quite famous. My set has a typo error with the “Miss Arkansas” when that belongs to part II. So, the first on is the B-26B-50, s/n 42-95903, 495th BS, 344th BG, 9th AF, Stansted, United Kingdom, July 1944, best known by the sexy pin-up and the lettering “Hard to Get”. The history of this particularly B-26 is well-know but ASK give the modeler a small context and history even so. “The 344th Bombardment Group was established in September, 1942 at MacDill in Florida, and was equipped with the B-26 Marauder. After being relocated to the base at Stansted in United Kingdom as a component unit of the 9th Air Force, missions were conducted against military targets and the transportation network in German occupied France, the Netherlands and Belgium from February 1944. One of the aircraft of the component 597th Bombardment Squadron was this aircraft, once again, one that was decorated with noseart of a scantily clad woman, courtesy of Jack Havener. This Marauder, originally delivered in natural metal, was subsequently camouflaged in Olive Drab on the upper and side surfaces, and photographs indicated peeling of the paint. At this time, the codes were applied in grey.” The second is probably one of my favourite… The B-26B-45, s/n 42-95752, 442nd BS, 320th BG, 12th AF, Decimomannu, Sardinia, August 1944, Well known for the nose art “Wine, Women & Song” ASK gives the modeler also a small history context of this aircraft. “The 320th BG was formed on June 19th, 1942 at MacDill, in Florida, equipped with the B-26 Marauder. At the end of 1942, the entire 320th Bombardment Group was transferred to Algeria, ground personnel arriving by sea while flight personnel flew their aircraft in over the south Atlantic to Africa. After the occupation of the territory, operations were switched over to Sicily and Italy.The units gradually left their Algerian bases, and from November 1943, they flew just shy of a full year from the former Italian base at Decimomannu in Sardinia. This aircraft, named Wine, Women & Song', was adorned with noseart depicting a nude woman in a glass, and the unit marking consisting of Donald Duck holding a bomb in his hand. A standard USAAF camouflage scheme of Olive Drab on the upper surfaces with supplemental fields of medium green on the wings and tail surfaces was carried. The bottom surfaces were painted Neutral Grey. The yellow band forward of the rear gun position was the 320th BG, 42nd BW identifier. B-26 Marauder Part 2 – Miss Arkansas over Europe Catalogue number200-D48059 Price: 11,90€ To order, click here. The second sheet also have quite famous and attractive schemes. So the first one: B-26C-45, s/n 42-107752, 444th BS, 320th BG, 12th AF, Decimomannu, Sardinia, August 1944. “Miss Arkansas” It’s a fantastic delivery so you can get a very attractive B-26. Love it! Here ASK also give us a brief history “The beginnings of the 397th Bombardment Group hails back to April 20th, 1943, at MacDill in Florida, where the unit began to train on the B-26 Marauder. After relocating to Great Britain, the first combat mission was an attack on a V-1 base in the vicinity of Pas de Calais, exactly a year after the formation of the unit. Natural metal aircraft of the 397th BG carried markings that included a yellow diagonal band across the vertical tail surfaces. At the time of the invasion, the so-called D-Day stripes were added to the fuselage and wings. Unit members added a silhouette of the United States on the nose of this aircraft, along with a well endowed lady with the inscription THE MILK RUN SPECIAL. Bomb silhouettes symbolized the number of bombing missions. The second scheme, is the B-26B-55, s/n 42-96071, 584nd BS, 394th BG, 9th AF, Cambrai/Niergnies, May 1945. The “Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba” “Ish-Tak Ha Ba (Dakota language meaning ‚Sleepy Eye') was named by the aircraft's captain, Joseph E. Farrell, and he also had the head of an Indian Chief painted on the airplane's nose. Joseph Farrell hailed from the small town of Sleepy Eye, and he joined the USAAC after the beginning of the war. He underwent pilot training, after which he was assigned to the 584th BS, a unit equipped with the Marauder. After being relocated to Europe, Joseph Farrell flew a total of 67 combat missions before the end of the war. In September 1945, he joined Northwest Airlines, where he flew until he was sixty, and even after retirement, he never left flying. Checking the decal sheets, as usual the color registration e density is great and a very good definition of the details. The decals have a thin film, in fact looking very thin and delicate. Once again, there is no indication where are they printed so I assume that will be in ASK house. The printing quality is quite good, as they are sharp, with outline very well defined. The instructions are the general ones that are applicable to all decals, it is always important to remember the general principles of decal application. In this case, there is no specific rule for applying these decals. The profiles draws contains lots of information, with side view (both side) and top view with precise decal indication. *** Conclusion: So, theses sheet is quite sparkle with very striking and attractive schemes. I will need another B-26 to build at least two of these. Thanks to ASK to keep releasing these decals in the modelling world. The location indication of the decals is quite good and very perceptible. The decals as already said, have a very good colour registration, very thin, with minimum decal film, and they work quite nice! My thanks to Art Scale for producing these fantastic decals. Francisco Guedes .

