Frank Landrus
Reviews By Author
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U-2/Po-2 Control SurfacesPublished:
Quickboost provides you with a product to replace your one-piece Po-2 horizontal tail surfaces with the capability of displaying the elevators in alternate position. Please note this set does not depict elevator tabs that are present on some aircraft. The packaging is the standard polyethylene bag secured to a header card with staples. There are no supplied instructions but then again, the three parts are a direct replacement for the kit’s horizontal tails surfaces. Although this product is designed specifically for the ICM 1/48 kits (48251, 48252, and 48253) it should take zero- to minimal-modification effort to mount this set in the Admiral kits (4807, 4808, 4809), the Gavia kits (002/0399, 004/0600), the AZ Model kit (AZ4870), the Jadar-Model resin kit (48 001), or even the… more |
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MiG-21 Parachute PackPublished:
Quickboost provides you with the capability to open up your MiG-21 parachute housing and display the tail end of the packed parachute. 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. The supplied instructions graphically depict where you cut off the existing closed parachute housing and add the three resin parts included in this set. 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 parachute and parachute housing will need to be installed with your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the resin. Quickboost has molded… more |
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Light Trucks of the Italian Army in WW IIPublished:
Enrico Finazzer currently lives in Trento Italy. This is Enrico Finazzer’s fourth book, and second with Mushroom Model Publications. You can find Enrico Finazzer on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/Enrico-Finazzer/100006056238933 and on LinkedIn at https://it.linkedin.com/in/enrico-finazzer-14045a27 . This is Luigi Carretta’s third book, and first with Mushroom Model Publications. This tome focuses on series of light trucks designed to operate specifically in the Saharan desert. A key feature was the four oversized tires that enhanced the vehicle’s ability to navigate sand. Enrico Finazzer and Luigi Carretta kick it off with… more |
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The Fairey BarracudaPublished:
Matthew Willis was born in the historic naval town of Harwich, Essex in 1976. Matthew studied Literature and History of Science at the University of Kent, where he wrote an MA thesis on Joseph Conrad and sailed for the University in national competitions. He subsequently worked as a journalist for Autosport and F1 Racing magazines, before switching to a career with the National Health Service, where he wrote everything from press releases to consultation papers. His first non-fiction book, a history of the Blackburn Skua WW2 naval dive bomber, was published in 2007. He currently lives in Southampton with his University lecturer wife Rosalind, and writes both fiction and non-fiction for a living. This is Matthew Willis fifth book, and fourth with Mushroom Model Publications. Matthew has… more |
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B-25J Mitchell External Gun PacksPublished:
Aires Quickboost has released a replacement for the Monogram (and later Revell) series of 1/48 B-25J kits that replaces the cheek gun packs. There are no instructions but this is direct a replacement for the kit part. No modifications to the kit are required; the assembly simply goes in the same place as the kit parts. Quickboost has molded the external gun packs in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles on three resin sprues. Each Quickboost twin gun pack is supplied on its own resin sprue with a separate sprue for the four .50 caliber gun barrels. 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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Pfalz D.IIIa At WarPublished:
Greg Van Wyngarden has taken a new look at the Pfalz D.IIIa service in WWI. This is the second volume of a two volume set (Datafile 173: Pfalz D.IIIA At War!). Datafile number 21 by Peter M. Grosz came out in1995 so it is about time that Windsock revisited the Pfalz D.IIIa. The initial Pfalz D.III aircraft received a poor reception amongst German pilots as it was regarded as inferior to the Albatros D.V. That doesn’t negate the fact that it was still superior to most of the Allied opposition of the time. The Pflaz firm, however, did listen to the pilot’s concerns over the D.III and soon offered improvements in the form of the D.IIIa. The cover features a sensational painting, “Ace of the Edelweiss” by Roberto Zanella depicting Otto Kissenberth’s mount. Ronny Bar contributes… more |
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Windsock World War Centenary Winter 2016, Vol.32, No.4Published:
The Winter 2016 edition of Windsock World War Centenary is the fourth edition of Volume 32. The cover subject is a tease for Avro Vercamer’s two page spread of a Belgian Escadrille Sopwith Camel color profiles getting ready for the Wingnut Wings new releases on the Sopwith Camel. Rony Barr sneaks in the inset color profile on the Albatros D.III of Jasta 10. Avro Vercamer’s [ https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvovercamer , arvo@arvoart.com ] two page spread on the Sopwith Camel in the Great Warpaint series covers seventeen Sopwith Camels from the Belgian Escadrille to the USS Texas’ Camel equipped with flotation gear. Rony Barr provides three Albatros D.III color profiles to support… more |
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Wind in the Wires and An Escaper’s LogPublished:
This edition represents a re-printing of two books by Duncan Grinnell-Milne. The first, An Escaper’s Log, was originally published in 1926 by John Lane. The second, Wind in the Wires, was first published in 1933 by Hurst & Blackett. This edition combines his two autobiographies. Captain Duncan Grinnell-Milne MC, DFC & Bar was born in Bromley, London in 1896, to George Grinnell-Milne and Maria Caroline Mess. He attended an independent preparatory school, Cheam School, located in Headley, Hampshire, where notables such as Prince Phillip and Prince Charles also attended. He went on to study at the University of Freiburg, a public university that has a long tradition of teaching humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. It was at the University of Freiburg that he… more |
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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 |