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Allan Murrell

IPMS Number
49715

Reviews By Author

Product packaging

Template Squares Steel

Published:
Company: Eduard

This is a photoetch template set for use scribing/engraving square type features on any subject plastic model. This set with one sheet with 4 smaller templates within it.

In the packet includes

  • 1 photoetch sheet

Summary

This is a fantastic set for added some great additional details features to any kit or replacing engraved squares lost due to sanding and filling. They are easy to use and flexible to form around most shapes and surfaces.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this set to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.
Packaging

Lighting T. Mk 4/5 Landing Gear

Published:
Company: Scale Aircraft Conversions

This is a white metal landing gear set is to for the Sword 1/48 English Electric Lighting T. Mk4/5 aircraft.

The white metal parts are good are have better defined details than the original kit parts. They are a very good replacement for the already well details kit parts. The advantage is these white metal parts will provide more strength and last longer than the kit parts.

The parts include the main two gear struts components that replaces part numbers 78, 79, 27, 57, 56, 60 and 61. The front strut parts which replaces part numbers 7, 84 and 59.

The parts are well cast; you do need to sand off the few cast seams and metal pour points. The parts were a perfect fit to the existing mount and were easy to assemble.

I recommend these parts are a great… more
Cover

American Knights – The Untold Story of the Men of the Legendary 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion

Published:
Book Author(s): Victor “Troy” Failmezger
Company: Osprey Publishing

This book goes into great detail about the history and combat experience of the first US tank destroyer battalion. It takes you from the unit’s formation to the Kasserine pass to Anzio, Operation Dragoon to the final attacks on the Third Reich, this is the fascinating story of the men and machines fighting against Germany’s best. This book tells the technical details and origins of the 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, it allows you to be at the front during the European war.

As the war developed it become very clear that the allies needed to have a way to defeat the German panzers on the battlefields. The answer was the formation of a new type of battalion, the Tank Destroyers.

… more
Packaging

Japanese Refueling Cart

Published:
Company: Hauler

Hauler has provided another addition to the great Diorama releases from Brengun with this Japanese refueling cart for use with Japanese WW2 Air forces. These were used to manually pump fuel for military logistics operations.

The detail quality is great; there is a lot of easily removable flash and no other noticeable imperfections. The parts once removed from the mold base are ready to assembly. The parts are very delicate parts that need careful removal and added to the assembly.

The Assembly is quick and easy. Please be care cutting the parts as I did find a few air bubbles in the cart frame which did lead to a couple of breaks that need repairing. The Axle is not numbered on the instructions and this is in fact part number 5.

I was a little disappointed that… more
Product Picture

He 280 Art Print

Published:
Book Author(s): NA
Company: Eduard

This is an art print poster of the Box art of He 280 kit Eduard released recently.

Summary

This is a fantastic print which I will be framing and placing on my office wall. The print is on high quality paper and has a fantastic image of the He 280 which is one of my favorite aircraft.

Now I have the print I will be also buying the model kit to place next to the print once completed.

I would highly recommend this print and the others in the series as they are of the best quality and look great in a model room, man cave or office.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this Print to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them
Product Picture

Renault UE Tank

Published:
Company: Mirage Hobby

This is a new version of the Renault UE Tankette and is the Scout version. This version has two options you can build one which has two machine gun turrets while the other has one machine gun turret and a load carrier at the rear.

The kit contains

  • 3 x sprues molded in grey styrene
  • 1 color guide sheet
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

Firstly you must know the instructions are in Polish which will be a problem for a novice modeler, but many will have no real trouble with the instructions.

  • Step I builds parts of the left hand and right hand road wheel assemblies, there are a few ejector pin marks that need cleaning up. Also there is an error that shows the A6 part in two locations… more
Package

Tie Downs and Straps German Steel

Published:
Company: Eduard

This is a photoetch Interior set of various German WWII type tie down straps. This set has one colored photoetch sheet with both sides being colored.

In the Packet is:

  • 1 colored photoetch sheet

Summary

This is a fantastic set for adding some great details to any German WWII vehicle to replace molded-on straps or to attach additional aftermarket stowage materials. There are 14 straps/tie downs included of three different colors and 6 different designs. Being steel, that are very easy to form and shape. They can even be flattened again and re-formed without the paint peeling as it does with brass.

I will be buying a few more sets for my many armor builds to come.

Thanks go to Eduard for providing this set to review and… more
Packaging

Valentine Mk. II/IV w/ Desert Fenders

Published:
Company: Eduard

This is a Big Ed set which contains three Eduard PE sets for the new tooled Tamiya Valentine Mk.II /IV kit.

In the Big Ed sets the following sets:

Eduard PE Set 36 359 Details Set

  • 1x Photo Etch Sheet
  • 1x Instruction sheet

Eduard PE Set 36 360 Desert Fenders Set

  • 1x Photo Etch Sheet
  • 1x Instruction sheet

Eduard PE Set 36 361 Cannister Holder set

  • 1 x Small Colored Photo Etch sheet
  • 1x Photo Etch Sheet
  • 1x Instruction sheet

Construction

  1. Detail Set 36359 - This set was pretty straight forward to build with a few areas of caution for the builder. These were as follows A- Parts 19 and 20 are easily formed the wrong way to please… more
Box Art

Hitachi Vibratory Combined Roller ZC50C-5

Published:
Company: Hasegawa

This is a new tooled kit first issued in 2017. It is an excellent kit in the Hasegawa range and is very easy to build as long as you watch the instruction details carefully.

In the box is:

  • 2 x orange sprues
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 light grey sprue
  • 3 x dark grey sprues
  • 1 length of hose
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 4 x poly caps
  • 1 instruction booklet

The sprues are extremely well molded with no flash and great detail. The parts are all molded in the correct colors so if the build is done well there is no need to do much painting.

Construction

Stage 1 Assembly begins with the front section of the articulated body. There are a few places you have to be careful to correct assembly the… more
Cover

The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich

Published:
Book Author(s): Yves Buffetaut
Company: Casemate Publishers

The book goes into details of the formation, deployment and combat actions of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich.

Das Reich was the first Waffen SS division created and was a major force where ever it fought.

The unit as formed in September 1939 as the war began and fought on most fronts from Poland, France, Balkans, Russia, back to France and then back to the eastern front at the end of the war.

I found this book fascinating and made me aware of a lot of information I have never read before. Das Reich was a formidable division and prove its worth and bravery on all the fronts it fought. It was used as a firefighting group on many occasions and resisted against the odds on many occasions.

There are a lot of pictures and illustrations that… more