Airfix Model World 06/2012

By 1941 the threat of German invasion had receded such that Britain thought once more about landing an army on the continent The Germans had also considered this possibility, though, and were busy fortifying the coast in what became known as the Atlantic Wall. Furthermore, because any army large enough to defeat German forces would need enormous quantities of supplies, the Germans turned all major ports into fortresses capable (it was thought) of resisting attack long enough for any invasion to fail through
lack of materiel support. The wisdom of this strategy was confirmed on August 19,1942, when the Allies tested their ability to capture a port with the ill-fated assault on Dieppe. None of the major objectives were achieved and the attacking forces withdrew after just six hours, leaving 3,600 of their number (nearly 60% of those that went ashore) killed, wounded or captured. This catastrophe emphasised the impracticality of assaulting a fortified port and so, when the Combined Chiefs of Staff met in Quebec during late August 1943, it was decided that the allies would take harbours with them.

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Airfix Model World 05/2012

TAMIYA WILL re-issue its old T-55 tank kit with four new sprues to allow the building of an Iraqi 'special'. It was during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 that Coalition forces came up against the T-55 'Enigma' variant. They used the moniker in place of any official Iraqi designation being known. This upgrade to the real vehicle was long overdue, as the T-55 series was developed in the immediate years after World War Two. 'Enigma' involved new gear such as heavier main armour, along with additional protective armour blocks on the glacis, turret and hull sides. Tamiya's new sprues include an entirely new upper hull and turret, as well as the extra armour. This new release, coded 35324, will allow some exciting build and diorama opportunities, as the vehicle was used in the Iraqi Army's only offensive action during the 1991 Gulf War, the Battle of Khafji.

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Aeroplane Icons - Swordfish

The Fairey Swordfish story is one of an aircraft initially frowned upon when it entered service in 1936, respected by the beginning of the Second World War and deemed legendary by the time peace was declared. The world must have looked on in awe at our powerful Royal Navy and its large carriers and with equal bemusement at the seemingly fragile biplanes, with their single torpedo and light armament upon their decks. However, the Swordfish was the only torpedo bomber we had in significant numbers at the beginning of the war and it would prove to be so much more. Designed with one role in mind, the Swordfish evolved into one of the most versatile of Naval aircraft. Its slow speed, which was criticised from the outset, proved to be one of its strengths, especially when it came to anti-submarine work, in which it claimed 21 U-boats sunk between April 1940 and December 1944. The later combination of RPs and ASV radar made the Swordfish particularly effective against U-boats and shipping, of which it claimed over 300,000 tons sunk.

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Aeroplane Icons - Lancaster

During August 1940, when Britain undoubtedly had its back to the wall, Lord Portal announced the Air Staff's intention to re-equip the RAF's strategic bombing force solely with four-engined aircraft. This might appear to be a very ambitious aim, but only days earlier the RAF's first four-engined "heavy", the Short Stirling, had been delivered to 7 Sqn. The Handley Page Halifax was not far behind, bringing the idea of a heavy bomber force closer to reality. That same month the first production Avro Type 679 Manchester arrived at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down for evaluation and, at this stage, the twin-engine aircraft was an unknown quantity. However, it promised to be as good, if not better in certain respects such as bomb load, top speed and altitude, than the Halifax and Stirling. Behind closed doors the Manchester was throwing up many questions, mainly centring on its Rolls-Royce Vulture engines.

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