Michael Reeves
Reviews By Author
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Tanks in the Battle of the BulgePublished:
What’s InsideThis exciting new volume in the New Vanguard series from Osprey gives the reader a new analysis of the tanks from both sides of one of the last and most intensive battles of the European Theater of Operations- the Battle of the Bulge. Who better to offer up the analysis than one of the most acclaimed authors in military history in the present day- Steven Zaloga. His book gives a thorough survey of the principal tank and tank variants that took part in the Ardennes Campaign from December of 1944 through January of 1945. As per usual with the New Vanguard series, the book opens with an overview of the campaign including tables of Wehrmacht Panzerwaffe in the Ardennes (16 December, 1944) and US Armored Divisions in the Ardennes from the duration of the… more |
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Rommel’s Mammoth DAK AEC Armored Command VehiclePublished:
AFV Club kits for me have always been a bit of a challenge - multi-part assemblies that could easily be presented as lower part count builds are usually the norm for me. This particular build for the most part avoids this issue, except for the undercarriage. The only real issues encountered for me was in the order of assembly in some cases which will be outlined as we go. The kit is a rebox of the AEC Dorchester kit from 2012. Obviously these three examples were basically captured Dorchesters so the only changes were in the interior equipment and schemes of the three examples captured by the Germans as we will soon see. What’s Inside the BoxThe kit has an assortment of different media-plastic, resin, and PE, but not in overwhelming amounts. Inside we get: … more |
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M4A3(76)W ShermanPublished:
2018 seemed to be the year of the Panther from the start and there certainly was no shortage of releases of the variants from many of the big companies. As 2019 rolled around, Jagdpanthers and Bergepanthers seemed to continue the trend. However, about mid-year, there were whispers of the companies releasing their own version on the venerable US Sherman tank. Taska, now Asuka, certainly has set the bar high and we have seen as the summer rolled along that Rye Field Models and Meng have entered their own horses into the race. My focus here is on the M4A3(76)W release by Meng, complete with an extra added resin sandbag armor set SPS-070 ($57.00). What’s Inside the BoxThere are some definite perks in this kit that sets it apart-- one of the main ones being the twelve… more |
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Red Nose P-51D-5 Mustang AcesPublished:
I must admit, I am normally against ordering aftermarket products unless I am building a specific piece for a commission build or wanting to recreate a specific aircraft belonging to a specific pilot. I am usually content to stick with what’s in the box and adapt as needed. However, when I saw this set was available and was looking up the schemes, I jumped at the chance for something out of the ordinary. This particular set is available in the three major scales of 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32. Included in the zip-locked bag are schemes for four Italy-based 15th AF aces as follows:
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Tigers I and IIPublished:
Whether I am reviewing his armor books as now, or his aircraft books, like my previous review on the SBD, I am always finding David Doyle’s books to be tremendous additions to the reference bookshelf. I find myself referring to them numerous times, whether for my own projects or to check on something for friends asking advice. The best advice, of course, is to buy themselves their own copy of the book…and this Legends of Warfare volume on the Tigers is no exception. The book is not the end all or be all purchase that you’ll never need anything else to buy for the library. It is, however, a good place to start for someone transitioning to armor modeling for the first time, or just looking to build one of the various offerings of Tiger kits available. WWII buffs in general will… more |
Scale Military Modeller International, July 2019Published:
One of my favorite start of the new month activities is to head to Barnes and Noble on a Friday afternoon and peruse the new model magazines. I usually only buy one or two each month, but it is part of my routine. Apparently though, my solitary habits aren’t enough to sustain the space on the shelves as my local shop isn’t stocking much as of late. So I was happy to see this sample of SMMI show up with another review. Here’s the breakdown of what’s inside: T-34 Captured - looks at Robin Gilby’s 1/35 ICM Pz.Kpfw T-34-747(r) - more so an overview of the painting process with no real in-build photos...describes paint and weathering stages. The Desert General - Modelers Masterclass article on Robin Gilby’s 1/35 Tamiya Leclerc Series II… more |
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First Aid Basic WashesPublished:
For a good long while, Mig Jimenez has been designing and producing products that make modelers lives so very much easier. In the case of this set of washes, AMMO has packaged up a “basic” set that includes an assortment of colors that would fit the bill for anyone trying to create a foundation for weathering their model of any sort. This set provides the easiest solution to the novice modeler who is just starting in the hobby and does not really know what is needed, and adds another tool to the toolbox for the intermediate or advanced modeler. The set includes the following five washes:
This… more |
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SBD Dauntless: Douglas’s US Navy and Marine Corps Dive Bombing in World War IIPublished:
I have been interested in the SBD Dauntless for as long as I have been modeling. In these 20+ years, I have collected any book on my favorite aircraft as I could grab up. For as long as I have been modeling, I have also come to appreciate David Doyle’s excellent reference books on all matters of military subjects and they have become a go-to source whenever I wanted to learn more. The fact that his expertise could be married to the Slow but Deadly in the form of a new book on this truly significant dive bomber makes me truly happy. The fact that the book contains so many photos I have never seen makes things even that much better. After a brief introduction highlighting the development of the prototypes for the Dauntless, including some clear shots of the XBT-1 and XBT-2, we… more |
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Letters from a Lancaster GunnerPublished:
This book is not your typical historical account toting statistics, data charts, and emotionally detached accounts of RAF Bomber Command operations. I admit there is nothing wrong with those types of books- they have their place, and I have enjoyed them in the past when researching and educating myself for a build or idea. This is a narrative that is based on letters between a young, hopeful RAF turret gunner named Joseph ‘Mac’ Thompson and his family- mainly letters home to his mum. The book is written by his niece, Helen Thompson. It is not emotionally detached and you cannot be emotionally detached when reading it. From growing up in Birmingham, through many trials of training and wartime exploits, through trying to help his widowed mum support his family and balance that… more |
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Clouded Leopard ROC TIFV CM-32/33Published:
When I was asked to review this kit, I have to admit to feeling a bit daunted. I have only done a handful of modern armor pieces, and even those were really restricted to IDF tanks and vehicles. There’s not a whole lot of information out there on this specific vehicle either—a cursory Google search brings up primarily pictures of the actual animal known as the Clouded Leopard. So to quote the introduction from the instruction sheet, after having used second-hand armored half-tracks and Vietnam War-weary V-150s, the Republic of China (ROC: Taiwan) engineers were urged by the US to receive training on designing their own wheeled IFVs. In 1992 as a result of this, the prototype six-wheeled CM31 was born. In the course of this, however, it was soon realized that eight-wheeled IFVs… more |