IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

IPMS/USA Reviews

Building models since the age of 7, I’ve become known for my Bf-109s and helicopters. I currently run Werner’s Wings. I was previously the ‘star’ of the Master Class Model Building Video series. I’ve been published numerous times on various website, including Hyperscale and ARC. My work has been in FSM and Great Scale Modeling 2001, as well as, numerous other model magazines. I’m a published author with my Squadron/Signal Walkaround book on the Kiowa Warrior. My models have continuously won many regional and national awards. My unique model photography gives my models instant recognition for their historical perspective.

I’m a retired from the Army after 21 years of flying Cobras and Kiowa Warriors, including tours in Iraq, Bosnia, Korea, and Germany. I’m also a retired Flight Officer for the Baltimore City Police and flew their helicopters chasing bad guys. I’m currently flying Cobras and Hueys with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.

I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart, Yvonne, for 42 years. Our daughters have blessed us with six grandchildren. My passions continue to be his family, friends, helicopters, models and airplanes, especially the Bf-109 and my beloved AH-1 Cobra. My motto has always been - MODELING IS FUN!

IPMS Number

26266

Reviews By Author

	The Dogs of War - USA/USAF/USMC/VNAF O-1 Bird Dogs in the Vietnam War Published: April 9, 2016 Company: AOA Decals When you mention the Vietnam Air War most people think of the F-4 Phantom or the F-105 Thunderchief, not some slow moving single piston-engine airplane like the O-1 Bird Dog. But this little airplane played a pivotal role in close air support role over South Vietnam. The Model USA kit has been out for sometime but the markings options have been limited, that is until now. Thanks to AOA Decals we now have plenty of marking options. Two decal sheets are contained in a 6x9 inch Ziploc. The instructions are printed in full color on four 8.5x11 double-sided pieces of paper. The cover is a beautiful full color shot of an O-1 on a mission over Vietnam. It will aid the modeler in weathering the model. Some color callouts are listed and the backside of the sheet has the stencils. The… more
	Military Underwear WWII on the Clothesline Published: April 9, 2016 Company: Aerobonus Dirty clothes? Who would have thought that you’d be able to find resin clothes for a clothes line? Aerobonus now provides you with four sets of shirts and pants to add to a clothesline. Often seen in South Pacific scenes strung from an aircraft to a tree, drying laundry could be an integral in a diorama. This set includes four shirts and four pair of pants. Each pair of pants and each shirt is different. The end of the pant legs and shirt sleeves are hollowed out. They are all molded in light grey resin without any blemishes. Simply remove them from the pour block, paint and hang up the laundry. A simple, yet effective, diorama idea thanks to Aerobonus. Highly recommended Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review item. You can obtain yours by… more
	US Navy Portable Fire Extinguishers Published: April 8, 2016 Company: Aerobonus Sometimes when you are building a diorama there is that one thing that will set yours apart from the rest. This is one of those items. Aerobonus has provided unique pieces for the aircraft diorama buffs in the past and these little gems are just what the doctor ordered. On airfields, regardless of eras, there are always fire extinguishers. They are in the background but always around the engine, just in case of engine fire. Aerobonus provides you with four fire extinguishers cast in blemish free grey resin. The resin encompasses the cylinder, the horn and extinguisher handle. You will have to supply the wire to make the hose. That alone would be quite nice but that’s not all, Aerobonus also provides you with decals to make your individual fire extinguishers. While the… more
	P-51B/C Mustang Control Surfaces Published: April 8, 2016 Company: Aires Hobby Models The Tamiya Mustang kit is one of my favorite kits. The fit is good and it looks the part. Sure the cockpit floor is not right but that is the only thing. One thing that real aircraft often have is displaced control surfaces, especially the elevators. Until now if you wanted to do that you had to perform surgery and thin and bevel the tail then fill the elevator and shape it too. Let’s face it, this was a pain in the …. Thank God that Aires also likes to see aircraft with the drooped elevators and has provided an easy answer. Perfectly molded in light grey resin this set provides both side horizontal stabilizers and both elevators. The parts are simple enough to remove from the pour stub and they are perfectly formed for adding them. The horizontal surfaces are direct… more
