Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
|
F-15C Idaho Air National GuardPublished:
IPMS USA appreciates Revell USA sending us this model, and I also give the nod to our leadership within the reviewer corps for forwarding me the kit to review. A personal note concerning the actual aircraft: To use an Eagle painted on an Eagle, what a great recruiting tool!!! Eye-catching and unique, interesting markings, and even this older version F-15C is still a viable Air Superiority weapon. When I first saw it I was skeptical, but having built this kit, I found the scheme rather well thought-out and not overbearing. Not just another gray airplane. The first picture will be the copyright on the interior spine of the Model: 1979. Back then this dates the kit as one of Monogram’s front-line kits being released with the modeling community in mind. Excellent (for the… more |
|
MiG-25PD/PDS (Foxbat E) - Pitot TubePublished:
Product provided by: Piotr, of Master details To the Master Model metalworker of Poland, Piotr; Thanks again for sending IPMS USA another of your line of turned metal Pitot tubes, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review. This is a much improved upgrade to the kit plastic. Consisting of 2 metal parts directly replacing the kit pitot probe, this is an easy addition to improve the longevity of your kits’ appearance, and it has a GREAT instruction sheet! The simple upgrade follows: I used this Master item on the Barracudacast Mig 25 improved nose and radome upgrade to the Kittyhawk MIG 25 PD/PDM fighter. Mark and drill a .1mm hole in the extreme nose on the radome, about ¼” deep. This upgrade includes the extreme forward radome tip,… more |
|
Turned Metal Pitot Tube for all Mig 25 except PD/PDM (Foxbat E)Published:
The master metalworker of Poland, Piotr, continues to deliver the best pitot and data probes available … Thanks again for sending IPMS USA another of your line of turned metal Pitot tubes, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review…. This is, once again, a much improved upgrade to the kit plastic. Consisting of 2 metal part directly replacing the kit pitot probe, and what appears to be a very delicate 3D printed data vane sleeve with all the various blades in micro detail. How does he do it , well, I don’t know, ask him. In any event,this is an easy addition to improve the longevity of your kits’ appearance… and by the way, the instruction sheet is fantastic as well! Another simple upgrade, this one... As on the PD/PDS nose, I used Master’s… more |
|
Metal Landing Gear for Wingnut Wings 1/32 Sopwith CamelPublished:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new 1/32 Wingnut Wings Sopwith Camel, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me. This new set from SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic is a must-have… The set consists of six parts: Two duplicate sets of main struts, one early and one late series strut, a spreader bar with axles in place, and a replacement tail strut for your Camel. Not much to say here for installation; while building your kit install the SAC gear instead of the plastic. Paint, add the painted wheels, rig with your favorite wire simulator (or wire if you prefer), and you are done. With the early WWI-era models, the fragility of the kits becomes readily apparent if you… more |
|
Landing Gear for VictorPublished:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new 1/72 Airfix Victor, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me…. Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of 17 parts: Two duplicate sets of main struts and nose gear, and bomb bay door actuators. The bomb bay actuators were not used in this build but may come in handy if they ever release this kit with the free-falling “dumb” bomb load to show off in the cavernous bomb bay. The main gear is improved by two parts replacing a three-part assembly; the central strut has been modified, in that the SAC strut is not split like the airfix strut, which has the central trunnion top part and side bearing arms slide into the… more |
|
OV-10 Bronco: Designed for Counterinsurgency and the Vietnam WarPublished:
Thanks to Mr. Ashby Shoop for providing me a copy of this booklet during it’s development, and the Fort Worth Aviation museum for sending a finished E-copy to me to review after purchase. If you are looking for a quick reference on the OV-10, the Folks at the Fort Worth aviation Museum have a new document which provides an excellent, concise history of the aircraft. Included are development and early history of what the requirement is that led to the Bronco, who worked on it, and the history of how the aircraft evolved. The majority of the book focuses on Marine air and navy use; Air Force operations are touched on but not in detail. What really adds value to the book are descriptions of loadout and operations, which confirm configuration of particular offensive… more |
|
SAC Yak-28 Firebar Landing GearPublished:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new YAK-28 Firebar from a new manufacturer, Bobcat models, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending the SAC bits to me to review. Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to basic kit plastic! The set consists of 15 parts: front and rear main gear, and replacements for the wing tip gear. Firebar was an oddball aircraft designed during the rapid development era after World War II in the 1950’s, with an unconventional landing gear setup similar to the B-47. The main gear was centered on the aircraft datum line as a bicycle, with stabilizing gear on the wing tips. It worked, but in crosswinds the aircraft could easily be in trouble on landing or takeoff. The B-52 rarely has… more |
|
Merlin Engine Set for Mosquito FB VIPublished:
As usual, IPMS USA are, as usual, appreciative to Eduard for kindly providing an outstanding example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me.. This set is one of the few times I have opened a box and said “what HAVE I gotten myself into?” Yes, I asked for it, but the answer is because I thought it would be a cool addition to the kit. I didn’t realize how much there was to this set… Enclosed are several pages of drawings and detailed instructions, and two complete engines along with cowling, hoses, and some wiring runs. Boxes galore, magnetos, supercharger with more defined details… it’s a true miniature of the Merlin. The detail is far and above what is provided in the Tamiya kit’s engines, which are… more |
|
Jet Provost T.3 Landing Gear (Airfix)Published:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the new 1/72 Airfix Jet provost T.3, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me. Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of six parts: Two duplicate sets of main struts and nose gear for the kit. Not much to say here; build your kit, leave off the kit gear, and install the SAC gear. Paint, add the painted wheels, paint the nose tire, and you are done. You can see by the ‘before and after painting” pictures that I’m getting old and sloppy, but you get the idea. The nose gear has the anti-shimmy tire incorporated along with the gear, which makes it a better option because the kit gear has the tire split to account for the… more |
|
Junkers Ju 88 Landing Gear & Engine SupportsPublished:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us improved metal landing gear for the ICM/Special Hobby JU-88, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me. Another of SAC’s expansive line of white metal upgrades to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of 11 parts: Two main struts, one tail gear strut/retraction cylinder, wheel/tire assembly, six gear strut supports, and two engine supports for the kit. The ICM kit contains two complete engine assemblies in addition to the basic kit. I used a set of replacement resin cowing and exhausts for the inaccurate kit cowl intakes, so I was not able to use the engine supports. I did, however, appreciate the strength provided by the metal gear after using the resin parts for the kit. With the thin nature of the gear axles in… more |