Michael Furry
Reviews By Author
|
Ki-43-II/III Oscar Landing Gear (FM)Published:
I am familiar with Scale Aircraft Conversions but have never used any of their products. Having a Fine Molds Ki-43 III, I was keen to compare these metal landing gear parts to the kit parts provided by Fine Molds. The SAC landing gear provides additional strength being metal, and the ability to slightly bend the gear if needed. Upon close inspection, the landing gear provided by Fine Molds is my preference over the metal landing gear offered by Scale Aircraft Conversions. In my sample, the metal landing gear has mold part lines, heavy pitting, and a shape that is more oval than round. One of my struts had a curve coming out of the packaging, but this was easily bent back to shape. I spent quite a bit of time cleaning up one main landing gear leg along with the tail wheel… more |
|
Maryland Mk I/II Landing Gear (Special Hobby)Published:
Scale Aircraft Conversions has been creating parts for modelers since 1990 and has long supported the IPMS-USA Review Corps with their items for review. The white metal parts are meant to replicate the original kit parts, but with the additional strength of being metal instead of plastic. There is also an advantage in that the metal gear can be slightly bent, if necessary, once installed to allow for improved positioning. After reviewing the Scale Aircraft Conversions metal landing gear for the Fine Molds Ki-43 III I knew exactly what I was getting into with this set. My sample had castings that seemed rough along with mold part lines and parts slightly bent in the package. I cleaned up one main gear leg and the tail wheel leg as best I could. A coat of Mr. Surfacer black… more |
|
Solomons Air War Volume 3 Guadalcanal: From the Brink November-December 1942Published:
The title says it all. This book is a comprehensive look at air campaign over Guadalcanal from November to December 1942. The text is organized into eleven chapters, conclusion three appendices, sources/acknowledgements and an index of names, ships, and military units. Each chapter features photographs, captions, tables, and profile art. The text begins with an allied and Japanese airpower overview and then puts the reader into the air war over Guadalcanal on 1-10 November 1942. This is not a personal account of anyone’s personal experiences but a timeline of events over a two month period. The reading is detail oriented and is laden with facts and descriptions sourced from both Allied and Japanese sources. The reading is not easy and you need to read in sequence otherwise you… more |
|
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, A Great and Terrible ProgramPublished:
According to the blurb on the back cover, the F-35 was developed under the largest weapons program in history. After reading this book, I can probably agree that is true. In fact, you could add the words “most complex” and “relentless shortcomings” to the above description too. This in-depth text looks at the F-35 program from a critical standpoint and reads more like a collegiate textbook or government briefing paper. The F-35 program is described in intense detail from its origins, technological trends that have influenced the development, testing, capabilities, global implications, deployment, and the future of the F-35. The text is arranged into eleven chapters, and each chapter is divided into multiple sections via headings. The text is supported by dozens of high-… more |
|
Super Model International No.3Published:
Super Model International, published by Kagero, is a series of modeling magazines that focus on three to five build articles per issue. The magazines feature large high-quality photos, limited advertising and focus on the building, painting and or weathering process. Issue number three has three build articles:
There are three authors in this issue and a brief bio of each is presented on the back cover of the magazine. The articles are all written in different styles, with each author choosing to highlight certain aspects of their particular models. The D.520 article has a focus on adding rivet detail and heavy weathering. The Hurricane Mk.1… more |
|
PLAN Type 094 Jin Class SSBNPublished:
Hobby Boss’ 1/700 Type 094 Jin Class SSBN is composed of 18 injection molded styrene parts, 1 photo-etch part and a small decal sheet. One painting example is offered in full color. Assembly is broken down into two steps. Step one brings the hull halves and conning tower parts together. Step adds the conning tower to the upper hull, adds the photo-etch screw and places the supports of the display stand. Overall a very simple model. This kit did not present any major challenges, but the hull is split into upper and lower halves which leads to steps on either side of the hull. Removal of the locating pins did not help solve the step problem. The upper half is slightly wider than the bottom. Instead of having one large step, I decided to split the difference and have two smaller… more |
|
Hitler's Miracle Weapons, Volume 2Published:
Every once in a while, a book comes along that you can’t put down. For me, it’s typically a fictional mystery. Hitler’s Miracle Weapons, Volume 2 offers all the suspense of a fiction mystery, except that it’s not. It’s non-fiction, is full of surprising facts, offers clues to mysteries still yet to be solved, and will keep you wanting more. The use of rockets and rocket-powered flying craft by the Third Reich is not a new discovery, but what were the real intentions in terms of the development and use of these strange and mysterious weapons? Was Wernher von Braun just reaching for the stars? What secrets are still hidden in large underground rocket bunkers in France and Germany? Why are many documents regarding Hitler’s rocket program still classified today? Was there a V-Weapons… more |
|
Hunting-Percival Pembroke, Prince & Sea PrincePublished:
“The Spy Who Loved Me”. What does a classic James Bond film have to do with the Hunting-Percival Pembroke, Prince, and Sea Prince? The Pembroke was used as a spy plane. The latest title in the Warpaint Series focuses on the Pembroke, Prince, and Sea Prince and provides a thorough look at this British, high-wing utility aircraft. The text is organized by headings, starting with a brief history of Hunting-Percival and then moving into the development of each type, foreign users, demobilized aircraft and aircraft for sale, and finally a survivors listing. Each section provides an in-depth look at each variant as well as the units that operated each type. The book is filled with photographs, captions, tables with variants and specifications, three view drawings, interior… more |
|
Ki-51 Sonia Instrument Panel (1/48)Published:
The Mitsubishi Ki-51 Sonia is one of those aircraft that has been consistently neglected by model kit manufacturers. Nichimo produced a kit in 1975 and that was the only option available until 2019 when Wingsy surprised Japanese aircraft model enthusiasts with a new tool kit. Yahu from Poland produces photo-etch instrument panels for a large number of kits including the Ki-51. I do not own any Yahu photo-etch instrument panels so this review allowed me to get a first hand look at their products. The instrument panels come packaged in a small zip lock bag with a card stock header giving the product name and stock number. The pilots instrument panel is bagged separately from the radio operator/rear gunner’s instruments. The radio operator’s instruments are all attached to a small… more |
|
WWII Imperial Japanese Navy Acrylic Paint SetPublished:
Paint colors used by Japan during WWII are elusive and always seem to be up for debate. ICM has added a set of Imperial Japanese Navy colors to their range of acrylic paint sets. This set is packaged in a small rectangular box with images of the colors printed on the front. The back of the box features a profile of a Japanese ship with color call outs. This set includes five 12ml bottles of color and 1 17ml bottle of clear gloss. The bottles have twist-off caps and the opening is big enough to allow a Popsicle stick to be used to mix the paint. The colors in this set are as follows:
Directions printed on… more |