The Vought A-7 Corsair

Published: August 19, 2017
Book Author(s): Andy Evans, with Andy Renshaw
Company: SAM Publications

SAM Publications series of Modelers Datafiles cover a lot of ground in a single book. This one is on the Vought A-7 Corsair II, and it gives plenty of information in a single book that most modelers need when researching and building a model.

The A-7 was the replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Even a casual observer can see that what Vought did was take their successful F-8… more

Heinkel He-162D

Published: July 16, 2017
Company: Brengun

The Aircraft

The Heinkel 162 series was a last-ditch effort by the RLM to stop the destruction of Germany’s industries, transportation system and energy distribution by Allied bombing. The project began in September of 1944, with the prototypes first flown in December.

The He-162A versions were mostly wood construction, with the single turbojet engine. It ended up being the… more

He-162 Vacu Canopy (Brengun kit)

Published: July 15, 2017
Company: Brengun

The Kit

This is a replacement or upgrade for the Brengun He-162 kits. There are two canopies on the Vac-Form plastic. I didn’t look at this item until I was ready to install the canopy, and I now wish I had looked closer and sooner. One of the canopies is a direct replacement for the kit item. The other one is the AMS version. It’s a little longer, and there’s an area between the… more

German Staff Car

Published: July 14, 2017
Company: Brengun

The Vehicle

Every armed force in World War II used civilian automobiles as transportation for “important” people. There were American Dodges, Buicks, and Fords. The British used Bentleys and Austin. The Germans used Opels and Horches. Brengun doesn’t specify which model of automobile this kit represents, but it’s obviously a “luxury” car, with a hard top and 4 doors… more

F-100 Super Sabre Pitot Tube

Published: July 9, 2017
Company: Master Model

Master Model of Poland produces small brass parts for detailing models, be they aircraft or ships. They have parts for aircraft in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144, mostly pitot tubes, refueling probes, and gun barrels.

This “add-on” is a single pitot tube. It’s very fine turned brass. The detail is so fine that I had to use my magnifiers to determine that there are three different… more

US Army Jeep

Published: July 7, 2017
Company: Brengun

The Jeep

The original Jeep was built by Bantam, but Ford and Willys also bid on the original contract. Due to financial problems at Bantam, the other two companies were given contracts to build Jeeps. Bantam called theirs BRC-40 Willys was the MB, the Ford was called GPW. The Jeep was a ¼ ton all-wheel drive vehicle, with a wheelbase of 80 inches and a track of 47 inches.

… more

60/54cm Morser Karl w/Munitionspanzer IV Limited Edition

Published: June 25, 2017
Company: Hasegawa

The Karl “Gerät” (device) was a huge self-propelled siege mortar. The 60cm shells weighed around 5000 pounds and contained several hundred pounds of explosives. Hasegawa says that the Karl made a “significant impact” wherever it was used. The problems with Karl were that it wasn’t very mobile, and it required special ammunition. When a Karl was in use, it had to be in a special firing position… more

Acrylic White Putty

Published: June 10, 2017
Company: Acrylicos Vallejo

Vallejo’s name is well recognized in the scale modeling field. They have a huge array of products, and their specialized modeling products line is one of the best in the world. At our last IPMS Chapter meeting, Keith Pieper of Avalon Books gave me a tube of Vallejo’s new white Plastic Putty.

The putty itself is an acrylic medium with white color and marble dust. The added marble dust… more

Opel Kfz. 305 Ambulance

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: Italeri

The Opel “Blitz” truck was produced from 1930 to 1975. It was used as a commercial vehicle, and when the Wehrmacht needed a reliable and fast truck, the Blitz was chosen. In 1937, the Nazis had Opel build a factory at Brandenburg, which turned out over 130,000 Blitzes, until the RAF stopped production in 1944 by bombing the plant.

This kit is the ambulance version of the Opel Blitz.… more

Masking Frisket Paper

Published: May 20, 2017
Company: Tru-Color Paint

I did a review of Tru-Color Paints a while back, (http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/tru-color-paints ) and I asked the guys at Tru-Color if I could do a review of their new Frisket Paper. They said OK, and I bought a 3-pack of the paper at our last IPMS Chapter meeting. I bought the 3-pack, because I thought I had a project which… more