Dragon DN1033

Military Illustrated Modeller (issue 112) January 2021 (AFV Edition) 4 NEWS Military modelling news 6 NEWS EXTRA Tamiya's almost all-new 1:35 Pz.IV Ausf. F 8 A MOST UNCIVIL WAR The painting and weathering processes on the AMMO 1:16 Pz.I Breda 16 BERLIN CALLING! Getting funk-y with Dragon's 1:35 Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen radio tank COVER STORY 26 COWS ARE NOT AFRAID OF FIREFLIES! A Sherman Firefly VC meets a versus cows in Italy 40 SHORT TRACKED SHOOTER Creating a 'short-tracked' Dragon 1:35 Jagdpanzer IV 48 T-80, A VICTIM OF AN OVERAMBITIOUS ENGINE CONCEPT The T-80 series is one the USSR's least distinguished tank designs 54 A GHOST ARMY T-80U IN THE UKRAINIAN ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION ZONE RPG Model's 2018 kit of the T-80U, full-build 60 ORDNANCE DEPOT New and recent accessory sets and modelling materials 62 BOOK REVIEWS Military modelling-related book reviews 66 SIGN OFF Nebelwerfer 41 schweres Wurfgerƒ¤t in Normandy

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World Class DIAMONDBACKS. A Pictorial History of Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102) by Angelo Romano US NAVY SQUADRON HISTORIES No. 306 ISBN-13: 978-1-7349727-3-3 Soft bound (NF306) Originally designated Fighter Squadron 102 (VF-102), the DIAMONDBACKS of Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102) were established on 1 Jul 1955 in Jacksonville, Florida. The first aircraft to carry the distinctive DIAMONDBACK markings was the McDonnell F2H Banshee, a twin-engine fighter-bomber with four 20mm internal cannons. The DIAMONDBACKS' inaugural deployment took place on-board the USS RANDOLPH (CV-15), in July 1956. After this deployment, the squadron transitioned to the Douglas F4D-1 Skyray. In 1960, the DIAMONDBACKS moved to NAS Oceana, Virginia, and transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II. This marked the beginning of a 20-year association with the Phantom. In Jun 1981, the DIAMONDBACKS bade farewell to the Phantom and transitioned to the Grumman F-14A Tomcat. The Tomcat's design provided the pilot and RIO with a formidable air-to-air radar and weapons system. The long-range AWG-9 radar and its multiple track, multiple launch capable AIM-54 Phoenix missile system, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewindermissiles, and the six-barrelled 20mm cannon, comprised the Tomcat's weapons suite. With the addition to the Tomcat of the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) in 1982, the DIAMONDBACKS added the tactical aerial photo reconnaissance mission to their traditional fighter role. In 1992, VF-102 and the Tomcat entered the critical air-to-ground mission area, thus solidifying the DIAMONDBACKS' role as a strike fighter squadron, and leading the way into the 21st century. In 1994, the DIAMONDBACKS transitioned to the re-engined F-14B and, with the installation of the Low Altitude Navigation Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod in 1998, they added the precision strike mission to their capabilities. In 2002, VF-102 was assigned to Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and transferred to NAS Lemoore, California to transition to the Navy's newest strike fighter, the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. In March 2002, the DIAMONDBACKS were redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102). After completion of the transition to the Super Hornet, VFA-102 moved across the Pacific to Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, to join Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW-5), the Navy's only forward deployed air wing and part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). Since then, the DIAMONDBACKS were assigned respectively to the following FDNF carriers: USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63), USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73), and USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76). Pages: 284 Size: 8.5 X 11 (inches) Format: Soft bound Illustrations: 741 color and 124 B&W photos, 52 color profiles, 82 patches Publisher: Ginter Books

