Reviews

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$4.00

Here’s another of those handy little add-ons to save a model from the “shelf of not quite right models”. In this case, it’s a replacement for that pitot tube which got broken off (or was never there) on a current project or a long-finished model.

In this case, I asked for the Master Model pitot for my Revell Lightning F.6, which I finished a few years ago. When I looked on the shelf, I found it didn’t have a pitot tube.

Master’s instruction says to take the pitot assembly and remove the plastic pitot tube from the mount. Well, the mount was gone too, since it’s all one part on the Revell kit. So I scratch built a new mount. This is not a huge project. It’s very, very tiny, in fact. I started out by stretching a piece of sprue. As the stretch cooled, I bent one end to get a sort of L shape, only not a sharp angle. Almost a j.

Book Author(s)
Mikael Forslund; Colour Drawings: Thierry Vallet; Scale Plans: Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$23.20

Mikael Forslund was born on June 7, 1960 and currently lives in Falun, Sweden. He has worked as a press photographer since 1978 both as a freelancer and as a staff photographer and currently uses Nikon cameras. He has authored over twenty-one books with his latest book on Saab 29 ‘Flygande Tunnan’ that achieved its first flight on September 1, 1948.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$49.95

This review covers the re-release of the Kenworth K-100 by Revel in 1:25 scale. There are 284 parts molded in White, Chrome, and Clear, with Vinyl tires, and waterslide decals. Fit and finish on this kit is very good for its age. Incidentally, this is the truck style used for Optimus Prime in the original cartoon version of Transformers. The good news: this is a well designed kit. The bad news: I don’t see a current release date so they may be hard to find.

Construction and Detailing

This 2017 re-release #85-2513 has seen several box arts and versions (including the aerodyne’s) over the years. It needs glue and paint, so it would be recommended for advanced modelers due to the high piece count. On the other hand, it doesn’t have the usual poor cab fit issue. In fact, it assembles very well. The build is done in modules and is fairly simple with the full frame being assembled, then the motor and interior.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$18.00

AOA Decals specializes in Navy and Marine Corps subjects from the Vietnam era. They have branched out slightly with the first sheet for Roden’s lovely O-1 Bird Dog by adding Army/ USAF planes. Part 2 continues and goes back to the USMC and adds markings in for additional Army and VNAF planes also. Let’s take a dive into Part 2.

Part 2 of the 1/32nd Bird Dog coverage includes thirteen marking options for various O-1 A/G/E Bird Dogs from the Vietnam War:

Book Author(s)
Jared A. Zichek
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Retromechanix
MSRP
$21.99

Illustrator and automotive enthusiast Jarek Zichek has gone digging deeply into the history of automobiles. Instead of ones that actually were built, he focused on concept streamlined automobiles. While not a complete survey of every car made, Mr. Zichek narrowed his focus to pre-WWII and to cars which had at least a fragmentary plan view. The majority of the 3D models generated are based on patent drawings and there are inconsistencies throughout some of the drawings so research and interpretation had to fill in some of the missing gaps.

The main body of the book consists of eight cars with reviews of the drawings that were used to generate the 3D models. Each car has multiple views as well as dimensions of the cars. Different color schemes are included especially if the car was designed for racing. The cars investigated and rendered are the following:

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$10.95

This is the second set of steel seat belts and harnesses for the Martin-Baker MK. H-7 ejection seat as installed in the F-4 Phantom II. The set includes four complete sets of seatbelts and harnesses, allowing you to detail four seats, or two kits worth. The other set #73050 provides 4 sets of green belts and harnesses, while this set provides 4 sets of light grey belts and harnesses. As many of the older F-4 kits have a very generic ejection seat that does not even resemble the actual seat, these sets are intended for new kits. I used a seat from a Hasegawa F-4S kit as it has the correct configuration with the upper parachute container that is missing on many earlier kits. I assume that the new Academy kit seats are the correct shape as well, but I have not actually seen them yet. Before you decide which set to purchase, be sure to look at the aircraft that you will be installing the seats in, and check your references to determine which set is appropriate for your model.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$10.95

The F-4 Phantom II needs no introduction. With over 5,000 Phantoms built, it is one of the most popular Western fighters since the Korean War. It served with the US Navy, the US Air Force and the US Marines, as well as 14 other air forces across the globe from Japan to Egypt to England. A number of them are still flying today in a variety of roles.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/700
MSRP
$8.00

For ship modelers looking to improve the look of their USS Independence (LCS-2) or USS Coronado (LCS-4) in 1/700 scale, the folks at Master Model now offer a set that includes aerials and a replacement gun barrel that look fantastic. The folks at Cyber-Hobby/Dragon did a great job of representing the kits in plastic, and these brass detail parts add a very nice touch. Modelers with experience handling small items should have no issues with utilizing this set.

Review Author
Clarence Wentzel
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$5.49

The L-29 Delfin was a jet-powered trainer airplane that was designed by the Aero Company of Czechoslovakia. An excellent kit of the Delfin has recently been released in 1/72 scale by AMK. Although this kit, in my opinion, is very good, our friends at Aires/Quickboost have found some areas where the accuracy of various parts can be improved.

This set from Quickboost provides replacement Antennas. The AMK kit provides a small “T” shaped antenna for under the left wing and a reasonable swept antenna for the top of the fuselage. The picture of my completed review model shows the kit upper fuselage antenna after painting.

Review Author
James Corley
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$40.00

The MiG-21 was the first Soviet production aircraft designed to operate above Mach 2. The MiG-21 featured a modified deltawing platform with the addition of traditional elevators. The first MiG-21 to enter production was MiG-21F Fishbed C and was shortly followed with the MiG-21F-13 Fishbed E. The MiG-21F-13 was the first example to be examined by the West, following the defection of an Iraqi pilot to Israel in 1966. This individual plane proved vital to the Israeli victory in 1967 and subsequent American aerial superiority in Vietnam.