A Magazine; Military in Scale, November 2010

The US Marine Shermans just keep on coming, like the Alvis Stalwart did before! This is an amazing build including a number of different kits and scratch built details. I had never heard about Iron Division (sorry!) who have made the upper hull for this conversion but googled it and found a number of Sherman products via Toadman's site.

What's in the Box; M4A2 Sherman, Academy, 1/35

As I have had a bit of luck regarding M4A2 articles in magazines and on the internet  I think it is due time to present the plastic as well. Sprue A, wheels and bogies, are actually duplicated in the box. I have no idea about measurements and such but it looks like a Sherman I think. Quality is good as Academy gets but not as sharp as a recent kit from Tamiya or other comparable kit maker. However, I think it will be a pretty fast build as the kit does not seem to be over engineered. For those of you who like your details being a bit more well defined there is a bit to do.

What's in the box? LVTP-7 Academy, 1/35

Academy used the Tamiya LVTP-7A1 as a base for this one. It is not a rotten copy but a sharply defined LVTP-7 model with a few details differing from the original model. Academy backdated the model and the difference are round openings for the front lights, only one support strut on each side for the top hatches and lowered commander cupola, as far as I can tell. This model should be a possible kit for making an Argentine vehicle from the Falkland conflict of 1982.

The decals are for two vehicles although it is a bit hard to sort out at first when looking at the instructions. The obvious one is the Republic of Korea in a multi coloured camouflage and a multitude of bright markings including a shark mouth of some sort, as per the box top. A bit hidden in the painting instruction is an alternative set of markings for a US Marine Corps machine, just a small vehicle number and a cartoon rat in black. This vehicle should be all over green according to the instructions. In Osprey's New Vanguard #30 on Amtracs there is a colour illustration showing a MERDC scheme going with exactly the same markings. What's so special with the markings are the cartoon on the side, "Rat Pack", a rather unusual treat for a machine not of WW2 or Vietnam vintage.

For a more technical review of this model, please check out this one.

A film: Flags of our Fathers

 

Flags of our Fathers, directed by Clint Eastwood


The story of three young men who fought on the beaches of Iwo Jima and one day found them selves not only to be alive but to be the most famous men of United States. Follow them and the other soldiers and officers as they prepare for and fight a bitter battle to capture one of the islands on the way to the Japanese mainland. This film is paired with Letters from Iwo Jima, also by Clint Eastwood. The two films show the opposite sides of the same particular battle. 


Recommended.

A book; Inchón 1950, The last great amphibious assault

Inchón 1950, Campaign 162, Gordon L Rottman, Osprey publishing

An often forgotten war is the one on the Korean peninsula raging between 1950 to 1953. The amphibious operations during this time are even more forgotten although they had a great impact on the outcome of the war. The Inch'on landing in 1950 was intended to break the situation and regain the initiative for the UN troops. By landing a major force behind enemy lines the tide turned and enabled the UN forces under General MacArthurs command to push the North Koreans away from Seoul. This is a rather thin book focusing mainly on the landing and the immediate actions before it. You who have previous experience of Ospreys Campaign books know what to expect. Read more on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Inchon

Recommended.