A very bright and busy cover for this issue of MMI greets us with a hint of the contents.Full page adverts for products, followed by the contents page and the interesting thoughts in the editorial from David Grummitt. News at the Front brings us news from FoxHopp Models with their 3D printed small scale kits. We then look at Beedove Tools who have released an ultrasonic cutter and polisher. This appears to be very useful in cleaning up the parts in 3D printed kits. The next item is the M3 series halftracks from Andy’s Hobby Headquarters in 1/35th scale. Certainly a long way from those Tamiya kits of 50 years ago! MiniArt and Takom kits also come under inspection, along with Rye Field Model.Quartermaster’s Stores provides a quick look at a wide variety of kits with basic information, a website address and a thumbnail photo. Manufacturers covered in this issue include: Aleran Miniatures, Attack Hobby, Black Dog, BSK Model, Das Werk, DEF Model, Doogs Studios, FC Model trend, Gecko Models, IBG Models, Master Box, Meng Model, Paracel Miniatures, Rado Miniatures,Spalah, Takom, Tetra Model Works and Triglav Model.On The bench gives an illustrated build blog with the Tamiya RSO coming under the spotlight. A second part promises to show the painting and finishing of this new kit.A Track Story sees Murat Ozgul preparing and using 3D printed tracks. Murat actually designs and prints his own tracks which appear to be pretty good, then mounts them on a Dragon M4A2 kit.The next build is pretty unusual, a conversion of a Spanish M60A1 MBT into an engineering variant called the Alacran (Scorpion). Whilst it is an excellent piece of model-making, readers would be hard-pushed to emulate this are there are no scale drawings.Armour in Profile looks at the history of the M3 Medium in Allied service, a methodical history, well-illustrated with photos and colour profiles. The next build carries the very obvious title of ‘A Digger in Vietnam’. This follows the build of the AFV Club kit using a variety of after-market products including road wheels, etched brass and Mr. Surfacer. It produces a fine model set in a jungle diorama.Winter Blitz is another build article, modifying the Tamiya Opel Blitz kit with winterisation kit and towing the Dragon 2cm FlaK 38. Not so much on the build, but lots on the finish of the model.The next build is the Rye Fields Model kit of the Challenger 2 TES. This again, concentrating on the finish of the model rather than the build, and a very fine model results.Switching to braille scale, we then have a build of a Tiger I from Border Models. Built more or less out of the box, it receives a really good winter finish.At the Bench has well known modeller John F. Steinman waxing lyrical on the thinking behind modelling subjects. There are as many theories on how to approach a subject as there are modellers, and John eloquently puts a few ideas forward. Added to this are some images of his dioramas to tease us all. Four book reviews close the magazine. Another excellent issue.
Paul Middleton MAFVA 1528