IPMS Number
46363

Reviews By Author

Cover

The Falklands War

Published:
Book Author(s): Historical narrative by Patrick Branly
Company: Valiant Wings Publishing

Valiant Wings has released the 11th installment on its series “Airframe Extra” and it is fully devoted to the Falkland’s conflict of 1982. The book starts with a historical section covering the events leading to the Argentinean invasion in April 1982 and later military events.

I should point out that the book almost exclusively includes historical pictures of British equipment and the historical claims for the islands are narrated from the British perspective only. It would have been nice to see more period pictures of Argentinean equipment and to have included the history of Argentinean claims to the islands as well, as to enrich the historical research.

The book has two sections of great color profiles -covering both British and Argentinean equipment. I want to… more

Book Cover

P-38 Lighting – Part 1: XP-38 to P-38H Variants

Published:
Book Author(s): Haagen Klaus & Bert Kinzey
Company: Detail & Scale, Inc.

Detail & Scale has already published two books on the P-38, back in the 1990’s. These books have been long out of print but this is not just a re-issue but rather a revision and update to the original books, including pictures never seen before of the restored P-38F “Glacier Girl” and the scale model section includes details and recommendations for the more modern P-38 kits that became available since the publication of the original edition.

The P-38 traces its lineage to Clarence “Kelly” Johnson and it was a revolutionary aircraft from its time, given its size, speed, and climb rate.

For each mark indicated below, there is a brief chapter explaining the details from previous marks, period pictures (some in color, most in B&W) and excellent line drawings.

This… more

Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles

Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War – Volume 2

Published:
Book Author(s): Ralph Riccio, Mario Pieri, Daniele
Guglielmi
Company: Helion & Company

Casemate Publishing is distributing a Helion & Company published book on the topic of Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second War World. The publication has two volumes. This review covers Volume 2.

The book is broken down in the following sections

  • Medium and Heavy Trucks
  • Artillery Tractors
  • Special Purpose Vehicles
  • Trailers

Plus three appendices:

  • Camouflage and Markings
  • Italian Vehicles Manufacturers
  • Vehicles produced in Italy while under German Control (1943-45)

While information on the Italian Navy, Italian Air Force and Italian Armored Units is not that difficult to come by, information on their soft-skinned/support/ancillary vehicles is harder to find. But… more

Tru-Color RAF Set 1

Royal Air Force Set 1

Published:
Company: Tru-Color Paint

Tru-Color Paint is a model paint manufacturer based in the US. They have an extensive line of railroad and car paints and they are continuously expanding their military line (aircraft, naval, armor).

This set includes the following colors (all of them already available in their line).

  • TCP-1281: Dark Green
  • TCP-1281: Dark Earth
  • TCP-1284: Dark Sea Grey
  • TCP-1287: Ocean Grey
  • TCP-1288: Sky Type S
  • TCP-1290: Interior Green

The set includes the main colors used by the RAF in the early years of WWII in Europe (Dark Green, Dark Earth, Sky, Interior Green) and some of the colors used in the later years (Dark Green, Ocean Grey, Interior Green). Including Dark Sea Grey is perhaps a bit unusual as that color was rarely used.… more

TruColor IAF paints

Israeli Air Force Sinai & 4-Color Schemes

Published:
Company: Tru-Color Paint

Tru-Color Paint is a US-based model paints manufacturer. They have an extensive line of railroad and car paints and are continuously expanding their military line (aircraft, naval, armor).

This set includes the following colors (all of them already available in their line).

  • TCP-433 Matte Black
  • TCP-1226 Titanium
  • TCP-1272 FS-33531 Middlestone
  • TCP-1274 FS-30219 Brown
  • TCP-1275 FS-34424 Sky Green
  • TCP-1277 FS-36375 Light Compass Ghost Gray

Based on my research -use it at your own risk. The colors included in this set are all the main colors used in the camouflage for the F-16, F-15 and some Kfir C2 (late service) and most Kfir C7 (late service).

