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Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.95

The GBU-12 is an American laser guided bomb consisting of a 500 lb. Mk. 82 bomb combined with a laser tracker and fins for guidance. First entering service in 1976, it was used extensively in Operation Desert Storm by US F-111’s, F-15E’s and A-6E’s. F-111’s used it to great effect in hunting down and destroying Iraqi armor (tank plinking). After Desert Storm it has been used extensively in Afghanistan and other conflicts.

The set consists of four resin bomb bodies with the tail fins and nose guidance sections molded as single pieces except for the seeker head and photo-etch nose and aft guidance fins. Two options are provided for the seeker head, one with the seeker head exposed and the other with the plastic ground cover in place. I choice to use the heads with the cover installed as I plan on displaying the bombs on a parked, but armed aircraft.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
Company
Platz
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$38.00

Introduction

This is actually my second build and review of this kit (See review posted October 24th, 2015). This time around it’s the same great kit with some really striking markings. My research says Aircraft # 92-8906 was specially painted for an airshow that was cancelled due to a typhoon. You do get a second marking option without the cool artwork but I can’t imagine building this kit as such.

I’m not going to go into the history of the Eagle as it is well documented many other places. Unlike the first build where I used a nice photoetch set, this Eagle was built out of the box with the exception of some seat harnesses from the spares drawer.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Masterpiece Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$79.99

Masterpiece Models manufactures and sells resin assembly kits at their Vancouver, Washington fabrication and casting shop. Their kits include Dinosaurs, WWII, Vietnam, Scifi, and aircraft bases. Each kit is cast to order.

Background on the Hellcat

From Masterpiece Models website: The Mark 49 Hellcat Armored Walker was developed after the 3rd World War in 2046 as a forward attack and reconnaissance Vehicle. The need for walkers after the War was due to the amount of rubble strewn thru the landscape, tracked vehicles tended to bog down in the rubble making maintenance and mobility an issue. The first Walkers developed in 2099 were quite ungainly and had limited range and power. Later on in 2112 after advanced fusion drives were developed and fitted to the walkers did they become a more practical weapons system with more power and almost unlimited range.

Book Author(s)
Osprey Publishing
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.00

Thank you, Osprey Publishing, for providing a review copy of another of excellent World War I history volume. This book is a welcome and well-timed addition as the 100th anniversary of the end of the “Great War” approaches later this year. I hope reader of this book will gain an important appreciation and understanding of the raw, brutal nature of combat, often controversial decisions, poor battlefield judgments, and most of all the grit and persistence of the America Doughboys of the American Expeditionary Forces.

As always, I truly appreciate all those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, whose work is critical to sharing new and exciting modeling and historical products with the world. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.61

For those of us who attended the IPMS Nationals in 2017, we were able to see the 1/48 scale M1A2 that Tamiya would soon be releasing. I built the original 1/35 Tamiya offering in the 1980’s as the tank was just entering service, and I knew that I would need this new release in a smaller scale. The folks at Hauler have released a photoetch set to improve detail on some items and add more/missing details in other areas. I would highly recommend this set to modelers building this Abrams tank, but also recommend that you have experience with some rather small detail parts.