S u m m a r y

FirstLook

Before pronouncing my opinion about this magazine, I should declare two facts. Firstly, I am a contributing Editor to another magazine. Secondly, I actually do subscribe to Aircraft Modeller International. I think these two facts cancel each other out, permitting an objective view of this colourful magazine.

Despite the growth of the Internet, the world will always need print magazines. Model magazines have been an entertaining companion to me on trains, planes and automobiles - not to mention the smallest room in the house!

Aircraft Modeller International is an amalgamation of the earlier Quarter Scale Modeller and 72 Scale Modeller magazines. It is produced in the United Kingdom every two months. The review sample is Issue 12, November/December 2000. 

The magazine features a high quality, heavy glossy cover. The printing quality is carried over into the remaining 48 pages, with full colour on every page and a great deal of thought put into the style of the magazine. My sample did have a problem on two pages. It seems that black and at least one other colour failed to print. The result was that all the text on pages 6 and 43 was missing!

Aircraft Modeller International Issue 12 opens with a short Editorial followed by seven pages of reviews. The reviews are brief but informative, and are usually accompanied by a small image. The remainder of the magazine is packed with a selection of modelling articles. These include 

• the Revell-Monogram F-15E with some nice reference pictures to illustrate details of the real aircraft

• a pictorial report on the Farnborough 2000 Air Show

• the Cessna Bird Dog in 1/72

• Hasegawa's 1/48 scale F-16 

• the AS 532 Cougar helicopter in 1/72 including reference photos 

• a four-page report on the Scottish Nationals

• a CAG Skyraider and 

• a few book reviews.

Photo reproduction is very good and images are plentiful, although a few suffer from a general indistinctiveness sometimes associated with digital reproduction. It is also somewhat surprising that there was not a single construction photo in this issue. However, the inclusion of reference photos for a number of modelling articles was really helpful.

Conclusion