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Review Author
Michael A. Turco
Published on
Company
Flex-I-File
MSRP
$20.00

The Flex-I-File “Touch-N-Flow” (Photo 1) is the ultimate capillary action gluing system. Nothing else I know can get cement into hard to reach spots with such accuracy. It enables a modeler to put solvent cement exactly where needed, with very little chance of missing the target and marring an outside surface.

The #7000 system is composed of three components (Photo 2): A bottle of thin Plast-I-Weld solvent cement, a squeeze bottle, and the Touch-N-Flow applicator, along with an instruction sheet The Touch-N-Flow is a thin glass tube with a very fine needle applicator at one end. The squeeze bottle is used to pull the thin solvent cement up into the tube. Once the cement is in the applicator, a touch of the end of the needle releases cement.

Book Author(s)
Brian Lane Herder
Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$24.00

In the final months of the Pacific War, the U.S. Navy unleashed its full fury on the Home Islands of Japan. Beginning with airstrikes to cover the amphibious landings on Iwo Jima in February, 1945 until the day of the Japanese surrender on August 15, aircraft and naval vessels of the American navy (soon joined by the British Pacific Fleet) ranged up and down the length of the Japanese Islands attacking industrial targets, sweeping aside Japanese air power and, with particular relish, devastating the last remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Book Author(s)
Slawomir Zajaczkowski
Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$26.75

In this book, Number 17 in the TankCraft series, author David Grummitt, has provided many tools for the modeler and historian alike. The Table of Contents provides for the basic outline:

  • American Tank Development during the Cold War
  • Abrams Development and Technical Specifications
  • The Cold War
  • Camouflage and Markings
  • Model Showcase
  • Modelling Products
  • First Gulf War
  • Keeping the Peace
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom
  • Abrams Today
  • Abrams in Foreign Service
  • Further Reading

Richly illustrated with black and white and color photographs, color and black & white line drawings. The color side views provide a great visual guide for the modeler.

The early develop of the tank is traced clear back to the earliest of the Patton tanks (M48) through the M60 series of the Army and Marine Corps’ main battle tanks.

Book Author(s)
Waldemar Goralski
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$37.95

Thanks to Casemate Publishing & IPMSUSA for the review copy!

Waldemar Tubus Goralski is a prolific author of illustrated warship books for Kagero Publishing, and has previously authored Super Drawings in 3D book on Kirishima’s sister ships Kongo (in 2015) and Haruna (in 2013, previously reviewed in IPMSUSA). He is still working on the Hiei, the final sister ship in the foursome of battlecruisers-turned-fast battleships. Each book shows improvements and advancements in the quality and clarity of the CG-generated drawings. He also makes exhibitions of his illustrations in Poland where visitors can virtually walk on ships. Waldemar has cooperated with the late Piotr Forkasiewicz for ocean and battle settings, and dedicates this book to Piotr. Wojciech Lizakowski collaborates by running the website warship3d.pl. Waldemar is lucky to turn his passion into a career, igniting passions of many modelers around the world.

Review Author
Blaine Singleton
Published on
Company
Masterpiece Models
MSRP
$9.99

Mottling on model paint schemes is becoming more and more popular. The item for this review makes the project much easier than trying to do it freehand.

All models require different levels of paint layers to get that realistic look. Mottling has become one of the layers of a lighter color of the basecoat to get the color variance and depth. The stencils help paint in the weathered look. People have used various freehand airbrush techniques to break up the basecoat, whether it is shading within a panel’s lines or indiscriminate lines throughout the basecoat to get color depth.