	MiG-21UM Air Scoops Published: April 8, 2016 Company: Quickboost Ever have one of those things that you just couldn’t do or at least couldn’t do well? For me that is hollowing out exhausts and air intake scoops. That is why I need gems like these from Quickboost. Molded in light grey resin, these perfectly cast pieces are very thin. They are a direct replacement for the kit intakes which are solid plastic. On this mold block are seven intakes, it is amazing to see how thin they are able to get the lip on these intakes and still cast them. I know I could never do that. The hardest part will be to remove them, but once you get that done adding them is simple. These intakes will add to the look of your MiG with minimal work. The realistic look of hollowed out intakes are easily seen on the model. Making this set well worth the money.… more
	Free French Fighter Pilot WWII Normandie-Niemen (1942-1945) Published: April 7, 2016 Company: Aerobonus Normandie-Niemen were Free French fighters who flew for the Russians following the fall of France. Their exploits while flying Yak-3s is the stuff of legends. Until now, if you wanted to have one of these pilots in your diorama, you had to settle on a Russian pilot in Russian flight gear. Not anymore. Molded in light grey resin, this pilot figure contains four parts: the body; arm; and two heads, one with a dress hat and one with a flying helmet on. The pose is completely natural with the pilot standing upright with a parachute draped over his shoulder. You can put either head on him. I’m going to put the dress cap on mine, since it is uniquely French. Both faces are well sculpted and very high quality. Assembly is easy, just remove the parts from the block and assemble… more
	Russian Pilot WWII Published: February 29, 2016 Company: Aerobonus Aerobonus has been putting out inexpensive and impressive figures for aircraft modelers for quite some time now. They have been beautifully sculpted and easy to assemble. This new figure is no different. Molded in light grey resin this Russian pilot comes in four pieces: The body, the helmeted head, and two arms. The body will require some very minor cleanup between the legs but that is about it. All the other parts are easily removed from the pour stub. Assembly is easy enough. Then it is just a matter of painting the figure. I like his pose as he is ‘flying’ his hands. If you are looking to learn figure painting without breaking the bank, these Aerobonus figures are just the ticket. They are perfect additions to any model airplane or even as stand-alone figures. This… more
	F-4D Canopy Mask Published: November 14, 2020 Company: Eduard The Academy F-4 series finally brought the Phantom into the present with regards to mold technology. I’ve said it many times I hate to mask canopies. Eduard’s masks are made out of Kabuki tape which makes them flexible and able to conform to bends in the windows. In my opinion Kabuki tape is the premier masking medium. This set is designed for the Academy F-4D, but it will fit the Academy or Eduard F-4C as well. You will need to use liquid mask to complete this set. There are 12 masks included in the set. This set will ensure that the canopy has crisp edges with minimal work. These worked to perfection on my recent Eduard F-4D. They were easy to add and easy to remove. They performed flawlessly. If you are careful you can replace them back on the sheet and maybe able to… more
	The Dogs of War - USA/USAF/USMC/VNAF O-1 Bird Dogs in the Vietnam War Published: February 28, 2016 Company: AOA Decals When you mention the Vietnam Air War, most people think of the F-4 Phantom or the F-105 Thunderchief, not some slow-moving, single-piston-engined airplane like the O-1 Bird Dog. But this little airplane played a pivotal role in close air support role over South Vietnam. The Model USA kit has been out for some time, but the markings options have been limited until now. Thanks to AOA Decals we now have plenty of marking options. Contained in a 6x9-inch ziplock-bag are two decal sheets. The instructions are printed in full color on four 8.5x11 double sided pieces of paper. The cover is a beautiful full color shot of an O-1 on a mission over Vietnam. It will aid the modeler in weathering the model. Some color call-outs are listed and the back side of the sheet has the stencils. The… more
	Spitfire Mk.XVI High Back with Early Wings Overtree Published: December 31, 2015 Company: Eduard Ever heard of an Eduard Overtree kit? You would not be alone. Eduard offers overtree kits occasionally, for a very limited time and ONLY through the Eduard website. They contain only the plastic parts. No box art, no instructions, no decals, no masks and no photo etch. No nothing, just plastic. Why do this? To keep the costs down. Eduard also offers the modeler the parts that you may want to add separately. If you have aftermarket decals then you aren’t paying extra for the decals. I personally like to use the Zoom sets to spruce up the instrument panel and some other odds and ends, like seatbelts. This is what I consider an essential set. Everything else is nice. The instructions are available for download online in the Profipac or the Weekend Edition releases. Maybe you own the Dual… more