Dave Morrissette
Reviews By Author
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Coffins (4pcs)Published:
Hauler always makes great sets with a lot of thought put into the subjects. From AFV sets to diorama details, it is fun just waiting for a new release. With this release, they have produced four coffins with lids in two different styles. Thinking about it, I don’t remember seeing these from anyone before and with all the war subject’s modelers build and the dioramas, this set is a natural add on and will help tell a sad but not uncommon story. The set consists of four coffins; two are rectangular and two are, well, coffin shaped. Each coffin has a separate lid also. The coffins have casting blocks on the bottom which will need to be sanded smooth and the lids have casting blocks on one side. The parts are cast in a tan colored resin and are free of bubbles and pin holes. This… more |
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T-28C TrojanPublished:
Kitty Hawk Models continues their 1/32nd scale releases of the variants of the T-28 with a T-28C which is the Navy version of the trainer with shortened propeller blades. Kitty Hawks kit comes in five gray sprues of nicely engraved plastic with a clear sprue having the canopy and lights, a photoetch sheet for the seat belts and grills and a nice set of decals with markings for five airframes:
Great schemes for colorful to working class! IPMS/USA was lucky enough to review the Kitty Hawk 1/32nd T-28B/D and the review is located here: T-28B/D review… more |
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GBU-11 Vietnam Era Laser Guided BombsPublished:
The GBU-11 is a 3000-lb. laser guided bomb primarily used in the Vietnam era made by adding laser guidance and fins to a M118E1 bomb. Eduard has now given us an option of attaching this bomb to all the wonderful new 1/48th scale Phantoms among others. Eduard’s set consists of enough parts and markings to make two of the large bombs. The set includes two tail units, two main bodies and a block of two different types seeker heads. The parts are cast in Eduard’s dark gray resin and are perfect. The bomb fins are super thin so be careful of them. Preparation is simple. Sand the main body and tail unit casting blocks off and join them. I used a little putty due to my sanding. I smoothed it with lacquer thinner. Pick which seeker head you need and cut it free from the casting block.… more |
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F-14A Stencils and DataPublished:
Furball Aero-Design has issued a new 1/48th scale sheet specifically for all the F-14 Tomcat models currently on the market. This sheet includes all the various stenciling and data which cover the plane on top/bottom and both sides. It includes both stencils for both the Gull Gray over white scheme, as well as, the Tactical Paint scheme and there are enough stencils to do both. Inside the package, you will find a 3 x 6-inch decal sheet printed by Microscale and double-sided color instructions. This sheet has all the needed profiles to add the decals with one side being gray/white and the other tactical. Markings also include the drop tank, ejection seat and slime light decals. The decals are thin and well printed but as they say, the proof is in the pudding so I wanted to… more |
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F-14 "VF-111 Sundowners Anthology"Published:
With the release of the wonderful Tamiya F-14A kit, the decals are coming from Furball Aero-Design to dress up your kit with some of the most striking and memorable markings. This set is titled “Sundowners Anthology” and covers the F-14A as flown by VF-111 Sundowners that cruises with the USS Carl Vinson and USS Kitty Hawk. VFA-111 can trace its history back all the way to 1942 flying Grumman Wildcats. The set includes markings for nineteen (yup, nineteen) VF-111 F-14A’s and covers all of the major and some minor schemes flown by the squadron. Inside the package, you will find seven full color pages of profiles for each aircraft with detail about the paintings and markings and other significant things such as configurations for each plane. Color call-outs for each scheme are… more |
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Phantoms Eagles & Knights-USMC F-4B Phantoms in the Vietnam WarPublished:
AOA Decals focuses on the Marine Corps and the Vietnam era and for this limited release, the focus is on a 1/32nd scale sheet for a USMC F-4B Phantom from VMFA-115 Silver Eagles and VMFA-314 Black Knights focusing on the 1968-1973 time frame. The set is designed for the Tamiya 1/32nd F-4J using a “B” conversion (not included). I am aware of several B conversions on the market put out by the defunct Meteor Productions, CAM and GT Resin. These are quite extensive conversions but build not great looking final kits. Inside the packaging, you will find full color profiles for all eight sets of markings. All aircraft were light gull gray over white with white control surfaces. Any exceptions or additions are noted at the individual aircraft profiles. Specific marking details are also… more |
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Prewar Spitfire Decal SetPublished:
Iliad Design from Canada is a stalwart name in decals for WWII era aircraft and this set is a rerelease of their Prewar Spitfires sheet which was one of their earlier releases and sold out quickly. To up the ante, this set has additional markings not found in the first set. This set covers six Spitfire Mk. I’s from the 1938-39 time frame. Let’s look at the markings first. Each of the six has top side camouflage listed as either A or B patterns of standard British camo- dark earth and dark green. Four use the A and 2 use the B camo and they are called out in the instructions. The bottom colors are also specific to the plane with one being aluminum, white and black with combinations specific to each plane. Also of note, three of the six use the two-bladed wood prop which is found… more |
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German Submarine 8.8cm GunPublished:
When Trumpeter announced they were releasing a 1/48 scale Type VII U-boat, many were amazed and skeptical. The kit would be huge and Trumpeter has had delays in the past. The U-boat has come out and I am pleased to say it is large and well detailed for a plastic kit with a full interior. One part of the kit is its 8.8cm deck gun and it’s nice. Eduard saw an opportunity for a great upgrade and issued a full resin and photoetch deck gun for the massive kit. This set consists of 38 excellent resin parts and a small photoetch fret of 22 small pieces. Casting is top notch- no air bubbles and the resin Eduard uses is tough and a little flexible which is excellent to handle. Preparation is the key to this project and speed is your enemy. There are lots of small parts and thin parts.… more |
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VMFA-334 Falcons: Lovebug 5 - USMC F-4J Phantom in the Vietnam War & JapanPublished:
AOA Decals continues their excellent releases focused on USN/USMC subject from the Vietnam war period with this release for the 1/32 Tamiya F-4J Phantom and representing a specific VMFA-334 Phantom, BuNo. 5565 with a call sign of “Lovebug” (and you gotta love that). The markings represent the Lovebug in Vietnam during 1960-69 and later in Japan 1969. One thing that always stands out with AOA decals is the depth of their research. This scheme has been issued in the past but had some issues primarily with the falcon insignias and the modex numbers which are too small on previous releases. AOA is good enough to have a picture of the Lovebug on the cover and both markings look perfect. Also, there is information on adding fuel tanks as far as which pylon and markings, walkways and… more |
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German U-Boat FlagsPublished:
The Revell 1/72 U-boat kit has been out a while and is a wonderful kit. Coming from Germany, one of its foibles is that the flag has no swastika due to the laws. There have been several replacements but very little else in the markings arena for the actual kit. Eduard to the rescue with its colorized photoetch. This set contains fourteen different flags for the U-boat including:
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