Given the long pedigree of Airfix, it is of no surprise that from time to time, they re-release older kits such as the Crusade Mk. III. The vehicle is iconic and was the mainstay of the British armored force in their extended campaign in North Africa. The vehicle’s history is summed up in the instructions:
Right on the heels of Eduard’s release of the 1/72nd scale Fw 190A-8 was their Fw 190A-5. When you open the box, you wonder just what kit the parts are for. You see three trees of light gray parts, one clear tree with four canopies on it a great decal sheet, a photo etch sheet and a mask. Of course, many of the parts are for the A-8 and for future variants of the A-8. And, with all of these extra parts, you have to read the instruction sheet for the correct parts number to ensure you don’t go wrong and start building something other than an A-5. Of course you have to decide which of the markings you are going to build, because there are some differences between them.
From the MRC website listed above,
Da Vinci was fascinated by how timepieces operate. Based on one of his sketches, it uses the laws of motion and a vertical “flying” pendulum escapement to keep accurate time.
The pendulum’s weights, in a bucket suspended from a crane-style arm, act as the clock’s power source. The weights propel the pendulum from vertical post to vertical post. As it “flies” it turns precision gears, which in turn keep time. To speed up or slow the clock, adjust the weight-balance of the pendulum by adding or removing weights.
The kit comes packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with 2 bags of parts and the instruction manual.
One of the bags contains the parts molded in brown plastic that resembles wood grain. Included in this is 1 sprue containing 6 parts, 1 loose base, 1 loose top piece (C2) and 2 loose clock faces.
Master Model of Poland produces small brass parts for detailing models, be they aircraft or ships. They have parts for aircraft in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144, mostly pitot tubes, refueling probes and gun barrels. For ships the Sea Master series has 1/35, 1/200, 1/350, 1/400 and 1/700 scale details, mostly gun barrels.
This product is a single pitot tube for a 1/144 F-16. I was particularly happy to get this part for review, as I was building the LS kit, and their F-16 doesn’t have a pitot. I looked in my stash, and Revell’s kit has a pitot, although it’s pretty thick. Dragon’s is better, closer to size. Academy’s 1/144 F-16 also has an OK pitot, only slightly thicker than the Master pitot.
This review covers the 1972 Sport Custom Pickup Truck 1:25 Scale Moebius Model Kit #1220. This is a newly released kit (using common parts from its’69-’71 counterparts) with great detailing and it is one that can be taken forward with some added work. This kit has ~130 parts molded in White, Clear and Chrome with Vinyl tires and easy to read instructions. It has a nicely detailed engine and interior. Moebius calls it a skill level 3, meant for modelers 15 years and older. Finished dimensions are: Length 8”, Width: 3½”, Height: 2¼”
Not many of the Vickers A4E12 (late) amphibious tanks were produced and oddly enough only two were purchased by the UK from Vickers. In all, a total of 43 examples were produced with the largest number, 29 purchased by China in 1932. The Chinese A4E12s were used operationally through 1942 when they were turned over to the Army Mechanized School in Chengdu. The instruction history indicates this Vickers tank never saw any combat in China, but who is to say for sure. You may also notice a striking similarity between the A4E12 and the Russian T-33 light amphibious tank. Not so strange when you consider the Russians purchased eight examples from Vickers.
Master Models once again provides IPMS USA with examples of machine-shop excellence… We are extremely thankful to Piotr for providing examples of his work to review, and I appreciate the opportunity to use and report on Master Model products via the Leaders of IPMS USA
The Airfix TSR.2 was one of the last models to come out of the Airfix stable back in the late 2000-2005 year group, before Hornby took over and totally restarted their lineup. I bought the kit as it was (1) the only 1/48 non-Vacform version of this aircraft, and (2) thought I could have a great time building it. I also invested in CMK resin to bring it up to a higher level of detail.
What a masochist I am.
The MiG-15 turned out to be a nasty surprise for United Nations pilots when it first appeared in the skies over North Korea. While it and the F-86 Sabre shared many design features, they each had their strong points and weak points, that when used properly made them difficult adversaries. The MiG-15 became a symbol of Soviet prowess in the early 1950’s and was used by air forces all over the world, many of them serving into the 1980s or beyond. MiG-15s were not only built in the USSR, but also in Poland, Czechoslovakia and China.
With the text printed in Japanese, we are basically presented with a large picture book. Featuring extractions serialized in the Monthly Model Art magazine. Looking at the beautiful illustrations of the Japanese land, naval aircraft and the equipment one can easily tell it has been diligently researched with documented detail and precisely reproduced. I’ve listed a small sample of the topics:
The Bottom Line: It’s a great reference book, I highly recommend it. I would like to thank Model Art and IPMS for the opportunity to present this fine publication.
Introduced in November 2013, the P-8A Poseidon is the latest multi-mission maritime aircraft traditionally flown by the US Navy. In contrast to the piston engine-powered P2V Neptune and the turboprop-powered P-3 Orion, the P-8A is propelled by twin high-bypass turbofan engines. Each engine is equipped with an electric generator to power the P-8A's extensive array of onboard electronics.
Inside the box you will find 4 light grey and 1 tinted sprue of plastic, a decal sheet and an instruction fold out. The plastic is cleanly molded and has some very nice raised and recessed detail. The decal sheet is printed very nice with a semi-matte finish.
