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Book Review
Model Aviation World
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by: Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]

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.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.
SUMMARY
Highs: High quality articles on a variety of interesting model builds and other subjects, backed up by all the News and Reviews you'd expect.
Lows:
Verdict: On the evidence of Issue #1, Model Aviation World deserves to be a big success, building on the successful formula of Military In Scale for an aircraft-only title.
Percentage Rating
85%
  Scale: Other
  Suggested Retail: £3.95 / $9.99
  PUBLISHED: Nov 10, 2009
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 88.37%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 87.50%

Our Thanks to Traplet Publications!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Rowan Baylis (Merlin)
FROM: NO REGIONAL SELECTED, UNITED KINGDOM

I've been modelling for about 40 years, on and off. While I'm happy to build anything, my interests lie primarily in 1/48 scale aircraft. I mostly concentrate on WW2 subjects, although I'm also interested in WW1, Golden Age aviation and the early Jet Age - and have even been known to build the occas...

Copyright ©2021 text by Rowan Baylis [ MERLIN ]. Images also by copyright holder unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AeroScale. All rights reserved.



   
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