Reviews

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$15.00

Windsock World War Centenary Summer 2015 is the second edition of Volume 31. This edition’s cove story features the Sopwith Pup. The main feature is a detailed build log for the Wingnut Wings Sopwith Pup. Rob Partridge is the builder and his article provides detailed descriptions and images of how to go about assembling the WNW kit. If you’ve never built a WNW kit then the Pup is an excellent starting point, and this issue will come in very handy. Later in the publication one will find a page featuring three color illustrations of some Pups. Interesting markings, to say the least. A few pages following, a Pup Portfolio is presented containing a number of images of N6205, a Pup flown by Flt Com J.S.T. Fall, No. 3 Naval RNAS. The images were taken by James Fahey of this airworthy Pup.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$13.00

Thanks to Eduard for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

This harness set is takes advantage of one of the new technology opportunities provided by our ever-expanding aftermarket companies… micro fabric.

The harness appears to be laser cut on material with a white paper backing. Detail is there; in this scale, it was hard to see sometimes, but more on that anon…

I followed the instructions on the back of the sheet, which have you cut out the harness, ball them up and then remove the backing. I did this on the shoulder harness, and this is where I was challenged (and ultimately failed). The material took on a permanent curl and would not lay out so I could thread buckles. I used micro tweezers, and was extremely careful, but even then only succeeded in getting one buckle on one side of one belt… after 1 ½ hours of trying, with a couple of breaks in between.

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$22.00

Cross & Cockade, International (CCI) is best known for its excellent assortment of books and publications covering “The Great War” in the air. The artwork in these publications is of the highest caliber and the writing is superb.

CCI also provides calendars and IPMS has just received the 2016 version of this annual calendar. Each page features artwork by a list of artists who produce inspiring views of a moment in time. Certainly, the artists should be identified, and WWI aficionados will most certainly recognize their names.

In alphabetical order:

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.95

Thanks to Eduard for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts sets for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for the chance to review this item.

First: this is a basic upgrade to the kit items. It works very well, providing a serious improvement in kit fidelity with just a little work… read on!

This kit contains everything you would expect in an Eduard PE upgrade; the instrument panel is the now-standard “sandwich” of several panels, which results in a high-fidelity instrument panel, to which you add details such as levers, switches, etc.

One important addition is the compass and mount, which are fitted at the lower portion of the panel behind the control column. Once folded and in place, it really adds to the visual effect.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.95

Thanks to Eduard/Brassin for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

Not much to say on this one; a pair of early Spitfire Mk 1 “kidney”-shaped merlin exhausts with the straight tube exhaust port at the ends of them already hollow-cast. The pour stub is at the base of the exhausts, so these become convenient handles for painting and handling.

Designed for the Airfix new-mold Spitfire Mk 1, these are simple to use (as usual). Primer then paint while on the pour stub, carefully remove with a sharp knife, install with superglue. The kit items are acceptable, but these Eduard items are a real timesaver.

A fantastic-looking upgrade… Thanks to Eduard/Brassin for this set!

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.95

Thanks to Eduard/Brassin for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

This is another simple upgrade to the Eduard “brassin” line… Wheels and tires for the Airfix new-mold spitfire Mk 1.

Why new wheels and tires? The wheels have deeper, more defined detail than the kit items, and the tires have the manufacturer’s name and the rib around the smooth treat circumference. On with the review..

First: Primer the parts. I use duplicolor flat black for this; (it’s a tire, huh?) once cured and dry, masked the back side of the tires with the excellent kabuki paper masks… and a bit of tape around the rest of the tire so I wouldn’t have to paint the whole thing over again. Leaving the brake assembly open for spray painting, I also placed the wheel fronts (spoked) next to the tires, and hit them all with Tamiya flat aluminum spray.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$44.00

This is the first aircraft kit from Bronco Models kit and it’s a Luft 46 subject and it’s a strange but great subject of a design that never made it of the drawing board. The BV 178 is the usual Blohm and Voss asymmetrical design with one Jumo 004B under one wing. I personally love this type of aircraft configuration and makes for a great looking display model.

  • 5 sprues molded in grey styrene
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet

Construction

The kit makes a great quick build and has a lot of great detail in its design and manufacture.

There are few options given in the build such as landing gear in raised or lowered positions, and cockpit open or closed.

Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/700
MSRP
$32.00

Bottom Line

Eduard has produced a single fret of finely detailed, finely scaled brass photoetch parts specific to the 1/700 scale Revell 05099 DKM Tirpitz injection-molded, polystyrene model. Highly recommended for this kit.

What You Get

A single, medium-sized, brass photoetch fret of railings, C30 20mm single guns, some masts and spars, multipart cable reels, catapult, aircraft props, radars, searchlight covers, ladders, ladder rails, pulleys, cranes, funnel grate, air intake grates and other parts to super-detail Revell’s 1/700 Tirpitz. Separate detail parts are numbered, with 116 different parts numbered on the fret, and 147 overall counting duplicates. Metal is intermediate in thickness and strength compared to other photoetch companies, which I prefer for handling and folding (the Goldilocks Syndrome – just right).

Jig

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$28.99

While this jig is sold by Vertigo-Miniatures on the web, the review item was supplied by Unique Model Miniatures, so a big shout-out to Jon of UMM!

Some Assembly Required

This Vertigo-Miniatures jig requires assembly, and that is just a bit ironic since it will be of considerable help to the hobbyist during the assembly process of one’s latest modeling project. Assembly is straight-forward requiring a little super glue and about 10 minutes of one’s time.

The instructions provide a parts list and a couple of diagrams which identify parts and illustrate how they are attached. Just follow the instructions and it’s a very simple process.

There are a few points about assembly that one should note.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$20.00

Thanks to Eduard for providing more of their excellent aftermarket parts for IPMS USA to review, and to IPMS leadership for sending it my way.

This set improves on the fine detail of several exterior areas: the radiator and oil cooler; the landing gear; the wheel wells; the gun doors; and the rudder actuator arm.

Begin with the Radiator and oil cooler. This modification requires you to sand off the detail on the intake and outlet bulkheads on the radiator and the oil cooler, and then you can attach the Eduard parts. These fit perfectly. Then you install a 1/32” wide mount plate and probe for the temperature sensor for the radiator. This change will try your patience, but I did it, so you should be able to as well. Then put the radiator and oil cooler fairings on the wing and you are done with them.