Dick Montgomery
Reviews By Author
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The Lafayette EscadrillePublished:
Being an aficionado of the history of the aircraft and persons involved in aviation during World War I, this book became a “must have” after reading some of the reviews describing the book. I must say that I was not disappointed in any way, and in fact found this “photo history of the Lafayette Escadrille” one of the most compelling “reads” I’ve experienced in many a year. The story of The Lafayette Escadrille is laid out in photos, quotes from letters written by the pilots, and historical records of the time. The author spent a year travelling to universities and museums, as well as the actual geographic locations described in great detail in the documentation uncovered during the research phase for the book. The author captured images of some of the buildings frequented by… more |
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More Air National Guard MustangsPublished:
Iliad Design has a newly released set of decals for 1/48th scale P-51D Mustangs in various National Guard markings. Upon receiving the decal set for review I contacted Iliad Design and asked if there was a specific P-51D kit for which the decals were designed to be used. I was informed that the decals could be used on any P-51D on the market. I bought an Airfix P-51D to use as the test bed for this review. This is not a review of the Airfix kit, but I should mention that it has a great deal of detail. I mention this detail because the decals would be put to the test to see how well they “fit” over, and into, this detail. I will mention that I enjoyed the Airfix project immensely and found it to be a model that I could recommend to anyone who is looking for a good Mustang.… more |
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Return Rollers for Pz.IV Type 3Published:
OKB offers three very similar products, all in 35th scale, for use on a Pz.IV . These items are “return rollers” for the Type 2 (product S35007), the Type 3 (product S35008), and the Type 4 (product S35009). This review will focus on the rollers for the Type 3 (product S35008). The roller parts are contained in a small zip lock baggie. A paper label is stapled to the baggie which serves to identify the “Type” for which these parts are engineered, and to provide a secure closure so that none of the parts go astray. Even in 35th scale these roller parts are rather small measuring just about a ¼ inch in diameter. But there is nothing “delicate” about the parts. The molding is very crisp and the detail, although very small, is very well done. The… more |
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S35009 Return Rollers for Pz.IV Type 4Published:
OKB offers three very similar products, all in 35th scale, for use on a Pz.IV . These items are “return rollers” for the Type 2 (product S35007), the Type 3 (product S35008), and the Type 4 (product S35009). This review will focus on the rollers for the Type 4 (product S35009). The roller parts are contained in a small zip lock baggie. A paper label is stapled to the baggie which serves to identify the “Type” for which these parts are engineered, and to provide a secure closure so that none of the parts go astray. Even in 35th scale these roller parts are rather small measuring just about a ¼ inch in diameter. But there is nothing “delicate” about the parts. The molding is very crisp and the detail, although very small, is very well done. The… more |
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Montgomery’s Rhine River Crossing Operation PLUNDERPublished:
Overview as found on the website: After the Normandy break-out, the Allies’ headlong dash east came to a halt in the autumn with the ill-fated MARKET GARDEN operation and over-extended supply lines short of the Rhineland. After repulsing the Nazis’ daring Ardennes offensive, Montgomery’s and Bradley’s Army Groups cleared the Reichwald and Rhineland and closed on the Rhine. With both sides aware of the strategic significance of this physical barrier the stakes could not have been higher. Eisenhower’s plan involved a vast airborne assault by General Ridgway’s XV11 Airborne Corps (codename VARSITY) and the simultaneously coordinated river crossing by Monty’s 21 Army Group codename PLUNDER with Dempsey’s British Second Army and General William H. Simpson’s US Ninth Army. … more |
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Nieuport XVII Landing Gear & V-Main Struts (CSM)Published:
Scale Aircraft Conversions offers a set of white metal aftermarket parts for the Copper State Models Nieuport XVII. You can find information about the Copper State kit at https://copperstatemodels.com. As with other SAC offerings this set of landing gear struts and V-wing struts are white metal and are true to the detail found on the CSM parts that are to be replaced. Reviews of the CSM kit do not contain any negative comments about the quality of the undercarriage and wing struts. So, why, you ask, is there a need to replace those parts with white metal parts? Experience indicates that even the best injection molded undercarriage parts tend to allow for some “wobble”, allowing for some flexibility in those parts. And there is always… more |
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Landing Gear Set for WNW HalberstadtPublished:
Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) offers an extensive range of replacement landing gear parts for a wide variety of kits. I have some experience using SAC items to replace kit parts and I’ve found that the SAC items add strength to the model without sacrificing any of the detail found on the original parts. As mentioned in other reviews, I tend to be a rather heavy-handed modeler and I have a long history of “critical parts” failure with WWI models which is self-made and not a reflection on the quality of the original kit. I’ve snapped wing struts in half, broken off tail skids, and caused catastrophic damage to undercarriage support structures. I now take it for granted that when I select a WWI aircraft model as my next project one of my first actions is to visit the… more |
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Tracks for Pz.V Panther, LatePublished:
OKB is based in the EU and has been in the business of offering products of high quality since 2003. The website provides some excellent images of the products being offered and also an email address, which is “ info@okbgrigorov.com “. OKB offers kits featuring 1/72 scale armor, a wide variety of submarines, and 1/72nd weaponry that can be displayed with a 1/72nd scale figure. Note that when selecting the “Figures” option on the menu, one will be directed to those weapon sets and not to actual “figures”. The Panther (Sd. Kfz.171) is one of the more well-known armored fighting vehicles used by the Germans in WWII. The Panther saw service on both the eastern and western fronts in Europe. OKB offers a number of after-market items to… more |
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Return Rollers for Pz.IV Type 2Published:
OKB offers three very similar products, all in 35th scale, for use on a Pz.IV . These items are “return rollers” for the Type 2 (product S35007), the Type 3 (product S35008), and the Type 4 (product S35009). This review will focus on the rollers for the Type 2 (product S35007). The roller parts are contained in a small zip lock baggie. A paper label is stapled to the baggie which serves to identify the “Type” for which these parts are engineered, and also to provide a secure closure so that none of the parts go astray. Even in 35th scale these roller parts are rather small measuring just about a ¼ inch in diameter. But there is nothing “delicate” about the parts. The molding is very crisp and the detail, although very small, is very well done. The… more |
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Umbrella SetPublished:
Hauler has provided an interesting item that can be put to good use in any number of 1/72nd scale dioramas, as well as an item that enhances the display of a non-diorama model. That item is a set of two umbrellas. Imagine a ground crewman or pilot, sitting atop the wing of an aircraft in North Africa. An umbrella would provide some much-appreciated shade. How about an infantryman or member of a tank crew, taking a break and preparing a meal in North Africa? And, of course, if our fellow is in Europe, then the umbrella could provide some protection from rain. And, of course, umbrellas know no nationality, so if based in England, the umbrella would certainly be useful during rainy weather. The umbrella canopies provided by Hauler are vacuum formed with excellent detail when… more |