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The first issue of Tankette for 2026 has arrived and contains a variety of interesting articles.
Starting with a cover photo in colour of a Vietnam era M88 ARV model, it just gets better and better.
Page two is also in colour and has the ‘Member’s Models’ feature. This month it has a wide variety on show including scratch-builds, conversions and an OOTB in different scales.
Page three (No not that page three….) carries all the admin. information and Robin’s editorial.
If you need to contact MAFVA use the addresses given and reach out to the correct officer. The officers are all unpaid volunteers, and they would rather spend their time building a model than forwarding emails to the relevant officer.
The history of the Cromwell Tank is a convoluted and confusing story, which is constantly evolving as ‘new’ information is unearthed. Dick Harley is making it easy for us with his on-going series of articles, the latest episode here being The Cromwell File:Part Eight; The Final Specification. Four pages of text with supporting scale drawings and plenty of references to further reading.
A.J. Craske then presents us with information on the Bullock Tractors & Patents of 11915 with a drawing from that era.
We then have a kit review from Stephen ‘Cookie’ Sewell of the I Love Kit release of the M55 203mm SP Howitzer in 1/35th. As always, we get a potted history and listing of previous offerings, with a ‘Warts and All’ overview of the kit.
The ‘Tritton Chaser’ is the title of an interesting piece from Hans van Oerle, which features a potted history, 1/72nd scale drawing, and photos. This is the design that developed into the Whippet, and Hans points us to the Osprey book by David Fletcher.
David Fletcher then gives us a page on the Kerr, Stuart Engine of 1899 complete with a side view photo, another one of the many steps that led to the first ‘proper’ Tank.
The Birch Gun is the next subject with Peter Davenport building the Giesbers Model in 1/76th scale.
As always, he gives a few tips on the task.
The Case for Books follows with short reviews on six recent book releases.
Out in the Marketplace is Robin’s report of a variety of recent kit releases, some main line, others more obscure.
The last article comes from the doyen of small scale modelling Andy Lang, who builds the Panzerbefehlswagen III Ausf. D1 in 1/72nd scale. He takes the First to Fight kit and reworks it to improve the running gear, tool stowage, and gets a chap to turn a brass extending mast antenna (Which was then added to a sales platform), making the detail really pop out. Andy includes both bench photos and those of the completed masterpiece, very helpful for those who wish to emulate his work.
Another excellent issue filled with articles from the membership.
Paul Middleton
MAFVA 1528