Airplane Model Special (41) May 2023 Issue [Magazine]: Model Art Special Edition

●Special Feature: Tank Buster: The Rise and Fall of Dedicated Anti-Tank Aircraft

During World War II, tanks were the cornerstone of land combat and an absolute necessity as the primary weapon. A common weakness of tanks is their thin upper armor. Air attacks, or aircraft, were considered effective in combating this weakness, leading to the development of various specialized aircraft. Numerous modifications of existing tanks, equipped with large-caliber machine guns, were produced and are said to have been highly effective. During the Cold War, newly introduced helicopters, with their improved stability and maneuverability, took on the role of attack helicopters equipped with improved rockets and missiles, resulting in significant advances. However, during the Cold War, nuclear weapons were a prerequisite for strategy, and mainstay fighter and attack aircraft were designed and developed in accordance with these standards, while close air support and ground attack capabilities were neglected. However, lessons learned from warfare once again reinforced the need for dedicated anti-tank aircraft, resulting in the birth of the A-10 and Su-25. With the recent advancement of guided weapons and the widespread deployment of unmanned drones, could this be the end of dedicated anti-tank aircraft? In the next issue, Airplane Model Special No. 41, we will trace the lineage of "anti-tank aircraft" from World War II to the present day, including examples of representative aircraft.

Examples Henschel Hs129B-3: Zoukei-Mura 1/32 Junkers Ju87G-2 Stuka: Hasegawa 1/48 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IID: Hasegawa 1/48 Ilyushin IL-2 Shturmovik: Tamiya 1/48 AH-1G Cobra: Special Hobby 1/48 AH-64D Apache Longbow: Hasegawa 1/48 Kamov Ka-52 Alligator: Italeri 1/72 A-10C Thunderbolt II: Academy 1/48 Su-39 Frogfoot: Zvezda 1/72

Commentary ●The Rise and Fall of Anti-Tank Aircraft

Popular Series ●Modeling JASDF ~I Want to See, Photograph, and Build!~ ●TOMCAT SQUADRONS ●Watayu Doin ~What are you doing? ~

Released April 24, 2023

Note: The cover of "Airplane Model Special No. 41" has the heading "Painting and Marking Collection." However, due to various circumstances, this article is not included. The replacement article is "Modeling JASDF Special Edition: Detail Photos Archive 01: Japan Air Self-Defense Force Rescue and Search Aircraft Mitsubishi MU-2A." We sincerely apologize for the error and hereby make the correction. Thank you for your understanding.