Allan Murrell
Reviews By Author
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Tempest Mk.V EnginePublished:
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:
ConstructionStage 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 |
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Yokosuka MXY7 OHKA Model 22Published:
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:
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. ConstructionFirst is the construction of the cockpit the one half of the fuselage which is well detailed for the… more |
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Hawker Typhoon and Tempest - A Formidable PairPublished:
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 |
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Tempest Mk. V cockpitPublished:
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:
ConstructionFirst 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 |
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Fieseler Fi 103 (FZG 76) / V-1Published:
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:
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. ConstructionBefore… more |
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Kagero Top Drawing 57 Messerschmitt Bf 110 Vol 1Published:
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 |
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M16 Rifle Vietnam WarPublished:
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:
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 |
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AK 47 Assault RiflePublished:
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:
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. SummaryThis is a great set for adding very detailed… more |
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Leopard C2 Mexas with Dozer BladePublished:
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:
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Great Cars - Volkswagen Beetle - A Celebration of the World’s Most Popular CarPublished:
The book goes into great detail of the development, service, variants and full history of a classic car which is one of the world’s most popular cars ever produced. I have always loved this little car, with great memories of traveling in one when I was a child in the Sixties. The book is a wonderful treasure trove of pictures that I have ever seen before and even though I thought I knew a lot about this car it has so much more history and facts I never heard before. Also, it is written by a very professional and knowledgeable author of lots of articles I have read and enjoyed before. The car's history goes back to Wartime Germany in the late 1930s and goes on till today! The car was the brainchild of the great car designer Ferdinand Porsche and was to be the Peoples car of the… more |