Reviews

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$52.99

I have a confession to make. I love the B-26…no idea why, I just like the way it looks and the markings and so this review is a little bit of a love affair with a specific plane. So, when Hasegawa’s B-26 F/G came up for review, I jumped at the chance.

Reviewing the kit in the box shows 12 sprues with two of those being clear. The clear parts not only include the canopies and windows but also the horizontal tails which is due to the small windows for the rear gunner which are next to the tail and small. In this way, the tiny windows are easier to mask and fit better. Also included is a set of poly caps for the props and a large set of decals covering three markings:

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$14.95

This is one of those detail sets that you don’t know you need it until you need it. It is a pre-painted fret of US straps and tie downs. Packaged in a typical Eduard re-sealable package with card stock to protect the contents. This pre-painted fret utilizes the new steel media to produce a thin and accurate strap. The straps can be manipulated fairly robustly without the paint chipping.

There are five different types of straps. The first one has a clip on the end that will have to be folded. There are three of them. The second one is a strap in tan that can be added to the first one to ‘lengthen’ it. There are two of these straps. The third strap is a ‘leather’ looking strap that can be added to one of the other straps. There are two of these straps. The fourth one is another tan/canvas style of strap, that again can be used to lengthen the others. The fifth strap is another leather style strap. There are three of them to use.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
MCW Finishes
MSRP
$7.95

Model Car World is a model company that specializes in resin car bodies and paint finishes matched to automotive colors. MCW was purchased by Wings Wheels and Waves in 2015 and they have expanded their paint line to include military colors.

The primer comes in 1oz. bottles that have a bb inside to facilitate mixing. The primer is pre-thinned for airbrush and is recommended by MCW for their finish paints

The primer is very thin and should be thoroughly shaken before spraying. MCW provides a thinner to be used with their paints, but the primer was pre-thinned and did not require additional thinning. The paint should be applied in thin wet coats, and the lacquer dries very fast. The airbrush should be 2 – 3 in. from the surface to obtain a wet coat.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$14.00

Aerobonus has been releasing new figures at a remarkable rate. They continue to offer figures to go with your aircraft model. They are now starting to offer more helicopter related figures. There latest is available in 1/48th and 1/32nd scale, a US Army Helicopter Pilot from the Vietnam War between 1960-1975.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$34.99

After ten years of Countach production, the 1985 four valve per cylinder “Quattrovalvole“ V-12 coupled with a new fuel injection system was a significant upgrade. If that wasn’t enough for auto enthusiast they only made 610 of them which sold out immediately.

This review covers the skill level 5 (ages 14 years and older) 2016 release of the Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole 1:24 Scale Italeri Model Kit #3683. This kit is molded in white, grey, black, chrome, and clear with vinyl tires. Decals are made for the detailed interior and the chassis is made in multiple parts for enhanced finishing. The motor is highly detailed and can be viewed through the open engine cover. The body is also a multi-part unit crisply molded and proportionally correct. Finished dimensions are Length 7-¼”, Width 3”, Height 2”.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Tiger Model
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$44.99

The Panhard VBL is a French light armored reconnaissance vehicle developed by the Panhard company with a steel-armored body and bulletproof glass. The VBL can also run on water with a propeller which is part of the rear axle. This version of the VBL includes a roof mounted Milan Anti-Tank Missile Launcher. This kit is a reissue of Tiger Model's kit of the Panhard VBL light armored reconnaissance vehicle with 7.62 mm machine gun, #4603. Tiger has also produced a version with a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun, #4619.

All six of the kit’s vehicle hatches can be modeled open or closed. The kit includes a complete interior with weapons, gear, and communication equipment. The tires can rotate. The kit also includes a metal tow cable and missile launcher with six spare missiles. The roof mounted missile launcher can rotate. The kit does not include an engine or transmission. A roof-mounted machine gun is provided with the kit parts, but not used on this version.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$29.95

This is a photoetch interior set for the Revell Ventura Mk. II. This set includes two photoetch sheets. One is colored and adds a lot of needed detail to the cockpit. The photoetch really make the cockpit stand out.

In the packet is:

  • 1 colored photoetch sheet
  • 1 photoetch sheet
  • 1 instruction sheet

Summary

This is a fantastic set for a kit that needs it. The cockpit parts really add some detail. I did find some of the small parts were very tricky to add. Also, I would recommend installing the assembled parts 34 and 14 into part 7 before you fully form it. The set also adds details such as magazine boxes, navigators table, turret gun control panels, grab handles, and additional seat details.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this set to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Furball Aero-Design
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.99

The movie Top Gun, love it or hate it, raised a lot of interest in the Navy Fighter Weapons School and that interest was not lost on modelers, with the markings of the Adversary planes standing out. Furball has given us an enormous sheet of markings covering thirteen different schemes covering 12 different of F-5Es and F-5Fs between 1976 and 1986. Note that this is different from the smaller schemes as they just couldn’t fit the T-38’s on the sheet. There is great news in that the markings included are all airframes so you could build all thirteen planes included.

The schemes included are:

Review Author
Clarence Wentzel
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$13.99

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 Aires provides replacements for the kit elevator, rudder, and flaps. The four flap parts provide additional surface detail but mainly provide very sharp trailing edges. The flap parts also have some added detail molded into the sides of the flap parts. These parts must be carefully removed from their molding sprues because of their fine mounting struts.

The new elevator offers a slight improvement over the kit part. Surface detail is about the same but the Aires part has finer elevator tip counterbalances and of course, the trailing edges are sharp.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Zoukei-Mura
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$75.00

Last we left off, the airframe was together with the parts and we were ready to paint. In preparation, I added the landing gear. To me, this allows the plane to sit up off surfaces while drying and these were sturdy and fit perfectly with the best attachment points I have seen. To start, I used Tamiya acrylic high gloss white thinned with lacquer thinner and sprayed the bottom and slightly up the sides. I masked off the intakes as they had a great demarcation line from the previous painting and the great design. I also shot the flaps, the rudder on the tail and all the landing gear doors. This dried quickly and I masked off for the Gull Gray. I masked around the edges and the rudder and used my Gyrocut to get some wavy lines. Tamiya yellow tape was used for all masking. I sprayed the top with Xtracolor thinned with lacquer thinner and set the plane aside to dry for a few days. I also gave both horizontal stabs a coat of gloss white.