ICM News Apr 2025

1/48 MH-60L Black Hawk

Black Hawk Down
Operation Gothic Serpent

In 1988, civil war erupted in Somalia, plunging the country into terror and chaos while combat operations triggered widespread famine. Early 1993 negotiations between warring parties failed to achieve peace. The American command then developed “Operation Gothic Serpent”, aimed at capturing General Mohammed Farah Aidid, a prominent anti-government leader. On October 3, 1993, forces attempted to capture two of Aidid’s clan leaders in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.

The operation involved a special forces unit supported by 16 helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, including MH-60L Black Hawks. While the initial capture succeeded, the unit faced intense resistance from rebels and local civilians, including women and children. Two MH-60L helicopters were shot down, resulting in casualties and requiring UN forces in Mogadishu to mount a rescue operation. The engagement would later be described as the most intense close combat American soldiers had experienced since Vietnam.

Ultimately, the operation failed to change Somalia’s trajectory, and by 1994, both UN and US forces withdrew from the country.

MH-60L Black Hawk 91-26324 (Super 61 ‘Thunderstruck’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993
MH-60L Black Hawk 89-26186 (Super 62 ‘Rude Dude’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993
MH-60L Black Hawk 90-26257 (Super 63 ‘Grim Reaper’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993
MH-60L Black Hawk 89-26188 (Super 64 ‘Venom’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993
MH-60L Black Hawk 91-26363 (Super 66 ‘Gun-Slinger’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993
MH-60L Black Hawk 90-26288 (Super 68 ‘Razors Edge’), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Somalia, autumn 1993

1/72 MiG-29 with JDAM-ER bombs
Ukrainian Air Forces

Soviet-made aircraft from Ukraine’s military aviation fleet have undergone special modifications to integrate Western weapons systems. Specifically, some Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters were modernized to use JDAM-ER precision-guided glide bombs. Special pylons mounted under the aircraft wings allow each plane to carry two bombs. The JDAM-ER bombs’ range — which can reach 70 kilometers under favorable conditions — depends on the carrier aircraft’s altitude and speed. These bombs strike important targets like bridges or military command posts that lie beyond the reach of standard air-based weapons and ground systems.

1/48 Conquerors of Europe’s Sky
At the beginning of World War II, U.S. aviation possessed aircraft of varying types and sophistication levels. While American fighters initially lacked significant advantages over enemy aircraft, designers soon created outstanding combat planes to overcome this deficit. In 1942, North American developed the P-51 Mustang, which became one of the world’s finest piston fighters. British combat aviation also entered the war with diverse fighter types, with the Spitfire emerging as their standout aircraft. The Spitfire not only became Britain’s most mass-produced fighter but remained in service in several countries until the 1960s. In U.S. front-line bomber aviation, the B-26 Marauder played a notable role, seeing widespread use in the European theater during 1944–1945. The exceptional combat experience and expertise of U.S. and British pilots, combined with their aircraft’s superior technical capabilities, enabled them to turn the tide of the air war in Western Europe and achieve air supremacy.

B-26C Marauder
P-51D Mustand
Spitfire XVI

1/35 Confession before the fight
For many servicemen forced to live between life and death, turning to higher powers becomes essential. When soldiers and officers need moral support, representatives of spiritual service—military chaplains—are always nearby. During World War II, military clergy served in the armies of many warring countries, including the British armed forces. The British Army Chaplains Department, established in 1796, was renamed the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department (RAChD) in February 1919. During World War II, British military chaplains performed their duties selflessly across all theaters of war. To conduct services in field conditions, the clergy used specially equipped mobile field chapels. One such chapel was based on an American-made G7117 truck. The closed cargo area contained a small field altar with necessary service equipment, and could accommodate a harmonium. These specially equipped trucks of various types served in all combat areas.

1/48 Marston Mat
WWII US Landing Mat
During World War II, U.S. military engineering units used special plates called Marston Mat (or PSP—Pierced Steel Planking) to rapidly construct temporary field airfields. These steel plates withstood heavy loads and enabled the installation of stable, durable airfield surfaces for various aircraft on soft or unstable ground. Their perforated design allowed water to drain easily from the surface without compromising the covering’s quality. The Marston Mat, named after its first testing location near Marston, North Carolina, in November 1941, became widely used in combat operations across the Pacific theater, North Africa, and Europe. U.S. Army and Navy engineering units could construct airfields of various sizes in just days using these plates. After the war, the plates found new life in peaceful applications, particularly in building temporary roads and platforms.

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