Great great job!! WWI in 1:48 is really not easy...

1:35 MiniArt Tempo A400 Lieferwagen Bakery Van Catalogue n.º 38066 Price tag: 33,50€ Today, we are going to get deep in a very awkard vehicle, that I have a soft spot for it. For me it is almost a cartoon vehicle. Long before even to imagine a plastic model Tempo A400, there was only one made in resin. Now, a truly amazing panoplia of Tempo A400 is now available thanks to Miniart. The Tempo A400 was a three-wheeled delivery van developed in Germany in the 1930s. It was widely used for small businesses because of its compact design and ability to navigate narrow streets. “The Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werk GmbH based in Hamburg was founded in 1928, in order to manufacture delivery vans. Above all, the Tempo tricycles and the post war model Matador are known nowadays. Tempo vehicles were used in the Wehrmacht only very rarely. A use by the location administrations is conceivable. About 1,300 exemplars of the all-terrain vehicle Tempo G 1200 were made from 1936 to 1944. The Wehrmacht did not accept this type. So, only single exemplars of this type were used by the Wehrmacht. 985 exemplars were delivered to Sweden, 20 to Denmark, and further exemplars to Australia, Chile, Iraq and allegedly to Romania and China.” Resource: http://www.kfzderwehrmacht.de/Homepage_english/Motor_Vehicles/Germany/Tempo/tempo.html Check this page for some amazing Tempo pictures https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/Tempo-und-seine-Fahrzeuge,tempowerk104.html Now let´s see the model. The first thing that trike me is the size of it… even in 1:35 is a quite small but being a MiniArt kit that doesn’t represent less parts. Checking the spurs, the plastic is a traditional light grey one, non brittle, easy to work with. All the parts have no flash whatsoever and the details are very defined. The sprue A is actually two sprues ( Ac and Ab) and they are the main vehicle bodies with the hood exception that is in one piece, perfect mold, perfect surface details and with no distortion at all. A nice touch is the fact that rear doors can usually be posed open or closed to show off the interior. The B sprues, the 3 wheels and engine, transmission are present. Some parts may be quite small, so precision tools like a sharp hobby knife and tweezers will be necessary. As for the sprue Ba, all the parts for the cabin are present. The interior includes a detailed driver's cab, with seats, steering wheel, and dashboard all finely represented. I hate to repeat myself but the detail on this little model are just amazing. On sprue Cd, front arm suspension and other suspension parts. One the Cb, one cargo panel side. The only explanation that I found for having so many little sprues with very few parts is the innumerous variants made by Miniart and this is probably the best way to do it reducing the productions costs. That`s totally fine by me as long MiniArt keep on business giving to the modelling world their fantastic models. Moving of the clear parts. I always liked Miniart clear parts as they are in fact clear and no distortion. Now, the last but no the least, the best sprues. The bread tray, all six of then And the croissant, several kinds of bread, the cornbread…. Now the PE sheet which add a level of realism, especially for finer details like grilles, hinges. The decals are very well printed with fantastic colours and pigmentation. It´s a very striking decal sheets resulting in several fantastic liveries. With this decal sheet you have 5 markings options since Germany Late 1930`s, two Germany Late 40`s, two Germany early 1940`s and one Germany 1948-1956. The instructions are quite easy to understand adn to follow with some good color indication. Conclusion: The ultimate model kit of the iconic Tempo A400 with fine attention to detail, from the interior to the exterior. The PE parts add extra realism and fine details The options given are very striking and will made this model to stand out being perfect for dioramas as its compact size and historical context make it a great addition to vintage or war-time street scenes. However this is not beginner model kit as the very small parts, sub-assmblies and PE makes this model perfect for the intermediate modeler. The MiniArt Tempo A400 Lieferwagen Bakery Van (38066) is an exceptional kit for modelers who enjoy a challenge and appreciate the historical significance of early 20th-century vehicles. Do yourself a favour and get one here. Thanks to Miniart for producing such a little jewel.

