Rob Benson
Reviews By Author
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Painting Mask for the Revell Fw 109A-8/R11Published:
Thank you to the Eduard Company for sending this masking set for review, it is always a pleasure to see what your new products bring to the scale-modeling world. Thank you also to the IPMS Reviewer Corps staff members who do the hard work in getting us modeling products to review, the reviews posted, and the news spread to the world. The mask arrived in excellent shape in a sealed plastic package with the distinctive Eduard knight logo. One small sheet hosts canopy and windscreen outlines, and wheel hub masks. The mask are thin yellow masking that is easy to accurately place on curved surfaces. Your favorite liquid masking covers the clear parts inside the masked “boundaries.” The masks fit perfect on the kit parts and left no residue. A color instruction sheet is included in… more |
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Detail & Scale F4F & FM Wildcat Digital Volume 7Published:
Thank you to Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak for continuing to bring back a tremendous resource for the modeler, in a digital format with print-on-demand paperback format. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to test out this new and exciting method of researching history, details, versions and markings of the F4F & FM Wildcat and variants. OverviewThe publication is another extraordinary compilation of history, data, and images of a USN aircraft that was critically important throughout World War II. The content is organized into history, U. S. variants, French and British versions, aircraft details, paint schemes, and a very comprehensive and current modeler’s section. My initial reaction to this new Detail & Scale eBook… more |
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Metal Landing Skids for the Kitty Hawk 1/48 UH-1DPublished:
Many thanks to Mr. Ross MacMillan of Scale Aircraft Conversions and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to try this neat substitute and replacement set for the Kitty Hawk UH-1D. I am pleased to report on another sweet add-on and upgrade from this company. The target kit has excellent detail and complexity, with a bit of a tendency to be a tail sitter. The addition of heavier metal skid parts eliminates the tendency of the model to “sit back”. The 6 white-metal parts arrived in a blister pack, backed by the distinctive SAC company logo. The weight of the parts is very noticeable. Some parts are on sprues and all are easily cleaned up for painting. The parts require very little buffing, cleanup and polishing. Some barely-noticeable seams readily retreat at the advance of a #… more |
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International Signal FlagsPublished:
Thank you to the Eduard Company for sending this signal flag set for review, it is always a pleasure to see what your new products bring to the scale-modeling world. Thank you also to the IPMS Reviewer Corps staff members who do the hard work in getting us modeling products to review, the reviews posted, and the news spread to the world. The photoetch fret arrived in excellent shape in a resealable plastic package with the distinctive Eduard knight logo. The fret is 2.75 x 1.3 inches in size. The color-etched laminated signal flags areprinted on both sides on polished metal (steel). The fret is only slightly magnetic, but individual flags will jump on to magnetized tools. A full 26-letter alphabet, two sets of numbers in flag and pennant formats, and two code/answering pennants… more |
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Tru-Color Green Gray and Brown Paint - Military Ships SeriesPublished:
Thank you to Tru-Color Paint for providing an assortment of their Military Ships Series paints to review. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to test out some of this excellent paint line. This review focuses on product application and ease of use. Tru-Color Paint describes this product line as a solvent-based acrylic paint. What this means for the modeler is that the same safety precautions required for enamels and others must be used with these paints. The Tru-Color website describes acrylic component as the polymer for surface bonding. I used the recommended airbrush pressure of 28- 35 psi. I tested the paint using a Paasche Talon airbrush with a medium tip. I used paint straight from the bottle, after placing the 1 oz poly bottles in a paint shaker… more |
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USN & USMC WW2 Carrier-Based Aircraft, Digital-PrintPublished:
Thank you to Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak for continuing to bring back a tremendous resource for the modeler, in a digital format and now in print-on-demand paperback format. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to test out this new and exciting method of researching history, details, versions and markings of USN and USMC carrier aircraft of WW2, and comparing it to a more traditional format. The official title is U. S. Navy and Marine Carrier Based Aircraft of World War 2. This review of the e-book and the nearly-mirror equivalent paperback will be in three parts;
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With Their Bare Hands, The Battle for Montfaucon in WWIPublished:
Thank you, Osprey Publishing, for providing a review copy of another of excellent World War I history volume. This book is a welcome and well-timed addition as the 100th anniversary of the end of the “Great War” approaches later this year. I hope reader of this book will gain an important appreciation and understanding of the raw, brutal nature of combat, often controversial decisions, poor battlefield judgments, and most of all the grit and persistence of the America Doughboys of the American Expeditionary Forces. As always, I truly appreciate all those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, whose work is critical to sharing new and exciting modeling and historical products with the world. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book. OverviewWith Their Bare… more |
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Warship 2018Published:
Thank you Osprey Publishing for providing a review copy of their new ship’s annual! I first thought that Osprey was publishing a new series, but in fact, Osprey is continuing the Conway imprint of naval and military books, which is excellent news. As always, I truly appreciate all those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, whose work is critical to sharing new and exciting modeling and historical products with the world. OverviewWarship 2018 is part of an annual series and follows historical event anniversaries, new analysis of naval engagements, intriguing operations, and more general ship topics. Each of the 11 chapters is a stand-alone study, accompanied by abundant images, drawings and data. All writing styles are slightly different, but each is appropriate and engaging… more |
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Bird HousesPublished:
Thank you to Matho Models for providing a neat diorama accessory for review, produced with innovative technology. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review these birdhouses! Matho Models has a widening line of 1/35 scale details and bases. Their website has scale search options using larger and smaller scale product lines, but at this time, 1/35 dominates. This birdhouse will provide an eye-catching detail for any diorama. The scale of the house is 1/35, but they should work well in 1/32 and the smaller ones in 1/48. Four styles of birdhouses and 1 open bird feeder are included, with 3 examples of 3 different styles, 2 examples of 1 style, and a single open nesting platform for a total of 12 houses. The roof supports for the open nesting platform or feeder… more |
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M-Class British SubmarinePublished:
Overall SummaryI recommend this kit for any collection of unusual submarine models. This kit is for intermediate-skill modelers, and will result in a very nice representation of an M-class submarine that served in the Royal Navy in World War 1 and shortly thereafter. Assembly was straight forward, with no major problems. No alignment pins or sockets are present in the kit design, and many parts may require addition of shims, spacers, pins or wire for positive location. This is not a detraction from the kit, but something to think about when you start assembly. The resulting model looks proper in comparison to photographs and references. Initial Impression in the BoxThe kit arrived in an 11.75 x 6. x 1.5 inch box, featuring colorful artwork of the M-1 in a… more |