Pablo Bauleo
Reviews By Author
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German TankmenPublished:
Master Box from Ukraine specializes in 1/35 scale figures, mainly from WWII era. They have released this 5-figure set “German Tankmen”. In the box you get one single sprue with parts for 5 figures, plus a 200 liter tank, a hand pump and a hose. All figures have the typical breakdown (torso, arms, legs, head). When appropriate the head part has the hat molded on. All the figures are molded in fatigues, but neither in combat position nor combat clothing. Two of them are cigarettes in their hands and two others are filling up an oil/gas tank, by using the hand pump. The sprue is molded in light grey and it has no flash. Even the mold lines are extremely faint. Cleaning of the parts would be a breeze. The sprue has no part numbers, but a sprue map is provided with… more |
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British OfficersPublished:
Mini-Art continues to expand its 1/35 line of figures this time with a 5-figure set of “British Officers”. One of the figures wears a kilt and the rest of the figures have gear for somewhat cold weather (coats, scarfs, etc). You get two sprues for a total of 52 parts, plus a small printed out page with a parts map. There is no flash in the sprues and the mold lines are extremely faint. Assembly and color instructions are in the back of the box. The kilt is likely to be the most challenging part to paint. I know it is beyond my painting skills and I would have like to have a decal provided for it. The figures are broken down in a typical fashion of torso (at times two or three parts), legs, arms and head. When applicable, hats are molded as an independent part.… more |
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P-38 Lighting Aces 1942-43Published:
Osprey Publishing continues to expand the Aircraft of the Aces series with the installment of P-38 Lighting Aces 1942-43. This book is well researched and has plenty of black and white pictures, including several images of aircrafts with very decorative nose-art or ‘teeth’ in the engine cowlings. All of the depicted aircraft have the Olive Drab over Neutral Gray camouflage scheme. The book is divided in the following sections:
Each section is virtually an independent monograph and the book could be read in any order. … more |
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F9F Panther Units of the Korean WarPublished:
Osprey Publishing keeps expanding its Combat Aircraft series with its latest book, F9F Panther Units of the Korean War. I personally think that the F9F Panther is among the most beautiful jets of the early era—together with the F-86 Sabre—so I might be a bit biased on this topic. Clearly, from the beginning of the book you realize the author, Warren Thompson, is extremely well versed in the Korean conflict, and he is a great researcher. The level of detail and accuracy in his narrative is outstanding. He is really good at combine first hand narratives and mission reports to allow the reader have a sense of the pilot experiences, as well as the overall combat record of each unit, and the strategic situation in the Korean Peninsula during the conflict. This book… more |
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Gator GluePublished:
Gator Masks had a happy accident. Gator glue ordered the wrong products when planning to make a batch of their regular “Gator Grip” glue and accidently made a thinner product, which like the original glue. Gator glue is water based and non-toxic. After testing the new thinner product, they decided to add this “happy accident” to the catalog as the “Thin Blend” version of the Gator glue. This product is called “a perfect blend for Photo Etch”. So I tried the thinner Gator glue with some PE seatbelts and a scrap piece of clear plastic and this is what I’ve discovered: The water based aspect of this glue is very nice as if you have a bit of glue that oozes out, you can clean it with a Q-tip and water. The glue also dries virtually flat, which is a big contrast to regular… more |
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European Tram - Part 2Published:
Part 2: Painting the InteriorThis build has not completely stalled, despite the long hiatus since the last update. I have been working on the painting of the interior and undercarriage and I have done some research as to what colors to use. The passenger cabin was left in natural wood color (mahogany maybe) with some varnish to protect the wood. The driver position was most likely painted wood, in different versions of tan and sand color, but perhaps it was natural wood color in some examples. As the model features a full interior (which is very exposed due to the large windows), you will have to remove and prepare all the parts, ensuring proper dry fitting of them before you can paint and glue them. Given that there are handrails in the inside of the… more |
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Messerschmitt Me 262A Schwalbe (2nd Edition)Published:
The Me-262 requires little if any introduction, however reference material for it is always sought after. This book is intended to cover all the marks and variants of the single seat “A” series, including some obscure prototypes. The book is very logically broken down in a section that describes the technical characteristics of the airplane, the production blocks, and several tables with details covering prototypes from Werk Numbers, to Me-262 aces. The next section has period B&W pictures and 1/72nd scale drawings of all the different variants of the A series, including details on their armament, if applicable. After that there are no less than 58 color profiles, including a few top/bottom views of the Me-262 in the fighter and bomber configuration, plus… more |
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U.S. 2-1/2 Ton 6x6 Airfield Fuel TruckPublished:
Airplane modelers have been waiting for a 1/48 US Army Airfield truck for quite some time (I know I have). There were resin conversions available, but for all I know this is the first one in injected plastic and a Tamiya model nonetheless! Upon opening the box you get to see six sprues molded in dark green, a small clear sprue, a bag with plastic hose and wire, and a small decal sheet. Instructions are typical Tamiya, which is clear and simple to follow with color calls along the way. From looking at the parts, this kit is a modification or sub-version of a different kit as you get plenty of spare parts. The box says “2 figures” included, but actually there are 3, as a driver figure is included too. It might not have the proper uniform though. This model is a curbside… more |
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F-35 Joint Strike FighterPublished:
Caracal Models has released a sheet for the 1/48 Kitty Hawk F-35. This decal set includes two sheets with markings for 2 USMC, one 1 US Navy, 2 USAF and 1 RAF aircraft for a total of 6 airframes. The options on this decal sheet are:
They all are in the “F-35 Gray”, which seems to be FS 36170. No manufacturers have that color in their line (as of April 2014) so you are recommended to use “Dark Slate Grey” as a close alternative. The decal sheet includes airframe stencils for one aircraft. … more |
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US Navy Albatross (Early Types - HU-16C & UF-1)Published:
Caracal Models has released a sheet for the 1/48 Trumpeter Albatross SA-16A. This decal set includes three sheets with markings for a total of 6 airframes. The options on this decal sheet are:
The selection of markings is excellent. From typical “utility” schemes, to SAR –with yellows and oranges, and even one that was used by the diplomatic corps in Norway, you will have one (or more) that you would like to use. Being a Cartograf decal… more |