This autumn sees the launch of a new aircraft modelling magazine in the UK - Model Aviation World. The magazine is an off-shoot of Military In Scale, which I've enjoyed for many years and reflects the decision by Traplet to refocus the existing title on armour, figures and dioramas, and give aircraft subjects a magazine in their own right.

So, with issue #1 hot off the press, what's it like? Well, the 82 pages are printed in full colour throughout on good quality glossy stock, and the magazine is profusely illustrated. The editorial team should need little introduction, with Spencer Pollard and Alan Firbank ensuring the magazine is in safe hands straight from the start.

The content breaks down into 2 main sections - Regulars and Features.

The Regulars cover modelling News and Reviews of kits, tools, decals and accessories, plus a look beyond pure modelling to events such as shows and full-size aviation topics.

The Features section offers something for every aircraft modelling taste, with a good selection of subjects in different scales from top-class modellers around the world. Issue #1 includes:

The Flying Pencil - Vic Scheuerman converts the old 1:72 Airfix Do 17
A Winter Storch - again 1:72, as Diego Quijano cross-kits Academy and Heller Storchs
Showtime - a visit to a Belgian model show
From The Box, Almost - Franck Oudin builds Tamiya's 1:48 MiG 15
The Vault - Vic Scheuerman looks at Revell's vintage 1:56 F-94C
Brisfit - you could hardly launch a magazine this autumn with a Wingnuts Wings build!... and this really is stunner as Haris Ali tackles thr 1:32 Bristol Fighter
The Sky Pirate - Daniel Zamarbide details Airfix's 1:48 Buccaneer, complete with a selection of reference photos by Alan Firbank, and colour profiles by Mark Rolfe
Whether To Weather? - Alan Firbank discusses the perennial modelling topic in detail, with a well chosen selection of photos of full-sized aircraft to illustrate the topic.

I think Model Aviation World has the balance right, recognizing that print media in general struggle to keep pace with the ever-increasing speed with which News spreads on the Internet, choosing instead to focus on high quality, well written Features that have a lasting appeal. The News and Reviews are there, and nicely handled (to be honest, no modelling magazine would be complete without them) but, if Issue #1 is typical, the emphasis is firmly on builds and references, which seems a wise choice to me.

Model Aviation World is off to a very promising start, and it will be interesting to see how the magazine develops as time goes by. Certainly, with its varied selection of high quality modelling articles, MAW more than warrants its place on the magazine rack at newsagents and model shops. I wish Spencer, Alan and the rest of the crew art Traplet every success. Recommended.

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