Finished model with scale auto
Tales from the Apocalypse - The Biker
Main gear 1
English Electric Lightning F1/F1A/F2/F3
Bomb bays and gear bays
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley MK V
Jeep Sprue
British 6 Pdr Anti-Tank Gun (Airborne) with 1/4 Ton Truck & Crew
Cannon Bay Right Side
Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB, Part 3
Finished 6
Yakolev YAK-1B
Nose Gear Detail
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II, Part 1
Sprue sample
T-90A Russian Main Battle Tank
Parts
Cold Wind - German Infantry, 1941-1942
3 View
Yokosuka Ohka MXY7-K1 Kai
Left front
German Heavy Generator Sd.Ah.24
Completed kit 2
M109A2 Self-Propelled Howitzer
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Cover

The Supermarine Spitfire, Part 2: Griffon-Powered
Book Author(s)
Robert Humphreys
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
August 18, 2011
Company
SAM Publications
MSRP
$24.75

This book answered a question that has nagged me for many years, since Frog first came out with their Spitfire 14 kit back in 1968. Why would Supermarine want to go away from the fabulous Merlin engine and try something new? Well, this book answered that question early on. The answer is 1700 hp for the Griffon vs 1030 hp for the Merlin.

The contents are:
History

  1. Enter the Griffon
  2. Super Spitfire
  3. The Spitfire in Belgium
  4. High Flying Spy
  5. Last of the Spitfires
  6. The First Griffon Seafires
  7. The F Mk 21 at Sea
  8. Spiteful and Seafang, the Last of the Line Modeling
    • Colour Side Views
    • Colour Interior Artwork
  9. The Basics
  10. Understanding the Subject
  11. Detailing
  12. Building the Spitfire and Seafire
  13. Camouflage and Markings

Appendices

Package cover and guide

F-16 Falcon Eggs

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
November 8, 2021
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
Grade A Large
MSRP
$13.00

This is the third Hasegawa Egg Plane I’ve built, and Twobobs is certainly right in their decal description. Everyone probably has one of these in their stash, and finally someone has come out with interesting aftermarket markings for the Lawn Dart. They also describe the kit as whimsical (yep) and one to be built just for the fun of it, as no one has a good photo of the original aircraft.

I built the Hasegawa F-16 Egg plane for a review.

I built the RNethAF F-16 for that review because I worked with them in Italy. So the markings I chose for this review were one of Aviano’s Falcons. This was probably not the most interesting choice, as there are so many good sets of markings on the sheet. The instruction sheet is 4 pages long, so here are half of them.

Box Art

My Favorite Martian
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
July 4, 2020
Company
Pegasus Hobbies
Scale
1/18
MSRP
$24.99

Ah nostalgia... one of the big benefits of modeling is bringing back memories. Pegasus Hobbies new release of the ship and Martian from My Favorite Martian will certainly do that. For those of you who don't know the show, it ran between 1963 and 1966 for 107 episodes and chronicled the exploits of a crashed Martian anthropologist and the newspaper reporter who found him crashed. The showed starred Bill Bixby as the reporter and Ray Walston as Uncle Martin. Of course most people remember him as Mr. Hand from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and many other things. Bill Bixby played the Incredible Hulk way back when. Both were excellent actors and the show was very funny, at least to me.

Detail Set Parts

F-14 Pitot Tube and AOA Probe
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
September 28, 2021
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$8.95

I don't know how many models I have snapped pitot tubes off of – dozens? They seem to always be in the way. Put them on early to make sure they fit and risk breaking them completely, or put them on late and they don't seem to blend in well.

One trend lately is for manufacturers and the aftermarket companies to make these fragile parts out of metal – either turned brass or aluminum. For this set, the pitot tube is aluminum and the AOA probe is brass. Both are exquisite in their detail when compared to the kit parts.

Once installed, they will resist breaking for a long period of time.

For those of us with growing collections or having moved several times, parts like this are a godsend as they prevent breaking.

The parts are accurate, well made, very reasonably priced, and a snap to use. Recommended with no reservations!

My thanks to IPMS/USA and the fine people at Master-Models.

Box Art

SD.Kfz.223 Leichte Panzerspahwagen (Twin Pack)
Review Author
Robert Folden
Published on
August 17, 2011
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$21.95

Dragon Models is fast becoming the standard for 1/72 armor. Recently I had the opportunity to review their new Sd.Kfz. 222 set for IPMS. That review can be found in the archives.

Dragon has now released a new set for the Sd.Kfz. 223. The set is very much like the 222, featuring a detailed chassis, separately molded hull doors, intricate detail, and PE grenade screens for the turret. The new 223 kit comes with two complete models [like the 222 kit] and features the large “bed frame” radio antenna. The 223 kit also features and accurately shaped hull with the turret mounted off-center to the rear of the vehicle. Unlike the 222, the 223 features the 7.92 MG42 in the turret, with a flat grenade screen. Both are nicely represented on the model.