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For everyone
who enjoys Scale Aviation Modeler International (SAMI) there’s
a new magazine out by the same folks. It’s called Model
Aircraft Monthly (MAM); it sells for about $7.99 at
Books-a-Million.
While SAMI
almost exclusively deals with kit buildups/conversions, reviews
of the new products available for the aircraft modeler, and only
one or two reference articles. MAM goes the other way with way
more reference articles with only a couple of short kit build
articles, along with short notes on what’s new.
MAM is printed
on the same quality paper that SAMI is, with many color pictures
and profiles of selected aircraft. My issue (Vol. 1/#2) was 66
pages long. The first 42 were the reference articles (seven
subjects). Pages 42-52 had the new book/ kits/ decal news, club
info (for UK & Europe), and a web guide for modelers. Pages
54-64 were two kit builds and 65-66 was upcoming events (UK)
& address list of model companies. There also aren’t the
hundreds of ads that you’ll find in a SAMI. Maybe this will
change in the future as the magazine grows??? I hope not.
Most of the
subject matter in MAM is geared towards the UK/European modeler,
much as it is in SAMI. The articles were well written and there
were subjects covered from WWI to modern jets, so you’ve got a
variety of interesting stuff to choose from. There are articles
that will be of interest to us here, who aren’t totally
enthralled with Argentinean Air Force Meteors or the Macchi
MB.326H in western Australia. You’ll just have to pick and
choose which issues you buy. Which is what I do with SAMI; if
there’s nothing in there that catches my fancy, then I don’t
buy.
What caught my
eye with this issue was the article on the Lavochkin LA-7 with
fold out scale plans (due to my rising interest in WWII Russian
aircraft, cause of that darned IL-2 Sturmovik computer game…).
The article gives a history on the aircraft, many detail
pictures and some very nice scale plans on a foldout page in
both 1/72 & 1/48. I think that this information will come in
handy in the future, when I get around to building one of the
three Hobbycraft kits I have of the LA-5/7.
In conclusion,
I recommend this magazine for the aviation modeler.
However,
I’d like to add the suggestion that you browse the issue
before you buy (same with SAMI) and ensure there’s something
there you want it for. If you’re not a big fan of UK/European
subject matter the $72.00 a year subscription cost could turn
out to be a big hit in your wallet for nothing.
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