Blaine Singleton
Reviews By Author
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A-4 Skyhawk Crew Access LadderPublished:
This is a review of an A-4 Skyhawk crew access ladder in 1/72 scale made of photo etch parts. Given the scale of the ladder, it is obvious that all parts are going to take some patience to remove from the PE sheet and apply to the ladder. The package contains a photo etch sheet containing all the parts needed to construct the access ladder and a one-page instruction sheet. InstructionsThe instruction sheet clearly marks parts. The ladder construction has all the parts and their locations in an exploded view of assembly Building the LadderI started out by laying the PE sheet on a strip of tape that I had rubbed on the back of my hand and removed a couple of times to reduce the stickiness of the tape. The parts are so small that I was afraid… more |
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500 lb. AN-M64A1 BombPublished:
Brengun is known as a supplier of high-quality detail parts for aircraft, as well as other subjects. Once assembled and painted the bomb provides a very nice addition to an aircraft model. Package Contents
InstructionsThe sheet contains one page showing how the parts are assembled on the bomb (fins, fuse arming fan and bomb rack attachments). ConstructionAs you can imagine the parts for this bomb are very tiny. The fins once cut from the PE sheets mount with a butt joint on the aft end of the bomb. The fuse and bomb rack attachments are extremely small, so it is advised as you remove the parts from the PE sheet you cut them while… more |
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Mottle Master Weathering StencilPublished:
Mottling on model paint schemes is becoming more and more popular. The item for this review makes the project much easier than trying to do it freehand. All models require different levels of paint layers to get that realistic look. Mottling has become one of the layers of a lighter color of the basecoat to get the color variance and depth. The stencils help paint in the weathered look. People have used various freehand airbrush techniques to break up the basecoat, whether it is shading within a panel’s lines or indiscriminate lines throughout the basecoat to get color depth. Masterpiece Models has a stencil with varying cut shapes that allows paint to be sprayed through and onto your model. The stencils are made of a compressed thin card board type material that can be… more |
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250 lb. AN-M57A1 BombPublished:
Hauler-Brengun is known as a supplier of high-quality detail parts for aircraft, as well as other subjects. Once assembled and painted the bomb provides a very nice addition to an aircraft model. Package Contents
InstructionsThe sheet contains one page showing how the parts are assembled on the bomb (fins, fuse arming fan and bomb rack attachments). ConstructionAs you can imagine the parts for this bomb are very tiny. The fins once cut from the PE sheets mount with a butt joint on the aft end of the bomb. The fuse and bomb rack attachments are extremely small, so it is advised as you remove the parts from the PE sheet you cut… more |
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M1296 Stryker DragoonPublished:
In the BoxInstructionsThe instruction booklet was divided into 18 pages of clearly marked parts. The instructions contained 38 separate steps to complete the model. At the end of the instruction booklet there were painting and decal application illustrations. SpruesContained in the box were 19 different model part sprues molded in olive green. Also contained in the kit, 8 rubber tires and a thread type tow cable. Photo EtchTwo sheets of PE are included with the kit. Clear PlasticThere were two clear sprues of parts for the kit, they were for light lenses and view ports on the top of the vehicle body. Decal SheetThe sheet was sparse with vehicle id numbers and stencils. The vehicle had very few areas for the… more |
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Schweinfurt-Regensburg 1943 - Eighth Air Force’s Costly Early Daylight BombingPublished:
This is another book in the Osprey collection, this one covering the Eight Air Force’s campaign against Germany in 1943. The story of the Eight’s campaign also covers accounts and the counter measures the Germans took to thwart the Eight’s aircraft and tactics. Comparisons are made between the Eight’s aircraft vs German counter parts and specific alterations to aircraft made by both sides to stop their enemy. One aircraft developed by the Eight’s engineers was the YB-40. Essentially being a B-17 upgraded with more machine guns and more ammo to act as a gunship escort for the bomber formations prior to long range fighter escorts. Another section of the book follows the development of the droppable external fuel tanks to extend the range of a P-47 for bomber… more |
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USS New York (BB-34) - Legends of WarfarePublished:
The AuthorDavid Doyle’s earliest published works appeared in periodicals aimed at the hobby of historic military vehicle restoration. By 1999 this included regular features in leading hobby publications, appearing regularly in US, English, and Polish magazines. Since 2003, over 100 of his books have been published. Broadening his horizons from his initial efforts concerning vehicles, he soon added aircraft and warships to his research objectives. ContentsThe book is divided into six chapters all covering the beginning construction to the final day of the ship.
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Mission Models Paint, Part 4 (Clear Primer)Published:
This is the fourth of a four-part review of Mission Models Paints. Clear PrimerWhy Clear Primer?That is the question I asked Jon Tamkin owner of Mission Models Paints at the Chattanooga IPMS Convention. John looked at me for a second and I saw just a slight smile starting to emerge from the side of his mouth as if to say here is a whole new chapter in the Mission Models Paint story. After a conversation with him about the primer, I am inclined to agree with him. What is Clear PrimerWhen I first heard about the Clear Primer, I was thinking to myself the primers I use are to check for defects on the model and can correct them with a little sanding. So how could a clear primer help with that? Back to the conversation I had with Jon… more |
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Focke-Wulf 190V-1Published:
In the BoxInstructionsThe instruction booklet was divided into four pages of clearly marked parts and their construction sequence. Illustrations for the parts and their construction sequence were very clear and crisp. The instructions contained 10 separate steps to complete the model. My instruction book was missing step seven but that appeared to be the step when the wing is attached to the fuselage. Included with the instructions is a drawing for paint and decal applications for either of two aircraft. One version was in natural metal finish and the other was in German camo markings. Clear PlasticSupplied was one piece of vacuum formed plastic with two canopies molded into it. Canopy MaskFor painting the canopy I… more |
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Profiler Scribing and Contour GuidePublished:
John Vojtech and the people at UMM-USA (Unique Master Models) have come up with yet another tool that is well worth having in your collection. The Profiler Scribing and Contour Guide is a very versatile tool to help you with scribing and replicating inside and outside contours of your models. Modelers may need to find the exterior or interior contours of parts to either scratch-build additional parts or shape/sand kit pieces to fit better. The guide is made from a thin piece of pliable metal and covered with a non-slip material. The metal can be bent in several contour position without breaking it and once bent has no memory. The guide also is sold with a blue straw like holder with plugs at either end, so it is easy to find when you want to use it. The guide can be… more |