IPMS/USA Reviews Website

Kawanishi E7K1 Type 94 Model 1 Recon Seaplane 'Izumo' w/catapault

Review Author

Keith Gervasi

Published on

November 23, 2015

Company

Hasegawa

Scale

1/72

MSRP

$32.99

History

First flown in February 1933 as the Kawanishi “J” type floatplane, it was accepted by the Imperial Japanese Navy in May 1934 and given the designation “Type 94 E7K1 Reconnaissance Seaplane” and 530 of all types in the E7K series were built. The first versions were powered by a 600 horsepower V-12, liquid cooled engine. In 1938 the aircraft was re-engined with a radial engine and was known as the E7K2. The E7K was constructed of welded copper/steel tubing and was fabric covered and the floats were of all metal construction allowing it to operate in heavy seas and was viewed as the best of its type as it was able to stay aloft for up 12 hours. The E7K type stayed in frontline service up to 1943 when it was relegated to second line duties.

Aggressors: US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps Adversary Aircraft

Book Author(s)

Andy Evans, with Gary Hatcher

Review Author

Rob Benson

Published on

November 23, 2015

Company

SAM Publications

MSRP

$15.17

Thank you very much to the wonderful folks at SAM Publications for providing this new title for review. Thanks are also due to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me the opportunity to research and learn more about these colorful adversary jets. Many of these unusual aircraft thrilled me with close passes while I was working in the Nevada mountains years ago. This volume is the first in a new SAM Model Data File publication series described as “scaled down in size and price.” I found this book outstanding in quality and value, so that description is quite modest.

RAF SE.5a "Hisso" Main Landing Gear

Review Author

Frank Landrus

Published on

November 23, 2015

Company

Scale Aircraft Conversions

Scale

1/32

MSRP

$15.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions has released replacement landing gear for the Wingnut Wings 1/32 Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a “Hisso”. The supplied items include two main gear legs and the main gear axle. All three parts are loose in the blister package. You will need to remove the metal sprue from the main gear legs.

This replacement set will provide stronger landing gear that won’t sag over time, and are somewhat adjustable if necessary to obtain proper alignment. Even with zero previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no problem installing. Scale Aircraft Conversions does not use lead in their white metal mix, so the builder does not have to be concerned with that perceived hazard.

Russian Battleship Tsesarevich 1917 Armament

Review Author

Frank Landrus

Published on

November 22, 2015

Company

Master Model

Scale

1/350

MSRP

$14.50

Tsesarevich (Russian: Цесаревич) was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy, built in France at the end of the 19th century. The ship's design formed the basis of the Russian-built Borodino-class battleships. After repairs were made following the Russian-Japanese war, most of the small-caliber guns (47mm and 37mm) were removed. Tsesarevich was not very active during the early part of World War I and her sailors joined the general mutiny of the Baltic Fleet in early 1917.

This Master Model set provides you with 20 barrels: Four machined aluminum 305mm/40 (12”) barrels; twelve machined brass 152mm/45 (6”) barrels; two 47mm (1.85”) Hotchkiss Gun barrels; and two 37mm (1.5”) Hotchkiss gun barrels and a single page instruction sheet. As you can see in the comparison photo below, the improvements are most noticeable in the muzzle ring of the twelve 152mm barrels due to the limitations of injection plastic molding.

Panzer III Ausf. C

Review Author

Andrew Birkbeck

Published on

November 22, 2015

Company

MiniArt

Scale

1/35

MSRP

$64.99

The Panzer III was one of the two work horses of the German Wehrmacht , together with the Panzer IV, serving on all fronts during the Second World War. And while the modeler has been well provided for when it comes to the later models (Ausf. E onwards) of the Panzer III, the earlier versions have been sorely neglected. Until now: Miniart of Kiev, Ukraine has announced that they will be doing the Panzer III Ausf. B, C and D in 1/35th scale. If the Panzer III Ausf. C kit under discussion today is anything to go by; we are all in for a real treat.