P-47D Thunderbolt "Bubble Top" (Set of 2)

Published: November 27, 2019
Company: Platz

Platz has been a consistent supplier of new review kits to us, and I’m pleased to be able to review this recent release. Newly tooled and boxed, this kit is a joy to build with 4 great marking schemes available to share between the two complete models. Let’s dive in.

All parts are crisply molded with very nicely engraved panel and control surface lines. Instructions are in full color.… more

Wild Wild West Outhouse

Published: October 15, 2019
Company: Masterpiece Models

John Geigle of Masterpiece Models gave us a number of review items in Chattanooga this year and because I love to build the quirky and unusual stuff, I volunteered to do the dirty work (I’m going to try my best to avoid puns during the rest of this review, as difficult as that is for me.) and put this one together.

This kit is provided as a single sheet of laser cut wood along with two… more

Medium Punch and Die Set PT8 - Round

Published: September 7, 2019
Company: UMM-USA

Another beautifully crafted tool from our friends at UMM-USA is this new punch and die set, accompanying the numerous other tools used to punch standard shapes out of thin brass or aluminum, or plastic sheet stock up to 0.080 (2mm) thick. In the set you’ll find an aluminum die block with hole sizes ranging from 0.6 mm (0.024”) up to 3.0mm (0.12”) diameter, accompanied by the hardened tool… more

Rotachute Mk I

Published: January 8, 2022
Company: Fly Models

Background (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

“The design of the man-carrying machine known as a Rotachute, also known as a Hafner H.8, evolved from November 1940 and throughout 1941. In September 1941, the Central Landing Establishment was renamed the Airborne Forces Establishment. The Rotachute Mark I design initially comprised a tubular steel framework with a single-seat, rubber-mounted… more

31 Ultra Micro Chisel (0.8mm) Double Beveled Tip

Published: August 25, 2019
Company: UMM-USA

John Vojtech, the genius behind UMM-USA, gave us a nice collection of tools at the Chattanooga National Convention this year. I have the privilege of reviewing a handful of them and here’s #1.

If you’ve never used a UMM product (and why not?), they are exquisitely manufactured. This particular tool is an extremely narrow (0.8mm/0.031 inch) chisel mounted in a sturdy, contoured plastic… more

35 Ultra Micro Chisel 2.5mm Elliptical Tip

Published: August 25, 2019
Company: UMM-USA

If you read my review of UMM’s 0.8mm Beveled Tip Chisel, you’ll have a general idea of the quality of these fine tools. That being said, UMM offers a wide variety of chisel shapes – 14 different tip shapes and sizes by my latest count. UMM 35 is a 2.5mm (0.10 inch) chisel blade affixed to a high quality plastic handle. The tip on this tool is elliptical, and while it will perform a wide… more

Hughes H-1B Short Wing Racer

Published: August 17, 2019
Company: Special Hobby

I’ve always been a fan of the iconic silver and blue Hughes H-1 Racer. I was familiar with the long wing variant, but as it turns out, two sets of wings were made for this one of a kind beauty - long wings for endurance flights, and short wings for speed records. You’ll have to decide for yourself which one appeals to you, but no worries - Special Hobby/Planet Models provide both in 1/48 resin… more

HMS M1 Submarine

Published: June 16, 2019
Company: OKB Grigorov

HMS Submarine M.1 was an innovative but ill-fated attempt to overcome the poor performance and high per-shot cost of contemporary torpedoes. The unique solution was to add a 12-inch Mark IX gun, initially intended for battleship use. The gun was to be fired at a flat trajectory on the surface, or even at periscope depth (!) through use of a simple bead gunsight. 3 of the 4 M-class vessels that… more

Model Car World Military Finishes (Various)

Published: May 5, 2019
Company: Model Car World

Back in the mid-90’s, the late Ed Kinney and I co-founded IPMS Fame Cities in the Akron/Canton area. While many ribald tales could be told of those days, the tenuous link to this review is that the owner of MCW Finishes, Mike Guest, is a member of Fame Cities. I reconnected with Mike after I read about the new line of military colors he’s producing in gloss lacquer. I asked mike to supply us… more

Horten Ho-229 Night Fighter

Published: May 5, 2019
Company: Brengun

I’m a sucker for Luftwaffe ’46 concepts and 1/144 scale, so when Brengun supplied us with this little bat winged beauty my hand went up immediately.

The kit is petite, very nicely molded and with fine panel lines. Two color schemes are provided on the box, both for hypothetical units serving in 1946. The canopy is a little thick, but there isn’t much of a cockpit provided. I added… more