The evolution of the compact, or portable, lathe has brought many a model engineer's life-long ambition to reality. No longer regarded as the scaled-down variant of the long-established permanent workshop machine, they are purpose-designed tools of remarkable ingenuity in their own right. Compact lathes (such as the Unimat III, Peatol, Shearline and Cowell range) are inexpensive, self-contained, adaptable to a broad range of machining techniques and ideally suited for beginners and those with working space restrictions. Stan Bray's comprehensive introduction to the subject covers the technology and the components, the machining operations and facilities which will enable the novice or experienced operator quickly to reach full proficiency and achieve the highest standards of lathe work.

Building Revell's most popular models, the 1/12 scale Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 car kit. This book covers building the kit several ways, from nearly stock, to doing an an engine swap, to even a themed project. You will know this car model inside and out, with tips, examples, and full color images. While the kit is a good one, offered by one of the Hobbies best known model companies, Revell, this book will take the assembly of this kit to an even better level. See what you can do with only a few modifications and painting ideas. Step by step instructions show you ways you can make your GT500 even better, but still enjoy the build with a minimum of fuss.

A great book on Building Model boats with some new ideas of how to use Styrofoam in the body of boats and ships. An easy way to build the model boat of your dreams with new ideas that will take a lot of guess work out of the drawing boat plans the old fashioned way so time to get started.

In this issue we have a very spooky '32 sedan by John Teresi, a large scale '32 roadster and Honda GP car by Ken Leslie, Nathan "Skip" Perrine shows us a cool gas station. Our ProMod chassis project continues, and we build a pair of flamed '56 Chevies, plus much, much more...

Building Scale Ferrari Models of Great Italian Sports Cars. Follow along as several Ferrari scale model cars are built and assembled. Learn tips and techniques to create your own plastic super cars from kits. Each Ferrari car is unique on it's own, with technology and engineering that would rival an F16. Building your own model of these great cars lets you peek inside and see just how sports cars were really made This book includes models such as: Hasegawa's 250TR, Revell's 599 GTO, Revell's Enzo, and Monogram's Miami Vice Testarossa. Each car is very different, and let's you see how these models can be great projects for you to build.

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich houses the largest collection of scale ship models in the world, many of which are official, contemporary artifacts made by the craftsmen of the navy or the shipbuilders themselves, and ranging from the mid seventeenth century to the present day. As such they represent a three-dimensional archive of unique importance and authority. Treated as historical evidence, they offer more detail than even the best plans, and demonstrate exactly what the ships looked like in a way that even the finest marine painter could not achieve. This book is one of a series that takes a selection of the best models to tell the story of specific ship types - in this case, the various classes of warship that fought in the First World War, from dreadnoughts to coastal motor boats. It reproduces a large number of model photos, all in full color, and including many close-up and detail views. These are captioned in depth, but many are also annotated to focus attention on interesting or unusual features. Although pictorial in emphasis, the book weaves the pictures into an authoritative text, producing an unusual and attractive form of technical history.

Model kits of houses and buildings can be fun and a creative way to bring a story to life in a small setting. You can use them with any form of modeling. From dioramas, to cars that need a garage, to aircraft that need a hanger or tower. Buildings of some kind are an essential part of the modeling experience and hobby. They turn a stand alone model into something that tells a story. This book is useful for scenic train modeling, architectural modeling, diorama models, or just stand alone projects. If you've never built a building before, this book is a perfect way to get started on creating your own favorite diner or famous house. Best of all, it's fun

Been working hard to get the new "pictorial" issue done. Not really a contest coverage issue, but a scrapbook of how-tos and feature cars that didn't fit in the pages of Model Car Builder magazine. Highlights include Steve Hinson in our "Builder's Gallery," A how-to on sectioning, detailing a Revell 1/16th scale dragster, and my table top coverage of this year's model car contest from the Grand National Roadster Show and Pleasanton Goodguys show. Plus several more cool feature cars.