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Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Videoaviation
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$11.05

The Mark 82 serMK82 AIR is a 500 pound bomb modified with a BSU-49/B high drag tail assembly. The "ballute" air bag which deploys from the tail provides a high speed, low altitude delivery capability by quickly slowing the bomb and allowing the aircraft to escape the blast pattern. The tail assembly consists of a low-drag canister unit containing a ballute (combination balloon and parachute), and a release lanyard assembly that opens the canister releasing the ballute. The ballute assembly is made from high strength low porosity nylon fabric. When the bomb is released from the aircraft a lanyard unlatches the back cover which opens, releasing part of the nylon bag/retarder. Air turbulence at the rear of the bomb acts on that portion of the retarder, pulling the remainder out of the housing. Ram air inflation is accomplished through four air inlet ports toward the aft end of the ballute.

Review Author
Paul Mahoney
Published on
Company
Lifelike Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.00

Likelike Decals from Japan just released a few new sheets, and this one covers the P-47D Thunderbolt. Having just reviewed the Mustang sheet released at the same time, you will find some similar comments in this review!

This is yet another example of Lifelike providing a comprehensive set of contents in a standard Ziploc decal bag. Along with a full color placement guide, there is one full page of decals, printed by Microscale, that contains most of the individual markings and a full set of stencils. There is an additional ½ page, also printed by Microscale, containing at least two sets of national insignia (including the oversized stars and bars common on the underside of both wings of some P-47s). Finally, there is a small third sheet, printed by Cartograf, that contains the personal insignia for each aircraft.

The 3 markings options are:

Book Author(s)
Erik Simonsen
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Specialty Press
MSRP
$44.95

Over the past 30 years Californian Erik Simonsen has worked as a manager and director of communications in the aerospace industry. An avid aviation photographer since the 1960s, Erik also has an intense interest in astronomy and has served as a planetarium director and program manager. Honing skills acquired from a graphics and fine arts background, his blending of aviation photography with special effects techniques has delivered eye-catching imagery. Erik Simonsen’s photography has been featured in corporate advertising and various aerospace-related magazines including, Aerospace America, Air Force Magazine, Aviation Week & Space Technology and Flight international. A member of the International Society for Aviation Photography (ISAP), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Air Force Association (AFA), U.S. Naval Institute (USNI), The Planetary Society, and Senior Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

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

When Eduard released its Fw 190A-8 Royal Class Quattro Combo kit earlier this year it also released overtree sets of each of the four versions that were included in the Combo kit. Kit 70111X was the overtree set for the standard Fw 190A-8 with the four wing-mounted Mg 151 cannons two in the wing roots and the second pair outboard. The upper wing halves have the wing bulges for the outer set of cannons in addition to the inboard bulges for the wing root mounted cannons.

Review Author
Mike Kellner
Published on
Company
HK Models Co.
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$300.00

When this huge box arrived, I was excited as it was large (26" x 14" x 6 ") and heavy. It came with no box art, instructions, or decals so I borrowed a set of instructions from HK’s first issue from a friend and also received a PDF file of the new, unfinished instructions. At first glance the kit looked impressive, but it has some of the same problems as the last issue. There were still many injector pin marks on the interior fuselage, and the fuselage parts needed to be washed prior to starting the build because they had a heavy residue on them.