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Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
Company
Happy Medium Press
MSRP
$29.95

This is the second volume of this magazine I have read since they changed to a quarterly format and I do like the amount of detail crammed into it. This issue is made up of 13 articles focusing on kit builds, scratchbuilds, and other fun stuff, so let’s get to it.

The first two builds are Bat-related kits by Polar Lights. These are the 1/25th scale Batboat from the old TV series and the 1/32nd scale Batmobile from the same show. These are basic, no frills builds resulting in two smart-looking vehicles.

Next up is a new kit from Pegasus of Uncle Martin and his Spaceship. For those of you too young to remember, this is based on the My Favorite Martian TV show. This starts with some history regarding the kit development and behind the scenes info from the show. This is followed by a full build of the kit. The 1/18th scale kit builds up nicely and includes a figure of Uncle Martin which has a very good resemblance to actor Ray Walston.

Review Author
Dave Koukol
Published on
Company
Great Wall Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$101.25

Unmistakable in appearance and unequalled in firepower among American fighters in World War II, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow was America’s first purpose-designed night fighter. First contracted in January 1941 at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio, delivery of production aircraft took place in the summer of 1943 to stateside training units, followed by initial deployment to the European Theater of Operations that December, with the Pacific Theater units equipped the following spring. By war’s end, the P-61 would amass 136 confirmed kills, including 9 V-1 “buzz bombs,” in European, Mediterranean, Pacific, and China-Burma-India theaters of operation.

Since the early 1970s, the classic Monogram P-61 has been the modeler’s only choice in 1/48th scale…until now. Nearly 40 years later, Great Wall Hobby has delivered a state-of-the-art rendition of this nocturnal predator. First out is the P-61A, representing early production examples without a top turret.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$10.95

Eduard Models continues to expand its MiG-21 line, this time with an excellent addition that would save modelers time and grief: self-adhesive pre-cut masks.

The mask set includes pre-cut masks for the canopy, the landing lights, and some details like the rudder and wing wooden panels (for radar and ECM). The mask for the canopy provides you only with the edges of the canopy, you are then expected to “fill-in the blanks”, but that is very simple and straightforward to do.

It took me about 5 minutes to mask the canopy, the landing lights, and those fuselage details. Otherwise, it would have taken, probably, over half an hour and likely would have not been such a clean masking work.

Recommended to modelers of all levels.

I would like to thank Eduard and IPMS/USA for the review sample.

Review Author
Keith Pruitt
Published on
Company
Wheeliant
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$13.00

Aires has long been known for extremely nice resin detail parts. For several years now, under their own name brand and in the Quickboost line, Aires has produced replacements for kit parts that have an outstanding level of detail, exquisite molding, and excellent ease of use. Wheeliant is the most recent line added to the Aires brand, and it easily meets the standard set by the company’s previous products.

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

Quickboost has added a set of headrests for the Eduard 1/72 Hellcat F6F to their line of aircraft accessories. They are molded in cream colored resin, smooth, seamless and bubble free.

This set of headrests covers all of the different variants of the F6F Hellcat. I went looking on the internet to see if I could find out which headrest went to which Hellcat. As far as I could tell, the one on the left would go to the F6F-3 while the one in the middle would go to an F6F-5. I couldn’t find anything about the far right one with the larger cushion, but if the aircraft you are modeling needs it, there it is.

Quickboost recommends the Eduard kit for this set, but it could probably be fitted to any other brand of kits. Looking at the Eduard kit part, you will need to scrape off the headrest since it is molded directly to the rear bulkhead.