August 13, 2025

Preview: ICM's seven releases for August...

Five kits & two paint sets from ICM in August. We update you with the contents, CADS & artwork in our preview...


Preview: ICM's seven releases for August...

Dornier Do 217M-1
From ICM Models
Kit No: 48274
1/48th scale
Length/Wingspan: 366 mm/399 mm
Kit Parts: 204 pcs
Dornier Do 217M-1
The Dornier Do 217M-1 emerged as a direct response to a critical wartime shortage of BMW 801D radial engines, which had originally been designated for the Do 217K-1 bomber variant. By 1943, the German Reich was under relentless bombardment from Allied air forces, and the Luftwaffe urgently redirected BMW 801D engines to the production of day and night fighters—aircraft deemed essential for homeland defence.
Faced with this logistical challenge, Dornier engineers sought an alternative power plant to keep bomber production moving. They reconfigured the Do 217K-1 airframe to accommodate the Daimler-Benz DB 603A engine—a liquid-cooled, inverted V12 unit capable of delivering 1,750 horsepower. This adaptation gave birth to the Do 217M-1 variant. The DB 603A engines, paired with four-bladed propellers, significantly enhanced the aircraft’s performance. The Do 217M-1 achieved a top speed of 557 km/h, making it one of the faster bombers in the Luftwaffe’s arsenal at the time. However, this upgrade came with a trade-off: a modest reduction in operational range due to the engine's different fuel consumption profile.
Despite the change in propulsion, the M-1 retained the same bomb load and defensive armament as the K-1. It could carry up to 4,000 kg of bombs and was equipped with multiple machine guns for defence, including dorsal and ventral positions. The crew configuration remained unchanged, typically consisting of a pilot, observer/bomb aimer, radio operator/gunner, and ventral gunner.
Production of the Do 217M-1 ran concurrently with the K-1 variant, and both types served side by side in Luftwaffe bomber and reconnaissance squadrons. The Do 217 series as a whole was highly versatile, operating across multiple theatres, including the Eastern Front, Western Europe, and the Mediterranean. It was employed in strategic bombing, maritime strike missions, and even as a launch platform for early precision-guided munitions like the Fritz X glide bomb. The Do 217M-1 remained in frontline service until the final stages of World War II. However, by late 1944, the increasing dominance of Allied air power rendered many German bombers vulnerable, and losses mounted. Although the Do 217 had proven adaptable and powerful, it was gradually phased out as the Luftwaffe shifted focus to defensive fighter operations.


GAZ-A in German Service
From ICM Models
Kit No: 24043
1/24th scale
Length/Width: 163 mm/68 mm
Kit Parts: 195 pcs
Subject: GAZ-A in German Service: Origins and Wartime Use
In the late 1920s, the Soviet Union embarked on an ambitious plan to modernise its automotive industry. Recognising the need for reliable vehicles to support industrial and military growth, Soviet leadership sought foreign expertise and technology. In May 1929, a contract was signed between a Soviet government commission and the Ford Motor Company, granting the USSR licences to produce the Ford Model A passenger car and the Ford AA truck. By early 1930, assembly of Ford A vehicles had begun in Moscow using imported kits from the United States. This marked the beginning of Soviet mass automobile production. In 1932, a new factory was established in Nizhny Novgorod—later renamed Gorky—which became the home of the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ). The Ford-based vehicles were produced under licence and rebranded as the GAZ-A and GAZ-AA.
The GAZ-A was essentially a Soviet-built version of the Ford Model A Standard Phaeton, featuring a soft-top convertible design. Although this configuration was poorly suited to the harsh Russian climate and rugged terrain, the car was manufactured on a large scale between 1932 and 1936. Over 41,000 units were produced before the model was succeeded by the more advanced GAZ-M1.During its production run, the GAZ-A was used by various Soviet institutions, including the Red Army. Its simplicity, reliability, and ease of maintenance made it a practical choice for military and administrative use. However, its role expanded unexpectedly during World War II. As German forces advanced into Soviet territory, many GAZ-A vehicles were captured and repurposed by the Wehrmacht.
In German service, the GAZ-A was typically used for liaison, staff transport, and reconnaissance duties. Its Ford-derived design meant that German mechanics could service it with relative ease, and its availability made it a convenient addition to the Wehrmacht’s logistical fleet. Some vehicles were repainted and marked with German insignia, blending into the broader array of captured equipment used on the Eastern Front. Though not a combat vehicle, the GAZ-A’s presence in German service highlights the improvisational nature of wartime logistics. It served as a bridge between two industrial worlds—American engineering, Soviet manufacturing, and German adaptation—making it a unique artefact of 20th-century military history.


