Aces High Magazine (Issue 7) Silver Wings

[JeroenPeters]

ACES HIGH Magazine ‘Silver Wings’

(AK 2912 Issue 7)

 

Publisher: AK Interactive

Chief editor: Daniel Zamarbide

 

Available from AK Interactive for € 9,00

 

 

Silver Wings! That’s this edition’s topic. One of the most difficult finishes on a model. No real wiggle room for small mistakes since you can’t weather it away or obscure it like you can easier do with camo. The reason behind this topic is no doubt the new Metallic paint range by AK: Xtreme Metal. Not so long ago the only way to achieve a convincing paint finish was bare metal foil, Alclad or some obscure rub and buff agents. Today we are spoiled with easy to use, fast drying, strong adhesive and more forgiving options: like Xtreme Metal. No need to thin, just drop it in the airbrush and go.  

 

Previous Aces High titles I have reviewed are:

 

Aces High 4: The Mediterranean

Aces High 5: Vietnam

Aces High 6: Battle of Britain

 

The magazine is available from the AK Interactive website for € 9,00 euro’s. You may think that that is steep for a magazine, but only if you view this publication as such. I tend to keep these titles and grap one when covering a certain subject or trying a new technique. Every build is accompanied with step by step tutorials, that will pull you out of your comfort zone.

 

So what do we get with this issue?

A sturdy glossy cover, binding 82 quality glossy pages. A poster in the middle (as always). Restrained advertorial space, many tutorials and techniques, and well designed lay-outs.

Let me walk you through it:

 

 

Index:

 

 

• B26 Marauder “The Flying Barracuda”

(1/72 Hasegawa B-26 by Fernando del Pino)

You might remember Fernando from last editions He-111 in 72^nd scale. I called it the best 72^nd scale He111 I had ever seen, and I will call this the best 72^nd B26 I have ever seen. The fun thing is that I have seen this build somewhere on Facebook. Back then it made me wonder how the intricate riveting was achieved. And here it is. Explained in detail. The extra detailing, polishing, masking and Xtreme Metal finish is amazing. The finished model photo’s will make you guessing for it’s scale. The only reason I wouldn’t guess it’s in 32^nd scale, is because… it doesn’t exist! (Yet

 

 

 

• Mig-21 Magyar Silver Arrow

(1/32 Trumpeter Mig 21 by Bera Karoly)

This Hungarian builder goes to town on the venerable Trumpeter Mig 21 and finishes it in the colours of his home country. Daniel Zamarbide certainly has a good pick when it comes to superb modellers… It’s nice to see the old salt mask technique again and some quality pre-shading. Two techniques that seem to die out at the moment. The same goes for the sponge chipping technique. Bera is old school but really makes it look great. Pretty impressive and useful stuff.  

 

 

 

• P-51D “The Mighty Mustang”

(1/32 Tamiya P-51D by Michael Rosiak)

I’ve seen a lot of great builds from this kit. It’s almost impossible to mess it up. And this is another fine example of how it’s done…

 

 

 

The poster (again) is from the hand of Romain Hugault. One of those ‘comic’ book artists that will make you buy his comics, even if that’s not the sort of thing you’d normally buy! The topic is a Marilyn Monroe-type pin up, crawling out (or into) the pit of a cold war jet (F-80). These posters are perfect to adorn any self respecting man-cave! And don’t worry about tearing out use ful articles: the rear contains advertisements.

 

 

• F9F Panther “Blue tail fly”

(1/32 Fisher Resin  F9F Panther by Daniel Zamarbide)

Again: I’ve see this build on Daniel’s Facebook page. Daniel is an ‘all round’ modeller that is good at building, figure painting, detail painting and weathering. This really is an EPIC build with pretty cool step by step sequences (like painting the pilot figure and instrument panel).

 

 

 

 

 

 

• F-101 C Voodoo “One-Oh-Wonder”

(1/48 Kitty Hawk F-101C by Jordi Lario)

Jordi hasn’t been featured in the Aces High Magazine before, but kicks off his debut with a delicate build of this Voodoo. Very subtle weathering on the aluminium panels and great masking of the colourful tail. The one thing that scares the heck out of me. Pulling off that mask at the end in the fear of peeling of precious paint.

 

 

 

• Techniques in Detail

This section explains how to successfully paint fuel tanks in all scales. Interestingly this deals with using Black base or spray the Xtreme metal directly on the plastic.

 

Verdict

A very shiny edition of this quality mag! No ‘ground section’ subject this time (normally an armour or figure topic is included). Personally: when I buy an aircraft mag, I don’t want to see any armour topics, so no tears here! Another thing that is worth mentioning is that all builds are done with Xtreme Metal. This is logical, since Aces High is an AK Interactive publication, but in previous editions other brands were thrown into the mix. Something I applauded. Other than that, this is another seriously mindblowing edition. A must have when you plan on building something shiny!

 

Another very highly recommended!

 

A special thanks to AK Interactive for the review sample.

Available here.

 

Jeroen Peters

 

 

 

[Fran]

Looks like an issue to get PRONTO!!!

Thanks JP.

[wackyracer]

Yum Yum, always good these Aces High Mags