Modeler since my Dad and I built Aurora biplane box scale kits at the kitchen table. Joined IPMS in the early 1980's and I've held a variety of leadership positions on the Board. I'm a retired VP of Aerospace Engineering, living in the Centerville (Dayton) OH area. I am a Docent at the USAF Museum, a musician in several bands, member of IPMS/WFSM, and a widower.
My tastes are eclectic. When I build aircraft it's usually in 1/72, but I also dabble in submarines, autos, and scratchbuilt Steampunk vehicles.
First off, apologies to Fred Medel at Tamiya America for a long-delayed review. I’ve been busy building models for retired veterans and/or their family members and this one took a back seat.
That being said, wow, what a kit. Incredibly complex, but the fit is a modeler’s dream. As Dave Morrissette said when building its big brother in 1/48, many of the parts seem to “click” into place. In fact, the only serious fit problem I had probably resulted from too thick a layer of paint rather than any issues with the kit itself.
Since this kit and its variants have been reviewed several times here in both scales, I will limit my comments to some lessons learned along the build process. First of all, stock up on a lot of different paint colors. Many of them are gray, leading me to a… more
Courtesy of Peter Ventri at Atlantis Models, a number of new product releases were provided to us at the Madison National Convention. This review covers both the "plain base" and the "cobblestone base" versions of these display cases, the only difference being the street surface under the model.
Both cases are molded in clear acrylic, measuring 9 1/8” L x 3 7/8” H x 3 5/8”. The extra height allows for open hoods and trunks as well as for (obviously) taller vehicles to be displayed. Each case is nicely packaged not only in a secure box but a clear plastic wrap that eliminates scratches and scuffs from shipping damage. An added bonus is that the cases can be stacked (see images). Also supplied is several lengths of thin craft wire with instructions on how to secure a model to the… more
Anyone who has spent time at an airport is familiar with the ubiquitous Piper J-3 Cub. Having flown in a few models of this aircraft, I have a special affinity for the type and have built several of Mr. Piper’s Cubs. (Those who remember our late Treasurer, Ed Kinney, may have hear his comment about Cubs – “they have just enough power to get you to the scene of the crash”).
Anyway, I digress. Well packaged in a sturdy box, the kit includes 2 gray plastic trees, a separately packaged clear parts group, small PE fret, and one 3-D printed part. Note that Special Hobby offers a series of separately sold aftermarket details – a 3D printed engine, wheel set, and masking set – should you choose to use these.
The instruction manual uses CAD drawings of the model and three… more
The V-22 has had a long and difficult developmental period – hard to believe the design dates from the early 90’s – but with improvements in design and operational techniques, has taken its place as a workhorse in multiple services.
I have a personal connection to this aircraft – in fact, the version I chose to model probably has my fingerprints her and there on the empennage. I was the leader of the Technology organization in an aerospace composites manufacturing facility early in my career, and we built the first 9 ship sets of V-22 empennage assemblies under contract to Bell-Boeing. So, when this kit came up for review, I was pleased to get the opportunity.
On to the model. Although this is a repop of a 1990’s era kit, and as such represents the early configuration… more
This is my second review of a UGears wooden kit. The “U” refers to the fact that these unusual products are engineered and manufactured in the Ukraine. Each kit is precisely – and I do mean precisely – laser cut and etched from fine plywood. This particular kit contains two sheets consisting of 189 parts, along with peripherals such as rubber bands (for the drive mechanism) and toothpicks (used to anchor a number of the subassemblies together). A small stick of wax, for lubricating moving parts, is also included. More on that later.
For the purists who read this review, no, it’s not a typical model kit. There’s no gluing, filling, painting or decaling involved (although I suppose one could paint or stain the kit). But it’s a nice break from working in the model room – I was… more
And now for something different – for this reviewer at least. I’ve always been intrigued with the bright brasswork of early automobiles and the combination of dark green paint and brass trim caught my eye when perusing the list of review items.
The kit arrives in a very sturdy cardboard box with separate cover in full color. Each tree is carefully wrapped, clear parts and rubber tires are packaged separately, and a very nice gloss printed instruction manual is included.
Construction is relatively straightforward, I deviated from some of the sequences to facilitate painting and avoid knocking off some of the smaller bits. The 10hp Renault engine is nicely detailed but I ran into problems attaching the exhaust pipe. Part of this is due to somewhat obscure illustration and… more
(Note: This is a split review of a combination package, I took the 1/144 version and another reviewer is doing the 1/72 kit).
While one can argue whether this aircraft would have truly been a stealthy fighter, the fact remains that it is one of the most intriguing possibilities to come out of the minds of the Horten brothers. Much has been written about their innovative designs, their clashes with Luftwaffe leaders, and the remaining Ho229 at NASM – I encourage the reader to dive into the plethora of research and opinions. But for now, let’s dive into the kit build.
17 light gray parts and one clear sprue make for a quick build – you could literally finish this little jewel in one setting unless you’re a slowpoke like me. The cockpit is basic but in 1/144 with a small… more
If there was an obscure or one-off submersible designed and built in the 20th century, you can be sure that the folks at OKB Grigorov, a Bulgarian company, will release a kit. (Check out their website, they manufacture and sell a variety of ships, armor and figure accessories as well).
Background and history courtesy of Wikipedia
These two Russian boats are variants of the venerable Yankee class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines. Yankee Notch (officially titled Project 667AT Grusha) converted subs were attack submarines and first appeared in 1983; four Yankee I boats were rebuilt to this configuration. They incorporated a "notch waisted" center section, which… more
I don’t think that much needs to be said about the venerable Hellcat, the premiere US Navy fighter of WW2 (sorry Corsair lovers, I’ll admit to some bias here. When I started as a structural designer at Grumman many decades ago, some of my mentors had actually worked on this aircraft).
Eduard’s Profipack boxing of this little gem includes crisp moldings in light gray and clear styrene, two decal sheets (markings for 5 variants as well as a very full stenciling sheet in both black and white fonts), two sets of p/e parts (one of which contains their beautiful pre-painted etched cockpit parts) and two sets of canopy masks. As is common in Eduard kits, you’ll find some parts that are not used in the build, but this is made clear in the assembly booklet – full color, over 10 pages,… more
The F8U Crusader (later re-designated as F-8) was the first operational supersonic carrier aircraft serving for the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the late 1950s. Often considered the last gunfighter, it was well loved by pilots for exceptional performance. One interesting feature was the movable wing assembly. While it’s often believed that the purpose of the raised wing was to improve lift, the fact is that raising the wing allowed the fuselage of the aircraft to assume a lower angle of attack on landing, permitting greater visibility for the pilot, while maintaining optimal aerodynamic performance of the wing, slats and flaps.
On to the kit – or kits, as there are two diminutive jewels in the box. In keeping with Platz’ usual high standards, parts are crisp, with… more