Shadoworks has released a Vietnam era Australian Mk V Centurion conversion with optional dozer blade kit, for either the Tamiya or HobbyCraft Centurion III.

ACE company has just begun production of a 1/72 scale post WW2 Soviet Tank Destroyer IT-1, the only mass produced missile tank.
Some historical photos and few photos from a Kubinka posted to our page:

Extra Detail keeps on expanding his range of fine looking diorama additions. Here you find the lastest releases from Extra Detail.

IPMS-Austria held their annual kit exhibition/contest between 13. and 14. September 2003 in the aircraft museum at Graz/Thalerhof.

The 8 inch 'RAIL Multi Head' is the NEXT GENERATION photo-etch bending tool from The Small Shop and The Small Shop EU (Europe).

British company SASmodels.com has just launched its first-ever kit for diorama builders - a half-destroyed farmhouse in 1:35 scale. It's called Sniper Villa and aimed at anyone building WW2 or Special Forces scenarios.

1/72 plastic kit of a LAV-C command post just released by ACE models.
Decals for 2 USMC versions and SFOR one.
More details about new kit and some reference photos can be found here:
[url]http://www.acemodel.com.ua/?p=model&id=172&s=&l=en[/url]

Osprey Publishing needs your help. They have published an online survey to solicite some response in order to improve the quality of their website.

Hidden and Dangerous, released by Illusion Softworks in 1999, will soon have a followup, Hidden & Dangerous 2. While not available world-wide this new game looks to have some amazing rendered graphics and unique gameplay.

On July 21st, Graphsim Entertainment announced the North American release of F/A-18 Operation Iraqi Freedom. A new Windows® PC flight simulation game, you are flying missions based on the recent war in Iraq.

Supercon 2003 is returning again this year thanks to the Fort Worth Scale Modelers in Fort Worth Texas. With the theme of "Machines That Changed the World", your sure to see some very interesting subjects presented.

Extra detail is proud to announce the addition of some new distributors of their products as well a a new series of maps. The maps are from originals and are so detailed that you can even see the street names (with good eyes).

The latest kit from Monroe Perdu is a unique vignette depicting the booksellers stalls along the Seine river in Paris. The book vendors have been in place along the quays for centuries, so this kit will be the perfect backdrop for figures of practically all eras and armies. It builds into a versatile setting for military and civilian figures as either occupier or tourist.

The Plasticmodeller's clubs KPM Brno and DDM Junior Brno held their annual exhibition on June, 7th 2003 in the Technical Museum Brno/CZ.

Verlinden has scheduled no less then eleven new releases for july 2003. Different figures from Napoleonic times to the Vietnam war and also a couple of detailsets.

Here is partial listing of product releases that Extra Detail is launching during June.

Alpha Miniatures is looking for established distributors for thier expanding line of 54mm fine figurines. The Auckland, New Zealand based company manufactures military figurines that are cast in pewter. At the moment they are concentrating on a group of 54mm scale figures in the period from 100BC to 200AD and would welcome distributor enquiries from the US, UK, Canada and Europe.

After 35 years of service for the United States and countless other countries, the remainder of the F-4 fleet owned by the US Navy will soon be mothballed.

Verlinden is going to release 10 new products for June. They include several new 1/35 scale figures as well as a detail set for the DUKW. Read on for the complete list.

Computer and video game publisher Gathering, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ - TTWO), and developer Illusion Softworks in association with development team Pterodon, announced that VIETCONG for the PC has shipped.

VIETCONG, an intense first-person shooter with tactical elements set in the Vietnam War, is now available in stores nationwide and will be available in Europe on April 11th. "VIETCONG transports players to the South East Asian battleground through stunning graphics, intense sound effects and complex missions," said Kelly Sumner, President of Gathering. "This action-packed title will have players riveted as they navigate the varied terrain and constant threat of the jungle war zone."

For more details see http://www.vietcong-game.com/us/index.html

ScaleMilitary.com announces three new diorama kits in 1/35 format. ScaleMilitary has been in business since 1998, and is best known for selling diorama component peices and modular "mix-n-match" diorama accessories for the 1:35 crowd. The company has recently announced three new complete kits, and several more are on the way.

