Clarence Wentzel
Reviews By Author
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Su-33 Flanker D – Correct NosePublished:
The Su-33 Flanker D is an all-weather-carrier based air defense fighter based on the Su-27. The airplane had a production run of 24 units. Hasegawa has produced a kit of this interesting aircraft for modelers. As usual, Quickboost has added several items to improve the accuracy of the basic Su-33 Flanker D kit. The first part is a correct nose cone. The attached photo shows the Quickboost part compared to an Su-27 from my collection. The new cone is the correct shape for the model and is interchangeable with the kit part. It is molded in cream colored resin. It is smooth, seamless and bubble-free. I highly recommend this product if you want a really superior-looking model. Since this part is interchangeable with the kit parts, it can be recommended for all levels… more |
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Windsock Worldwide, Vol. 28, No. 2 - March/April 2012Published:
This bimonthly magazine is a must for modelers (and aviation enthusiasts) interested in World War One aircraft. The magazine is published by Albatros Productions Ltd. in the UK, which also publishes the great line of Windsock Datafiles and Specials. The headline article in this issue covers an in-depth build of the Wingnut Wings kit of the Rumpler C.IV. The author of the article is the editor of the magazine, Ray Rimmel, and he displays an absolute love of the Rumpler C.IV. The article covers 12 pages and includes many little additions, both scratchbuilt and aftermarket, that Ray added to the kit to individualize the model to his preference. Some photos from the article are shown. The basic kit was reviewed in the Vol. 27/6 issue of the magazine which showed how magnificent the… more |
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A-6 Intruder Egg PlanePublished:
The A-6 Intruder is the twentieth model in Hasegawa’s Eggplane series. Several of my friends have finished these cute little models, so I jumped at the chance to try one myself. The box top showed a drawing of the model along with a typical manga character cheering the model. The kit consisted of thirty crisply molded parts plus a transparent canopy. A fairly extensive decal sheet was included covering markings for two aircraft: a Navy Intruder with VA-115 from the USS Midway and a Marine Intruder from VMA (AW) 242. The instruction sheet shows two exploded view steps. This requires the modeler to plan the assembly steps and, more importantly, the painting steps in advance but is not a major problem. The basic egg consists of two parts for the front half and one part for the rear… more |
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Mi-35M Hind EPublished:
Background The Mil Mi-35M Hind E is an upgrade to the famous Mi-24 Hind gunship. In addition to being a potent gunship, the Hind can carry a number of soldiers in the fuselage or can evacuate wounded. Initially, the designation Mi-35, together with the Mi-25, were used for export versions. These designations were used before the end of the Soviet Union. More recently, the designation Mi-35 refers to the most modern version of this important helicopter. The Mi-35M is basically a modernized Mi-24V and is characterized by changes in weaponry and an increase in engine power. This model also features improved main and tail rotors, as well as modernized wings, fixed landing gear, and new laser aiming and navigation systems. One identifying factor is the four blade "… more |
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F-84E/G Thunderjet in Service of the (R)Neth.AF - DecalsPublished:
This decal sheet provides markings for eighteen Dutch Thunderjet aircraft. The package includes two sheets of decals and a four-page printed instruction sheet with general details of the decal placement. This decal sheet is a supplement to Dutch Profile #12, available from the same location. The color profile drawings from the book cover the same aircraft and provide a much clearer indication of the colors. This decal sheet provides nose and tail numbers for all of the aircraft listed in the instruction sheet plus a few others that can be found in the Dutch Profile. A single set of national markings is provided, along with three sets of tail stripes and seven wing tank markings. Clearly, the modeler can produce a single model from this sheet. By obtaining some Dutch national… more |
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F-84E/G Thunderjet in Service of the (R)Neth. AF - History, Camouflage and MarkingsPublished:
In US service, the F-84 Thunderjet experienced early problems, but the E and G models proved the validity of the design. With its straight wing, it was very stable and was a great fighter-bomber. It is well known from its exploits in Korea. A portion of the F-84E production was exported to NATO to provide them with a modern jet attack airplane. When the greatly improved F-84G entered production, a majority of the production was exported to NATO and other countries. This book provides complete details of the F-84E and F-84G in the service of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The book is written in Dutch and English. The first half of the book is in Dutch while the rest of the book repeats the information in English. Different photos are included in both halves but all photos… more |
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Naval Aces of World War I, Part 1Published:
This book covers Aces of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). It appears that Osprey will be publishing an additional volume or volumes covering naval aces of other countries. When I heard of this book, I assumed that it would probably cover Raymond Collishaw and other Sopwith Triplane pilots of Naval 10. I was pleased to find that, although Naval 10 was well covered, the history of the RNAS in WWI was surprisingly broad. When we think about British aircraft during WWI, we usually think of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). However, we must remember that the Royal Navy was called the Senior Service. Both organizations were formed in 1912 and it appears that they both developed in parallel until they were combined in April of 1918. Seventy nine pilots of the RNAS achieved the status of Ace… more |
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244th Sentai Part 1 - Decal SheetPublished:
Lifelike Decals have recently provided some of their products for review. They produce a wide range of 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale decals for WW II fighters and a couple of B-17s. This sheet is the first of three sheets covering 244 Sentai aircraft. I am sure that most modelers are familiar with the red tailed Ki-61 Tonys of this group. This sheet covers eight different aircraft including a couple of natural metal birds. Five of them are aircraft of aces. The aircraft of this Sentai included a great variety of fuselage stripes and bands. This sheet provides all of that material for the various schemes. The level of detail includes two slightly different colors of blue to properly recreate the individual markings. The directions also provide details for the props and landing gear doors. A… more |
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More Stars in the SkyPublished:
I have been aware of the company Iliad Design for many years based on their very interesting line of Aircraft Color Charts. I have a few of their sets covering some unique areas – Polish Aircraft, French Aircraft, Condor Legion etc. I had not been aware that they also produce decals. Upon checking out their web site, I found several interesting sets of decals. Most of them are 1/48 scale but they also have a pleasing selection of 1/72 decals. The subject of this review is their latest 1/72 scale release. It covers the following;
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German Fighter Messerschmitt Bf-109 F2Published:
Background I’m sure that everyone is aware of the Messerschmitt Bf-109 series of aircraft. The F model entered production in November, 1940 and differed from the previous “E” models by using a more powerful version of the DB 601 engine and featuring a more streamlined nose cowling. Armament consisted of two nose mounted machine guns and a cannon shooting through the engine crankshaft. Many of Germany’s top aces preferred the F model over the earlier E or even the later G and K models. I recommend Lynn Ritger’s two books from SAM Publications for reference purposes. The Kit Many manufacturers are bringing out fairly detailed 1/144 kits. When I signed up for this review, I had expected the model to be somewhat complicated considering… more |