Pablo Bauleo
Reviews By Author
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Imperial Japanese Navy Light Cruisers 1941-45Published:
Osprey Publishing continues expanding its New Vanguard series. This is installment #187 and it focuses on the Japanese Light Cruisers (the 5,500 ton class). Even when the title refers to the WWII period, the book covers the development and modifications to that class since the early 1920s. The Light Cruisers were designed and launched as Destroyer Flagships or Submarine Squadron Flagships. As such, aerial reconnaissance, anti-aircraft protection, and space for squadron staff were specific requirements in this class, in addition to the standard offensive armament consisting mainly of torpedo tubes. As it played out, by the onset of WWII, several of these ships were outclassed – both in speed and offensive armament – by the destroyers they were supposed to lead. Therefore… more |
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Panzer VOR! 6Published:
The latest installment of the Panzer VOR! Series (#6) concentrates on the balance between armor and firepower among the AFVs used by the German army in WWII. Armored fighting vehicles need to have the proper balance between mobility, armor (protection), and firepower. Increasing or decreasing one would affect the other two. The book has a 3-page introduction on how the different parameters were modified during WWII for the Panzer I, II, III, IV, Panther, and Tiger tanks. It is clearly interesting to observe that with each mark (A,B,C, etc) there was an increase in fire-power and armor at the expense of mobility through the period 1939 to 1945. The book also briefly covers the same “gun vs armor” equation for the allied forces, including the Sherman, Matilda, and T-34,… more |
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MiG-21MF WeekendPublished:
Eduard Models from the Czech Republic has chosen its MiG-21 series to be one of the mainstays of its plastic model line. Reasons to choose the MiG-21 series abound: it has been flown by many different air forces on different continents, it has been finished in desert, tropical and natural metal finishes, and it is one of the icons from the Cold War. The kit comes in 9 sprues and a total of 464 parts. Don’t be scared by that number since about half of the parts are not used – mainly underwing ordinance that it is worth saving for other builds. There are many, many small parts in this kit. But Eduard has extra small sprue gate connectors attached to them, making it easy to clean them up before assembly. Being the “weekend” boxing, this model comes with no photoetch or… more |
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MiG-21MF Cockpit (Early)Published:
Eduard Models from the Czech Republic keep expanding its line of detail sets for its line of 1/48 MiG-21s. This time, they added a resin cockpit from their Brassin line for the MiG-21MF (early). As with most Brassin line sets, there are resin and some photo-etch parts. The photo-etch fret is pre-painted and includes many details, like instrument dials, besides the traditional seat belts. For some reason, there are two kinds of resin used in this set. One is darker than the other. I’m not sure what the difference is. Something that might be a first for Eduard (at least, it’s the first time I’ve seen it) is the inclusion of a part molded in clear resin for the gun sight. Another added value is the addition of a mask set for accurate painting of the interior detail. … more |
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Barbarossa 1941Published:
Kagero has published a series known as “Mini-Topcolors” oriented toward modelers. Each book includes color profiles and decals in several scales. “Barbarossa 1941,” the 25th title in the series, concentrates on armor involved in the invasion of Russia. As such, most of the profiles are of German tanks, but there are a couple of T-34/76 and a KV-2. There are a total of 18 color profiles in the book. A very neat detail is that, accompanying most of the profiles, there is a black and white picture which was used by the artist to create the profiles. Each profile also includes a small paragraph in English and Polish describing some details on the specific location or time that the reference picture was taken. This book includes a very large decal sheet with markings… more |
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Mig-21MF Mask SetPublished:
Eduard Models continues to expand its MiG-21 line, this time with an excellent addition that would save modelers time and grief: self-adhesive pre-cut masks. The mask set includes pre-cut masks for the canopy, the landing lights, and some details like the rudder and wing wooden panels (for radar and ECM). The mask for the canopy provides you only with the edges of the canopy, you are then expected to “fill-in the blanks”, but that is very simple and straightforward to do. It took me about 5 minutes to mask the canopy, the landing lights, and those fuselage details. Otherwise, it would have taken, probably, over half an hour and likely would have not been such a clean masking work. Recommended to modelers of all levels. I would like to thank Eduard and… more |
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P-47D Bubbletop "Tarheel Hal"Published:
This is a ‘teaser’ or preview of a full-length article to be published in the IPMS/USA Journal and in the IPMS/USA review website at a later date. Hasegawa’s rendering of the P-47D Bubbletop in 1/32 scale is impressive, both in size as well as in engineering of the kit. It provides you with 169 parts including optional clear parts for an open or closed canopy. Parts are free of flash without ejector pin marks in any external surface. The final size of the completed model is 346 mm length by 392.5 mm wide. You better make sure it will fit your shelf or display case before you buy it. Some of the best engineering features of this kit include main wing spars and interlocking tabs for the tail surfaces. That would help ensure perfect alignment of the wings and horizontal tail… more |
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FT17 / M1917 WWI Tanks WalkaroundPublished:
The FT-17 and its American copy, the M1917, set the stage for the modern tank by having a revolving turret, a front driver, and a rear engine. It was used by armed forces of many different countries and it was still in service with some minor European armies at the outbreak of WWII. The book is profusely illustrated with color photographs, although all the pictures are from restored units in museums. Four view line drawings provide details of both the M1917 and the FT-17. The pictures correspond to over a dozen examples from different museums across the world and they are depicted in different camouflages and markings, providing ideas to modelers on how to finish their kits. Modelers will find the line drawings very useful, while the all-around pictures provide… more |
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Peterbilt 352 CaboverPublished:
This kit is molded in light blue, black and chrome parts. It has 59 parts and is being marketed as “snap tite.” The kit has no engine, but the oil pan and the transmission are present. The fit is good for the most part. I only had trouble with the chrome parts fits. I was not able to get them to snap, and some of the chrome parts (like the tanks) have sizable gaps. I put together the chassis and wheels, then checked for misalignments. I only had to add a small shim to one of the suspension parts to get all the tires to touch the ground. I painted the chassis/wheels assembly flat black and the cab in “true blue.” This is a good kit for a kid getting into the hobby, or a grown-up who just wants a break from more complex builds. I had fun putting this kit together and… more |
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9. Panzer Division 1940-1943Published:
Mushroom Model Publications continues expanding its Green Line series devoted to armor units. Its latest installment is “9. Panzer Division 1940-1943.” Given the timeline on the title, one can only speculate that this book will be followed up by a second volume devoted to the history of the unit in 1944-1945. The current book covers the history of the unit, from its inception as an “Austrian” unit through its deployment in the 1940 Blitzkrieg in the West as it moved into the Balkans involvement in 1941 in the Balkans (Greece and Yugoslavia). Most of the book is actually devoted to the unit’s involvement in the Eastern Front, covering Barbarossa (1941), the summer offensive of 1942, and the bloody battles of Kursk in 1943. The book includes a very short description of the unit’s… more |