John Lyons
Reviews By Author
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Type 63-1 (YW-531A) Armored Personnel Carrier (Early Production)Published:
Short HistoryThe YW-531a was the first APC manufactured by Norinco for the PLA. It was designed in the early 1960’s and first appeared in 1964. It can carry a crew of 4 to 10 troops. The YW-531 was first used in the Vietnam War by the North Vietnamese Army (PAVN) and was in action again in the Iran-Iraq War. APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), or mortars. They are not usually designed to take part in a direct-fire battle, but to carry troops to the battlefield safe from shrapnel and ambush. Amor on APCs is usually composed of simple steel or aluminum, sufficient for protection against small fire arms and most shell fragments. Just about any type of anti-tank weapon can defeat the… more |
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Messerschmitt BF 109E-4 Weekend EditionPublished:
Short HistoryThe Bf 109E-4 was an upgrade from the earlier E-1 and the E-3. Units in the Western Europe Theater requested more firepower, so developers added two MG-FF/M cannons in the wings. The new guns were able to fire explosive rounds, along with two large caliber MG 17 machine guns; this gave the aircraft a significantly increased amount of firepower. The KitWhen I opened the box, each of the 6 spurs totaling 165 parts and 1 transparency with 9 parts were individually wrapped along with 2 decal sheets. This is the basic 1/32 kit, so no mask or PE. But you can find Aftermarket Accessories (PE and resin) for the kit with a little searching on the internet. Each spur was clean with very little flash. The first thing I noticed was the control… more |
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Type 63-1 (YW-531A) Armored Personnel Carrier (Early Production)Published:
Short HistoryThe YW-531a was the first APC manufactured by Norinco for the PLA. It was designed in the early 1960’s and first appeared in 1964. It can carry a crew of 4 to 10 troops. The YW-531 was first used in the Vietnam War by the North Vietnamese Army (PAVN) and was in action again in the Iran-Iraq War. APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), or mortars. They are not usually designed to take part in a direct-fire battle, but to carry troops to the battlefield safe from shrapnel and ambush. Amor on APCs is usually composed of simple steel or aluminum, sufficient for protection against small fire arms and most shell fragments. Just about any type of anti-tank weapon can defeat the… more |
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Soviet Naval Infantry WWIIPublished:
Short History: Due to the nature of the war with Germany the Soviet Navy took a back seat during the Great Patriotic War (WWII). However, one of the areas they were able to contribute greatly was with personnel. During Naval Infantry’s early battles in 1941 and 1942 they showed high morale by their sheer willingness to accept high casualties during the desperate fighting for their own naval bases. Their stubborn tenacity unnerved the Germans, leading them to be nicknamed the ‘Black Death’ by their German foes because of this and their black uniforms. The kit: 6 figures of the famous Soviet Unit "Black Death" ZVEZDA has put out a nice looking kit, lots of details and equipment. All the parts come on 2 trees, with an… more |
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Ju-188 Night Fighter - Resin ExhaustsPublished:
History: The Junkers Ju 188 was a German Luftwaffe high-performance medium Tactical bomber/Reconnaissance aircraft built during World War II. Review: The quality of the casting is perfect and bubble free. The tips of the exhaust pipes are hollowed out for added realism. Most resin parts are likely to need more work on them than the more normal injection molded plastic parts that you may be used to. Why you ask, well Resin is a much harder material then the standard molded plastic in your kit. This is what gives it the fine details you are looking for. In some cases the greatest challenge can be cutting the part from the casting block without damaging it. I have found that it is better to cut away the bulk of the casting block,… more |
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IL-2 Sturmovik Resin ExhaustsPublished:
History: The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft (Sturmovik) in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers. Review: The resin is bubble free and perfectly formed. The tips of the pipes are hollowed out; they have a thinly formed edge for that realism you are looking for. Most resin parts are likely to need more work on them than the more normal injection molded plastic parts that you may be used to. Why you ask, well Resin is a much harder material then the standard molded plastic in your kit. This is what gives it the fine details you are looking for. In some cases the greatest challenge can be cutting the part from the casting block without damaging it. I have found that it is… more |