I love Supermodels - especially chipped, sanded, filled and pre-shaded - Kagero SupermodeI International III reviewed..

Super Model International 2 has been a revelation as my favourite magazine of the year – we reviewed it a while ago – is this, the aircraft version a match for it’s armour specific companion? Let’s have a look…

Super Model International No. 3

Subjects/Contributors

Dewoitine D.520 - Tomasz Chacewicz

Hawker Hurricane Mk.I - Michał Rosiak

Spitfire Mk.Vb - Tomasz Wajnkaim

80 pages

Available from Kagero Directly for €12.56 + P&P

We reviewed the last edition of this series of Magazines-build logs a month or so ago - Super Model International No. 3 is the latest in the series of these – some of the most helpful and readable modelling publications released regularly.

Coming in at eighty pages there are only three subjects covered here in this mag – a Dewoitine D.520 from Tamiya in 48^th scale, a Hawker Hurricane Mk.I metal winged bird from PCM in 32^nd scale and a Spitfire Mk.Vb from HobbyBoss in 32^nd scale – so two larger scaled aircraft and one for the 48^th guys one would expect a lot of detail in the builds – more on the features later but quickly I will talk about the form of this mag.

The book/mag has a soft but thick matt cover and back on which the three protagonists of this publication are pictured – with titles - showing you exactly what is in the book. The book’s eighty pages are broken roughly into the three builds with only a double page of “adverts” of related titles in Kagero’s range between them. I mentioned in the last review edition 2 that this is great as it really does cut down on the jibber-jabber included in most of today’s articles. This book is FULL of builds rather than half-baked reviews that show the packets of the spiel of a book. Refreshing indeed.

Gloss coated pages of the book are thick and have a real quality feel about them – making the impression of a quality publication. The pages are covered with large scale very well shot pictures of the kits being built and in a finished condition. In focus – well lit – it really does make a difference and you see the detail.

While we are on it the writing – although it is not flowing like water is very readable and I find most central European people are direct and to the point. The build descriptions are to the point and there is no grandstanding or favouring a pal’s product here. Nice tips are shared and I will be adjusting my modelling approach in line with some of the results in these step-by steps.

The models – all three subjects are simply stunning, the execution and pictures at the end are again very well shot and clear – not to mention from good angles that leave much of what you want to see in focus.  There is a nice round up at the end of each of these builds so you can see what products the modeller used as well. I will take a short look through each of them now…

Tamiya 1:48 Dewoitine D.520 Tomasz Chacewicz – This lovely little kit is much improved by the author and builder Mr Chacewicz, he shows you the tools he made to rivet the aircraft before he then goes through and constructs and paints the little featured aircraft in his build.

And gee the build is excellent – using some nice chipping methods with masking fluid and hairspray and very lightly airbrushing on the camouflage Tomaz creates a very worn looking veteran of the battle of France. His painting is further improved by the chipped effect on some montex masks. This is my fave of the three even though I didn’t before care for this model – this build has changed my mind.

PCM 1:32 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I Michał Rosiak – The much varied in quality kit is taken from something that was not really liked I think by the modeller at fist – and made into something special. Michal first not only improves the kit and shows you how – he pre shades it in a very interesting way – I would like to try it in the future.

Even though this aircraft doesn’t look as weathered as the D.520 it is just as subtly finished off and the large brute force of this fighter is well represented. It is nice to see different products again being used and also a picture of the tools the modeller used to get him there as well at the end.

Hobby Boss 1:32 Spitfire Mk.Vb Tomasz Wajnkaim – this MUCH maligned kit is taken on here head first by Tomasz, and he does go in head first to a lot of alterations at the bare plastic phase. There are some really helpful pictures of the build in progress as well as a good little guide on spraying Mr surfacer from a rattle-can - keep it moving folks!!

The builder has picked an interesting scheme here – and he executes it as well as the previous models in this mag.  There is a long process of painting and weathering to show how he made the undersides especially weather-beaten – but not too much – the end result is again inspiring – especially on such a hard kit to get right. It is nice as well to see a little snapshot and page or so of the builder’s workstation. It is always good to see where the “magic” happens.

So there we have it – I am as enamoured by this book/magazine as I was with the last edition – this series is a must have for not only someone wanting to build these specific kits but any models. Next edition is for the armour guys..

Adam Norenberg

This is available from the Kagero site but will be soon available from their distributors Casemate Publishing and MMD Squadron as well as other retailers in various countries. Thanks to Kagero for this book to read