ICM News Nov 2025

1/48 HP.52 Hampden B.Mk.I
WWII British bomber

In October 1931, the British Air Ministry began preparing specifications for a new bomber to replace obsolete biplanes. Specification B.9/32 was created in August 1932, with several manufacturers competing. Handley Page’s HP.52 was selected, with its prototype completed in spring 1936. In June, it flew successfully, reaching 426 km/h and carrying over 1,800 kg of bombs. It was shown to King Edward VIII in July. On October 4, 1937, the Air Ministry approved the HP.52 Hampden B.Mk.I (named after 17th-century defender John Hampden).

Production began in spring 1938, with aircraft entering service by autumn. By July 1940, Handley Page produced 500 units. English Electric joined production in February 1940, building 770 more by March 1942. Canadian production followed. From the start of WWII, the HP.52 Hampden was actively used against Germany, conducting ground attacks, bombing raids, ship attacks, and mine-laying. It served with Bomber Command until autumn 1942, then transferred to Coastal Command from spring 1942, where many became torpedo bombers.

1/72 M3 Bradley
US Cavalry Fighting Vehicle

While developing a combat vehicle for mechanized infantry units under the MICV (Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle) program, the United States also developed an armored reconnaissance vehicle under the ARSV (Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle) program. In spring 1977, both programs merged into FVS (Fighting Vehicle Systems), creating the unified Bradley Fighting Vehicle platform. The concept included two variants: the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and the M3 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicle, crewed by three soldiers plus two scouts. The M3 Bradley retained the same primary armament as the IFV* but carried more ammunition—1,500 rounds for the automatic cannon, 4,300 rounds for the machine gun, and 10 TOW anti-tank missiles for heavy armored targets. Equipment included a portable ground surveillance radar, specialized radios, night vision devices, and space in the modified troop compartment for a motorcycle. The M3 Bradley later underwent upgrades to enhance protection and improve firepower.

1/35 ZіL-131 with DShKMd crew
Armed Forces of Ukraine

The all-wheel-drive ZIL-131 has a reliable design, excellent off-road capabilities, and high load capacity. Although produced in the 1980s, it remains actively used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a versatile platform for various tasks. In combat, some trucks are field-modified with heavy small arms or light artillery weapons. One common modification involves mounting a DShKM machine gun in the truck bed on pedestals or mounts, transforming these vehicles into mobile machine gun platforms for fire support or engaging aerial targets. The DShKM is a powerful weapon with broad applications. Its muzzle energy reaches 19.2 kJ, and its high rate of fire combined with reliability makes it one of the best in its class. It’s also effective against lightly armored vehicles—the B-32 armor-piercing incendiary round penetrates 20 mm armor at distances up to 500 meters. The machine gun uses various ammunition types: armor-piercing, incendiary, armor-piercing incendiary, tandem, explosive, and others.

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