Pablo Bauleo
Reviews By Author
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HP.52 Hampden TB.Mk.IPublished:
ICM has been producing a series of high-quality twin-engine bombers on a 1/48 scale, like the Ju-88, He-111, Ki-21, Beaufort, just to name a few. Now the Handley Page HP.52 “Hampden” has joined the club! This boxing is for the Hampden TB.Mk.1 (TB stands for Torpedo Bomber) and has markings for 4 different Hampden airframes, likely covering all the different camouflage schemes used by the Torpedo Bomber variant of the Hampden. The kit arrives in a sturdy white box (no markings in the box) with a separate lid providing the cover art and details of what is inside the white box. There is a total of 12 sprues with 301 parts, plus a decal sheet and an instruction book which also provides you with mask templates for the complex nose, canopy and defensive gun turrets. … more |
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Hs-129B-2/3 Conversion for TakomPublished:
Scale Aircraft Conversions specializes in providing aftermarket/replacement landing gear made of white metal. This particular set is of the recently released 1/48 Hs 129 B-2/3 from Takom. The set includes two main landing gear struts, four sets of brackets to mount the landing gear struts to the landing gear wheel well, a two-part tail wheel (yoke and spinner) plus a foot-rest to help the pilot to climb on the wing to board the cockpit. All parts are straight drop-in replacement parts, so no modification should be necessary. You can see from the pictures the parts are very cleanly molded and formed, with no visible molding lines. Some parts will need to be released from their casting frames and instructions on how to work with white metal parts (detaching, handling,… more |
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P-51 Mustang – Part 3: P-51D and Subsequent VariantsPublished:
Detail and Scale has released the 3rd book of its Mustang series. Part 1 and 2 cover the earlier Allison powered airframes and the Merlin powered airframes with a razorback fuselage respectively. This book covers the -D marks and later marks or, in other words, all the “bubbletops” mustangs. This book is available both in print and in digital format. I am reviewing here the print version of it. The book starts with a bit of a historical section on the late mustang history, including some unique pictures of bubbletops with -B/C wings and even a razorback with a -D wing. The history section progresses with highlights of service in WW2 (Europe, Mediterranean and Pacific), Korea and it mentions the need for a “lighter” version of the P-51, the -F/G/J and the -H,… more |
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References for Modelers – Kawasaki Ki-61 HienPublished:
Kagero has started a new series known as “References for Modelers”. This issue is devoted to the Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien The references include several period pictures (black and white), some of which show the aircraft in the assembly line or during trials. Some pictures show details of the engine, air scoop, tail, etc., so you can treat them as a “walk-around”. The line drawings in 1/48 and 1/72 scale show side views (port and starboard) and top and bottom views. The drawings specify if it corresponds to either Ki-60, Ki-61 first prototype, Ki-61-I Ko, Ki-61-I-Otsu, Ki-61-I Hien (early), Ki-61-I Tei, and Ki-61-II Kai. Some of the pictures, and drawings, include details on the Ki-60, the prototype for the Ki-61. The booklet includes a small decal sheet (in 1/48 and 1/72)… more |
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References for Modelers – Nakajima Ki-43 I/II HayabusaPublished:
Kagero has started a new series known as “References for Modelers”. This issue is devoted to the Nakajima Ki-43 I/II. The booklet discloses that a lot of the material published in it, has already been published before in other publications of the same editorial. In my humble opinion, that is not an issue, as sometimes the modeler only needs a few references, and this book provides them all. The references include several period pictures (black and white), some of which are of captured aircraft. Some of the pictures are similar to a “walk-around” type of image, as they show details of the engine, landing gear, air scoops, etc. There is a handful of color profiles (and 4-view in some cases) for aircraft in Japanese Army service. The line drawings in 1/48 and 1/72… more |
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F-4 Phantom and Tornado – "50 Jahre"Published:
Shyhart Decals has released a decal sheet for a commemorative scheme flown by an F-4F and a Tornado in 2007, celebrating the 50 years of the aeronautical research institute of the German Air Force.
The aircraft were repainted in International Orange and had the German Flag in the nose, rudder and wing tips. The decal sheet provides decals for the German Flag around the nose of both aircraft, but you are directed to mask and paint the rudder and wing tips with the German national colors. There are instructions as to the size of each band and with straight lines, it should be easy to mask using tape. |
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Fighters Over France 1940Published:
Casemate Publishing is distributing a book from MMP Books (Poland) which includes work from Karolina Holda, Artur Juszczak, Richard Caruana, Dariusz Karnas, Slawomir Zajaczkowski and Teodor Liviu Morosanu. The book has a brief introduction to the events of May-June of 1940 and quickly progresses towards a comprehensive selection of color profiles of the different aircraft that were utilized during the Battle of France. Among the aircraft featured are MS.406, D.520, Curtis H-75A, CR.714, MB.152, FK.58, Potez 631, Hawker Hurricane MK. I, Gloster Gladiator, Bf 109 E (both in German and Swiss colors), Bf 110, BF 108, CR.42, and G.50. After the color profiles there is a page that includes color chips for French, British, German and Italian air forces. Finally, there… more |
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References for Modelers – Dewoitine D.520 C1Published:
Kagero has started a new series known as “References for Modelers”. This fifth issue is devoted to the Dewoitine D.520 C1. In particular, it covers both the early and late versions of this aircraft. The references include a few period pictures (black and white) and covers mostly the French service, but there is one picture of the aircraft in Italian markings. There are a handful of color profiles (and 4-view images in some cases) for French service (1940) and two color profiles in Bulgarian markings, one during WW2 and another that is post-war. The line drawings in 1/48 and 1/72 scale show side views (port and starboard) as well as top and bottom views. The drawings specify if it corresponds to an early or late aircraft, and a brief description of what the differences are (… more |
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F-4 Phantom – "The End of the Film"Published:
Syhart Decals has released a decal sheet for a commemorative scheme flown by an RF-4E of the Hellenic Air Force when the aircraft was retired from service and the squadron was disbanded. The aircraft was repainted in a combination of black and dark blue and wore a complex scheme including the silhouettes of previous aircraft flown by the 348th Squadron, the Greek flag, and “Spook”, the green-caped mascot associated with the “Phantom II”. For the Greek flag, there is the option of using masks for the medium blue background and then another decal for the white stripes, or just two sets of decals (blue decals and then the decal with the white stripes on top of the blue decal). There is also a correction sheet with Spook, but honestly, I cannot find the difference between… more |
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F-4 Phantom – North Dakota CentennialPublished:
Syhart Decals has released a decal sheet for a commemorative scheme flown by an F-4D in 1989 celebrating the North Dakota Centennial. The aircraft was repainted in a vibrant blue. The decal sheet includes recommendations for color matches from Humbrol, Revell, Tamiya, Gunze, Model Master, and the RAL standard. The aircraft wore a very elaborate painting in the lower wing area reproducing the state seal. The complex decoration of the lower wing is reproduced as an elaborate multipart decal, which will fit within the different missile bays, landing gear bays, etc., of Phantom II. I would recommend starting with the central decal and building the rest of the state seal from the center towards the periphery. This is an on-the-sheet review, so I have not tested the decals… more |