1:35 Feldküche WWII German Field Kitchen with cooks ICM Catalogue n.º 35618 Price tag: 17,00€ Once again, ICM keeps releasing new stuff showing to the world their enormous work capacity for producing and launching new products onto the market at a very high rate despite being at war. Today, we will take a look in the 1:35 Feldküche In the box art, you can see 4 cooks peeling potatoes, preparing meat, chopping wood and preparing the stove. We'll see if this is really what is offered. But before that, the mobile kitchen is the same kit that we can get with the AHN truck, the AHN Gulaschkanone model kit, that we already review it (click here). Beside the kitchen itself, the G2 sprue (kitchen accessories) is the sama exact sprue. Even the decal sheet on this release is exactly the same. So, I invited you to check the Gulas review. Now moving to the cooks. And the answer to the initial question is yes. You get four cooks in the different poses, as in the box art. As usual there`s no assembly instructions are given for the figures… you don’t get a schematic drawings with the parts, but, as I said in previous reviews, if you look carefully we see the parts numbers on the figures. So there´s is assembly instructions. For the field kitchen the instrcutions are comprehensive and easy to follow. The figures have the torso in one piece without arms or legs as they are separated for the rest of the body. The molding is very nice, with no flash at all and very good subtle details in very difficult parts like the hands and faces. The soldier cutting up a potato or something similar does have a potato (or something) in one hand and a knife in the other hands! Brilliant detail for plastic mold. Theses ICM figures are getting better and better. You will also get all the accessories that they are using in the box art, as table, axes, wood, bucket. Conclusion: These figures set with mobile kitchen is a fantastic little set with tons of details giving the modeler, several option to work with, all together, only one figure, a mix of figures and simple can use any other model with it! It goes well with any 1:35 AFV model or some can also be use with some 1:35 Aircraft that are popping now. The details specially on face and hands are very good really, one of the best there is in plastic injection, if not the best ones. A great kit with very good detail OOB. Downside: the colors indication. My sincere thanks to ICM for making this model.

Sik Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe with Universal Military Pod ICM 1:35 Catalogue n. 53057 Price Tag: €159,80 And, here we are again with an another great release from ICM. Even in war, ICM still producing fantastic models!! They are proud (and really should be) Ukrainian Company and they proudly announce themselves. ICM is an example of resistance and resilient. The CH-54, the skycraner is well know from historicians and from modellers in general. Even thought, I just put here a brief history. “The CH-54 was produced in two versions; A and B. The Museum’s Tarhe is an A version, one of at least 54 built. Tarhe is a Wyandotte Indian word meaning “crane.” The Skycrane was first flown in 1962. It was initially designed as a military heavy-transport helicopter. Interchangeable rectangular box-shaped cargo pods allowed it to perform many diverse jobs. The Skycrane has been used as a troop transport, cargo transport, and missile transport. It has also been used to lay mines, anti-submarine duties, and field hospital operations. The pods were fitted with communications, ventilation, and lighting systems. Wheels were also installed to make moving them easier. A pod could hold up to 45 fully equipped combat troops. The Skycrane proved itself a reliable workhorse during the Vietnam War. It saved the military approximately 210 million dollars by retrieving more than 380 damaged aircraft. Tarhes were also used as rotary-wing bombers on several occasions, carrying and dropping 10,000 pound “daisy cutter” bombs, used to create landing zones by flattening just about everything within an area several hundred yards in diameter. We have little in the way of military records on our CH-54A. It is serial number 67-18424, which tells us the helicopter was procured with Fiscal Year 1967 funds. We also know it flew with the 137th Army Aviation Group, Kansas Army National Guard at Forbes Field during part of its military service. The Museum acquired the Tarhe on loan from the US Army as surplus federal property in 1991. It was ferried to Forbes by a US Army crew from Fort Indian Gap (Anneville), Pennsylvania in December of that year. When the Kansas Army National Guard, south