Tiger! - The DH82 Tiger Moth

Published: March 15, 2015
Book Author(s): Stuart McKay
Company: Specialty Press

Stuart McKay has updated his out-of-print seminal 1999 edition on the Tiger Moth, Midland Publishing’s 272 page tome, “Tiger Moth, De Havilland’s Legendary Trainer”. If you ask, just who Stuart McKay is, I would have to answer that he is Mr. Tiger Moth. Stuart McKay has been fond of Tiger Moths since his teenage years and is the founding Secretary of the de Havilland Moth Club (Since 1975) and is the editor of the de Havilland Moth Club.

Tiger! details the de Havilland Tiger Moth’s long and distinguished career from 1931 to 2014 from RAF trainer to bomber. Filled with over 500 photos both in black and white and color, Stuart McKay presents an intriguing story, complete with political intrigue and numerous highlights from the Tiger Moth’s operational service. Richard Caruana… more

The Sopwith Dolphin in RFC, RNAS, RAF and Polish Service

Published: March 11, 2015
Book Author(s): Mick Davis, Philip Jarrett, Norman Franks,
Company: Cross & Cockade International

This is Cross & Cockade International’s fourth book in their series of WW1 aircraft. The first was Nieuports in RNAS, RFC and RAF Service (2007). The second was the Royal Aircraft Factory Fe2b/d and Variants (2009). Somehow the third (Although still yet to be published) will cover the Airco DH 2.

This tome was developed in cooperation with the Royal Air Force Museum and it shows. Many of the some 300 plus B&W photos and details were pulled from the archives of the museum where they are nicely reproduced on the slick paper of this monograph. The front and back covers, as well as the inside covers feature six color paintings of Dolphins in action. The final chapter on the RAF Museum’s restoration of a composite Dolphin (now C3988 at Hendon) alone has nearly fifty color… more

Tupolev G-5 Mod. XIII Torpedo Boat

Published: March 3, 2015
Company: Brengun

Background

The G-5 was a Soviet motor torpedo boat built before and during World War II. Approximately 300 were built, of which 73 were lost during the war. Four were exported to the Spanish Republican Navy during the Spanish Civil War. Three were captured by the Finns during the ‘Winter War’, with two being used operationally against their former owners. Others were transferred to North Korea after the war.

Tupolev’s first twin engined motor boat was the GANT-3 Pervenets (first born) which was completed in March 1927. Utilizing two 600 hp aviation engines, the duraluminum speed boat achieved a maximum speed of 50 knots. The GANT-3 led to a production version later in 1927 called the ANT-4. Fifty-nine were manufactured between 1927 and 1931, officially entering… more

Polish Wings 18: Breguet 19, Farman F68, Amiot 123 Goliath Book Review

Published: February 19, 2015
Book Author(s): Bartlomiej Belcarz; Illus-Thierry Vallet
Company: Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books

Bartlomiej Belcarz authors the latest in the series of aircraft used in the Polish Air Force. This volume’s primary focus is the Breguet 19 (p3-53), but also provides 13 pages on the Farman F.68 Goliath and 6 pages on the Amiot 123. The Breguet section features 28 full page length color profiles along with 8 top and bottom color profiles where appropriate. The color profiles are accompanied by photos of the actual aircraft in the profiles. The Farman F.68 Goliath section features 6 full page length color profiles along with a top and bottom color profile and a scrap color detail of typical rudder markings. The Amiot 123 section on the only two aircraft procured, features 2 full page length color profiles along with a top and bottom color profile.

The Table of Contents focuses… more

U.S.A.F. Fighter Pilot, Pressure Suit, 1960-1975

Published: January 14, 2015
Company: Aires Hobby Models

A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus figure. This figure is designed to be ascending a ladder to a 1960-1975 USAF Fighter. Aires Aerobonus provides you with a resin figure with separate arms 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. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. Clean up was quite easy and the arms attached with superglue. I added a just a bit of… more

Dornier Do 217 Exhaust stubs

Published: November 30, 2014
Company: Quickboost

Quickboost provides one set of Dornier Do 217 exhaust stubs. 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 Monogram Pro Modeler’s Do 217E-5 (85-5954), Revell’s Do 217E-4 kit (85-5526), and Revell’s Do 217E-5 (04557)

Quickboost has molded the exhaust stubs perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost exhaust stubs have no mold seams to sand off along with the superior detail for the exhausts. Be very careful removing the parts from the resin block. I used a… more

Fire Drums

Published: November 9, 2014
Company: Aerobonus

A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus fire drum set. Aires Aerobonus provides two resin fire drums and a set of decals: “ For Fire Only”. Of note is the Quickboost re-sealable packaging making the parts easy to review and stuff back into the package securely. The supplied instructions provide color and decal placement drawings.

Aires Aerobonus has molded the fire drums in light grey resin with only a few bubbles that are easily filled. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. The inside rim had a small resin protrusion, but that was easily removed with a swipe of a scalpel blade.

Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you… more

Fire Buckets

Published: November 6, 2014
Company: Aerobonus

A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus fire bucket set. Aires Aerobonus provides you with four resin fire buckets and a set of decals: “Fire”. 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 and decal placement drawings.

Aires Aerobonus has molded the fire buckets in light grey resin with no bubbles that I could find. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. Use care in removing the plug resin plug though as the bucket bottom is quite thin (ask me how I know). Also be very careful with the handle tabs. They are quite thin as well and… more

Po-2 Landing Light and Venturi Tubes

Published: October 27, 2014
Company: Quickboost

Quickboost provides one landing light assembly, three large venturi tubes, and two small venturi tubes. Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Quickboost uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff securely back into the package. 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 ICM kits 48251 and ICM 48252, but for comparisons the photos also show the AZ Model kit parts, left to right respectively.

Quickboost has molded the venturi tubes perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Quickboost venturi tubes provide no mold seams to sand off on these tiny parts, along with the superior detail for… more

Lavochkin La-5 Landing Gear

Published: October 4, 2014
Company: Scale Aircraft Conversions

Scale Aircraft Conversions has released replacement gear for the Eduard 1/48 Lavochkin La-5. Of course this set will also work with the Zvezda kit since that is what the Eduard kit is based on. The supplied items include two main gear legs, two main gear retraction struts, and one tail gear. (Photos 1016, 1005, 1018, 1020)

This replacement set will provide stronger landing gear that won’t sag over time, and is somewhat adjustable if necessary to obtain proper alignment. Even with zero previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no problem installing. Scale Aircraft Conversions does not use lead in their white metal mix, so the builder does not have to be concerned with that perceived hazard.

There are no… more