Dan Mackay
Reviews By Author
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Vital Storm: Early Hurricanes collection part 2Published:
Are you wondering what to do with all your Hasegawa/Airfix Hurricane Mk I’s? Well wonder no longer, because Aviaeology's new sheet on the subject solves that problem for you. Vital Storm part 2 is a follow-up to the previously reviewed Vital Storm part 1. Aviaeology provides well researched decals on eight subjects including three alone for Ian Gleed's mounts. Each subject is complete with narratives on time period and painting suggestions. The instructions and diagrams are provided on three photo copied sheets, but an email request to Aviaelogy will get you a promptly sent color PDF of the instructions which will prove helpful. I especially appreciate the listing of books and accessories that could further aid the modeler in his quest to build the perfect Hurricane. Listed below is a… more |
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Ju 88G-6/Ju 188A Engine IntakesPublished:
The later Ju 88Gs and Ju 188 have always been favorites of mine, causing me to collect anything and everything about these aircraft. Surprising these latest editions from Hasegawa are not always easy to obtain here in North America this could be due to the timing of their releases as it happened during the distribution transition from Dragon USA to Hobbico. Nevertheless, now that Hobbico is established with the Hasegawa lines, these late war Ju 88/Ju 188’s should get easier to obtain. So it was with great excitement that I was able to review these engine intakes from Quickboost. These resin intakes are free of any blemishes and are well protected on their casting block with resin "bookends" as now standard for Quickboost. They are easy to remove and easily snap off of their… more |
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Ju 88G-6 Night Fighter Detail SetPublished:
The Ju 88 is one of my all-time favorite aircraft. I especially like the night fighter variants. I recently picked up the new limited edition Hasegawa Ju 88G-6 "Berlin Radar" version and received this latest Eduard zoom set at the same time. This zoom set features the now standard color photo photoetch with self-adhesive backing for some of the photoetch. The instructions are very clear and easy to follow; Eduard has this down to an art. All the colors are in perfect register and have a glossy sheen. Following the instructions I removed the recommended raised details to prepare the surfaces for the self-adhesive photoetch. I then gave the kit interior surface a coat of Tamiya German gray, I find this to be a good match for RLM 66 in 1/72. I had previously masked off the… more |
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Avro Lancaster The SurvivorsPublished:
I was very excited to have the opportunity to review this title. I am very fortunate to have two of these featured Lancasters in my own back yard. I drive past the Calgary Aerospace Museum every day to and from work, I often stop in to view FM136 found on page 33. Also my inlaws live in southern Alberta and we visit them once or twice a month, highway 2 takes me thru the heart of Nanton and the Nanton Lancaster Society's FM159 (page 41) almost fully operational Lancaster MK X. As well my local club RMMC (Rocky Mountain Model Club, IPMS) holds its annual regional contest in the Nanton Lancaster Hangar usually the last weekend in May or the first Weekend in June (next contest June 4, 2011). So I have had the opportunity to climb inside and see the inside of this magnificant beast. Also… more |
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I-153 Correct CowlingPublished:
Years ago in SAM Volume 21 Number 2 April 1999 Dave Neale built a beautiful I-153 in Finnish Markings. In his build article he reworked the kit cowling making the needed corrections to depict the proper exhausts. The Heller kit simply comes with dimples for the exhaust ports that surround the cowling. Dave removed these dimples and drilled out holes in the cowling and made his own exhausts. For years I have wanted to make this kit but have chickened out in favor of less involved projects, because I would need to do as Dave did to do the kit justice. Now Quickboost has released the corrected cowling, all the extra work of correction is done for me. The cowling is crisp and perfectly molded with no air bubbles, the quality is up to the usual Quickboost standards. In this set you… more |
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P-51B/C Mustang Exhaust-RoundPublished:
I have collected and built a few Hasegawa P-51B/C's over the years. The Hasegawa exhausts are adequate but do not have the flanges and are not hollowed out on their ends. I like my exhausts drilled and find this task very tedious. Quickboost solves this issue. This set is cast in light grey resin with no molding flaws, and is designed as direct replacements for the kit exhausts with no modifications needed. The Quickboost exhaust fit perfectly to into the Hasegawa cowl (see photo). I also test fitted these exhausts into the Academy and Revell Mustangs, but they were not very good fits for either so they cannot be substituted for the kit parts. Perhaps in time the good folks at Quickboost will make exhausts to fit these kits as well. The MRSP is very reasonable and really will… more |
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B-26 Marauder DecalsPublished:
I have a few Airfix and Hasegawa Marauders is my stash. I am always looking for eye-catching decal options in addition to the supplied kit options. Superscale have issued decal sheets featuring the B-26 in the past, many of which are no longer in available. Even with these decal sheets the Marauder has not been served well in 1/72 scale and the schemes are sometimes boring. Iliad design usually produce decals sheets for more exotic types in 1/48 scale, but recently they have been tapping into 1/72 scale market and one in their new range is a sheet featuring the B-26. Five options are included in the new decal sheet. They are:
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Spitfire Mk. IX ExhaustPublished:
I have acquired a few Airfix Spitfire Mk IX's recently and found the Quickboost product to be a sound rendition. The Airfix Spitfire provided the common standard issue flared or fishtail exhaust. Now with the new Quickboost round exhaust for the Spitfire Mk IX it is now possible to make other variants. Many post war variants used the simpler round exhaust such as Belgium and Dutch machines. Also many Mk IX e used these exhaust also. It would be a simple matter to relocate the wing gun blisters and re-position the cannons to the outboard. This will enable you to make make post war Mk IX e in Czech, and the above mentioned liveries using the round exhausts. The Quickboost exhaust fit perfectly to the Airfix cowl and can be used as direct replacements for the kit exhaust. Also I… more |