Reference, Editions du Barbotin, Minitracks Magazine No.8

EDITIONS DU BARBOTIN


Minitracks Magazine No.8. Soft covers, A4 size, 80 pages including covers. Contains: 12 separate articles and a two-page book review section. Bi-lingual (French and English) and now published bi-annually.


The latest edition of this magazine devoted strictly to small-scale modeling has just arrived in the USA. In typical fashion it consists of a total of 12 articles, mostly devoted to specific modeling projects. Two articles cover a model convention and an arms exhibition, respectively, while another pair covers the Char Schneider CA1 and colors of French AFVs in 1940. The specific articles are as follows:

Le Char Schneider CA1; 10 page historic article.
Au Moulin de la Laffaux; six page modeling article featuring the Retrokit CA1.
Road to White Sand(s); six page diorama article featuring a V2 missile.
LItalienne des Sables; six page modeling article featuring the Italeri Sahariana kit.
Future Composé; four page modeling article featuring a scratch-built Sci-Fi Anti-Gravity Tank.
Euro Satory; two page piece on the annual arms exposition.
Sur les Rails; three page modeling article featuring the Trident 1/87th-scale Panther Ausf.A.
Pont DAppui; three page modeling article featuring a scratch-built fortification.
Le Roi du Babylon; five page modeling article featuring the Ace T-72M1.
Trucks and Tracks; three page feature on the recent convention in the UK.
Les Étonnants Couleurs Renault; four page historic piece.
La guerre en Couleurs; modeling article featuring the RPM R35 and Retrokit 25mm SA37 APX anti-tank gun.

Judging from the various titles, the magazine covers a wide variety of topics ranging in scope from the Great War, into the near future, with much in between. I personally favor the inclusion of historic features in any magazine, especially when they compliment a modeling article, as is the case in several places in this issue. In fact, the series of articles on the Renault R35, particularly its colors is quite interesting. Together they depict war-time color and B&W images, color images of the models and color images of a preserved R35 from the Saumur museum. Not to be overlooked are the two tiny, yet remarkably well-animated figures included in the Sahariana article; one can almost hear their conversation!

The models are all competently-done and the articles consist of good quality text, photography and captions. Production values are very high, with glossy coated stock throughout, pleasing lay-out and fairly well-done translations into English. Two pages are devoted to reviews of currently-available books related to modeling, while the advertisements spread throughout give a sense of the vibrancy of the small scale modeling scene, particularly in Europe.

This issue, and the magazine in general, is aimed squarely at the niche market presented by Braille-Scale modelers. With that said, it also includes enough other material to make it interesting to modelers in any scale, be they interested in techniques or history.


Recommended.


Frank V. De Sisto


Minitracks Magazine is available visa subscription from Editions du Barbotin. Email: info@edbarbotin.com, web site: www.minitracks.fr.


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