What's New in 2005

What's New in 2005

December, 2005

I've been busy at the bench so I only have short review of Legends & Lore's recently discontinued General Patton, while Martin Dogger presents a more substantial look at Tamiya's aged M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage.

November, 2005

Martin Dogger gives us a comprehensive list of Aftermarket Sets for the M10 Tank Destroyer.
Roy Chow has updated and expanded his helpful summary of Sherman Variants.
I continue to fill in some reviews with a trio of older Warriors figures: U.S. Tank/T.D. Crew No. 1, U.S. Tank/T.D. Crew No. 2, and U.S. Tank Crew Summer Dress.

October, 2005

Chris "toadman" Hughes provided me with a copy of the M5A1 Stuart Walkaround CD which takes its rightful place among the recommended entries in the Vehicle References section.
Martin Dogger takes a look back at DML's 1994 release of the M4A3 (76)W HVSS Sherman.
I also take a ride in the Wayback Machine to review some of Warrior's early figures which have withstood the test of time: American Tanker, U.S. Tanker (Summer Dress), U.S. Tank Crew (Winter Dress), U.S. Tanker "Coffee Break".

September, 2005

New product reviews: DML's Advance to the Rhine and two sets from Nemrod, Medic and Wounded 30th ID U.S. 1944 and Medic 30th ID U.S. 1944.
Old product reviews: WWII U.S. Infantry (2) from Hobby Fan.
Last but certainly not least, Le Liberatéur, a new Model Gallery entry from yours truly.

August, 2005

I've built and commented on a fine new set of U.S. Paratroopers (1944) from a newer company in Ukraine, Master Box, Ltd.
Martin Dogger reviews Academy's M10 Tank Destroyer.
I also appraise two older figures sets, WWII U.S. Infantry from Hobby Fan and "Get Out!" from Jaguar.

July, 2005

Added Hobby 37, a new company in Madrid, to the Kits and Reviews page and examined their Sherman Tank Crew.
As I inch slowly toward completion of my 155mm howitzer diorama, I also review Verlinden's new U.S. Gun Crew WWII and U.S. Ammo Handlers WWII, two great sets of figures for Italeri's 105mm gun or Priest, and Hobby Fan's pair of artillery sets for Italeri's 155mm or Academy's Long Tom and 8" gun, Long Tom Crew and Gun Hoist and Long Tom Crew and Propelling Charge.
A fine Toadman's LVT(4) Walkaround CD, courtesy of Chris "toadman" Hughes, is added to the Vehicle References page.
Last but not least, a site visitor provided me with some additional items to update the MV Lens page.

June, 2005

We kick off the summer modeling season with reviews of three new Resicast U.S. airborne figures.
I also take a look at Verlinden's Cornered GIs and Trapped US Infantry.
Chris "toadman" Hughes sent me three of his fine "walkaround" photo albums on CD-ROM, and this month I add Toadman's M4A3(76) HVSS and M4A2(76) HVSS Sherman Walkaround CD to the Vehicle References page.
Finally, I added a great new website to the Links of Interest page: Lone Sentry (www.lonesentry.com). Check it out.
Oh yeah, Nemrod is releasing two medic sets and MK35 has a US paratrooper and black GI coming our way.

May, 2005

Two recent Verlinden figure sets are examined: GI's Down and U.S. Army G.I. WWII Europe Figure Conversion Set; and a couple of oldies but goodies from DML, U.S. Rangers (Normandy 1944) and U.S. Infantry, 2nd Armored Division (Normandy 1944).
Also this month, Thierry Laurent shares his excellent tweaks list for the recently re-released M4A1 Sherman Early Version.

April, 2005

I've added some new books I highly recommend to the Vehicle References section:
Walk Around: U.S. Tank Destroyers by Jim Mesko, and six titles from Steve Zaloga:
- Modelling U.S. Army Tank Destroyers of World War II
- Modelling the M3/M5 Stuart Light Tank
- U.S. Tank Battles in North Africa and Italy 1943-45
- U.S. Tank Battles in France 1944-45
- U.S. Tank Battles in Germany 1944-45
- Battle of the Bulge
I pulled a couple of DML's older figure sets off the shelf for reviews: U.S. Marines (Iwo Jima) and U.S. Tank Crew (NW Europe, 1944)

March, 2005

Martin Dogger offers reviews of Academy's very nice U.S. Machine Gun Set and equally fine M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer. I take a look at a couple DML kits that have been in release for a while, U.S. 29th Infantry Division (Omaha Beach) and U.S. Army Support Weapons Team.

January/February, 2005

The past few weeks have been devoted to behind the scenes work, cleaning up files, moving to a new server, and freshening kit lists. The more significant updates have been the new 2005 releases on the DML page, and new metal figures from Valiant Miniatures. Otherwise, most of the new action seems to be on the 1/48 and 1/72 fronts.
We do have three reviews of Hobby Fan figures sets: two M10/M18 crews and their new US Airborne in D-Day pair.
I've also been working on my 155mm diorama, now that Tiger Model Designs has released a set of empty fiberboard charge tubes that Kurt Laughlin, Mike Canaday and I have collaborated on. TMD will be releasing decal markings for the tubes, designed by Mike, in the near future. In the meantime, I'm working on a significant pile of these tubes to dress the setting.
I'd like to thank the 75,589 visitors who came to this site last year. I'd also like to invite your suggestions for improving the site. I want to increase the number of reviews and construction articles for these US AFVs and figures, so if you'd like to submit something, send me an email at webmaster at usarmymodels dot com (of course, replace the at with @ and the dot with .). Please make sure you note "US Army Models" in the subject or your message will end up in the junk folder.