Frank Landrus
Reviews By Author
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2F.1 Ship's CamelPublished:
Colin Owers has generated a new look at the Sopwith 2F.1 Ship’s Camel. Jack Bruce’s Datafile number 6 was issued in 1987 and has been long out of print, so it is about time that Albatros revisited Sopwith’s shipboard Camel. The cover features a Paul Monteagle painting of Sopwith 2F.1 N6602 flying over HMS Furious during take-off and landing trials in April 1918. Ronny Bar contributes seven large color side profiles, including N6818, an eye-catching red and white sun-burst paint job as flown by Major W.G. Moore. I counted 64 black and white photos and three tables. Mick Davis grabs the pullout centerfold with 1/48 general arrangement line drawings of the Sopwith 2F.1 Camel. For those of you that still dabble in that odd 1/72 scale, Mick Davis also provides you the same drawings… more |
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Lavochkin La-5 ExhaustsPublished:
Quickboost provides you with one set of Lavochkin La-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 plastic parts with the new Quickboost replacements. These Quickboost parts are specific replacements for the kit parts found in the Zvezda 4803 kit and Eduard’s re-issue as a limited edition kit (1148). Quickboost has molded the exhausts perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost exhausts provide you with only minimal mold seams to sand off along with a hollowed out exhaust. Be very careful removing the parts from the resin block. I used a photo-etched saw along with a couple… more |
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AH-1Z Linkless Ammo BoxPublished:
Floyd Werner has come to the rescue with a correction to the Kitty Hawk 1/48 AH-1Z Viper kit by issuing a resin linkless ammo box for the right (starboard) side. Now, this is not an absolute must have, as you can always leave the ammo door closed, but it is necessary if you are going to open the door. Floyd Werner provides great instructions showing exactly what to modify on the kit along with color photos of the linkless ammo box being installed in an AH-1Z. A re-sealable zip lock bag holds the part and the instructions. This part can also be used in any AH-1W kit as well since many AH-1Ws have been retrofitted with the linkless ammo box. If you happen to have the Italeri 1/48 AH-1Z, the linkless ammo box can also be used there, but the Italeri kit does not have an ammo bay so you… more |
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Soviet Pilot - The Cold War PeriodPublished:
A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus figure. This Soviet Pilot figure is designed to be used with any Cold War aircraft (La-9, La-11, La-15, La-250, Yak-15, Yak-23, MiG-9, MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, Su-7, Su-9, Su-11, Su-13, etc.). Aires Aerobonus provides you with a resin figure with separate arms and head on one pour stub with side bars to protect the figure. 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 provide color drawings for painting. Aires Aerobonus has molded the figure in light grey resin with no bubbles that I could find. The mold seams clean up easily and the resin plug is easily removed from the shoes… more |
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German and Austro-Hungarian Fighter Pilot WWI 1914-1918Published:
A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus figure. This German or Austro-Hungarian Pilot figure is designed to be used with any German or Austro-Hungarian WWI aircraft (Albatros D.III / D.V, Berg D.I / D.II, Fokker E.III / E.IV, E.V, D.VII, Oeffag D.III, Pfalz D.III, D.XII, Phonix D.I / D.II / D.III, Siemens-Schuckert D.III / D.IV, etc.) Aires Aerobonus provides you with a resin figure with side bars to protect the figure. 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 provide color drawings for painting. Aires Aerobonus has molded the figure in light grey resin with no bubbles that I could find. The mold seams clean up easily… more |
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263 Squadron: Gladiators Over the FjordsPublished:
Scotland native Alex Crawford is back for his sixth book with Mushroom Model Publications and his third on the Gloster Gladiator. This book is an operational review of the squadron’s two disastrous visits to Norway. The first trip ended with the destruction of all of 263 Squadron’s Gladiators after two days of heavy fighting. The squadron was evacuated and re-equipped with more Gladiators and made a return trip to Norway. Improved organization allowed 263 Squadron to perform better for three weeks of fighting before they were once again evacuated. The remaining ten Gladiators were flown on board HMS Glorious for the return to the UK. Disaster struck the next day when during HMS Glorious was attacked and sunk by the German battle crusiers, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, with the loss of all… more |
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A6M Zero Control SurfacesPublished:
Aires has come out with a nice upgrade for the Hasegawa A6M series of kits with their horizontal control surfaces set. The Aires parts allow you to alter the position of the elevators and provide improved stabilizer to elevator detail. There are no supplied instructions; you simply swap out the kit provided plastic parts with the new Aires replacements. Aires has molded the stabilizer and elevator perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Aires stabilizer and elevator are supplied on a single resin sprue with thin resin attachments to the parts that should minimize any cleanup. 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. They will need to be… more |
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Gloster Gladiator Control SurfacesPublished:
Want an easy upgrade the new tool Airfix kits of the Gloster Gladiator? Step right up to the new Aires Gloster Gladiator horizontal control surface that provides a beautiful replacement to the kit parts. The Aires parts not only allow you to alter the position of the elevators, but the stabilizer hinges and the elevator torque tube really stand out. There are no supplied instructions; you simply swap out the kit provided plastic parts with the new Aires replacements. Aires has molded the stabilizer and elevator perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Aires stabilizer and elevator are supplied on a single resin sprue with thin resin attachments to the parts that should minimize any cleanup. Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would… more |
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US Army LoadPublished:
A perfect addition to your diorama is this Aires Aerobonus US Army Load set. Aires Aerobonus provides you with two resin pieces, perfect for a load in the back of a 1/48 scale 2-1/2 ton truck or a 1/48 cargo aircraft. The first piece consists of 12 sacks strapped to a wooden skid with the second piece consisting of four crates strapped to a wooden skid. 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. Aires Aerobonus has molded the parts in light grey resin with no discernable bubbles. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash… more |
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Polikarpov I-16 Type 24Published:
BackgroundThe Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear to have attained operational status, and as such "introduced a new vogue in fighter design." The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II. The diminutive fighter, nicknamed "Ishak" or "Ishachok" ("Donkey" or "Burro") by Soviet pilots, prominently featured in the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, and the Spanish Civil War. The Type 24 replaced the skid with a tailwheel, and featured the much more powerful 670 kW (900 hp) Shvetsov M-63 engine. The Type 24 also featured… more |