USS New Jersey & USS Essex

Published: February 1, 2022
Company: Aoshima

Two Tiny Ships

The USS New Jersey and USS Essex by Aoshima

• USS New Jersey
• USS Essex

I like small models, so when I saw these two 1/2000 scale kits from Aoshima on the review list I quickly asked for them. Aoshima makes a whole series of ship kits in this scale, and I admit that I liked these review samples enough just upon opening the box that I… more

Jungle Jim Rail Dragster

Published: September 12, 2014
Company: Revell, Inc.

The Revell 1/25 scale “Jungle Jim” Rail Dragster is a re-release of a series of dragsters produced in the mid-1970s. This particular kit represents a car driven by “Jungle” Jim Liberman. If forum comments are correct, this is not a representation of any specific car or race, but rather a generic representation of one of his cars. If you want to build something specific, a bit of research will… more

Sino-Japanese Naval War 1894-1895

Published: September 12, 2014
Book Author(s): Piotr Olender
Company: Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books

I enjoy looking at and reading about early military steam ships that participated in conflicts prior to WWII, such as the Spanish-American War or even the US Civil War. So when I saw this book up for review, I knew I had to read it.

Piotr Olender’s book on the Sino-Japanese Naval War qualifies as an eclectic subject. I’m not sure there are any model kits that feature ships from this… more

Roland Leong’s Hawaiian Charger Funny Car

Published: February 10, 2020
Company: Revell, Inc.

The Revell 1/16 scale Hawaiian Charger Funny Car is a re-release of a kit first available in 1988. The kit is a representation of Roland Leong’s 1973 Dodge Charger “Hawaiian” Funny Car. These cars were essentially a rail or tube chassis with a modified fiberglass body representing the car – by this point in racing history a Funny Car had little in common with the stock car it represented other… more

AIRfile – Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea

Published: September 30, 2012
Book Author(s): Compiled by Neil Robinson, Illustrated by Peter Scott
Company: AIRfile Publications

After receiving this review sample, I have to say I have yet another favorite publisher. I have a particular interest in the Pacific theater of WWII, and this book succinctly discusses the history of the air war between the start of the conflict at Pearl Harbor through the battle of Coral Sea. It also discusses many of the battles in between. The book includes not just the US and Japanese… more

B-24 Liberator In Action

Published: August 3, 2012
Book Author(s): David Doyle
Company: Squadron Signal Publications

The B-24 Liberator has long been one of my favorite aircraft from WWII. While it could never be considered an attractive airplane, and was very ungainly while on the ground, it did have a certain elegance once the wheels were up and the plane was in the air.

I was pleased when I was selected to review the latest In Action book from Squadron-Signal Publications. It features the… more

Vought F8U-3 Crusader III "Super Crusader"

Published: July 13, 2012
Book Author(s): Tommy H. Thomason
Company: Ginter Books

The Vought F8U-3 Crusader III was thought by some to be “the best fighter never produced.” The Crusader III was an evolution of the F8U-1 Crusader, with a larger fuselage, more pronounced air intake, and a more powerful propulsion system. It retained the variable-aspect wing found on the earlier aircraft.

The book follows the development of the Crusader III from conception to retirement… more

Imperial Japanese Navy Battleship Yamato

Published: February 10, 2020
Company: Model Art

This publication is a Japanese-language magazine devoted to what the modeler might find interesting about the IJN Yamato. It was published by ModelArt, apparently to coincide with the release of the new 1/350 scale Yamato from Tamiya.

While there is a short English translation of the operational history of the Yamato class, the bulk of the magazine is in Japanese. Unfortunately, I don’… more

Last Man Standing: The 1st Marine Regiment on Peleliu

Published: June 6, 2012
Book Author(s): Dick Camp
Company: Zenith Press

There has been quite a bit of focus on WWII in the Pacific theater of late, driven in large part by HBO’s mini-series The Pacific, which was based on memoirs of some of the US Marines who fought and bled on small islands as the military pushed towards the Japanese homeland. I’ve always had an interest in this era, and have read many of the well-known books written by the guys who were… more