Ken McDevitt
Reviews By Author
|
Apache Warrior 1860-86Published:
This book just changed my “image” of the Apaches as an undisciplined and unsophisticated group of fighters. The Apaches begin training new warriors at an early age and in addition to the obvious physical toughness there is considerable effort to develop mental toughness, obedience and agility. Of particular interest is the Apache concept of risk versus reward. Raids and wars are very carefully planned to consider all tactical and strategic options as well as contingencies and exit routes in case of problems. For a raid or war to be successful the primary goal is to greatly reduce the chance that a warrior to be killed since that reflects badly on the leader and places a burden on the tribe to care for the lost warrior’s family. The book does describe some of the Apache… more |
|
Spitfire Mk.IXc Late Version - Hispano Cannons in FairingsPublished:
This is the third replacement piece that I have acquired for my 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk.Ixc build. Master Model has produced a detailed pair of Hispano 20mm cannons that provide details that are missing even in the excellent Eduard kit. This is not to diminish the Eduard kit that has been reviewed by Bret Green as the definitive (his opinion) 1/48 Spitfire kit. In the photo the Master Model pieces are compared side by side to the sprue attached parts of the Eduard kit. You can clearly see the enhanced definition of the Master Model replacements. On close inspection there may be the opportunity for a steady hand, lots of patience and small sharp needle to do a little hollowing out of the front of the cannon barrel. RecommendationI highly recommend these replacement… more |
|
Spitfire Mk.IX Cockpit DoorPublished:
This is the second Quickboost piece that I have acquired for my 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk.IXc build. The other is the cockpit seat. Quickboost has produced a detailed resin cockpit door that provides details that are missing even in the excellent Eduard kit. This is not to diminish the Eduard kit that has been reviewed by Bret Green as the definitive (his opinion) 1/48 Spitfire kit. In the photos, obviously, the Quickboost piece is still attached to the casting block. The Quickboost web link to the picture brings out more detail than my photo. A word of caution – there seems to be a size difference with the Eduard door being larger. I won’t know about final fit until I get to the build. I highly recommend this highly visible replacement part. Thanks to Quickboost for… more |
|
A-10 Thunderbolt II – Units of Operation, Enduring Freedom 2002-07Published:
ReviewThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is so ugly, it’s beautiful. It is clearly an example of function over form. The A-10 is designed to maximize the pilot protection with a titanium bathtub cockpit and heavily armored cockpit glass. The airframe design has redundant control systems and high mounted engines to provide maximum survivability when damaged, and also to reduce the risk of engine damage. The book starts with the fly-offs between manufacturers and the selection of Fairchild Republic as the design winner. In response to pilots’ feedback for a big gun, the General Electric GAU-8 Avenger 30 mm cannon was selected, with a rate of fire at 3900 rpm. The remainder of the book describes how the A-10 arrived in the Afghanistan and the A-10’s role… more |
|
Spitfire Mk.I Seat With BeltsPublished:
Motivation for ReviewAfter taking a 1-year hiatus from modeling, I wanted to start back with a build that would be of strong interest for me. That is the Spitfire, and I decided to do 1/144, 1/72, and 1/48 builds in the Mk.IX series. For the 1/72 version, I choose the Airfix Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc. For me, one benefit of being in the IPMS Reviewer Corp is to request items in which I have a personal interest, and since I had acquired all of the prior mentioned scaled Mk.IXc model kits, I thought that the Reviewer List might be able to provide me with replacement detailed parts for my builds. I was right, and this review is for the second of the few parts that I have been able to obtain. I remain on the lookout for other parts. (Note: the 1/32 Spitfire scares me right now… more |
|
Spitfire Mk.IX Landing GearPublished:
Motivation for ReviewAfter taking a 1-year hiatus from modeling, I wanted to start back with a build that would be of strong interest for me. That is the Spitfire, and I decided to do 1/144, 1/72, and 1/48 builds in the Mk.IX series. At this time, the excellently reviewed: 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk.IXc late version was released. For me, one benefit of being in the IPMS Reviewer Corp is to request items in which I have a personal interest, and since I had acquired all of the prior-mentioned scaled Mk.IXc model kits I thought that the Reviewer List might be able to provide me with replacement detailed parts for my builds. I was right, and this review is the first of the few parts that I have been able to obtain. I remain on the lookout for other parts. (Note: the 1/32 Spitfire… more |
|
American Indian Tribes of the SouthwestPublished:
This is another fine publication in Osprey Publishing’s Men-at-Arms series. There are 10 books in the series that covers the Indians of America. This publication covers the Indian tribes of the Southwest, which is mainly Arizona and New Mexico and some of the surrounding states. The contents cover the history of the tribes, the Spanish Invasion, and the approximately 35 tribes in the Southwest. This number includes all the major tribal groups along with their sub-tribes. There is a description of the major tribal groups and their main characteristics, hunting, gathering, and customs. The section on language and tribal accents is particularly interesting. The major tribes of Ute, Apache (with 4 variants), Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, and Pueblo are covered, as well as marginal tribes. Numerous… more |
|
Wooden WheelbarrowPublished:
Plusmodel has introduced a wheelbarrow diorama piece that should provide some opportunities to be creative in deciding what the wheelbarrow will be carrying. Opening the BagFirst, a little background on why I selected this kit. Previously, I had written over a dozen IPMS reviews across several scales and categories. Then I took a break from modeling, and when I returned a couple of months ago I wanted to start with something easy. This subject looked like a good start. The contents of the bag include 6 resin pieces and an instruction diagram. The pieces are a light grey resin with very light flash around the wheel. The wheel and axle were deformed. The BuildA dry fit showed a good fit with the exception of the deformed wheel/axle. I… more |
|
Kayaba "Katsuodori" Ram-Jet FighterPublished:
HistoryThis could be classified as a “paper” airplane, since it only existed as a design. The project was initiated as a search for greater performance and alternative power sources. Germany provided assistance on the project and research progressed quickly and it is assumed that design of the Katsuodori took place in the middle of the war. The Katsuodori had a tailless fuselage with a sharply swept wing. The plane was to use four solid fuel rocket boosters to propel the aircraft to speed, and then switch on the ramjet propulsion system. The plane could use a droppable dolly for a land take-off or it was planned to be carried by a bomber with removable struts. When the Me163 design and production was complete, it killed further research on the Katsuodori, as the Me163 was a… more |
|
AIM-26B MissilesPublished:
DescriptionIncludes 2 resin AIM-26B missiles with separate exhaust nozzles. Designed for the Revell/Monogram kits (Note: these missiles are also included in the resin detail parts of the Encore F-102A kit). HistoryThe AIM-26 Falcon was a larger, more powerful version of the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile built by Hughes. The AIM-26A, with the nuclear warhead, entered service in 1961 with the Air Defense Command F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors. It used a radar proximity fuse and a radar guidance system. To date, it is the only guided U.S. air-to-air weapon ever to carry a nuclear warhead. Considering the issues with using nuclear weapons over the US homeland and friendly territories, the missile was eventually converted to a conventional high explosive… more |