Frank Landrus
Reviews By Author
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The Russian Aviation Colours 1909-1922: Camouflage and Markings, Vol. 2 Great WarPublished:
Following up the first book in this series, The Russian Aviation Colours 1909-1922: Camouflage and Markings, Vol. 1 Early Years, comes MMP’s latest tome. This book, focused on the ‘Great War’ is planned to be followed by at least two additional volumes on ‘Red Stars’ (Volume 3), and ‘Against Soviets’ (Volume 4). The authors leaned heavily on Russian private archives, as well as archives, libraries, and museums. The book is a nice hardbound, with a nice glossy cover, and 176 pages on high-quality stock with a matt finish. Mainly clear black and white period photos are supplemented with modern day color photos, color period posters and postcards, color side and top views, and color unit emblems and personal markings. The text is in English and quite readable. Chapter 4… more |
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Danish Draken PylonsPublished:
BackgroundDenmark was Saab’s first export customer for the Draken, designated 35XD by Saab. The Danes used a slightly different nomenclature with F-35 representing the attack version, RF-35 the reconnaissance version, and TF-35 the training version. Denmark initially ordered 20 F-35, 20 RF-35, and 6 TF-35 Drakens, with another five additional TF-35 Drakens pieced together after the Draken production line had shut down and switched to Viggen production. The Danish Draken had a 40% increase in internal fuel capacity and had its fuselage and wings beefed up to allow a maximum of 10,000 pounds of ordinance to be carried on nine beefed-up pylons. Externally, the Danish Drakens can be spotted by the larger ordinance pylons and an arrester hook. The Draken had always been designed… more |
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Cross & Cockade International Winter 2016 Volume 47/4Published:
The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Winter 2016, features a tinted photograph of a winter scene with FK3 B9547 and other machines of 15 TS at Spittlegate. The rear cover features color profiles by Arvo@arvoart.com of four 45 Squadron Camels. If you check out the web site link above, you can get additional sample pics of the current issue. Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the… more |
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M10 Tank Destroyer in ActionPublished:
David Doyle’s latest book continues to expand on Squadron Signal’s long standing In Action series that initiated back in 1971. This is a considerable expansion over Squadron’s Armor In Action number 36 that covered US Tank Destroyers (M3, M6, M10, M36, and M18 Hellcat). This edition focuses on the M10 and adds considerably to the material provided in that edition. After many years of being published in enthusiast publications focused on military vehicle restorations, David Doyle ‘graduated’ to full-fledged books in 2003. His first book was a hefty 512 page history of US military vehicles. He has now had more than 100 books published in military vehicles, aviation and naval topics. David and his wife Denise have amassed a collection of ten Vietnam era military vehicles that they… more |
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MiG-15 Air IntakePublished:
Aires Quickboost has released a replacement for the Eduard series of 1/72 MiG-15 kits that replaces the kit air intake with a resin air intake. There are no instructions but this is a replacement for the kit part. Quickboost has molded the air intake in light tan resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost air intake is supplied on its own resin sprue with a thin resin attachment to the air intake. On my example there is some excess resin on the indents where the intake splitter fits that will have to be removed for the splitter to fit properly. Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash this part to remove any remaining mold release and prime it first. This part will need to be installed with your favorite CA (super glue) or… more |
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L-29 Canopy RailPublished:
Aires Quickboost has released an easy replacement for the AMK 1/48 Aero L-29 Delfin that enhances the canopy rail. There are no instructions but it is a simple replacement for the kit part. If you have the older Planet Models 12448 resin model kit of the Aero L-29 Delfin, this set will probably work on it as well, although I do not have that kit to test fit. Quickboost has molded the canopy rail perfectly in light tan resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost canopy rail is supplied on one resin sprue with a thin resin attachment to the part that will minimize any cleanup. Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash this part to remove any remaining mold release and prime it first. This part will need to be installed with your… more |
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Kamov Ka-27 Helix Seats with Safety BeltsPublished:
Aires Quickboost has released an easy replacement for the Hobby Boss 1/48 Kamov Ka-27 Helix kit that replaces the four kit seats with four resin seats with safety belts. There are no instructions but they are a simple replacement for the kit parts that use three parts to construct each seat. I am not aware if there are any other 1/48 kits of the Helix available that could use these seats, but they may be applicable on other 1/48 Russian helicopter kits with some modification. Quickboost has molded the four seats perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost seats are each supplied on their own resin sprue with a thin resin attachment to the part that will minimize any cleanup. Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend… more |
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Death in the Air: The War Diary and Photographs of a Flying Corps PilotPublished:
Originally published in Hardcover in 1933 by William Heinemann, this diary immediately became a bestseller, largely due to the incredible WWI in action photographs. The publisher was told that the author had been killed in action in 1918 and that the suppliers of the typewritten manuscript wished anonymity. The diary had no named author, and had no dates or any squadron references that could be checked. The spectacular pictures did create some doubt, but in post war Britain, no one wanted to dishonor a WWI hero. Fast forward to 1983 when a collection was donated to the Smithsonian and the contents were recognized by noted WWI historian Peter M. Grosz, who along with Karl Schneide, deduced what had happened. The book was re-printed in October 1985 by Greenhill Press with an Introduction… more |
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F4U-5 Corsair ExhaustPublished:
Quickboost provides you with one set of Vought F4U-5 exhausts. Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Quickboost uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. There are no supplied instructions; you simply swap out the kit provided five plastic parts with the new Quickboost replacement. The genius here is going from five parts that must be aligned properly with a single piece that provides alignment inherently. Even better, the exhausts are already hollowed out! Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash the parts to remove any remaining mold release and prime them first. The landing light and venturi tubes will need to be installed with your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal… more |
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F-4 Phantom II Arresting HookPublished:
Want an easy upgrade to your Academy or Eduard F-4 Phantom II? Step right up to the new Quickboost F-4 Arresting Hook set that provide a beautiful replacement to what is supplied in the kit. There are no instructions to identify where new Quickboost replacements go but it’s quite easy to understand where the parts go. The parts are packaged in the standard Quickboost re-closable packaging with a paper stiffener. These parts will fit the new tool Academy series of F-4 Phantom IIs that was released in 2012 (12232, F-4B; 12294, F-4C; 12294S, F-4C; 12300, F-4D; 12305, F-4J; 12310; F-4D) as well as the re-boxed limited edition Eduard kits (1186, Good Morning Da Nang!; 1190, Bicentennial Phantoms; 1193, Good Evening Da Nang!; and 1143, Rockin’ Rhino) I suppose you could use this set… more |