Andy Renshaw
Reviews By Author
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F-14A, A+, B of VF-103 Sluggers 1986-1995Published:
Nothing symbolizes US Naval Aviation during the latter half of the Cold War more than an F-14 Tomcat, at least among fighters. Birthed from the abortive US Navy’s involvement in the F-111B it was kept from its full potential during most of its service with finicky engines and being limited to the interceptor/fighter role. It wasn’t until the last decade of its carrier that it had a chance to show all it could do with the Air-Ground role restored and GE engines. The last of the Grumman “cat” lineage to leave the flight deck, it was the pinnacle of brute force, performance, and power projection all wrapped up in a sexy package that could do over Mach 2. Afterburner decals have been gracing Tomcat fans with a host of new decals. Covering an operational period of a particular… more |
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"Viper Zero" Detail SetPublished:
Among modern aircraft modelers, if they want colorful and interesting paint schemes the aircraft of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) have always delivered. One of the most attractive, and sleek looking aircraft is the Mitsubishi F-2. Having origins within the FSX program in the late 1980’s, it was birthed out of a cooperative effort with Lockheed Martin after selecting the F-16 as a basis for study into a new support fighter. It wasn’t until the mid 2000 that flight test were concluded and delivery started in September of the same year. With a 25% larger wing, longer fuselage, advanced avionics, and 11 hard points it is a F-16 on steroids and provides the JASDF with a 21stcentury fighter and trainer. Hasegawa’s F-2A and F-2B kits are fantastic and much like… more |
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"Viper Zero 21st Hikotai" DecalsPublished:
Among modern aircraft modelers, if they want colorful and interesting paint schemes the aircraft of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) have always delivered. One of the most attractive, and sleek looking aircraft is the Mitsubishi F-2. Having origins within the FSX program in the late 1980’s, it was birthed out of a cooperative effort with Lockheed Martin after selecting the F-16 as a basis for study into a new support fighter. It wasn’t until the mid 2000 that flight test were concluded and delivery started in September of the same year. With a 25% larger wing, longer fuselage, advanced avionics, and 11 hard points it is a F-16 on steroids and provides the JASDF with a 21stcentury fighter and trainer. Hasegawa’s F-2A and F-2B kits are fantastic and much like… more |
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F-16N Cockpit Set (for Tamiya..sort of)Published:
Any of us who suffer from AMS (Advanced Modeler Syndrome) are never satisfied with the “stock” kit, even one as fine as Tamiya’s F-16 series! Luckily there is a cure for those who love that insane level of detail but don’t have the time to do it ourselves, and Aires has long delivered the goods. This cockpit set continues to provide the quality we expect from Aires, however there are a few issues with getting it into the advertised kit it was “designed” for. First off, the set consists of nine resin parts, a clear sheet of printed acetate, and a single small photo-etched fret. All the parts are perfectly cast and free of any imperfections. Detail is outstanding and definably has an edge against the stock kit parts. Instructions are on a single piece of folded blue paper, printed… more |
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WWII DriversPublished:
A figure always adds a nice “human” touch to a finished model, and usually modelers’ choices are limited to combat troops for AFVs and infantry. If you wanted a driving figure for your truck or lorry, you had to cope with the usually sub-par “sit and stare ahead” type figure in the kit. Not any longer! MiniArt has released a set of great driver figures in a variety of poses, including a traditional sitting/driving figure. Most of these are already in poses of interaction, so are perfect for dioramas or stand alone additions to a finished model. Comprising of six full figures assembled from 48 parts, you get the following:
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France 1944Published:
When I first saw this as a “work in progress” on Master Box’s website it instantly went on the “must have” list. I believe it was the combination of the US Airborne assisting some distressed civilians that caught my eye. This wasn’t your normal “in action” or stand-and-point pose, but something unique that had instant diorama possibilities! Toss in the horse cart driven by a nun, and you have a winner with this set of figures. In the box there are three sprues giving a total of two horses, a cart, and eight figures. Eight? Yes, there are two bonus figures included that are not shown on the box art. That’s a total of 147 parts, which makes this probably the largest figure set I’ve ever seen! The cart and figure sprue are all new, however the sprue with the horses and bonus… more |
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Civilians, Western Region WWII EraPublished:
Masterbox has been a godsend for the plastic figure world by releasing subjects beyond the traditional standing or “in-action” military figures. This latest release of WWII civilians is a fantastic set and fills a much needed gap. Civilian subjects had previously been only available in resin, and then fairly limited. Within this set are parts for four civilian figures, Western Europe, ranging from young children to older men. A single sprue contains all 48 parts, which are nicely molded with no flash. You still get a little of the “low tech” molding with large sprue gates, but the parts themselves are crisp and full of detail. The faces are very well sculpted capturing the age of the figure very well. I would be hard-pressed want to replace them in resin, as they really are… more |
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Mk. 82 500 Lbs GP Bomb w/Conical Low Drag Fin UnitPublished:
1/32 scale has seen a bit of a renaissance of late with a very large selection of new kits hitting the market. Among them are many cold war to modern era US aircraft including F-4, A-4, F-8, F-16, and F-18 just to name a few. All of these aircraft, and many more, use the ubiquitous Mk 82 500 LB bomb. These bombs are commonly seen carried signally, on a Triple Ejector Rack (TER) or on the Multiple Ejector Rack (MER) and have been used in every conflict after Korea. Though there are a lot of these type of bombs available in some of the plastic kits, none are as detailed or as accurate as this resin item from Master Details. In the bag you get enough parts to complete two bombs with a full selection of fuses including the “daisy cutter” fuse extender. A total of 30 resin parts… more |
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Casper and his Bandit GhostsPublished:
For those who love modern US Navy and Marine Corps jets, and like camouflage and color, nothing satisfies more than the schemes of an adversary and training squadrons. VFA-125 also known as the "Rough Raiders" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" are a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F/A-18 Hornet. From the units own home page, their mission “is the indoctrination and training of Navy and Marine Corps personnel for carrier-borne strike fighter squadrons in all phases of F/A-18 employment and, on order, to be prepared to supply replacement aircraft and pilots to the fleet.” They are also the home to the west coast F/A-18C demo team. Twobobs released this set covering several VFA-125… more |
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Soviet Insignia and Medals 1940-1943Published:
Anybody who has seen period photos of World War II Soviet soldiers will note that many times their uniforms are decorated with medals and awards. Occasionally a figure manufacturer will provide these molded into the chest leaving the modeler to paint, but the majority of plastic figures do not. Eduard has been working through various subjects within its colored photo etch range, and now we get not just one, but two sets of Soviet World War II uniform insignia and metals in full color! This review covers the early war period, 1940-1943. This small set is chock full of enough decorations to award an entire regiment of 1/35 scale figures. Included are both uniform rank insignia for officers and enlisted, as well as various medals and badges. You also don’t need to be an expert to… more |