The fall model show season is here. We talk through upcoming events like the Military Modelers Club of Louisville invitational in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, plus an early nudge to start planning for the Cincinnati show in October. If you’ve been itching to get your work on a table, see new builds up close, or just hang out with other builders, this is the stretch of the year where local contests and club shows really deliver.

We also lay out what’s coming next on Plastic Model Mojo: an interview with Dr. Michael Polan from Knoxville, Tennessee, fresh off winning Best Aircraft at the 2026 IPMS National Convention, along with more listener-driven shop talk and a model show spotlight. And because the hobby is better together, we check in on the Plastic Model Dojo’s rapid growth, share what kind of posts are lighting up the feed, and offer a simple guideline that keeps everyone’s work from getting buried.

If you enjoy scale modeling podcasts that mix community, events, and real bench-top problem solving, subscribe, share this with a modeling friend, and leave us a review so more builders can find the show.

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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.  

Takom has four new kits with a heavy red dirt of Vietnam theme in their latest sets. M113A1, the M577A1, stowage & soldiers in our new item preview...Read on... »

Originally founded in 1968, Squadron / Squadron Signal / MMD is back in business again after bankruptcy and are now based out of Ringgold, Georgia. Their web page was re-activated in January 2022 for plastic kits. A retail store was opened in 2025 at their Ringgold address and is open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday. They have invited The Chattanooga Scale Modelers Club to meet at their warehouse, which occurs on the third Monday of the month. If you can’t make it, be sure to check out their YouTube channel where Brandon and guests are live every Wednesday night. Brandon Lowe and his father, Russ Lowe, re-acquired the Squadron Tools Product Line and are now marketing them once again.

This figure kit is produced by Aerobonus and is designed to be used in conjunction with several Korean War aircraft subjects or as a stand-alone figure. It’s nicely cast in 1/32 scale from a medium gray resin. The casting is crisp and clean, and contains four parts which include the main body, a head and a right and left arm. Assembly was very easy and there was no flash present on any of the castings.

Representing a US Air Force mechanic on a winter flight line somewhere, the figure is dressed in typical grab found during this time period in a cold weather environment, A coat with hood and heavy gloves cover the upper torso. A baseball like cap covers the head. And the lower torso has Utility style trousers and boots.

The second part of Gary's insightful review of Eduard's P-51B in 32nd scale. See the resin & plastic parts and how they go together in a hands-on build sequence. Check it out in Pt. II of his review...Read on... »

Today we show you MiniArt's revision of their "US ammo loading tank crew", upgraded with extra weapons & equipment. See them put together in our preview...Read on... »

About the Author

The following is taken from the jacket cover.

Jean Paul Pallud was born in France in 1949 and studied physics at Grenoble University, graduating as a physicist engineer. Specialising in the history of the Second World War,he has worked alongside After the Battle for over 43 years, his first submission to the magazine appearing in 1979 and his last in 2022.

To really do Eduard's new-tool P-51B in 32nd scale kit justice, we had split the review into two parts. Today, Gary Wickham explores in great detail the markings, decals, etch, masks, the special booklet included in this Hybrid edition & the real aircraft before he assembles the kit.Read on... »

UMM-USA has provided four versions of their Wooden Epoxy Stands:

• JH-S04 Wooden Epoxy Stand Durafix 12 & 180 Minutes
• JH-S05 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 5 & 10 Minutes
• JH-S06 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 20 & 30 Minutes
• JH-S07 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 15 & 130 Minutes

The stands are packaged unassembled; they are made up of 7 wooden pre-cut parts that slot together. They can be glued with either CA or White Glue. The instructions are printed on the packaging and are very straightforward.

These are very useful when using Epoxy’s and help to keep them organized.

The front and top parts have engravings showing the information for each epoxy.

In conclusion these are handy for your work benches.

Thanks go to UMM-USA for providing this kit to review and IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it for them.

MMP was founded in 1996 by Roger Wallsgrove, to publish "Mushroom Model Magazine". This quarterly modelling magazine was developed from "Mushroom Monthly”, a club newsletter which ran from 1985 to 1995, achieving a world-wide reputation for quality articles, fearless and honest reviews, and a great sense of humor. From 1997 the magazine was produced in collaboration with Robert Peczkowski and Artur Juszczak (Stratus), which meant a big leap in print quality and design. MMP expanded into book publication in 1999 with Stratus, and since then they have built up a list of hard cover and soft cover titles on aircraft and aviation, naval, military vehicles, and military history. Stratus / MMPBooks are distributed in North America by Casemate Publications. Check out their Facebook page for additional information. This English language book, Hungarian Bomber Colours 1927-1945 Vol.

Hasegawa first released their 1/72 B-25J in 2003 and followed up thereafter with a

B-25H, both released in various boxing’s since. This welcomed kit is likely the most accurate in this scale and yet it benefits from aftermarket details. Quickboost manufacture a closed cooling flap and open cooling flap version of the cowlings. This review focuses on the open cooling flap version. Since Eduard chose to release some limited edition 1/72 B-25s with interesting decal options, precut masks and photo etch details, these replacement cowlings will fit their 1/72 Angel of Mercy, Guns Bunny and Strafer kits.

In the Box

Cowling parts in pairs, consisting of cowls, cooling flap rings, carb intake scoops and mounting lugs, all indexed to fit exactly with the kit engine nacelles.

The Westland Wessex was a British license-built version of the Sikorsky H-34 and in it’s HAS.3 anti-submarine version, was a capable hunter/killer and saw combat in the Falklands War, where one machine nicknamed ‘Humphrey’ seriously damaged the Argentine submarine Santa Fe, which subsequently had to be scuttled, and also rescued SAS troops from a glacier in bad weather after their helicopters had crashed.

