I’ve built several jet fighter kits in this scale in the past year. They don’t seem to get much love and turn up in model club swap nights, usually for free. Granted, the size of these models can challenge the eyesight of us mature folks. However, I’ve found that if you’re careful with assembly, these 1/44 kits can build up into nice mini representations of the real thing.

Long-time supporter Ross and his team at SAC Supports IPMS/USA yet again with one of his gear sets to use and review!

This set provides a sound basis for replacing the more delicate parts of the Spindly (in real life and modeling world) Fairey Gannet AEW-3 landing gear. Designed for the newly-released SWORD kit, it definitely addresses the question on whether plastic or metal is better for this task. The metal gear, once carefully installed (it is NOT an easy Geometric construction) is definitely “go metal”.

Made up of eleven finely-cast metal parts, these bits are scale in size and flexible enough for initial installation, while work-hardening if required for additional stiffness. The truss angles and installation are a difficult design to address, and the idea the kit plastic would last was first in my mind. It’s a large aircraft, and unique in design and appearance.

MiniArt's latest in the Chevy truck range is the G7117 1.5T 4x4 Cargo Truck – but this one has the wrecker gear, a hoist on a rail out the rear & a trailer! We look at them in our preview...Read on... »

A new set of German soldiers & civilians, pictured in the ruins of a captured Berlin in May 1945, is Stalingrad Miniatures' latest figure release. We look at them & the photos that inspired them in our preview...Read on... »

To add to their US infantrymen tank riders, the Airborne now gets a ride, with this new set from MiniArt out next month. See more in our preview...Read on... »

Erik Mombeeck's latest Luftwaffe Gallery (LuGA) book is with us. Luftwaffe Gallery #7: "Against England" is an expanded special edition. We look at what's inside in our preview...Read on... »