Dave Morrissette
Reviews By Author
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USMC SNJ-3 1942 DecalsPublished:
Monograms' AT-6/SNJ kit has been around for quite a while. The plane trained many flyers and was used for many years with some still being flyable to this day. Yellow Wings, who specializes in decals for planes between 1930 and 1942 has come out with a new set for USMC SNJ-3's from 1942. Included in the package are two complete decals sheets with markings, color bands and insignia for two aircraft. They are printed by Microscale and have great color and register. Wing Walks are also included for both aircraft. Next is a full color sheet showing the color and markings along with aircraft performance. Lastly, there is the info sheet detailing the history, band information, prop color info and more along with a guide to specific paints. The planes represents on this sheets… more |
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Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 36, Issue 10Published:
Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling has the same basic design and format. That's not a bad thing as it is jam packed with superb aircraft builds and tips. In this issue, there are five feature articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, and seven Compact Build Reviews. The Feature articles for this issue start with DAI Williams build of Wingnut Wings 1/32 Fokker D.VII. Mr. Williams covers how to make single color areas less drab and add contrast. He also used Albion Alloys thread, Bob's Buckles turnbuckles and AVIATTIC lozenge decals to improve the kit. Next up is James Ashton's build of the newer Revell 1/32 Spitfire Mk. II. He gives it the full meal deal with Barracuda cast everything and spends a lot of time getting the finish just right on this heavily weathered plane… more |
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5 Gallon Waste Oil Drain TankPublished:
Aerobonus continues its run of diorama/aftermarket add on sets with a 5 gallon waste oil drain tank. The set consists of 5 resin parts and decals and is perfectly formed with no flash or air bubbles. There is one choice to be made and that is with the high or low fill spout. I cut the main pail and dump pan free with a razor saw and the cur the handle and the low fill support free with nippers and cleaned all of it up very gently with sanding sticks. Some care is needed as the handle is very fragile. All that was required then was to super glue the support, the pan and handle on the main pail. I primed with Alclad gray and let it dry overnight. The directions called for a red pail and support and I painted these Insignia Red. The pan was painted silver and the decal… more |
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FOD BucketsPublished:
Need a little something to spice up that 1/48 scale plane on its base? Aerobonus to the rescue with a set of four FOD (foreign object debris) buckets. The set is one casting of four buckets with a piece of wire to form the handles and decals. Assembly is basic with the modeler cutting the bucket free and adding the handle. I did use a drill and pin vise to open the handle holes slightly. Cut the wire and bend like a handle and your done. the color call put is for blue grey. I used medium blue gray from Testors and then gloss coated for the decals. The decals come in white or black lettering and I chose the white and they went on well. A quick flat coat and then paint the handle silver and we're done. Just that quick and easy. The set is simple, well made and would make… more |
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Boarding Ladder for Mig-21Published:
If you like to build your planes as they would be just before a flight, one problem has always been to get a decent pilot boarding ladder. Some have come out but have been all photoetch and delicate. Plusmodel to the rescue! They have recently released a series of 1/48th scale boarding ladders for several planes. This one if for a Mig-21 and could be used with either the Eduard or Academy kits and it is INJECTION MOLDED!!!!! This set comes with three large parts, one cross brace, two wheels and two pads for setting against the plane, a total of eight pieces in styrene. They are very finely made and scale well to the correct plane. Being delicate, the parts take a little finesse. I cut the three large parts and gave them a quick sand to eliminate small mold lines. I added Tenex… more |
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Horten Ho-229: Part 1 - Preview, Engines and Main FramePublished:
Zoukei-Mura is relatively new on the model making front as far as time goes but they have set a new standard for modeling with their philosophy of having the internal detail be included in their planes. They have also chosen extremely desired and interesting subjects and the latest 1/32nd scale offering is a Horten Ho-229 jet- their first jet. The Ho-229 (sometimes called the Go-229) was an all wing aircraft propelled by two jet engines deep in the fuselage. It has somewhat the look of a B-2 Spirit. It was purposely designed to allow for minimal radar detection with 1000kg load of bombs, a 1000 kph top speed and a range of 1000 km. It might have been close to those numbers if mass produced. Zoukei Mura’s kit is a masterpiece and the first kit in 1/32 of this plane. I am not… more |
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Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 36, Issue 9Published:
Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling has the same basic design and format. That's not a bad thing as it is jam packed with superb aircraft builds and tips. There does seem to be a trend to add more feature articles and that is a very good thing as the builds are superb. In this issue, there are five feature articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, and six Compact Build Reviews. The Feature articles for this issue start with Jay Laverty's build review of the Fisher Models 1/32nd F7U Cutlass. He details some upgrades to the wheel wells and how to handle such a large resin kit. A good description of his way to get a true white base coat sprayed is also a highlight of the article. Next up is Mr. Laverty's continuing build of the new Airfix 1/24th Scale Typhoon. In this… more |
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Ladders for F-105F/GPublished:
What's a decent diorama builder to do if you want to pose your plane with a boarding ladder? Plusmodel to the rescue! They have recently released a series of 1/48th scale boarding ladders for several planes. This one if for a F-105F/G (the two seat version) and could be used with either the Hobbyboss or Revell kits and it is INJECTION MOLDED!!!!! There are two sprues (one for each ladder) that contain 8 parts each. There is a nice instruction set and assembly is simple, but requires some patience to get things lined up properly. I started construction by removing the parts and giving them a quick sand to get rid of small seam lines. I added the two brackets to the back taking time to square things up. I let these dry then added the two curved side rails and let the entire… more |
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Wheel Chocks for MiG-29 and Other Russian AirplanesPublished:
HAD Models from Hungary has its own line of resin and photoetch and this set is an example of how superb their parts can be. Set 132001 is a set of wheel chocks meant for Mig-29's, but would work with any 1/32nd scale Russian planes. The set consists of two resin parts for the majority of the chock and 6 photoetch pieces. Four make up the braces and two are the ends with the claw-like grabbers, which prevent the chock from moving. Assembly is done by removing the casting block from the resin chock bodies. Next two of the braces are bent into channel shapes. A hold and fold is excellent for this. Lastly, the front part is bent so the grabbing fingers bend down. All three of these are glued in place on the bottom via their excellent instructions. Super glue is a must for adhesion… more |
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F-101A/C VoodooPublished:
If you are like me, natural metal aircraft give you the shakes. But they are so awesome looking and the color schemes are fantastic, so when the KittyHawk Model F-101 came out, I could not resist. Let say a few things up front. If you are looking for review saying things are silly or ridiculous with the kit or how the third minor inlet was left off, you might want to go elsewhere. I am not going to use childish language in a review of the kit. On the other hand, if you want to find out how it fits, how to correct some issues, and how to get some paint on the plane, let’s dive in together. KittyHawk’s kit comes on seven light-gray styrene sprues which have great surface detail, however, there are large sprue gates, and the plastic is fairly soft. In the box there are also kit… more |