Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster Snap-Tite

Published: November 13, 2011
Company: Revell, Inc.

Looking at the Box

Austin (age 7): I think the kit looks pretty neat and stuff, awesome. I like the pictures on the sides. It was made in 2011 by Revell Snaptite.

Rob (actual age 53, behavioral age debatable) : The box is 9.5 x 6.75 x 4.5 inches and is lavishly illustrated. The Diablo is described as “a wild and fast mid-engine exotic sports car with four-wheel drive.” I… more

EA-6B Prowlers, USN VAQ-135 and VAQ-137

Published: October 8, 2011
Company: SuperScale International

The decal set consists of one 4.75 x 7.5 inch sheet accompanying by a color glossy 8.5 x 11 inch instruction and placement page in a ziplock plastic bag. I always appreciate the resealable bags, for storing unused decals afterwards and protection from coffee. The decals themselves were printed by Cartograf. Markings for two aircraft are provided, BuNo 162224 of VAQ-135, and BuNo 163527, VAQ-… more

EA-6B Prowlers, USMC VMAQ-3 and VMAQ-1

Published: October 8, 2011
Company: SuperScale International

Thanks to Gary Newman of Squadron/Signal and IPMS/USA for allowing me to review this decal sheet.

The decal set consists of one 4.75 x 7.5 inch sheet accompanying a color glossy 8.5 x 11 inch instruction and placement page in a zip lock plastic bag. I always appreciate the re-sealable bags, for storing unused decals afterwards and protection from coffee. The decals themselves were… more

Russian Akula II Class Attack Submarine "K335 Giepard"

Published: October 8, 2011
Company: Bronco Models

Thank you to Alain of Dragon Models USA and John of IPMS for allowing me to review this kit. It really is an honor to critique a new model and share the fun with the greater modeling community.

Bronco Models chose to represent the K335 Giepard, one of the three Akula II submarines constructed by the Amur Shipbuilding Plant Joint Stock Company at Komsomolsk-on-Amur and by Sevmash at the… more

US Submarines 1900-35

Published: May 30, 2011
Book Author(s): Jim Christley, Illustrated by Peter Bull
Company: Osprey Publishing

Thanks to Sara of Osprey Publishing and to IPMS USA for giving me the opportunity to review this wonderful book!

Osprey continues their well-established historical narrative format in the New Vanguard series with US Submarines, 1900-35. This is a significant development era of the US Navy, a transition from the “novelty” submersible ships to a legitimate weapon. Book chapters… more

The Modern Super Hornet Guide, The Boeing F-18E/F & EA-18G Exposed

Published: May 30, 2011
Book Author(s): Jake Melampy
Company: Reid Air Publications

Thanks to Jake of Reid Air Publications and to IPMS USA for giving me the opportunity to review this astonishing book.

I do not use the term astonishing lightly. I have quite a few built-up F-18A and later models in my collection, dating back to a highly modified and corrected Testors F-18 in 72-scale, ca. 1982. I swore at the Italeri kit, released and built about 9 or so years ago in… more

F-5 Pitot tubes

Published: May 1, 2011
Company: Quickboost

Thanks to David Lajer of Aires, and to IPMS/USA for giving me the opportunity to review this sweet little detail! I recommend it highly.

These pitot tubes are cast in pale tannish gray resin, with three tubes protected by casting sprue on three sides. This arrangement will provide the modeler with enough nose tubes for three planes, or in my case, enough for one plane and two mistakes.… more

Windsock Datafile, Caproni CA.3 at War, Volumes One and Two

Published: May 1, 2011
Book Author(s): Gregory Alegi
Company: Albatros Productions, Ltd.

Thanks to Ray Rimmel of Albatros Productions and to IPMS/USA for giving me the opportunity to review these two wonderful volumes!

These wonderful publications by Gregory Alegi address a little known aspect of early WW1 aviation, the development of early heavy bombers. The volumes are actually the 3^rd and 4^th Caproni volumes authored by Mr. Alegi, but recent access… more

Combat Carriers, USN Air and Sea Operations from 1941

Published: December 27, 2010
Book Author(s): Martin W. Bowman
Company: Amberley Publishing

Thank you to Amberley Publishing and the hardworking duo of John Noack and Dave Morrisette for providing this book to enjoy and review!

Martin Bowman has earned an excellent reputation as an aviation historian. Combat Carriers continues this legacy with a wonderful series of chapters detailing important events related to carrier aviation since the start of World War II.

The… more

Birds of Prey

Published: October 16, 2010
Book Author(s): Bill Yenne
Company: Specialty Press

The concept of the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is not a new concept. But UAVs have been hot-points in the news from many parts of the world over the last decade. “Birds of Prey” is an absolutely fascinating, current, and in-depth description of the wide variety of these vehicles. The author skillfully intertwines factual information with almost "Tom Clancy" descriptions of… more