For those of you who haven't been paying much attention to the magazine racks in the last few months, a new aviation modeling magazine has slowly appeared there. It is Aviation in Miniature. AIM is a quarterly publication and printed here in the US (well, Texas, so I guess that counts!) Unusual for a US magazine, it is in the larger European A4 format. The pages, all 64 of them, are nice and thick and glossy. Image reproduction is absolutely superb. The editor, Alan Del Paggio, has stated that all of the work is digitally done, which I guess also includes the photography. Digital reproductions have come to the point where they are considered to be superior in many ways to the older forms and are the way of the future for magazines. Even the largest, full page images showed no signs of pixillation whatsoever. It is obvious that the editor/publisher wanted to start out with the highest standards as possible and it shows.

These standards continue into the magazine itself. Those of you who visit Hyperscale with any regularity will spot a number of the authors. You know from the work you have seen there what to expect. That is carried on to the magazine. All of the articles are, I believe, unique to the magazine and are not rehashes of anything previously done in Hyperscale. Mr. Del Paggio wanted the best for his magazine and has gotten it. Many of the articles in the pages are written by professional modelers who, as a result of their trade, build to a very high standard.

So what is in this issue? Here is a brief rundown:

• Hasegawa 1/72 F6F-3 'Hellcat'

• Hasegawa 1/48 B7A2 'Grace'

• Tamiya 1/48 Do-335A

• Hasegawa 1/72 Spitfire IX

• Hasegawa 1/48 MC.202

• Accurate Miniatures 1/48 IL-2

• Aviation USK 1/72 Myrsky II

• Hasegawa 1/48 Bf-109F-2

• Hasegawa 1/32 Fi-156 'Storch'

• Tamiya 1/48 Ki-46-III 'Dinah'

• Tamiya 1/48 P-51B

• Academy 1/48 Mig-21PF

• Tamiya 1/35 Möbelwagen

In addition there is a section on new items as well as a report from the UK Nationals and an editorial. Now these are not just out of the box builds. These kits have, for the most part, had quite a bit of additional work done to them. Everything from removing panels and superdetailing to adding numerous aftermarket goodies to them. Each of the kits has a full build review that goes with it, telling what was done to create the model being built. 

There are a couple of standouts I feel I should mention. One is the diorama with which the author uses the  Hasegawa 'Storch'. There is more to it than just the aircraft as the article goes into detailing the men and the vehicles that are in the scene. The other is the Möbelwagen. While not an aircraft, it is something that one would have seen at an airfield, so that helps to qualify it.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention one other very welcome aspect of the magazine. A number of the articles include several photographs of warbird or museum aircraft to help the modeler with the detailing of the kit in question. This is a nice feature that will be appreciated. From a personal standpoint, I also appreciate that there isn't a lot of background clutter to the articles. Too many magazines add needless graphics to the background that often overwhelms the print and makes it difficult to read. 

AIM is not in every store. If you can't find it and want to subscribe, subscriptions are $56 a year in the US. If you like reading about some superb models, then this magazine is highly recommended!

Review copy courtesy of Aviation in Miniature. For more information, you can e-mail them using the link, or write to them at: Wurger Publications, PO Box 11606, Spring, TX 77391-1606. They do not yet have a web site.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that averages over 2,400 visits a day, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.