Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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Liberator Mk III/V "Coastal Command"Published:
Extreme gratitude from IPMS USA and this reviewer to Hobbico for providing us this kit… it’s been a while off the radar and we’re pleased it’s back! This kit was originally released as a B-24D back in around 1999, if I remember correctly. At the time it was (and still is) the best of the 1/72 kits of this multi-use aircraft, and in Hasegawa’s normal practice, this time is released in the guise of an RAF Coastal Command aircraft. The short history is the British needed a long-range coastal heavy bomber capable of flying out to assist the beleaguered convoys shipping war materials to Britain from the U.S., in the form of anti-submarine reconnaissance and general over watch of the ships. In these roles the aircraft proved more than capable. The kit contains an… more |
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Lockheed F-35A Lightning IIPublished:
Hobbico and Italeri USA once again earn appreciation from IPMS USA for providing a sample of a long-awaited product, the Italeri 1/32 F-35 Lightning II. Of course, the usual bow and thanks go to IPMS USA leadership for sending me this kit! This kit is a medium sized box containing Italeri’s standard medium gray plastic, yellow-tinted clear canopy and other parts, a photoetch fret for some details, a small sheet of masking for only some/part of the Low-observable (LO) panels, and an excellenft Cartograf decal sheet with markings for US, Israeli, British, Australian, and Netherlands users. Initial impression is good; the weapons bay will be the hard part, and this was proven out in construction. The detail is there and if you are not in a hurry will reward you with an… more |
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F-35A Lightning II Landing Gear (Ita)Published:
The normal thanks to Ross at SAC and his working crew for developing and producing an excellent metal set to replace the kit items, and IPMS USA for providing it to me to use! Once again the jackpot is hit with another SAC gear replacement set. For the unaware, the Italeri 1/32 F-35A is a rather weighty model, and the kit gear is provided in multiple parts, all plastic. SAC does a few modifications such as incorporating the kit side braces into the main gear and nose gear, and molding them in one part each. With 13 total metal parts, including drag braces and extensions, shimmy damper and steering pump, this set makes a simple kit addition. This, when installed and combined with the trunnions and drag braces, makes a sturdy arrangement. The other thing: once again the… more |
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Multiple Ejector Rack (MER)Published:
Sincere appreciation from IPMS USA goes to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the Multiple Ejector Rack, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! First off: when someone develops a B-52F/D for a Vietnam diorama, I’ll be ordering an extra two of these sets… because the external weapon pylons on some B-52’s used four of these! The MER was developed along with TER’s to increase the number of weapons carried by A-4, F-4, A-6 and others… it uses many common parts with the TER to increase carry from three to six weapons. This set contains 75 parts for three MER’s; the resin bodies and beams in two parts, Sway braces with ejector pins, Two types (early and late) MER hanging… more |
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Triple Ejector Rack (TER)Published:
Extreme appreciation from IPMS USA goes to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the Triple Ejector Rack, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! This set contains 50 parts for five TER’s; the resin bodies, Sway braces with ejector pins, TER hanging lugs to put them on the aircraft carrying beams, and PE Switch plates to put in the hollow end of the TER itself. To finish, you are also provided with a small decal sheet. Detail on this set is, as usual, almost incomprehensible. Every rivet, joint, screw and bolt is on the set. This is not a time consuming addition to your kit; remove the end pour plug from the tail of the mer, gently sand the flash “bubble busters” and… more |
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SNIPER Targeting PodPublished:
Continuing our appreciation from IPMS USA goes to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the SNIPER Targeting Pod, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! This set contains 7 parts for one SNIPER pod: the resin main body, the forward seeker head, three clear windows for the seeker, a mount with sway braces for the pod, the aft mounting brace and interface for later pods, a PE fret with details such as seeker eye vents, and aft plates, and small decal sheet. Detail on this set is stunning; you can show the pod head stowed or in operation, and every rivet, joint, screw and bolt is on the pod. This is not a time consuming addition to your kit. Remove the end pour plug from… more |
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CrusaderPublished:
Extreme appreciation to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the F-8E Crusader, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! Behind the box art with a Marine F-8E with a sword and shield in the background, sits Hasegawa’s fast-selling 1/48 kit, with a perfect Cartograph decal sheet of six different markings, along with a resin ejection seat, and wheel set and masks to replace the kit items. Also included are the now-standard color and plain brass PE, a canopy mask set, and an excellent instruction sheet. Eduard has worked hard to become an industry leader. I believe they are, and probably will keep that title. Case in point. The instructions have a mistake: none of the aircraft… more |
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Crusader Exhaust NozzlePublished:
Extreme appreciation to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the F-8E Crusader, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! This upgrade provides additional detail for the recently re-released Hasegawa F-8E crusader under the banner of Eduard, in the form of a detailed Exhaust nozzle for the afterburner section. I begin by spray priming all the parts with Tamiya spray gray primer to allow the color paints and weathering to commence. Installation steps: Paint the turbine blades and cone burnt iron, as well as the burner can and nozzle sections. I then like to weather and run a deep black wash into the turbine to bring out the detail. Remove the PE flameholder grid parts… more |
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Crusader Air Intakes (For Afterburner Cooling)Published:
Extreme appreciation to Eduard for their having once again provided a sample copy of a long-awaited product, the F-8E Crusader, and the usual wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for ensuring I received it! This upgrade provides additional detail for the recently re-released Hasegawa F-8E crusader under the banner of Eduard, in the form of a hollowed out intake with visible depth to the intake. Just four parts here; two very thin PE baseplates with rivet detail, and the scoops themselves. Installation steps: drill the two mounting holes in the afterburner position on the model at the pre-located drill hole wells from the inside, then carefully remove the PE baseplates from their fret. Dress the cut marks with your favorite method, then set aside. The resin… more |
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USMC F-4B/N VMFA-531 "Gray Ghosts"Published:
Extreme appreciation to Academy and their USA distributor Model Rectifier Corporation for sending out this new version of their venerable F-4B/N kit, and the usual cheerleading wave of thanks to the IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me. This kit sat a while in the link. I’ve built two of the Academy F-4’s, a “B” and a “J”, and had impressive results from even MY feeble modeling skills. Kits like this take a bit of time to construct, but are well worth it in the end. What’s in the box are the same parts from the previous Academy Rhinos, with the exception of single color gray plastic, with no white, black, and gray parts. Yes, also clear parts. The decal sheet is new, for two plain-Jane gull gray over white F-4B’s from the Vietnam era for VMFA 531, The “Gray Ghosts… more |