A nice feature related to all Scalemilitary.com pieces is that they are cast in DENTAL STONE PLASTER... they paint and file just like normal plaster kits, but because they have three times the density of normal plaster, they offer more fine detail and greater strength, meaning fewer broken pieces arrive in the mail.

From 12th to 13th of April modellers, traders and friends of the most beautiful hobby in the world met near the Austro-Hungarian border.

One of Austrians best model clubs, the IGM Wr. Neustadt held its annual exhibition from 29th to 30th of March in a small aircraft museum, called "Aviaticum". So not only scale models, but also the real stuff could be examined.

Build-A-Rama, a product line dedicated to producing military diorama essentials for 1:18 scale modeling and diorama building, has recently released 5 new 1:18 scale products including: Manpack Radio sets (WWII and NAM), Fuel & Repair Set, Hedge Hogs and Barbed Wire Sets.

Quartermaster's Depot announces new uniform and equipment decals, posters and signs this month.

Verlinden Productions has released about 10 new products this month.

The following new items were announced by Verlinden Productions on February 28, 2003:

ACE Model Company from Kiev, Ukraine has just begun production of a 1/72 PT-76 (Amphibious Scout Tank), Kit #72142.

A new expansion pack is available for the PC game, Battlefield 1942. Called "Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome, this module lets you play key campaigns in the Italian campaigns of WWII. Players can choose to fight on six new maps, including Operation Husky (Sicily) and the battles for Anzio and Monte Cassino. Each map comes with highly detailed environments such as Italian houses, Mediterranean trees, and even the Monte Cassino monastery.
Controllable vehicles are the heart of the Battlefield 1942 experience and The Road To Rome features eight new vehicles in addition to the more than 30 available in the original title. These include the German Bf-110 and British Mosquito twin-engine fighter bombers. Also debuting are an Italian torpedo boat as well as British and German tanks and antitank guns.

Well, I tried to hold onto this for as long as I was able. But I am becoming pitifully slow at getting new content onto the site. Why? Well there are a number of factors, but suffice to say that with over 2000 members I am getting a lot more email and such asking for help and solving problems with the sites code/software. Having to worry less about adding content will also free me up for improving the functionality of the site and adding new areas, like the Campaigns module. So... I am finally to the point where I think I can let other users act as Editors to input feature articles and news stories.

The entries in our first Diorama campaign have been judged and the winner has been selected. I would like to congratulate Toni (Envar) on his win with the entry, Dragon's Watch. His entry is on display in the gallery, as well as all the others. I would also like to thank Keith Magee for organizing, leading and contributing a prize for this campaign. I am sure all the guys will say that a prize wasn't really why they chose to build an entry, but winning one is certainly icing on the cake.

A twin Engine Prop Contest will be held this week at Peters&partners Hobby Shop, Jakarta Indonesia. Indonesian Scale Model Association, ISMS, will make full coverage of the event. there are currently 17 modelers listed as participants. The contest focuses on aircraft with twin propellars both from WW2 til up the present day.

Every month CheapestHobbies.com is having a virtual model contest. January's contest is Armor, any type, any scale. The winners will recieve one of the following; 1/35 Tamiya Panther Ausf. A, 1/35 Willys MB Jeep, or a 1/35 Tamiya U.S. Infantry Weapons Set. You may enter two different models each contest, and one picture of each model.

The IPMS Lt. Alexander Pearson Modelers proudly annouce their annual invitational on May 31, 2003 at the Pearson Air Museum in Vancouver, Washington (USA). This years theme will celebrate the 100th year of flight.

Not to leave you Diorama Modelers out of the mix, I've gotten my hands on the latest releases from Verlinden for you as well. Among them are a castle remains and park wall materials.