You can still use the Middlestone and Brown for… more

AOA Intruder South East Asia

Southeast Asia Intruders USMC A-6A, A-6B & KA-6D Intruders in the Vietnam War

Published:
Company: AOA Decals

AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48024) that updates and supersedes their own #48-001 and #48-006 sheets covering USMC A-6A, A-6B and KA-6D Intruders during the Vietnam War, including markings for an astonishing 19 aircraft spanning the period 1966 to 1973.

There are markings for:

  • VMA (AW)-224 Bengals, based on the USS Coral Sea during 1971-72
  • VMA (AW)-225 Vikings, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1969-71
  • VMA (AW)-242 Batmen, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1966-70
  • VMA (AW)-533 Hawks, based on Chu Lai, South Vietnam (1967-69) & Nam Phong, Thailand (1972-73)

All the aircraft are in the high-viz camouflage of the era. Some of the airframes had black noses, while others had white. Some of the aircraft also had… more

AOA Intruder Redux Decals

Intruder Sandbox Redux

Published:
Company: AOA Decals

AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48022) that updates and supersedes their own #48-007 sheet covering A-6 TRAM Intruders during Operation Prairie Fire (Libya, 1986) and Desert Storm (Iraq, 1991), including markings for five aircraft in the Libya strikes and four aircraft in the Iraq strikes.

Provided markings are:

  • VA-34 Blue Blasters, based on the USS America, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-55 Warhorses, based on the USS Coral Sea, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-85 Black Falcons, based on the USS Saratoga, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-35 Black Panthers – based on the USS Saratoga, for the Iraq strikes (1991)
  • VMA(AW)-533 Hawks – based at Sheikh Isa base (Bahrain), for the Iraq strikes (1991)

All the… more

Package

Hurricane Mk.IIC

Published:
Company: Italeri

Italeri has re-released its Hurricane Mk.IIC in 1/48 scale. The original release was from the early 2010’s and included a Hurricane Mk.I, Mk.I/Trop, Sea Hurricane Mk.I and Hurricane Mk.IIC. Inspecting at the parts (the photoetch sheet) you must wonder if at some point there the plan was to include a Mk.IIB in the family but to my knowledge it has never been released. Based on the engineering of the wing, you can probably model a MkIID and, if you get a replacement oil housing probably a Mk.IV as well, assuming you know your way around the Hawker Hurricane (there are plenty of online references).

Upon opening the box you find 5 sprues (two of them are duplicate of the same sprue), while one of the 5 of sprues is clear for the canopy, landing lights and navigation lights. Plus,… more

Cover

F-16C/D Wild Ducks

Published:
Company: Twobobs Aviation Graphics

Two Bobs has released a decal sheet covering an anniversary scheme for the 309th Fighter Squadron “Wild Ducks” back when it was flying the F-16 C/D.

Two paint schemes are provided in this sheet. The first one is a striking mix of blue, grey and white strips with Donald Duck holding a lightning bolt on the blue rudder. The second one is a great looking desert camouflage for the first F-16 to claim a kill on an Iraqi Mig-25 with an AIM-120 (although at the time of the kill the airframe was wearing the standard two-grey livery).

I want to point out that both schemes are special commemorative schemes for the 80th anniversary of the 309th FS. Both schemes were designed by Ssgt Michael Cichonsky (portrayed in the instructions sitting on the tail of the F-16C) and both look… more

Package

BCATP Ansons

Published:
Company: Iliad Design

Illiad Design continues to expand its line of 1/48 scale decals, this time with a set of markings for the Avro Anson. The decals were designed for the recent Airfix model

This decal sheet covers 6 airframes from the BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan). All markings cover airframes that saw service in Canada: Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Some of the airframes are in camouflage of Dark Earth and Dark Green with lowers in Sky, plus some high visibility markings in yellow, others are fully painted in yellow and there is everything in between (yellow bottom and camouflaged tops, yellow bottoms, and partially camouflaged tops, etc).

The instructions are very clear on what camouflage scheme to apply for each aiframe with top and port side views. If… more