Rob Benson
Reviews By Author
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Metal Landing Gear for the Zoukei-Mura F-4J Phantom IIPublished:
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 newly-released Zoukei-Mura F-4J Phantom II. I am pleased to report on another sweet add-on and upgrade from this company. The target kit has excellent detail and complexity making it a bit heavier than most, and having strong metal “legs” really helps! The 7 white-metal parts arrived in a blister pack, backed by the distinctive SAC company logo. The weight of the parts is very noticeable. All parts are free of sprues and are nearly ready for priming and painting. The parts require very little buffing, cleanup and polishing. There are some barely-noticeable seams that readily retreat at the advance of a #11 blade!… more |
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Detail & Scale: Attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan Awakens a Sleeping Giant, expanded 75th Anniversary Digital EditionPublished:
Thank you to Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak for updating and enhancing an excellent historical recounting of the Pearl Harbor attack, coinciding with the 75th anniversary year. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this updated volume. I truly appreciate the improved format, increased content, and the effective methods for researching new details and history of this world-altering event. OverviewThe 2016 new edition updates an out-of-print 2010 publication that was requested by the USS Arizona Memorial Foundation. A very significant plus of this updated digital version is the inclusion of a great deal of new material. The design requirements and other practical realities of the 2010 print copy required much omission of quality… more |
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F-4 Phantom Canopy DetailsPublished:
Many thanks to Hypersonic Models and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this excellent canopy detailing set for the iconic F-4 Phantom family. Hypersonic Models (HM) is a new contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and is based in the UK, with a Facebook presence established 17 JUL 12. The operation is a one-man show, focused on well-researched products generated from quality CAD artwork and 3D- printed molds. HM has a specialty offering of modern-jet resin accessories, decals, canopy masks and reference drawings, with an X-15 emphasis. The clear clamshell package contained all of the parts and instructions, securely but not too tightly packed. Five pour plugs with parts are finely cast in medium gray resin, with easily-read raised part numbers and no indication… more |
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EA-6B Prowler ExhaustPublished:
Many thanks to Hypersonic Models and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this excellent engine exhaust enhancement set for the EA-6B kits by Kinetic and Italeri. Hypersonic Models (HM) is a new contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and is based in the UK, with a Facebook presence established 17 JUL 12. The operation is a one-man show, focused on well-researched products generated from quality CAD artwork and 3D- printed molds. HM has a specialty offering of modern-jet resin accessories, decals, canopy masks and reference drawings, with an X-15 emphasis. The parts arrived in a zipper closure bag with two double-sided glossy color instructions pages, each about 8.5 by 5.8 inches. The parts are individually cast on modest pour plugs in light-gray resin, with no… more |
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A-6 Fin Tip CorrectionPublished:
Many thanks to Hypersonic Models and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this elegant fin tip correction part for the Hobby Boss A-6. Hypersonic Models (HM) is a new contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and is based in the UK, with a Facebook presence established 17 JUL 12. The operation is a one-man show, focused on well-researched products generated from quality CAD artwork and 3D-printed molds. HM has specialty offerings of modern-jet resin accessories, decals, canopy masks and reference drawings, currently with an X-15 product line emphasis. The fin-tip replacement part arrived in a zipper-closure poly bag stapled to a sheet of instructions. The part is cast on a modest pour plug in smooth, medium-gray resin. The Hobby Boss A-6 kit family has a tail-fin top… more |
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World War I Seaplanes and Aircraft CarriersPublished:
Thank you to Osprey Publishing for providing a review copy of their new release, World War I Seaplanes and Aircraft Carriers, number 238 in the New Vanguard Series. As always, I appreciate all of those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, whose work is critical to sharing new and exciting modeling products with the world. OverviewAircraft carriers are not generally thought of in the context of WWI. Yet there are significant early advances during this time, mainly centered on expanding the ranges of the first seaplanes. A number of ancestors to modern aircraft carriers are described in this book. I was intrigued by the influence of the German zeppelin fleet on British military thought. The major player in seaplane and carrier development was the British military, followed by… more |
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USN Star Type Tie Down PointsPublished:
Many thanks to the Hauler Brengun Company and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this excellent detailing accessory set. Hauler Brengun is a recent contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and I am very pleased to report on my experience with these very nice detailing accessories: star-type tie-down points for flight decks of all kinds. Tie-down points are a ubiquitous feature anywhere on a wide ship’s deck where anchor points are required. The points are often difficult to scratch build and detail effectively, making Brengun’s photoetch tie-down points a welcome addition for anyone building display platforms. The tie-downs arrived in a 5.5 x 2.75 inch plastic pouch with a 4 x 2 inch photoetched brass sheet with 110 individual points. No instruction sheet… more |
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Tie Down Points (Cross Type)Published:
Many thanks to the Hauler Brengun Company and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this excellent detailing accessory set. Hauler Brengun is a recent contributor to the IPMS Reviewer system and I am very pleased to report on my experience with these very nice detailing accessories: cross-type tie-down points for flight decks of all kinds. Tie-down points are a ubiquitous feature anywhere on a wide ship’s deck where anchor points are required. The points are often difficult to scratch build and detail effectively, making Brengun’s photoetch tie-down points a welcome addition for anyone building display platforms. The tie downs arrived in a 5.5 x 2.75 inch plastic pouch with a 4 x 2 inch photoetched brass sheet with 110 tie-downs. No instruction sheet is… more |
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US Navy Deck Crew with ChocksPublished:
Thank you Video Aviation for providing this elegant aircraft accessory deck crew figure, and thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for letting me review it! I am very appreciative of all you do for the scale modeling community. Video Aviation is a small Italian company that offers a variety of diorama and vignette accessories in three scales that will make a welcome addition to aircraft displays. The casting masters are completely CAD designed and rapid prototyped for production. This allows the same figure to be easily produced in different scales. The crew member arrived in a small clear polystyrene reclose-able box. The five resin pour plugs were securely protected with bubble wrap. A succinct set of instructions and color images for painting suggestions are included. The… more |
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US Navy Deck Crew with HoldbacksPublished:
Thank you to Video Aviation for providing this elegant aircraft accessory deck crew figure, and thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for letting me review it! I am very appreciative of all you do for the scale modeling community. Video Aviation is a small Italian company that offers a variety of diorama and vignette accessories in three scales that will make a welcome addition to aircraft displays. The casting masters are completely CAD designed and rapid prototyped for production. This allows the same figure to be easily produced in different scales. The crew member arrived in a small clear polystyrene reclose-able box. The five resin pour plugs were securely protected with bubble wrap. A succinct set of instructions and color images for painting suggestions are included. The… more |