Pablo Bauleo
Reviews By Author
|
Israel IAI Kfir C2/C7Published:
AMK models has re-released an improved version of their 1/48 Kfir model. Based on what I read online the overall shape of the fuselage was improved, plus the weapons are now produced by slide molds technology. The rest of the sprues, I think, are the same as the original boxing. In the box are 12 sprues for the airplane, plus multiple sprues for the individually molded weaponry. These sprues are packed in smaller boxes within the main box, ensuring all the sprues fit nice and firmly inside the box. No sprues will get damaged or rattled around in this box. You also get an excellent decal sheet for 5 different markings: Israel, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Colombia, and the civilian contractor ATAC, which provides air combat training for different Air Forces. You can finish the… more |
|
F-8E Upgrade SetPublished:
Eduard Models has released a nifty photoetch set to upgrade the - already very nice - Hasegawa F-8E Crusader. This fret is of the no pre-painted style and that is good, because you want to paint the detailed parts and the PE parts at the same time. The fret includes replacement engine exhaust “feathers” and actuators. Installing this part requires removing existing plastic from the original part, and you will need to bend a metal part to a circular shape. You might want to consider getting a piece of pipe or rod to be a template to shape the part to a circular form. Other parts in the fret are meant to detail the landing gear struts and the landing gear well. Either by adding brake lines to the struts, or just general detail to the landing gear well and landing gear… more |
|
Bf-109G JG 27Published:
Academy Models has re-released a well-known Bf-109G2/G6. I said well-known because it has been released in the past, at least, under the HobbyCraft brand. They might have been other boxings too. When you open the box, you find 3 main sprues plus two small sprues with the clear parts. You get about 85 parts. Many of the parts are unused or optional meaning this is a simple build and you get lots of extra parts for the spares box. Not a bad thing at all. I believe the molds date to the mid-1990s and they do hold well. No flash anywhere to be found and the recessed panel lines are small and crisp. The overall surface detail is adequate for the vintage of the molds. A highlight of this boxing is the decal sheet (printed by Cartograph) and it includes a total of 8… more |
|
Hawker HurricanePublished:
Osprey Publishing just released a new book devoted to the Hawker Hurricane, the work-horse of the Royal Air Force during War World Two. This book has a new format; it is about 5 inches tall and 8 inches wide. I think it is the first one from Osprey that has this shape. But don’t let the relatively small footprint of the book fool you. With 136 pages, the book is packed with useful information. The book is broken down in the following sections.
The first two chapters are extremely high-level description of some of the major milestones… more |
|
Schlacht Bf-109EsPublished:
Illiad Design has recently released an aftermarket decal set covering Schlacht Bf-109Es. The Schlacht units were ground-attack units. I believe their mission was what is now known as “close air support”. This decal sheet covers a total of 6 aircrafts and you are provided with enough markings as to be able to model all of them and covering all main fronts during 1941/42: Russia, North Africa and the English Channel. Well done Illiad Design! The airframes cover a transitional period on the standard camouflages during 1941/42. This means some of them are 71/02 over 65 while others are 74/75 over 76. Yellow noses and fuselage bands and rudders add a spot of color to the camouflages. To top it one of the camouflages is in a North Africa scheme of 79 over 76, with a… more |
|
Flak 18 Cannon BarrelsPublished:
Master Model from Poland specializes on brass and resin drop-in replacement parts. In this case there are 4 parts: two barrels and two flash hiders for the Flak 18 used in Ju-87G, but also seen in Bf-110, Ju-88 and other airplanes. The turned brass parts mean that no mold line is present and that alone is enough of a reason to consider upgrading your kit. Another reason is the beautiful perforated flash hiders and the hollow gun barrel end, which adds realism to the airplane weaponry. Assembly is straightforward and simple. First you superglue the flash hider to the gun barrel. Then you remove the plastic gun from the plastic part and make a small hole (1 mm in diameter) to mount the brass gun barrel. I would personally leave the barrel off the model until the… more |
|
Kawasaki Ki61-1 & Ki100-1 & Metal Figure Limited EditionPublished:
Hasegawa has re-issued their 1/48 Ki-61 and Ki-100 models as a ‘dual combo’ and it has included a 1/32 white metal figure of pilot ace Kobayashi. The pilot figure is broken down into body plus legs, with separate arms and head. Being a very bad figure painter, I decided to leave the figure alone. Notice the highly detailed face and the virtually non-existing mold line on it. Upon opening the box you have two full 1/48 scale model with an estimated 125 parts between both models. There are actually 3 canopies, but only two will be used. You are also provided with a huge decal sheet with two options for the Ki-61 and one option for the Ki-100 Being a dual combo I decided to construct them in parallel and benefitting by painting the same subassemblies (using the same colors… more |
|
US Navy Escort Carriers 1942-45Published:
Osprey Publishing continues to expand its New Vanguard series, this time by adding a book on the US Navy Escort Carriers for the 1942-45 period, I topic I have always find fascinating. Escort Carrier were known as CVE (“Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable”) and despite that popular label, they contributed a big deal towards the Allied victory in WWII. The book has a very reasonable breakdown of the topic into the following chapters: Introduction, The Rise of the Escort Carrier, Evolution in the Escort Carrier Design, Escort Carrier Air Groups, Weapons and Radar, plus a chapter on Escort Carriers at War and finally a description of each CVE class: Long Island plus Charger (prototype CVEs), Bogue Class, Sangamon Class, Casablanca Class and Commencement Bay Class. These… more |
|
Spitfire Mk.IXc Early VersionPublished:
Eduard has re-released its fantastic Spitfire Mk.IXc early version in the Profipack version. When I say fantastic I really mean it. You get 6 sprues (one clear), a set of masks for the clear parts, a fret of prepainted photoetch and decals to finish your airplane with 6 different options (2 in North Africa colors, 4 in European colors) and a small decal sheet with stencils. Like most airplane models, construction starts with the cockpit. Please note that I used the included Eduard photoetch fret to enhance the cockpit looks. The original cockpit is nicely detailed, with a combination of raised and recessed details, plus decals for the instrument panel, if you choose to go that route. Note: there are no decal seatbelts in this boxing. Actually the in-box decals for the IP –and… more |
|
Spitfire Mk IX early cowlingPublished:
Eduard Models continue to expand its Brassin line, this time with a drop-in replacement part for their excellent Spitfire Mk IX line: the top cowling. The part itself is molded in resin and very small casting pours, making removal of the part trivial. The part itself shows no bubbles and exquisite fine detail, down to the rivets. The plastic parts are not bad at all, however, they have a seam line that needs to be puttied and sanded to make it disappear. The resin part does not have any seam line and it is ready to be installed. Note that the resin part fits excellently the width of the fuselage nose. However, when removed from the pouring stab it is slightly longer than the rest of the fuselage, perhaps by 1/32 of an inch. It was very simple to sand it… more |