Dave Morrissette
Reviews By Author
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Deck Crew Aircraft MaintenancePublished:
Videoaviation.com continues its excellent streak of 1/32nd scale diorama accessories with Set 1872323, a Navy Deck Crew for aircraft maintenance. This set includes two Navy Deck Crew Aircraft maintenance figures- one kneeling with a tool to remove screws and the other assisting. Also included is an Aero 12C cart with a selection of toolboxes included. Inside the package, you will find 22 creme colored resin pieces. Of these, the cart is seven pieces, the toolboxes are five, and the remainder is for the figures. There are also painting/assembly instructions and even more photographs on the web site. There are slight seam lines as with all resin cast parts and these are easily scraped away. Fit of the parts is great and no filler was used. I left the heads off for… more |
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VMA(AW)-533 HAWKS (1) USMC A-6A Intruders in the Cold WarPublished:
AOA Decals specializes in Vietnam to modern era planes and covers all the major scales. This sheet is 1/32nd scale and covers VMA(AW)-533 was previously featured on AOA's first 1/32 sheet 32-001 covering their Vietnam War deployments (1967-69 and 1972-73) and again on sheet 32-003 covering Operation Desert Storm. This new sheet 32-029 expands that coverage of VMA(AW)-533 to now include the intermediate and immediate postwar periods in the early 1970s. The set includes three sets of markings for A-6A Intruders:
Decals also included for… more |
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SUU-30 (CBU-54) H/B LatePublished:
Videoaviation.com has been producing superb aftermarket diorama accessories and munitions for a fair amount of time. One of its latest offerings is the SUU-30 (CBU-54) H/B Late cluster bomb unit. The SUU-30 is the actual canister holding all the smaller cluster bomblets. This unit was used from post Viet War, late Cold War until 1991 Gulf War. Inside the package, you will find parts to make six complete cluster bomb dispensers. The bomb units are broken down into front and back parts (six of each), a photoetch fret to add the fins at the rear of the bomb and a set of decals and instructions. Casting is superb with cream colored resin being used. Preparation is simple. Cut the fin and nose sections from their casting blocks. Make sure to be as square as possible to… more |
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Intruder Airframe Stencils & Markings (High-Viz)Published:
Never one to rest on their laurels, AOA Decals has rereleased their 32002 stencil sheet for Hi-Viz A-6 Intruders in 1/32nd scale. Not only have they rereleased the sheet but they have also upgraded it to include: main and nose landing gear placards, walkway outline stripes, red engine intake warning markings, "A-6B" identifications, original style fuselage formation lights, radome latches (red & white), & tail hook stripes. And it gets a new number- 32026. This is also in addition to the following from the original sheet:
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Precision Sprue/Wire Round Cutter 02Published:
UMM-USA is one of the premier tool makers in the modeling market. John Vojtech has made many of these based upon his needs for his award-winning models. This is the Precision Sprue & Wire Cutter. This version, 02, has a rounded end. The piece comes in a plastic sleeve for easy storage. So, let’s take a look at the cutter. I personally like the rounded end version as it allows great vision for cutting. The end comes to a sharp point and that allows a fine cut on smaller parts. The part is “springy” and acts like tweezers. Because of the action at the cutting end, it allows for a very flush cut and leaves almost no clean up necessary. So, let’s take it for a test run. I started with the tires on Tamiya’s P-38 kit and they cut flush. It took one cut to lose it from the… more |
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VA-75 Sunday Punchers (2) USN A-6E TRAM Intruders DecalsPublished:
AOA Decals specializes in Vietnam to modern era planes and covers all the major scales. This sheet is 1/32nd scale and complements with VA-75 SUNDAY PUNCHERS (1), Sheet 32-027 and covers a spans of almost 20 years of the A-6 Intruder in service with one Navy squadron - VA-75 Sunday Punchers - from Vietnam to Desert Storm. This review is for Part 2 and covers the low visibility period with coverage of the late 1980s into Operation Desert Storm in 1991. There are two markings included for the following:
The set also includes decals for fuel tanks, tail… more |
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VA-75 Sunday Punchers (1) USN A-6A/A-6E Intruders DecalsPublished:
AOA Decals specializes in Vietnam to modern era planes and covers all the major scales. This sheet is 1/32nd scale along with VA-75 SUNDAY PUNCHERS (2), Sheet 32-028 covers a spans of almost 20 years of the A-6 Intruder in service with one Navy squadron - VA-75 Sunday Punchers - from Vietnam to Desert Storm. This review is for Part 1 and covers the high visibility period including coverage of their third and final deployment to Vietnam in 1972-73 and also their better known postwar white-tail markings. Markings are included for the following:
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The McDonnell Douglas Hornet - A Comprehensive GuidePublished:
Right off the bat, let me tell you that I am a fan of this SAM series of books. They provide everything a modeler needs for a knowledge of the plane covered and in tis case, it is the F/A-18 A/B/C/D Hornet. The books is 192 pages of soft back goodness with excellent pictures and illustrations. The table of contents has the following:
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AF-2S Guardian "Submarine Killer"Published:
I have a love for the unusual Naval airplanes – ones without the glitz and glamour of things like the F-14 Tomcat or F-18 Hornet. When Special Hobby graciously gave a kit of the AF-2s Guardian to IPMS/USA for review, I jumped on it (begged for it) The Af-2S Guardian was the first purpose-built anti-submarine warfare plane for carrier use to enter the US Navy active duty in 1950. There were actually two planes used for this job- one to carry the large (at the time) radar and detecting equipment and a second plane to carry weapons to destroy the sub. This particular kit is the “Sub Killer” and would carry the weapons. The Guardian was the largest single-engine piston-powered carrier aircraft to see service. Around 200 were built. Let’s look at the kit- Special Hobby is a… more |
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Micro Template ScriberPublished:
UMM USA has come to modelers rescue with another excellent tool, this time, the Micro Template Scriber. As the name describes, this tool is used to scribe using templates to replicate specific shapes being added to a model or to fix what was lost sanding and filling. Modelers have used many things in the past to do this same task- needles, line engravers, etc., and each has their drawbacks. UMM has produced a Template Scriber designed to fix these problems. The engraving tip is hardened tool steel to make sure the edge stays crisp. It is very fine and will glide around the interior of the template. Very importantly, the handle is ergonomically designed and has a grip to avoid slipping and allow even pressure to keep lines consistent. Use is simple. Place your template in the… more |