Montgomery's office with staff
From ICM Models
Kit No: 35604
1/35th scale
Length/Width: 202 mm / 91 mm
Kit Parts: 467 pcs
General Bernard Montgomery’s Leyland Retriever staff vehicle
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, one of the most distinguished British commanders of the Second World War, began his military career during the First World War and steadily rose through the ranks. At the outbreak of WWII, he commanded the 3rd Division of the British Expeditionary Force in France. His leadership came to prominence in 1942 when he assumed command of the British Eighth Army in North Africa. There, he orchestrated a decisive victory over German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, famously known as the “Desert Fox,” during the Second Battle of El Alamein. By late 1943, Montgomery had been appointed commander of the 21st Army Group and was leading Allied ground forces in the European theatre.

Decals supplied in the kit
Montgomery’s success was not only a product of his strategic acumen but also of the efficiency and coordination of his staff. Central to his mobile headquarters was a specially adapted Leyland Retriever truck, which served as his field office throughout the campaigns in Sicily, Italy, and North-west Europe. Originally built on a standard British 6x4 Leyland Retriever chassis, the vehicle featured a custom superstructure that transformed it into a two-room mobile command post. The front compartment contained a sanitary area, while the larger rear room was outfitted with wardrobes, a writing desk illuminated by table lamps, and a large sofa—creating a comfortable and functional workspace. Interestingly, the superstructure of this vehicle had a unique origin. It was initially constructed in Italy and mounted on a Lancia chassis, serving as the mobile office of Italian General Annibale Bergonzoli. After Bergonzoli’s capture in 1941, the British repurposed the structure and installed it on the Leyland Retriever chassis. It was first used by Lieutenant-General Neil Ritchie before becoming Montgomery’s personal office. Winston Churchill himself stayed in the caravan during a visit to Montgomery in the desert, underscoring its importance and utility.

The parts of the truck: 
Montgomery continued to use this mobile office until the end of the war in 1945. Alongside it, he employed two other specialized vehicles—one converted into a mobile bedroom and another designed for staff meetings and map planning. Collectively, these vehicles became known as “Monty’s Caravans.” Today, Montgomery’s Leyland Retriever office is preserved and displayed at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, serving as a tangible reminder of the logistical ingenuity behind Allied command operations.

The figures included in the box:


M8A1 US Landing Mat (100% new molds)
From ICM Models
Kit No: 72216
1/72nd scale
Dimensions: 188x205 mm
Kit Parts: 6
The Subject: M8A1 US landing mat:
During the Vietnam War, the nature of combat operations placed heavy reliance on military aviation, particularly helicopters and light aircraft. The challenging terrain and remote locations demanded rapid construction of airstrips and landing zones to support mobility and logistics. To meet this need, U.S. Army engineering units employed various forms of portable airfield surfacing, among which the M8A1 steel landing mat became one of the most widely used solutions. Developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the M8A1 landing mats were designed for quick deployment and durability. Each mat measured approximately 3,660 mm in length and 560 mm in width, and featured a rigid, corrugated surface. This design not only provided structural strength but also facilitated effective drainage of rainwater—an essential feature in Vietnam’s tropical climate. The mats could be laid in staggered formations or straight rows, allowing engineers to construct airfields of varying sizes depending on operational requirements.

These steel plates were extensively used throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, particularly by Army aviation units. They served as the foundation for temporary runways and helipads, accommodating a range of aircraft including combat helicopters, light attack planes, and observation aircraft. Their modular nature made them ideal for forward operating bases and remote outposts, where conventional construction was impractical or impossible. The M8A1 landing mats became a symbol of the improvisational engineering that characterized much of the Vietnam War. They frequently appear in period photographs, often forming the backbone of makeshift airfields carved out of jungle or rice paddies. Their legacy endures as a testament to the ingenuity and adaptability of military logistics under combat conditions.


Battle of Malta (2 in 1 set)
From ICM Models
Kit No: DS3201
1/32nd scale
Kit Parts: 301 pcs
The subject: The Gloster Gladiator & Fiat CR.42 Falco int he Battle of Malta
Due to its strategic location in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, the island of Malta became the scene of intense fighting. Malta gained particular importance during the Second World War, serving as a crucial base for the British Royal Navy. Winston Churchill would later state, “Never was so much owed to so few... Malta’s strategic value had never been greater than during the last war.” As early as June 1940, Italian aircraft began bombing the island. Fierce aerial combat took place over Malta, involving, among others, Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco (“Falcon”) fighters and British Sea Gladiator Mk.II biplanes. 

The Fiat CR.42 was the main fighter aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica during the early period of WWII. Produced at the Fiat plant in Turin from February 1939 to June 1944, a total of 1,782 aircraft were built. The Gloster Gladiator, in turn, was the last British biplane fighter. It was operated by the RAF, the Royal Navy (from both carriers and land bases), and the air forces of several other countries. The defenders of Malta used the Sea Gladiator Mk.II variant, which featured a three-bladed propeller, lifeboat housing, and an arrestor hook for carrier landings (the hook was removed on land-based aircraft).


WWII French armored vehicles paint set
From ICM Models
Kit No:3089


Acrylic paint set for WWII RAF Coastal Command aircraft
From ICM Models
Kit No: 3094

Due in next month, you can find out about ICM's other releases on the ICM plastic model kits website