Allan Murrell

IPMS Number
49715

Reviews By Author

Package

Tempest Mk.V Upgrade Set

Published:
Company: Eduard

Eduard has released a photoetch upgrade set for its new tooled Tempest Mk.V which in its self is a great kit. This upgrade set is a single large Photo etch sheet.

In the box is:

  • 1 photoetch detail set
  • 1 instruction sheet

Construction

The first area of the upgrade is for is the engine intake, the set provides the mesh for all four surfaces of the Intake and make a big difference with the look once complete.

Next are parts for the two main landing gear bays, in four stages. The first stage is simple. On stage to you have to remove the location pins of part E68 and E69 from the original kit to allow then to fit. Also at stage two it refers to part E39 which should actually be part E32. I would also suggest that the parts 19… more

Package

Tempest Mk.V Engine

Published:
Company: Eduard

Eduard has released a great Brassin Engine set for its new tooled Tempest Mk.V which in its self is a great kit. This Brassin set is full of Resin parts and Photo etch sheet.

In the box is:

  • Approx. 77 resin parts
  • 1 photoetch detail set
  • 1 instruction booklet

Construction

Stage A 1 - 4 is the assembly upper part of the engine, the only points to note here are that the location hole in R105 for part R100 is a little too small so needs to be opened out. Also the location hole for Parts 95 and 96 in part R105 is not the same shape so needs work. You will also need some wire to add in at points for various wires, I used very fine soldering wire which is very easy to form to the shapes needed.

Stage B 1 - 8 was very… more

Product Picture

Yokosuka MXY7 OHKA Model 22

Published:
Company: Brengun

Brengun has released a few different kits of the Ohka and in several scales. This is the latest which is the Model 22 and in 1/72 scale. This was a purpose built rocket powered Kamikaze attack aircraft. It was used against allied ships towards the end of world war two.

In the box is:

  • 1 light grey sprues
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 11 x resin parts
  • 1 instruction booklet

The sprue is well molded with very little flash and great detail. The resin parts are to allow you to make the three aircraft wooden stands used to support the aircraft ready for fitting to the carrier aircraft.

Construction

First is the construction of the cockpit the one half of the fuselage which is well detailed for the… more

Book Cover

Hawker Typhoon and Tempest - A Formidable Pair

Published:
Book Author(s): Philip Birtles
Company: Casemate Publishers

The book goes into great detail of the development, service, variants, and full history of a classic British World War II aircraft, the Typhoon and the Tempest.

I found this book so informative and was full of facts and details I was never aware of. The articles on the variants that were explored during the development were especially interesting.

The book is full of amazing photos of the aircraft in development, manufacturing, in action etc. These would be great as reference for any modeler. Another nice touch is the inclusion of the Pilots Notes and aircraft production lists.

I was amazed at the amount of information and history found in the pages of this extremely enjoyable book. The pictures along are worth the cost of the book. I will find this book… more

Product Packaging

Tempest Mk. V cockpit

Published:
Company: Eduard

Eduard has released a great Brassin Cockpit set for its new tooled Tempest Mk.V which in its self is a great kit. This Brassin set is full of Resin parts, a Photoetch sheet, and Decals.

In the box is:

  • Approx. 55 resin parts
  • 1 film sheet
  • 1 small decal sheet
  • 1 photoetch detail set
  • 1 instruction booklet

Construction

First is the assembly of the side frames of the cockpit and the detail controls. I did find the removal of the side frames from the pour stub to be a bit hard and the frames are very thin and fragile. Apart from that, no issues were encountered during the stages on page 2 of the instructions.

Next is the assembly of the structure that joint the two side frames, now to say this was… more

Box Art

Fieseler Fi 103 (FZG 76) / V-1

Published:
Company: Special Hobby

Special Hobby has released this new tooled kit of the V-1 Fieseler 103. The V-1 was known by the British in World War 2 as the Buzz Bomb due to the unique noise of the pulse engine. The subject has been covered a lot but not at this scale. The kit includes the handling trolley and some photo etch.

In the box is:

  • 3 x light grey sprues
  • 1 small decal sheet
  • 1 photoetch detail set
  • 1 instruction booklet

The kit consists of 3 main sprues; the sprues are very typical of Special Hobby product which are made from a soft plastic. The decals allow you to finish the V-1 in two different versions and paints schemes for three V-1. The instruction booklet is very well laid out and easy to follow.

Construction

Before… more

Front Cover

Kagero Top Drawing 57 Messerschmitt Bf 110 Vol 1

Published:
Book Author(s): Macief Noszczak
Company: Casemate Publishers

The book provides great detail drawings of the Messerschmitt Bf 110 which was a work horse for the German Luftwaffe.

I found the drawings in this book to be fascinating and show many of the variants of this very versatile aircraft.

Along with the many outline drawings (both 1/48 & 1/72 scale) there are 10 very nice profile drawings. Also include in the book is a mask for the Eduard 1/72 BF 110 C/D/E kit.

There is also a pull out 1/48 scale plan drawing.

I recommend this book to everyone with an interest in the BF 110 and a must for modellers.

Thanks go to Casemate Publishing for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Package

M16 Rifle Vietnam War

Published:
Company: Eduard

This is a Brassin resin set to make 8 American Vietnam War Era M16 rifles in 1/35 scale. This was the most common rifle used by the Americans and it comes in two variants (4 of each) plus 4 magazines.

The set contains the following sets:

  • 8 x resin M16 rifles (4 of each of the two variants)
  • 4 x resin magazines
  • 1 colored photoetch sheet
  • 1 instruction sheet

The resin parts are very clean and no flash. The resin base part is easy to remove. The photo etch parts form the straps for the rifles and comes in three parts each. There is also a mix of dark and light colored straps for variation.

The parts assemble very easily and give a very realistic rifle when complete. They are idea for adding to figures, as stowed… more

Package

AK 47 Assault Rifle

Published:
Company: Eduard

This is a Brassin resin set to make 8 Russian AK 47 rifles in 1/35 scale. This is the most widely used assault rifles in the world.

The set contains the following sets:

  • 8 x resin karabiner 98k’s
  • 4 x resin magazines
  • 1 colored photoetch sheet
  • 1 instruction sheet

The resin parts are very clean and no flash. The resin base part is easy to remove. The photo etch parts form the straps for the rifles and comes in three parts each. There is also a mix of dark and light colored straps for variation.

The parts assemble very easily and give a very realistic rifle when complete. They are idea for adding to figures, as stowed equipment or for dioramas.

Summary

This is a great set for adding very detailed… more

Cover Art

Leopard C2 Mexas with Dozer Blade

Published:
Company: Meng Model

MENG revised its very good 2013 Leopard kit with new parts to build a Canadian C2 Mexas with the option to fit a dozer blade.

I jumped at the opportunity to review this kit for three reasons, firstly it’s a Canadian main battle tank, it’s by MENG and last by far from least is that a fellow Canadian military specialist Anthony Sewards assisted on the kits research. He also highly recommends this kit for its accuracy which is real praise!

In the box is:

  • 12 x light tan sprues
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 lower hull in light tan
  • 1 turret in light tan
  • 1 upper hull in light tan
  • 1 small decal sheet
  • 1 tow cable
  • Polycap’s - big and small
  • 2 rubber band type tracks
  • 2 photoetch sheets (small… more