F-100F Interior Zoom S.A

Published: May 10, 2012
Company: Eduard

Eduard's color etch sets are really great looking and this one is no exception. This set is made for Trumpeter's 1/72nd F-100F and, when you first look at it, you wonder "where does all of this stuff go?" This set is also self-adhesive, which actually ends up being more trouble than advantage. By the time I had cut a few parts from the fret, I had basically destroyed the backing paper and the… more

T-55 Enigma

Published: April 3, 2012
Company: Tamiya

Between 1958 and 1981, Iraq received more than 3300 T-54/T-55’s from the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Egypt, Romania, and China. Even though the basic tank design had become obsolete in the 1980’s, Iraq, like most owners of the T-54/55, continually attempted to make upgrades in their aging fleet of armor. Prior to the Gulf War, the Iraqis came up with the “Enigma” design, which was… more

USN F-4 Exhaust Nozzles (Late)

Published: February 20, 2012
Company: Eduard

When Eduard started their "Brassin" series of detail parts, they really raised the bar for aftermarket detail manufacturers. Burner cans and exhausts, regardless of the scale, have always been an area that was badly in need of assistance, even with kits like Tamiya's F-4J Phantom. That seam down the middle of tubular structures has always been a modeler's nightmare. Eduard's… more

Windsock Worldwide, Vol. 27, No. 5 - September/October 2011

Published: February 3, 2012
Company: Albatros Productions, Ltd.

This copy of Windsock Worldwide is typical of every other issue I have had in my hand. I have read every word and learned something new and hated that there wasn’t any more. Including the covers, there’s 36 pages of high quality, heavy, glossy pages packed with information. Unlike most U.S. hobby publications, which are half advertisements and half articles, there are only two pages of ads in… more

P-51 Mustang Decals Pt. 2

Published: February 3, 2012
Company: Lifelike Decals

This is the second Lifelike Decals release for Tamiya’s new 1/32nd scale P-51, and it also gives two markings for the Revell 1/32nd scale P-51B. Maybe Tamiya will give us a gift sometime soon of a new P-51B, too. The selections are:

• P-51B-15-NA, 42-106924, “Salem Representative”, flown by LT Ralph Hofer of the 334th FS, 4th FG stationed at Debden AB in England, June 1944.
… more

P-51 Mustang Decals Pt. 1

Published: February 3, 2012
Company: Lifelike Decals

Tamiya’s new 1/32nd scale P-51 has created a surge of new decals for that subject, and Lifelike Decals have done their part, as well. This sheet provides markings for four colorful Mustangs, three from the European Theater and one from the Pacific Theater:

• P-51D-15-NA, 308 FS/31 FG, San Severo, Italy, “American Beauty”, flown by Captain John Voll.
• P-51D-10-NA, 370 FS/359… more

WWI Spandau Light Machine Gun 08/15

Published: December 8, 2011
Company: Master Model

When you look at any of Master Model’s brass gun barrels, you always marvel at what you see. The detail is remarkable regardless of the scale, and the price is hard to believe because it is so low. One of the things that always bothersed me in German WWI aircraft, almost as much as rigging, was annealing and rolling that stupid cooling jacket on Spandau machine guns. And when I finally get it… more

HH-60J Jayhawk USCG part 1

Published: September 21, 2021
Company: Skunk Models Workshop

Part 1

For years I have had the desire to build a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60J, but just couldn’t convince myself to buy all of the resin conversion parts needed or, God forbid, do some real modeling and do some scratch building. A very good friend of mine, Dave Riley, was a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard at the Coast Guard Aviation Center in Mobile, before a mysterious bacterial… more

F-15E Elevators

Published: October 23, 2011
Company: Quickboost

Aires Stabilators are made for any of the Academy 1/48th scale F-15E kits. They are a one-for-one replacement for Academy kits, but can also be used on Revell kits. They are perfectly cast in a light tan resin, and require no cleanup, except on the mounting stubs, which are also cast slightly larger than the hole on the fuselage. There are very few differences between the kit parts and the… more

Luftwaffe Instruments

Published: October 23, 2011
Company: Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements

Airscale, a British company, has really been cranking out the instrument decals of late, and they are really very well done. On this particular sheet there are fifty-one separate instruments for World War Two Luftwaffe aircraft. There are many instruments that I have never seen before, and sadly, there is only one of each instrument. They are crisply printed in black and white, and each… more