Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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F-104 Starfighter Landing Gear (Ita)Published:
Thanks to Ross at SAC for yet another outstanding metal gear set. IPMS USA continues to appreciate the support! In this case, I purchased the gear, because I really needed it. This set is, again, a simple drop-in replacement gear for the new 1/32 Italeri F-104C. This is the logical follow-on kit to the previously released F-104G/S, and this kit is great. A bit expensive, but the decal sheets are huge Cartograf items with several options. The basic plastic and the few add-ons like the gear was worth my money. The SAC set contains the entire main gear beam strut area as one unitary item, and a nose gear. Both are perfectly cast and directly upgrade the kit parts. Installation is easy. Use superglue and press the SAC gear in place. They fit perfectly, and impress… more |
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F-105 Tan Canopy FramingPublished:
The advance THANK YOU to Furball aero design for sending IPMS USA these decals, and the fearless leaders at the reviewer corps for allowing me once again to do a review! Every once in a while a product comes along that makes you wonder “why didn’t someone do this before?” In this case, framing on F-105’s is the subject. I have struggled myself to paint the framing on canopies. Anything below 1/48 scale, “forget it”, and even then when it was attempted by yours truly, well, it was really awful. Because it’s so noticeable around the focal point of a model, the cockpit, office, whatever, it generally became an exercise in frustration. These new decals by Furball, however, take care of the problem. You get two sets of decals: one designed for the F-105D single-seat… more |
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Hawker Hurricane Landing Gear (Fly)Published:
Product provided by: Ross, CEO of SAC The metal gear company strikes again! Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us another of your expansive line of metal landing gear, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me. This is becoming a theme; a SAC upgrade to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of 5 parts: Two main struts and side braces, two main strut drag braces, and a one-piece tail wheel fork. The FLY models Hurricane is a magnificent bit of modeling fun. It is limited issue, short run-design, with resin, plastic that (for the most part) fits with precision (no alignment pins), only needing a bit of practiced hand to construct. I had a few areas requiring putty, but really must rave about one part: the main gear wheel well. This is a… more |
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MBD3-U6-68 Multiple Bomb RacksPublished:
Спасибо! THANKS VERY MUCH Mikhail and Victory models for importing and distributing these sets, and also sending IPMS USA another of your growing line of resin accessories for Russian/Soviet aircraft. Much thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review…. A word about customer service; Mikhail, the Proprietor of Advanced Modeling, provided Dave Morrissette with reference pictures of the actual MER installed on three aircraft; it looks like Sukhois and one TU-22m; Dave then forwarded to me. THAT saved me a lot of time on correct colors. Most excellent service Mihail! This Multiple Bomb Rack (MER) set is a simple, extremely well-done example of resin casting with the end result of vastly improving the current injected molded kit weapons carriages on… more |
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Bf 109G-6 WheelsPublished:
IPMS USA is grateful to Eduard for kindly providing yet another magnificent example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me. This add-on release is designed for the new and vastly improved 1/48 ME-109 series. This wheel and tire set is designed to be used on the ME-109G-6, but also works on the G-5 and probably others. The four-part set includes a paint mask. It’s a simple thing to spray the parts with Automotive primer, paint the wheels separately, or use the masks to keep the gloss black off the tires if you assemble the hubs to the wheels first, and then carefully attach the whole thing to the wheel struts. Epoxy or superglue works, just be careful. Eduard’s new ‘109 is a fantastic kit… and this… more |
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Bf 109G-6 PropellerPublished:
IPMS USA is grateful to Eduard for kindly providing yet another magnificent example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me.. This add-on release is designed for the new and vastly improved 1/48 ME-109 series. This propeller and spinner set is designed to be used on the ME-109G-6, but also works on the G-5 and probably others. The six-part set (including the prop installation Jig) makes easy work of a tough task. The spinner is better defined than the kit plastic, as are the propellers and the hub and backplate. Also included is a prop shaft with a highly-detailed castellated installation nut and hollow gun tube. This would be a great set for a diorama! After carefully sawing off the casting block off… more |
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ME-109G-5Published:
As usual, IPMS USA are eternally grateful to Eduard for kindly providing yet another magnificent example of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me.. This kit is the second release in the new and vastly improved ME-109 series. This being the ME-109G-5, the kit parts provide all that is required to add a properly outfitted -5 to your display. In the box are the absolutely magnificent base parts for generating the ME-109G and K series aircraft in 1/48 scale. Others have said it but I shall as well; Eduard’s model epitomizes the breed and has been well-worth the wait. This release utilizes the standard canopy hood with dessicant pips on the inside, along with the upgrades intended to show a high-altitude pressurized Gustav… more |
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Bf 109G-5 CockpitPublished:
IPMS USA is grateful to Eduard for kindly providing yet another magnificent example of one of their new items to review, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me. This add-on release is designed for the new and vastly improved 1/48 ME-109 series. This set is to be used on the ME-109G-5. The kit parts provide all that is required to add a properly outfitted -5 to your display, but this cockpit upgrade greatly improves the kit item. Read on… In the box are parts sufficient to upgrade the kit G-5 cockpit set. The fantastic color instrument panel PE set, along with other items, dresses-up the resin side panels and floorboard. Beginning with the floor, you are provided breech cover options for the 20MM or 30MM “through the driveshaft” cannon; also… more |
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Su-24M (Fencer D) Pitot TubePublished:
Once again our friend Piotr keeps cranking these things out… THANKS VERY MUCH for sending IPMS USA another of your growing line of turned metal Pitot tubes, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review…. This is, again, a world-class improvement and upgrade to the kit plastic. Actually, it’s a step beyond, as included is what appears to be a 3-D printed part with all the vanes (which cause us old guys to have apoplectic fits) molded on one tube! FANTASTIC!. The Master data probe consists of two metal parts and one resin part with all 8 vanes attached to it and protected in a foam cutout box. These three simple items directly replace the kit pitot probe and air data vane assembly. This is an easy addition to improve the longevity of your kits… more |
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AM-48-118 TSR.2 Pitot TubePublished:
Master Models once again provides IPMS USA with examples of machine-shop excellence… We are extremely thankful to Piotr for providing examples of his work to review, and I appreciate the opportunity to use and report on Master Model products via the Leaders of IPMS USA The Airfix TSR.2 was one of the last models to come out of the Airfix stable back in the late 2000-2005 year group, before Hornby took over and totally restarted their lineup. I bought the kit as it was (1) the only 1/48 non-Vacform version of this aircraft, and (2) thought I could have a great time building it. I also invested in CMK resin to bring it up to a higher level of detail. What a masochist I am. Needless to say, after four years and three trips to the shelf of doom, I finally said to… more |