of our Museum, used to fly the CH-54, they transported three of the aircraft in the Museum’s collection to Topeka, the F11F-1 Blue Angel Tiger, the F-84F Thunderstreak, and the F-86H Sabre. Although no longer in US military service, many Skycranes fly commercially in heavy lift service, forestry service, and as aerial firefighters, hauling large buckets of water or fire retardant to a fire. This helicopter is on loan from the US Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Warren, Michigan TECHNICAL NOTES: Manufacturer: Sikorsky Basic Role: Twin-turbine heavy flying crane helicopter Crew: Pilot and co-pilot side by side, aft-facing seat for third pilot (third pilot takes control during loading and unloading) Engines: Two Pratt and Whitney T73-P-1 (A) or T73-P-700 (B) turboshaft engines. Maximum speed at sea level: 126 m.p.h. (203km/hr) Cruising Speed: 105 m.p.h. (169km/hr) Max. Range: 230 miles (327km) Ceiling: 9,000 feet (2,743m). Diameter of main rotor: 72 feet (21.9m) Diameter of tail rotor: 16 feet ( 4.9m) Overall length: 88 feet, 6 inches (27m) Empty weight: 19,234 lb. ( 8,725kg) Max Takeoff weight: 42,000 lb. (19,051kg) Armament: None Serial number: US Army s/n 67-18424” In https://www.combatairmuseum.org/aircraft/sikorskyskycrane.html It`s the second time I have the opportunity to review the CH-54 now with the military pod. The first review you can check here. And the first release you can see here So, I will stay short and locate mostly in the new parts (the military pod) decals and instructions. So, the universal military pod is a kit itself with interior detail. The real Military Pod itself is quite convertible so the seats can be quickly removed to provide space for 24 litters. That versatility makes it possible to transform it and adapt it to serve as a field surgical unit, command post, food service center, communications post or a unit for chaplains. ICM offer you a military pod with seated areas, but with no seatbelts. In the instructions and check the parts, ICM only indicates the building of the seat area, making no observation of that being or not opcional. However, I think that the no inclusion of the seats is possible and you can make another end of the military pod. So, in fact, you can make your military pod with no seats and “transform it” in a field surgical unit… The interior detail is a quite good one, but the AM guys can make a some extra to put the detail way up even because you can leave the access doors open and you have windows to see inside. At least you need to get some seatbelts, hoping the some AM will release it. The outer surfaces have quite good detail. This pod is complete with the maneuvering wheels. The decals are from the CH-54 and also for the military pod. So if you want to make a military pod with different use, probably the decals will not be the ones to use. Checking the decals these are quite complete and with very good color registration. The decals are sharp and well-printed, with good color fidelity and thin carrier film, ensuring they will sit well on the model with proper application. I still didn’t found you make these decals for ICM! ICM gives us 3 decals options for this release: 1. Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe 68-18457 with Universal Military Pod, 295th Aviation Company, Germany, 1972 2. Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe 67-18429 with Universal Military Pod, Keyfield Air National Guard Base, August 1982 3. Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe 68-18459 with Universal Military Pod, 113th Aviation Regiment, Reno Stead Airport, November 1989 The instructions come in a A4 format, with good drawings but I would like to see a more colour information along the construction, even if it only with ICM colours Conclusion: The ICM Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe with Universal Military Pod is a highly detailed and accurate kit that will stand out in any collection. That`s for sure. Have no doubts about that. This release is even bigger of the both before it as the military pod is huge and a truly massive presence and gives you a lot more of kit in a big large box (by the way, is much better one large box that the two boxes of the previous releases). I love everything about this beast as it has great details, no flash whatsoever, fantastic clear parts.. I totally recommend it!!! To get one, just go here My thanks to ICM to make this beauty!!

I would love to take this conversion from your hands but the shipping is nowdays outrageous and the customs taxs are high as they can get... So I really hope you can find a good home for it!!

Fantastic work so far!!