Allan Murrell

IPMS Number
49715

Reviews By Author

Book Cover

Stalin’s Armour 1941-1945 Soviet Tanks at War

Published:
Book Author(s): Anthony Tucker-Jones
Company: Pen & Sword

This book covers the story if the Soviet introduction and use of Tanks in World War two and the battles and politics around them.

Chapters

  • A Tank Aficionado
  • Lost Advantage
  • Stalin’s Mechanical Corps
  • Desperate Counter-Attacks
  • Tank City Falls
  • The T-34 Escapes
  • The Stalingrad Flank
  • Save the Oil
  • New Tank Armies
  • Other Peoples Tanks
  • Triumph at Kursk
  • Battles for Kharkov
  • Victory in the Crimea
  • Stalin’s Armoured Steamroller
  • Punishing Traitors
  • Stopped Before Warsaw
  • The Road to Hungary
  • Beneath the Brandenburg Gate
  • Heroes of Socialist Labour

The book goes into extreme detail on the… more

Box Art

Salvenmaschinenkanone SMK 18 TYP 2

Published:
Company: Das Werk Scale Models

This kit is a collaboration between Das Werks and Customscale and what a great little kit. The subject matter is a Rheinmetall experimental Flak Weapon with 8 barrels. There is one one example still around which is in a Moscow Museum. There is not official records or documents around anymore on this subject. The only reference I could find was an old “Nuts and Bolts” publication with a photo walkaround of the one on Moscow.

The kit contains

  • 4 sprues molded in light grey styrene
  • 1 Photo Etch sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

The instruction booklet is great and very detailed to assist in the build. There were a couple of minor errors that I list below that I found during the build.

Section 1 is the Base… more

Product Picture

10.5cm StuH42 / 7.5cm StuG III Ausf G with Zimmeritt 2 in 1 Kit

Published:
Company: Das Werk Scale Models

This is a re-boxing of the very good Dragon kit with addition parts and new decals for five different markings. Included in the kit is a very nice instruction manual by Das Werk. The kit can be built in to one of two different versions – the 10.5cm StuH42 or the 7.5cm StuG III Ausf.G.

The kit contains

  • 13 sprues molded in light grey styrene
  • 1 Lower hull in light grey
  • 1 clear sprue
  • 1 Photo Etch sheets
  • 2 metal cables
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

The kit is includes a lot of unrequired parts as these are for the other StuG versions that Dragon does. The instruction booklet is great and very detailed to assist in the build. There were a couple of minor errors that… more

Book Cover

Panthers – Modelling the Takom Family

Published:
Company: AMMO by Mig Jimenez

The Panther is an iconic German World War II tank and this book is a very detailed manual of how to model it using the various Takom kits currently on the market.

The chapters are written by some of the best modelers in the world and they guide you through the process of building, painting and weathering the Takom kits. The book gives comprehensive cover of all the stages of construction and finishing.

The book also has a short but concise history of the Panther which includes some awesome photos, and a great chapter three which is a photo gallery of some museum Panthers.

The Takom Kits covered in the book include all of the early, middle and late production versions of the Panther tank and its derivatives: The Panther D, A and G; Jagdpanther G1 and G2,… more

Cover

Kagero Super Drawings in 3D SMS Derfflinger

Published:
Book Author(s): Marsden Samuel & Gary Staff
Company: Kagero Publishing

The book provides great 3D style detail drawings of the German Battle Cruiser SMS Derfflinger. The Derfflinger was built in early 1910 and was considered to be the best of the Battle Cruisers up until the end of World War One.

The book is pack full of amazing pictures of the ship from all angles and showing all the finer details of the ship’s make up. The details are fantastic and provide much for any modeler who wishes to super detail a model of the ship.

There is also a pull out outline drawing of the ship in 1/350 scale including a hull “cut-through “for the length pf the ship.

I recommend this book to everyone with an interest in the SMS Derfflinger or any war ship for that matter, and this is a must for anyone going to build a model of this ship. In fact, I… more

Packaging

Churchill Tank Light Cast Resin Tracks

Published:
Company: OKB Grigorov

This product is replacement resin tracks for any 1/72 Churchill Tank kit that you want to use the Light Cast tracks on.

The set includes 6 light grey resin strips of track more than enough for a single tank.

The detail is excellent and vey little flash and a breeze to cut of the runners.

The tracks are easily formed using a hair dryer to apply heat then form the track on the track rollers, wheels and Sprockets.

They are a great replacement for the rubber tracks supplied with the majority of the 1/72 scale kits on the market.

I recommend these parts are a great addition to any 1/72 Churchill tank model kit.

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

Packaging

Churchill Tank Heavy Cast Resin Tracks

Published:
Company: OKB Grigorov

This product is replacement resin tracks for any 1/72 Churchill Tank kit that you want to use the Heavy Cast tracks on.

The set includes 6 light grey resin strips of track more than enough for a single tank.

The detail is excellent and vey little flash and a breeze to cut of the runners.

The tracks are easily formed using a hair dryer to apply heat then form the track on the track rollers, wheels and Sprockets.

They are a great replacement for the rubber tracks supplied with the majority of the 1/72 scale kits on the market.

I recommend these parts are a great addition to any 1/72 Churchill tank model kit.

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

Front Cover

Top Drawing 108 The German Night Fighter Heinkel He 219 Uhu

Published:
Book Author(s): Marek Rys
Company: Kagero Publishing

The book provides great detail drawings of the German WWII night fighter Heinkel He 219 Uhu, which was introduced in November 1942 to the Luftwaffe. The first interesting fact I found was that the He 219 was never officially ordered due to dislike of Heinkel by the Luftwaffe officials. So the 274 that saw service were all officially trail aircraft.

I found the drawings in this book to be fascinating and show many of the variants of this very interesting aircraft. Along with the many outline drawings in 1/72 scale. there are also some very nice profile drawings. There is also a pull out outline drawings in both 1/48 and 1/32 scale.

I recommend this book to everyone with an interest in the He 219 Uhu and consider it a “must” for modellers. I am now off to the work bench… more

Book Cover

Vickers VC10 & Super VC10

Published:
Book Author(s): Lance Cole
Company: Pen & Sword

The VC-10 has always been one of my favorite civil aircraft since I was a kid and watching them take off from Heathrow Airport. So, I could not miss the chance to review this book.

Chapters

  • Introduction
  • Design and Development
  • Engineering Excellence
  • Into the Air
  • RAF Service
  • Other Operators
  • VC10 Variants
  • VC10 & Super VC10 in colour
  • Modelling the VC10

The book goes into great detail on the full history of the aircraft and its use and variants over its operational service life. I found this book fascinating and made me aware of a lot of facts I have never heard before. The writing style is clear and concise. The images are awesome and give a lot of useful views for… more

Product

Track & Wheels – Solution Set

Published:
Company: AMMO by Mig Jimenez

“With these colours and effects, you will be able to simulate different types of dirt accumulations on the tracks and wheels of any vehicle, from dust accumulations to clumps of sticky mud, even rust and polished metal. Included in the package is a Quick Tip guide with step-by-step colour photographs showing how to apply all of the authentic effects mentioned above.

Each reference in the Super Pack series includes the essential products needed to accurately represent the most common weathering effects used in modelling. Among these products are Oilbrushers, pigments, and enamel washes, filters and Streaking Effects required to produce authentic finishes in your models. All the colours are provided in this all-in-one option, you do not need to worry about sourcing the different… more