Damon Blair
Reviews By Author
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Mk 82 with Airbrake (Early)Published:
The basic Mk.82 500 pound bomb has been used in numerous applications, ranging from a simple “iron” bomb, up to “smart” bombs. This resin set from Eduard is a version of the Mk. 82 bomb called a “snake eye” that used fins that opened like petals to slow the speed of the bomb dramatically. The kit comes with six basic Mk. 82 bomb shapes (what is known as the bomb core), six inert nosepieces, six fuse nosepieces, and six extended nosepieces, also known as “daisy cutters”. Another option is to not use any fuse nose, representing a bomb that has yet to be fused. There are 30 resin parts to make up these well-detailed bombs. After gluing together the body and the fins (parts R8 and R10), you select which fuse to use on the bombs (if any). I chose to use the extended fuse (… more |
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CBU-97 Cluster BombsPublished:
CBU stands for Cluster Bomb Unit, which is a type of bomb, or munitions, that dispenses smaller bombs across a designated area. Eduard has created a resin armament set that covers one of the more unusual bombs, especially a type that is not seen very often on aircraft and not included in most aircraft kits. This simple kit consists of 12 parts cast in resin. Assembly is straightforward, consisting of detaching, sanding, and then gluing the tail fins (Parts R31) to the main bodies (Parts R30). Each bomb is painted olive drab. Care must be taken with the decals, as they are both thin and fragile. Once the decals are applied, a very convincing miniature version of the CBU is ready to load on a 1/48 aircraft. Many thanks go out to Eduard for providing the… more |
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Porsche 962C Limited Edition- Trust RacingPublished:
Porsche is one of the premiere names in racing and sports cars in the world. This limited edition model of the Trust Racing Team’s Porsche 962C comes from Hasegawa and is a faithful reproduction of the real thing. The kit contains 40 white plastic pieces on six runners, one white plastic car body, 12 clear pieces, four black axle retainers, and four rubber tires. There are several extra clear plastic and white plastic parts intended to create versions of the Porsche 962 that are different from the subject of this kit. I highly recommend painting all of the kit’s parts prior to beginning any assembly. The only exception would be the parts used to build the airfoil on the back of the car, and that is due to a fit issue with the airfoil parts. Also recommended is to leave… more |
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Modern Jet ComponentsPublished:
If you build modern aircraft in 1/32 scale, and are frustrated with some of the details that seem to be lacking on the instrument panels, this product will help you add more details to those instrument panels. The package consists of one photo-etched (PE) brass sheet with a large number of instrument bezels, ejection seat handles, mirrors, switch panels, warning/caution light panels, and multi-function CRT interface bezels. Use these bezels/panels along with instrument decals (kit or aftermarket) and a truly realistic instrument panel can be made. This package, along with aftermarket instrument decals, can be used to scratchbuild panels that may not be included in a 1/32 kit, or replace a completely inaccurate panel on a kit. The ejection seat handles can be used to enhance… more |
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Modern Jet ComponentsPublished:
If you build modern aircraft in 1/48 scale and are frustrated with some of the details that seem to be lacking on the instrument panels, this product will help you add more details to those instrument panels. The package consists of one photo-etched (PE) brass sheet with a large number of instrument bezels, ejection seat handles, mirrors, switch panels, warning/caution light panels, and multi-function CRT interface bezels. Put these bezels over instrument decals, and a very realistic instrument results. Besides just adding details to an aircraft instrument panel or modern fighter cockpit, these bezels and other components can be used to scratchbuild a completely new panel or panels. The ejection seat handles can be used to enhance either a kit ejection seat, or an… more |
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USAF 2-Wheel Tilt Cabinet - LatePublished:
While this cabinet may be small and easily overlooked, it can bring a sense of realism to a 1/32 display or diorama. As a retired C-130 Crew Chief, I have personally used (and abused!) roll around cabinets such as this. The kit comes with 9 cast resin parts on three runners. One part, the handle on the top of the box, was broken in my sample. Being fragile, it is easily broken, and I suspect that it was broken in transit. My intent was to repair the handle and install it as intended. However, the hungry carpet monster ate both pieces, so I had to create a new handle from brass rod. Assembly of this kit is easy, with the only problem that I had was getting the bottom of the cabinet (part 9 on the instruction sheet) absolutely flat. The runner for creating this part… more |
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USAF Crew Chief with Toolbox, Tools, and NotebookPublished:
If you are building a 1/32 diorama of a modern USAF aircraft, this Crew Chief and a roll around tool box would be a great addition. This kit also includes two drills, two slim notebooks, and a PC notebook. If you place this kit next to a 1/32 aircraft, it will make a diorama or a display “come alive”. Inside the package, you get a Crew Chief figure, toolbox, two drills, two manuals, and a PC Notebook. There are a total of 15 parts that make up this kit, all of which are well molded and have a great amount of detail. The fit of the parts is excellent, with only a small amount of mold seams, all of which are easily filed and sanded smooth. One big note about assembling this kit – build the toolbox first, and doing that will make it easier to pose the figure in a good… more |
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USAF Crew Chief FiguresPublished:
If you are building a 1/32 diorama of a modern USAF aircraft, these two Crew Chiefs would be a perfect addition. Having one or both of these figures would make the diorama “come alive”. In the package, you get two figures, molded in resin, consisting of five parts. One figure is in the “Parade Rest” position, which is usually the pose that Crew Chiefs take when a jet is ready to taxi out. This figure comes as one piece on a runner. The runner is at the bottom of his boots. I found the resin to be very easy to cut with an X-acto style saw. One word of caution here – cut off slightly below the soles of the boots, and then sand the bottoms of the boots using sandpaper mounted on a flat surface. By doing this, he will stand upright without using any glue. The second figure… more |