Phil Pignataro
Reviews By Author
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F7U-3 Cutlass LadderPublished:
I asked for this review product as motivation to finish a 30 year old project. On my “shelf of doom” sat a partially completed Fujimi Cutlass which I purchased from the Squadron Shop near Silver Spring, MD circa 1987. Remember when Squadron had “brick and mortar” stores? While waiting for the package to arrive, I dusted off the Fujimi box and was surprised to discover it was not as far along as I thought. More on this, later. As soon as the small box soon arrived, I opened it immediately. “Piece of cake,” says I. Brengun’s flat package has one small photo-etched fret with the ladder and its fuselage brace. Instructions show the location of the brace along with color recommendations. The pieces were easily removed from the fret with a hobby knife. Since the ladder was so… more |
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Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-15 - Warpaint Series 120Published:
I have long been a fan of the Warpaint Series books from Guideline Publications and have several in my collection. They are excellent references for the aircraft they cover. Typically, they follow a standard format of history and development, service and deployment histories, and finally, technical information and detail photos. This particular volume, however, is slightly different from the others I’ve read since it is translated from Russian sources. Consequently, some of the sentence structure is stilted and you will have to take your time and read these passages carefully to absorb the content. In the opening pages, the author discusses in detail why the designers chose the swept wing for the Mig-15 - speed. Then the narrative follows themes shown in the “sections” listed… more |
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Mig-21F and Mig-21F-13 R11F-300 Exhaust NozzlePublished:
I previously reviewed Amigo’s 1/72 resin exhaust set for the Mig-21bis and this set is almost identical. Like the previous kit, it comprises five detailed resin parts for the exhaust. The centerpiece of the assembly and the flame holder for the afterburner are slightly different than the corresponding pieces in the R25-300 engine set. All of them are highly detail, both on the inside of the exhaust as well as the exterior. Although the pieces are not numbered, you can identify them by the life-sized drawings on the instructions. My razor saw made short work of removing the mold bases from the kit parts. Two of the pieces have interior cones attached to the bases, but these are not part of the exhaust. I believe they help in the molding process. The five pieces… more |
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Yak-130 Aircraft Flaps and Slats Detail SetPublished:
Amigo Models has expanded their product line with a set of leading edge slats and trailing edge slotted flaps for the new 1/72 scale Zvezda Yak-130 (No.7307). The kit itself does not have the option of showing the slats and flaps in the down position. Amigo’s new resin addition allows the modeler to accomplish this. The set includes six beautifully molded pieces, three for each wing: full span leading edge slats, and two flap sections to form the double slotted flap system used on the Yak-130. While there are substantial mold bases, I was able to remove the slat and main flap easily with a JLC razor saw. The smaller secondary slotted flap was more difficult because of its delicacy. It is in scale and is consequently extremely thin, so use caution when removing it for its base… more |
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Su-35S AL-41F1S Exhaust Nozzles (Hasegawa)Published:
This is the third set of Amigo exhaust nozzles I’ve reviewed, and this set exhibits the high quality I saw previously. It is designed for Hasegawa’s 1/72 scale Su-35S Flanker and is a “drop-in” for the kit’s exhaust pieces. However, Amigo chose to represent only the articulated position of the exhausts while the kit has the option of both articulated and in-line positions. There are ten pieces in this set, five for each exhaust. All exhibit beautiful detail, both on the exterior and interior surfaces. The instruction is a small, one-piece, folded sheet that you use to match kit pieces with the assembly diagram. Amigo’s set is more detailed than the corresponding kit pieces and also includes the inner sleeve for the last section of the exhaust which Hasegawa does not have. As… more |
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Mig-21Bis/Mig-21-93 R25-300 Exhaust NozzlesPublished:
Amigo Models from Russia is producing some wonderful after-market resin products for 1/72 and 1/48 aircraft. This particular set is for the Mig-21bis and Mig-21-93 which both use the R25-300 engine. The box contains five resin pieces secured in bubble wrap. These pieces make up the afterburner/exhaust sections of the engine and exhibit excellent detail both inside and out. Although the pour stubs look daunting, I had an easy time cutting the pieces from the stubs with a razor saw. The pieces are not numbered, but the instruction sheet has actual sized drawings to help identify them. After washing the set with soap and water, I spayed on Vallejo primer followed by a couple coats of different Alclad II metallic paints. Dry brushing with acrylic metallic colors added some zip to… more |
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Mig-29A FulcrumPublished:
HistoryIn response to the USAF’s 1970’s initiatives to launch new fighters, the F-15 and F-16, the Soviet Union fielded their own modern equivalents, the Su-27 Flanker and Mig-29 Fulcrum. All these aircraft are still in service with their respective, and other, countries. During the last twenty years, the Mig-29 has even seen service in several nations that are now part of NATO. They mostly operate as interceptors. In the plastic modeling world, the F-15, F-16, and Su-27 have been well represented in kits, but the Mig-29, not so much. Trumpeter has filled the void with a quality model of an early production version, Product 9-12, of the Fulcrum. In the BoxTypical of recent Trumpeter releases, you’ll find 179 pieces molded in light gray plastic packaged in… more |
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de Havilland D.H.82 Tiger MothPublished:
If you were a British student pilot during the late 1930’s through the end of WW II, you, most likely, spent many hours in the de Havilland D.H. 82 Tiger Moth. It was the basic training aircraft for the RAF, RN, as well as the air forces of all the British Commonwealth nations. USAAF fighter pilots in England flew 11 of them as squadron “hacks” – utility planes – until the war ended. Evidently it was not that easy to fly and demanded close attention during acrobatic maneuvers to prevent a stall and possible spin. As such, however, it was deemed suitable for future fighter pilots. Though long retired from military use, over 200 are still flying today with warbird groups and other enthusiasts. This “Warpaint Series” book by Adrian M. Balch covers these stories and much more. As… more |
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X-29A MaskPublished:
I've used more than a few masks on my models lately and have always been happy with the results. This X-29 set from RES-IM continues the trend and performs as advertised. Printed on yellow Kabuki type tape and laser cut, the sheet provides masks for the windscreen, canopy, and the three wheels. The only omission was the instruction sheet - there was none to be had. Fortunately, the X-29A has a very simple windscreen/canopy with frames only around the edges of the Plexiglas. Consequently, the positions of the individual masks are easy to decipher. They are also easy to see on the sheet and easily removed. Masks for the clear parts were "outlines" leaving the modeler to fill the openings. I cut some pieces from unused sections of the sheet for this task, but any suitable masking tape or… more |
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X-29 Photo Etched PartsPublished:
The Hasegawa X-29 in 1/72 scale has been around since the mid1980's and, as far as I know, is the only injection-molded kit of this interesting aircraft. Though accurate in outline, it is a very basic kit lacking detail in the wheel wells and cockpit. As was the norm with Hasegawa kits of that era, cockpit detail only consists of decals for the instrument and side panels, and a simplified ejection seat. However, RES-IM fills this void with their beautiful, full color, photo-etched set. If this set has a familiar look to you, that’s because Eduard produces it. Their logo is prominently displayed on the bottom of the fret. Most of the pieces are for the cockpit - instrument panels, floor, and ejection seat. Those for the ejection seat really add to its realism. While I used CA… more |