TMN: Preview: two new subjects in August from I Love Kit

An awesome up-armoured M923 truck & a 200th scale guided-missile cruiser from I Love Kit are coming. Art, info, sprues & built-up test kits in our preview...

Preview: two new subjects in August from I Love Kit

M923 Armoured Cab

By I Love Kit

Model no. #63559

1/35th scale

Product Link on the website

Price: $64.47 USD from Hobbylink Japan

The M923 Armoured Cab represents a crucial evolution of the U.S. military's M939 series of five-tonne 6x6 tactical cargo trucks, which originally entered service in 1983 with soft canvas tops or basic unarmoured fibreglass hardtops. Designed primarily for all-weather, all-terrain logistics and troop transport, the base M923 featured drop-sides for easy forklift loading but lacked direct ballistics protection. Following the outbreak of asymmetric conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where supply convoys frequently faced ambush from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), small arms fire, and shrapnel, the need for enhanced crew survivability became urgent. This led to field-expedient and factory-designed up-armouring initiatives, often resulting in heavily reinforced cabin enclosures popularly dubbed "Franken Cabs"

Marking choices included in this kit

& the decals...

& masks included in this kit

The introduction of dedicated Crew Protection Kits (CPKs) and integrated factory-produced armoured cabs completely transformed the M923 from a vulnerable utility transport into a ruggedised combat logistics vehicle. These armoured variants featured heavy ballistic steel plating, reinforced double-walled frames, and thick bullet-resistant transparent armour windows to shield the driver and vehicle commander. While the added weight of the armour packages placed a significant burden on the vehicle's chassis, the truck’s robust powertrain—typically powered by a heavy-duty Cummins diesel engine paired with a five-speed Allison automatic transmission—ensured it retained its critical tactical mobility. By combining heavy ballistic protection with the M923's proven off-road capability, these modified cabs successfully mitigated battlefield casualties and secured the truck’s legacy as a vital frontline workhorse during modern counter-insurgency operations.

Model Length: 226.3 mm / Width: 100.3mm

Total 580+ Parts

Photo-etched Parts

A total of 9 sprues and cab

Features

- Detailed multi-directional slide-moulded cab.

- Full drivetrain assembly complete with engine, transmission, differential housing and suspension units.

- The main tires are hollow rubber with very good tread pattern

- Wheel hubs are in great detail

The parts of the kit:

The kit made up by in-house model makers from I Love Kit

USS Mobile Bay CG-53

By I Love Kit

Model no. #62012

1/200th scale

Product Link on the website

Price: $181.17 USD from Hobbylink Japan

Ordered from the Ingalls Shipbuilding Company in early 1982, the USS Mobile Bay launched in August 1985 and officially entered service in February 1987. After wrapping up initial sea trials, the guided-missile cruiser joined the US Atlantic Fleet, embarking on its maiden deployment in May 1989. The vessel relocated its homeport from Mayport, Florida, to Yokosuka, Japan, in June 1990. It was quickly thrust into combat operations that August for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During this conflict, the Mobile Bay achieved historical distinction as the first Aegis cruiser to sail around the globe. It also served as the first air defence commander to direct four separate aircraft carrier task forces simultaneously while firing 22 Tomahawk cruise missiles into the Persian Gulf.

Marking choice included in this kit

& the decals...

The warship continued its high-tempo operational history in the 21st century. It earned the Iraq Campaign Medal for its vital role in the US invasion of Iraq between June and December 2004. By 2006, the cruiser had transitioned to the Western Pacific. There, it managed air defence command for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, a performance that secured the prestigious 2006 Combat E Award. Though the Navy initially intended to modernise the ship's advanced Aegis system, congressional budget constraints and a strategic shift towards financing newer destroyers and autonomous vessels cancelled the upgrades. Consequently, the Mobile Bay was retired directly from service, concluding its 36-year operational legacy with an official decommissioning at the San Diego Naval Base on August 10, 2023.