Italeri’s Wessex HAS.3 kit was released in 2013 and is a very nice kit, though it has a few issues and is lacking finesse in some areas. One such area is the mesh cover for the gearbox compartment. This compartment sits atop the Wessex’s distinctive ‘humpback,’ just under the rotor and rotor head. Quickboost labels this as an ‘engine grille,’ though as the Wessex’s engines are housed in the nose, this seems a little unlikely!

The Westland Wessex HU.5 was a British commando/utility helicopter upgraded from the Sikorsky H-34. They were also used by the Royal Navy for SAR work and I was lucky enough to spend a week with our local SAR Flight at HMS Daedalus back in 1981 as part of a work experience programme. I was taken for a number of flights including one where I played the part of a ‘survivor’, being winched up and down from the cabin. Fun times!

Zoukei-Mura has graciously provided the IPMS Reviewer Corps with a first look at their brand new 1/32nd scale Kawasaki Ki-100-I Otsu Type 5 Fighter. Part 1 of this review looked at the box contents: Sprue-runners, decals, masks, and instructions.

Assembly Process

The instruction booklet is 75 pages of very well illustrated pictures and graphics of each step. One of the great things that impressed me about the instructions are the parts are properly named and this gives the functional operation use within the mechanical system of the airplane. Very informative and educational.

The instructions are broken down into 5 sections of the assembly process:

Modern soldiers today most likely wear body armor in combat to protect against bullets. That was not always the case as body armor designed to stop rounds really came about in the early 2000s. Prior to that flak jackets, designed to protect US airmen against shrapnel and explosives from German “flak” rounds, and evolved to protect US ground troops in Korea through the 1990s. Body armor hails back to antiquity and knights were the penultimate examples.

The origin of Pen & Sword Books is closely linked with its sister company, the Barnsley Chronicle; one of the UK's oldest provincial newspapers, established in 1858, and one of the few weeklies still in private ownership. The first books published by the company were in response to public demand following of a series of articles published in the newspaper: Dark Peak Aircraft Wrecks told the story of crash sites in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, and a further weekly feature on the history of two Kitchener battalions, known as the Barnsley Pals, aroused a thirst for more information. Following on from the success of those books, a number of local history paperbacks were produced along with a series of battlefield guidebooks. Battleground Europe proved immediately successful, and the company made the decision to launch a book publishing arm of the group.

This is a good book if you want to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict. Author Bill Norton does an incredible job of stripping away the hyperbole and myths surrounding the current events of this conflict. I thought I knew more than the average person about modern Israel history: this book has changed my thinking. This book will challenge a lot of conventional thinking, and you will quickly realize that there is no one good side, the situation is murky, muddy, and messy. Both sides have valid points and excess abuses.

The title alone is worth picking up the book and is even more impressive when it is laid out that Israel is in a conflict on seven fronts over a two (and now three) year span. The seven fronts include:

For some reason, model manufacturers have been omitting pilot figures from their kits. Many aftermarket producers have stepped in to fill the pilot seat void. Czech model manufacturer Aerobonus has a new tool release (2023) in its 1/32 Modern NATO Fighter Pilots, which the instructions state can be used for all 30 NATO member states). Like most pilot figures being released recently, this figure is standing but can easily be made to sit with some razor saw surgery.

This pilot is one of five in the AeroBonus 1:32 Modern NATO Pilots:

Welcome to Episode 130 of The Modelgeeks Podcast!  

In this episode, we’ll kick things off with what’s happening in our Model World, to include our guest host, Eli Van Helvoirt who will be joining us behind the mic for this recording. Eli recently attended the 2026 IPMS USA Nationals in Fort Wayne Indiana and took home the award for Best Junior! Eli will discuss his experiences at this, his third Nationals, what he likes to build, and what inspires him. The Juniors categories were well attended this year and the work on their tables could run head-to-head on the adult side of the room!
 
 Also joining us for an interview session is Mr. Austin Frields. Austin runs a YouTube channel, “Sprues With Spoons”, and has some ambitious ideas on bringing more of the hobby into all media. Check out his channel with a special report from Fort Wayne and the Nats.

 From the Modelgeeks Podcast web page we take a look at the Listener Gallery and the fine work that has caught our eye.

 

Mentioned in the Episode:
 
Sprues With Spoons
 
 

Share your work with us and the rest of the scale modeling community through our web page, or through our Facebook community page. We love seeing other people’s work. Who knows who you may inspire through your latest masterpiece!

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We also want to thank each of our sponsors for their support. We are very lucky to have their support. When you have the time, pay a visit to their web sites, and have a look at their fine products.

 

Sponsors:

Furball Aero-Design

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Detail & Scale

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Sprue Brothers Models

 

If you're a wicked ModelGeek go check out the following links!

IPMS USA Events Page

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The Interesting Modeling Company
 
 

 We are very fortunate to be able to join the scale modeling podcast community and are in the company of several other really GREAT podcasts. Hopefully, someday we’ll earn our wings and be able to keep up with those guys!  Please check them all out at Scale Model Podcasts.

 

 Blogs, Channels, Etc:

The Kit Box

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Model Airplane Maker

Sprues With Spoons
 
 
 

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One of the newer suppliers for the IPMS-USA Review Corps is DXM Decals, the DXM stands for Double Excellent Models. While as the name implies, the company specializes in decals, they also produce detail parts and paint masks for airbrushing aircraft. The company produces their products for 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 scale aircraft. The decals are printed by Cartograf, who is known for their quality work. Any modeler that has applied water-slide decals will have no issues with using this set.