Graham Lawler has just opened a company called EXTRA DETAIL. It will offer a complete range of printed model accessories in most scales. EXTRA DETAIL specializes in military modeling 1/87, 1/72, 1/35 and 120mm, and includes items from WWI to present day. They will also be introducing (very shortly) a section that specializes in 1:24 rally car accessories and also Model Railway signage, which will definitely be something to look out for in the coming months.

As one small part of the celebration of Armorama's first birthday, I wanted to offer a simple and fun contest where the winners will get some free Armorama.com wearables from our CafePress product store.

Orangeville ON - Finally, a Canadian-based news service for Scale Modellers! We intend to provide a reliable and prompt means for manufacturers, retailers, clubs and individual modellers to receive and distribute news, coming events and other data. Participation is as easy as sending us the information you wish to have published and, if you have a website, adding a link to: Scale Model News Service

A group of figure modelers will be holding a first of hopefully many chat sessions on November 24 (Sunday) at 10am EST (-5:00 hrs GMT). It will be held in the ChatterBox area of Armorama. Just look for a room designated for this special meeting. All those who build and paint figures, as well as anyone else who might be interested in this, are invited to join in.

If you haven't been visiting the TwoBobs website you probably don't know about the great sale they've got going on. In celebration of their 2-year anniversary, the 'Two Bobs' have decided to conduct a Customer Appreciation Sale.

The model club “Model friends Ried” is responsible for this biggest plastic modeling event in Austria. It is held bi-annually within two halls of the market and trading area of the town. Profiting from the central location within Europe and due to another event in the nearby halls, especially on Sunday a lot of visitors were attracted.

Smarten up those drab walls of your workspace, have charming attractive women drawn to you immediately by your oveerwhelming sense of good taste. These military prints are exectuted by the talented hand of artist William Tait, artist with 25 years of experience behind him.

Legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier Saturday for what he said was the last time, more than a half-century after he became the first person to accomplish the feat.

Orangeville Scale Modellers is looking to Expand Coverage. We are looking to add more sites to our Top Sites List. If you would like to have your site included, please feel free to join us. If you know someone else who has a site you think should be included, let them know about the above link.

Tiger Werke, a company started by Jef Verswyvel, has launched it's new web site at www.tigerwerke.com. A new line of resin and multi media kits is presented for Armor modelers. The site will feature articles and lots of color pictures for the enthousiasts.

Verlinden is releasing some great add-ons for tankers in November. Items include; an M5 Recon/Command interior & exterior for the Tamiya kit, stowage pieces for the M5, US tanker figures reading mail, and other 1/35 scale WWII items. Civil War fans will also enjoy the 8 inch Armstrong Rifle Confederate with a figure included.

Announcing Quartermaster's Depot! The newest scale model accessories store on the Internet. We have just opened for business and currently offer a line of American,
British, Canadian and German Second World War posters, D-Day Maps, Modern Maps,
WWII Newspapers, WWII German Magazines, and three styles of Camouflage nets, all
in 1/35 scale.

We invite you to join us October 5th 2002 on Open championship of Croatia in plastic modeling. Contest will be in "Elektrotehnicka i prometna skola" (Electrotehnical and traffic school), Istarska 1c, Osijek. You can bring your models from 8-10h, and results will be at 17h. Entry will be 40 kn for modeler. We will organize visit to Sport airport "Osijek-Cepin" where you will able to look and make photos of thier aircrafts.

Well there were a few delays (mostly me) but I have finally tallied the results for judged part of the contest as well as drawn the random results for the book prizes. For those interested I went with a very high tech approach on the random drawing. I typed out the entry titles (not user names) in Word, printed it out, cut them up into strips, and had my wife pull them out of a bowl! We thought about having our 2 year old daughter Emily do the honors but figured she would pull out more than one at a time. As it was she got one of the non-winning entry slips and colored on it with crayon.

The country that brought you Swiss cheese (big hint there!) chocolate, gold and banking at it's most secret, skiing in St. Moritz, the Swatch wrist watch, and the Red Cross now offers you modellism on an international scale. Euro Miniatures 2002 held in the Fribourg Canton, and the lovely Payerne valley was held in the Payerne community center over the weekend of August 30th to September the 1st.