Tuesday, November 5

Preview: ICM's six November Releases...

ICM has new paint, a Flak gun, a bush kitchen, a Flak magnet, & a Luftwaffe scene in a box in their November releases. We have art, info & CADs for you in our preview today...
Preview: ICM's six November Releases...

'Flak-Bait' B-26B. 322nd Bombardment Group
Kit No #48321
Length 387 mm / Wingspan 454 mm
367 pcs
On April 26, 1943, the B-26B-25-MA bomber with serial number 41-31773 rolled off the assembly line at the Glenn L. Martin Company plant in Middle River. By the end of May that year, the aircraft and its crew arrived in England, where they were assigned to the 449th Bombardment Squadron of the 322nd Bombardment Group. During combat missions, American bombers faced significant threats from German anti-aircraft guns, collectively known as Flak. As they approached their bombing targets, crews often had to break through waves of anti-aircraft fire. According to American pilots, many of their planes seemed to attract large amounts of shells fired by the Flak guns. 
Based on this, Lieutenant Farrell, a crew member of bomber 41-31773, coined a nickname for their plane - 'Flak-Bait'. This name was a playful adaptation of the nickname of the Farrell family's dog, who supposedly attracted hordes of fleas and was called 'Flea Bait'. The plane oddly began to live up to its name, receiving hits from anti-aircraft shells in almost every mission. Every control surface was replaced at least once, and the hydraulic and electrical systems sustained damage. Twice, the plane returned with only one functioning engine. Despite these challenges, 'Flak-Bait' completed 206 combat missions – more than any other US aircraft during World War II.

‘Flak Bait’ B-26B, 322nd Bombardment Group parts in the box.


Acrylic paint set for "Flak Bait" 
Set no #3074
5 paints & 1 varnish are included.
Designed for use in the "Flak-Bait", Mustang & A-26 Invader kits. Grey, Green, White, Blacks and a varnish are included.


US Field Stove M1937 with cooks
Kit number #35619
1/35th scale
Five figures and the cooking stoves included.
Hot, delicious food on the front line plays a far more crucial role for soldiers than for civilians in peacetime. Regular meals during wartime not only maintain combat readiness but also have great moral significance. The standard US field kitchen in World War II could serve 150–180 people. These kitchens were part of a company's structure but often combined into larger battalion kitchens. They were typically located away from direct combat lines, deeper in the rear, which eased the supply of provisions. 

A still operational M1937
 Food preparation relied on M-1937 field stoves, which ran on liquid fuel. These versatile stoves allowed for frying, baking, or stewing various dishes—even pies. Cooks strived to provide soldiers with hot meals at least twice daily. While most of the food was hearty and calorie-rich, American soldiers occasionally enjoyed treats like roast turkey when possible

The five figures included in the kit
The figures with the kitchen stoves


2 cm Flak 38 with Crew
Kit number #35618
1/35th scale
Five figures and the gun included.
At the beginning of World War II, the German Army's anti-aircraft defence relied on specialized motorized companies, each equipped with  12  automatic  anti-aircraft  guns.  However,  as  the  Luftwaffe lost  air  superiority, the  need  to  protect  units  from  enemy  attack aircraft and fighter-bombers intensified. Many Wehrmacht combat formations began incorporating anti-aircraft units armed with heavy 88-mm guns, complemented by 20-mm automatic cannons—the 2 cm Flak 38. 
The 2 cm Flak 38 anti-aircraft gun entered service in the second half of 1940, deployed to both Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe ground units. Over time, these small-calibre anti-aircraft guns grew in number, becoming the primary means of close-range air defence. By May 1944, the Wehrmacht's ground forces boasted 6,355 single-barrelled and 925 quadruple-barrelled 20-mm guns. 

The four figures of gunners.
Parts of the gun & decals
While the full combat crew for the 2 cm Flak 38 consisted of five personnel, combat conditions often saw four or even three soldiers effectively operating the gun and fulfilling various tasks.

The kit built up


Airfield of the Luftwaffe bomber group
Kit number #DS4805
1/48th scale
Six figures, He-111H-3 kit, a dog, plus airfield equipment included in the one kit.
Parts totals: 324+352+45 pcs 
The Luftwaffe was created from the outset for active offensive actions. The core of their strike potential consisted of bomber squadrons, which were organized into bomber groups, and the groups, in turn, were part of bomber wings. A typical airfield where a Luftwaffe bomber group was based included runways, parking areas, refuelling and servicing points for bombers, accommodations for aircrew and ground personnel, ammunition depots, headquarters, and a flight control centre, as well as communication facilities. 

The He-111H-3 kit is included
 The airfield perimeter could be fenced and equipped with checkpoints and barriers, and for security purposes, the area surrounding the airfield might be mined. 

Six Luftwaffe figures & their dog are included.
Overall, the ground service in the Luftwaffe was well-organized, which in turn allowed for the effective deployment of bomber group aircraft throughout the entire period of World War II.

Barrels, the guard station and other equipment is included.


Acrylic paint set for WWI German aviation
Set no #3069
5 paints & 1 varnish are included.
Designed for use with WWI German kits. Red, Brown, Green, Blue, White, Black and a varnish are included.

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