Saturday, December 2

Preview: Italeri's December releases in art, sprues, colours...

Four kits from Italeri in time for Christmas to tempt you this month. Two complete modelling solutions, the second AMX  & a re-pop of the Dodge command car are the subjects. We look at the artwork, sprues, parts & decal / marking choices in our preview...

Preview: Italeri's December releases in art, sprues, colours...

Sd. Kfz. 182 King Tiger - Complete Set For Modelling - Starter kit
From Italeri
No #72005
1/72nd scale
Contains: One plastic model kit with decals 
- Glue for plastic 
- Main 3 acrylic paints ( 7ml ) 
- Brush 
- Precision tweezer 
- Double sided sandpaper - Sprue cutter
2 marking choices in the box
The heavy tank Sd.Kfz 182 Panzer VI Ausf. B "King Tiger" came into service with the German army since mid 1944.  Compared to its predecessor, the Tiger I, several differences and improvements have been adopted : a completely new chassis, a stronger armour characterized by the sloped frontal hull (bringing to a total weight of almost 70 tons) and the lethal 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun as main armament. 
The marking choices in this kit.
The decals supplied in this kit
Thanks to its Maybach V-12 engine the King Tiger was able to reach the maximum speed of 42 Km/h. For the mass production two different turret solutions has been used : the Porsche turret, at the beginning, and the Henschel turret for the most of the units produced. They were able to load 80 rounds for the main cannon. The first combat use of the King Tiger was by the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion during the Battle of Normandy on July 1944.

The parts of the set


Junker Ju-87B Stuka - Complete Set For Modelling - Starter kit
From Italeri
No #72010
1/72nd scale
2 marking choices in the box
Contains: One plastic model kit with decals 
- Glue for plastic 
- Main 3 acrylic paints ( 7ml ) 
- Brush 
- Precision tweezer 
- Double sided sandpaper 
- Sprue cutter
The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka was a two-seat dive-bomber/ground-attack aircraft. The Stuka first flew in 1935 and made its combat debut in 1936 as part of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War . The aircraft was easily recognizable by its inverted gull wings and fixed landing gears. The Stuka's design included several innovative features, including automatic pull-up dive brakes under both wings to ensure that the plane recovered from its attack dive even if the pilot blacked out from the acceleration.
The marking choices in this kit.
The decals supplied in this kit
It became soon the icon of the German “Blitzkrieg” during the first stages of the Second World War providing the air support to the Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions. It was used by Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain where it shown its weaknesses compared to the faster and well-armed modern fighters as Hurricane and Spitfire. 

The parts of the kit


AMX-T
From Italeri
No #1471
1/72nd scale
Model Dim. 17,5 cm
2 marking choices in the box
The AMX "Ghibli" single-engine ground attack aircraft was the result of a collaborative project between the Italian and Brazilian aviation industries. The project was initiated in the 1980s to replace the dated Italian Air Force’s Fiat G-91Y fighter-bomber. The Brazilian Air Force also needed to replace their Italian made MB-326s. The AMX had an aerodynamic lay-out characterized by a high swept wing, and with its Rolls-Royce Spey 807 engine could attain a maximum speed of 1,000 km / h. 

The marking choices in this kit.
The decals supplied in this kit
The Italian version was armed with a 20 mm M61 cannon and could carry an offensive payload of 3,800 kg. The two-seat AMX-T version was established and developed as an advanced training aircraft, but it could also be deployed on combat missions in a ground attack and close support role. Italy acquired 26 AXM-T’s for the Italian Air Force.

The parts of the kit


Dodge WC-56/57 Command Car
From Italeri
No #0228
1/35th scale
Model Dim. 12 cm
3 marking choices in the box
The Dodge WC range of military transport vehicles was mainly produced by American industry during the Second World War. The development of the WC 51-52 series aimed to create a light, four-wheel drive "utility vehicle", characterized by great reliability and flexibility in any environment and further enhanced by a good payload. The Dodge vehicle development project was extremely successful and together with the famous ¼ ton "Jeep" Willys, the Dodge WC ¾ ton "Beeps" was the most produced vehicle by American armament factories during the Second World War and which significantly contributed to the logistical needs of the United States Army on its various fronts. 

The marking choices in this kit.
The decals supplied in this kit
The Dodge vehicle with its good payload of almost 700 kg could be enhanced by the application of rear "trailers" and was produced in numerous versions and with different fittings including flatbed, open cab, troop, ammunition and armament transportation modes. The WC-56 version was specifically dedicated to communications and officer transportation tasks

The parts of the kit

These should be in shops at the beginning of next month. From more on Italeri's kits check out their website...