in May… I have been picking up my copy at the Newsstand for years and aloung with Model Railroader…I have wondered about this for the last 20 years[?][:)][#ditto][:-^][banghead]
Easy answer. They come out about a month ahead of the cover date to increase the “shelf time” at POP locations.
They also send out the mailing at about the same time so mail subscribers don’t complain the hobby shops get them first.