Greg Wise
Reviews By Author
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F-18 US Naval Aviation CentennialPublished:
History BriefThe F/A-18 was ordered for the United States Navy and Marine Corps as an all-weather, supersonic, aircraft carrier-capable, multi-role aircraft. It was first flown in November 1978, and introduced into service in January 1983. The F-18 has a proven track record so effective that it’s still used in the fleet as fighters, attack bombers, and airborne electronic warfare systems aircraft. The ProductMy sample arrived in a small rectangular box featuring a very cool painting of a retro 1950s painted Navy Hornet. The kit consists of 60 parts in grey and 1 part in clear, the panel lines are raised, and there is a fair amount of flash present. The old molds are starting to show their age. The instruction sheet is clearly printed b&w booklet. This… more |
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Union Infantryman vs. Confederate InfantrymanPublished:
In this book, the author covers the Civil War’s eastern theater from 1861-65 and leads you through a progressive linage of the fighting infantryman on both sides under the, quoting the book, “appalling realities of warfare in the industrial age.” You’ll follow the infantryman in the key battles such as First Bull Run/Manassas, “The Bloody Angle” Gettysburg, and Chaffin’s Farm/New Market Heights. The later battle sets focus on African American troops fighting for the union. The book further discusses in-depth the tactics and strategies used by both sides. The evolution of uniforms worn by the troops is an interesting story in itself and will surely aid the purist modeler. The diorama modeler will appreciate the interesting period b&w photographs, plus it’s packed with a wide range… more |
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Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers 1919-1945 (2)Published:
Osprey hits another home run with this 2nd volume on Japanese destroyers. Picking up where the 1st volume left off, this book covers several classes, principally the Asashio, Kagero, and Yugumo. It also details the history, weapons, and tactics of the Japanese destroyers. The author further weighs in on the design and construction, armament, service modifications, and wartime service of each class. The book also covers an interesting experimental destroyer, the Shimakaze, with a top speed of almost 40 knots and 15 torpedo tubes. I found the book’s contents to be well thought out, with a very coherent outline. And it’s written with easy to understand explanations. It has beautiful color paintings and artwork including cutaway illustrations. It offers… more |
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Forbidden Planet Robby the Robot Poster EditionPublished:
Future BriefEarly in the 23rd century, the United Planets Cruiser C57-D travels to the planet Altair IV, 16 light-years from Earth, in search of the Bellerophon, a spaceship sent on an expedition 20 years earlier. Upon arrival on Altair, the crew is warned not to land or they could find themselves in harm’s way. The ship’s Commander disregards the warnings and lands anyway. Once safely on the planet, the crew observes Robby the Robot making a grand entrance driving his high speed land rover. He then invites them to visit Dr. Morbius, a survivor from the Bellerophon. This is where the ship's CO, XO, and the ship’s Doctor meet Altaira "Alta" Morbius, the daughter of Dr. Morbius. They quickly learn the members of the Bellerophon have… more |
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AH-1G (late) “Huey Cobra” Special MarkingsPublished:
History BriefBy June, 1967, Bell Helicopters delivered the first AH-1G Huey Cobra. The Snake, as she was also known, was the genesis, the initial production model gunship for the US Army’s attack helicopter fleet. It was flown by a crew of two, one pilot and one co-pilot/gunner (CPG), sitting in what is now the classic gunship tandem step-up configuration. The overall design was conventional; it was derived from the Bell UH-1 Huey. They basically slimed it down and added stub wings with hard points while keeping the aft empennage and the two-bladed tail rotor. It also retained the large 44’ diameter main two-bladed rotor. The Snake sported an M-28 chin turret with optional 2 × 7.62mm (0.308 in) multi-barrel miniguns, or 2 × M129 40mm grenade launchers, or one of each. It was… more |
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Masking and Transfer FoilsPublished:
The ProductDescribed as a highly flexible, softened, transparent gray film suitable for uneven surfaces and producing templates for applying paint by a brush or airbrush with reduced surface tack. The Working TestI decided that a current review project was to be the test subject, a 1/72 scale Cobra helicopter. I believe the film should be cut by scoring the film and removing it from its backing. I found cutting the film and backing material together a little fussy, even while using a new #11 X-Acto blade. The film is very pliable and stretches easily. The adhesive tack strength is a couple clicks below Tamiya tape. I cut the gray film and applied it over a painted (gloss white) surface. I also used the clear film for the tail number block (see photo).… more |
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P-38 Lightning Air IntakesPublished:
The ProductMy sample arrived packaged in the familiar orange-topped poly sleeve with the typical card insert. After close inspection of the parts, I found them to be perfect. These little beauties are just what the doctor ordered. They’re a drop-in replacement for the kit parts. They were easily detached from the pour block and cleaned up with a few swipes from my trusty sanding stick. How easy is that? The Bottom LineI recommend these babies to anyone wanting to enhance his P-38 build. Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review these nice little castings. |
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Kawasaki I-GO-1 Otsu Ki-148Published:
History BriefDesigned in 1944 by Kawasaki, the Ki-148 was a World War II Japanese guided air-to-surface missile. In a nutshell, it was a radio-controlled bomb powered by a rocket engine capable producing 330lbs of thrust for up to 80 seconds. Approximately 180 were built. Luckily, none saw service by war’s end. The ProductMy sample arrived in a somewhat flimsy box. The box top featured a helpful rendering of the missile. On the reverse side, three decal options were presented, with the latter two being what-ifs. The plastic is a short run offering and lacks the finesse of standard production run kits. The kit includes plastic for one missile and one trolley cart. Also included are one small photo-etch fret, an instruction sheet, and a small decal sheet.… more |
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M10 Tank Destroyer vs. StuG III Assault Gun, Germany 1944Published:
The US M10 was originally developed as a tank destroyer while the StuG III was a turretless, low-profiled tracked vehicle developed for direct fire support for infantry formations. This book discusses how these two fighting vehicles went beyond their respective design missions when called upon. It also covers how they fought one another during the 11 month campaign on the battlefields of northwest Europe in 1944-45. I found the book to be well thought out with a very coherent outline. It’s well written with easy to understand explanations. It has beautiful color maps, paintings, cutaway artwork, and a wide range of period b&w photographs. The book itself is well printed with a gum binding. The print is easy to read and the photographs are very clear. The artwork and… more |
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M7 Priest 105mm Howitzer Motor CarriagePublished:
Based upon the Grant/Sherman tank, the M7 Priest was a self-propelled howitzer with a high-mount machine gun ring resembling a pulpit. It was utilized by the US, British, Canadian, and Free French forces. This book tells the complete story from design and development to deployment. In addition, this book covers all variants of the Priest, including the British/Canadian Sexton 25-pounder version and the US M12 155mm GMC. I found the book to be well thought out with a very coherent outline. It’s written with easy to understand explanations. It has beautiful color paintings, cutaway artwork, and is packed with a wide range of period b&w photographs. The book itself is well printed with a hearty gum binding. The print is easy to read and the photographs are very clear.… more |