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Re-printed! The McDonnell F-4A/F-4B/F-4N/F-4J/F-4S & RF-4B Phantom US Navy and Marine Corps Versions By Andy Evans 84 Pages Full Colour The iconic F-4 Phantom is one of the most recognisable aircraft ever produced. Initially built for the US Navy, its multi-role abilities as an interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance platform were quickly adopted by the Marine Corps and first entered service in 1961. So impressed with the Navy's new aircraft, the US Air Force also ordered the Phantom, and production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history, and cementing its position as an iconic combat aircraft of the Cold War. A total of forty-five F-4As were built, however, none saw combat, and most ended up as test or training aircraft. The USN and USMC received the first definitive Phantom, the F-4B which was equipped with the Westinghouse APQ-72 radar, a Texas Instruments AAA-4 Infrared search and track pod under the nose, an AN/AJB-3 bombing system in 1961 and VF-121 'Pacemakers' taking the first examples at NAS Miramar. The F-4J improved both air-to-air and ground-attack capabilities and deliveries began in 1966 and ended in 1972 with 522 built. It was equipped with the Westinghouse AN/AWG-10 Fire Control System (making the F-4J the first fighter in the world with operational look-down/shoot-down capability), a new integrated missile control system and the AN/AJB-7 bombing system for expanded ground attack capability. The F-4N (updated F-4B) with smokeless engines and F-4J aerodynamic improvements started in 1972 under a Navy-initiated refurbishment program called 'Project Bee Line'. The F-4S model resulted from the refurbishment of 265 F-4Js with J79-GE-17 smokeless engines, an AWG-10B radar with digitised circuitry for improved performance and reliability, a Honeywell AN/AVG-8 Visual Target Acquisition Set or VTAS (world's first operational Helmet Sighting System), avionics improvements, airframe reinforcement and leading-edge slats for enhanced manoeuvring. With the introduction of the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, by 1987 the last F-4Ss were being retired from deployable USN squadrons, and on 25 March 1986, an F-4S belonging to the VF-151 'Vigilantes' became the last active-duty US Navy Phantom to launch from an aircraft carrier, in this case the USS Midway. On 18 October 1986, an F-4S from the VF-202 'Superheats', made the last-ever Phantom carrier landing while operating aboard USS America, and in 1987 the last of the Naval Reserve-operated F-4S aircraft were replaced by F-14As. The last Phantoms in service with the Navy were QF-4N and QF- 4S target drones operated by the Naval Air Warfare Center at NAS Point Mugu. Likewise, in the early 1980s, US Marine Corps Phantom squadrons began to transition to the F/A-18 and in January 1992, the last Marine Corps F-4S Phantom was retired by the 'Cowboys' of VMFA-112 at NAS Dallas, after which the squadron re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets. This is the first of a five book collectable series that will build into a comprehensive library on the F-4 Phantom in US Navy and Marine Corps Service, US Air Force Service, European Operators, Middle Eastern Operators and Asian Operators. Each book has comprehensive historic information on each Phantom variant, its operators and combat roles, with colour profiles and full model builds included. This will be a must have series for the Phantom aficionado and modeller alike.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 by Nikolay Yakubovich The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 Fresco followed on from the successful MiG-15 design providing the Soviet air forces with a high-subsonic fighter aircraft that was able to hold its own against many of the NATO aircraft of its day. MiG-17s first saw combat in 1958 in the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and later proved to be an effective threat against more modern supersonic fighters of the United States in the Vietnam War. Produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants, the aircraft was license- built in China as the Shenyang J-5 and Poland as the PZL-Mielec Lim-6. This latest addition to the Warpaint series follows on from the acclaimed title on the MiG-15 and draws on original Soviet documentation to provide a very thorough technical and historical account of the aircraft's development and service. Once again author Nikolay Yakubovich has provided an authoritative text backed up by historical images and colour artwork and scale drawings to the same standard by artist Andrey Yurgenson.

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IIyushin II-28 Author Nikolay Jakubovich 68 pages PLUS 8 pages of A2 page plans 8 pages of Colour Profiles Never seen before Images Nikolay Yakubovich documents fully this milestone in Soviet aviation history. The Ilyushin Il-28 (NATO reporting name 'Beagle') was the Soviet Union's first jet bomber to enter large-scale production. Licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5, as well as in the Czech Republic, total production in the USSR alone was 6,316 aircraft. The aircraft drew on captured wartime technology, as well as benefitting from the sale to the USSR of Rolls-Royce Nene jet en-gines, reproduced for soviet use as the RD-45. The Il-28 was widely export-ed, serving in the air arms of some 20 nations ranging from the Warsaw Pact to various Middle-Eastern and African air forces. The aircraft also saw limited use in Vietnam and with the Afghan forces in Afghanistan, while Finland had four examples delivered between 1961 and 1966 for target-towing duties, which remained in service until the 1980s. This latest Warpaint includes all the usual expertise and research that has made the series the benchmark for aviation reference material. With full history, development, walkaround, and colour artwork and plans, author Nikolay Yakubovich documents fully this milestone in Soviet aviation history.

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