Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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Travis Air Force Based USAF’S Transport Superbase in actionPublished:
First, thanks very much to Casemate Publishing for providing IPMS USA a copy of this well formatted and image-rich minigraph. We appreciate the opportunity to review this book! Travis AFB almost 30 years ago, (’93-‘]96) was one of my frequent TDY locations while overseeing the KC-10 fleet as the KC-10 Maintenance Chief for Air Mobility Command. Lots of great memories in working that place, and the people are still doing a fantastic job as the West Coast hub for Air Mobility Command. From the book narrative: |
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Soviet Pilot with Ejection Seat for Mig 19 FarmerPublished:
First the usual “thank you very much” to Aires for providing us another of their excellent resin items for review. We at IPMS USA truly appreciate your support… This is a simple set for Trumpeters’ Mig-19 “Farmer”, in that the kit seat does not provide a figure for those of us who actually use them for scale and human factor in a kit. Consisting of five molded resin items (torso with legs, head/helmet, two arms, and ejection seat upper brace) on one pour stub, it is simple to primer and paint for a final product. All ensconsed on one ejection seat. AND, a painting guide is included for the seat and figure. Yay! First, the seat appears correct and accurate in design and layout. Simple gray paint and it’s done! I tend to attach the arms and head before… more |
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P-51D Clear Vacuum Canopy (Platz/Eduard Kit)Published:
So, we have a 1/144 Mustang out there from Platz/Eduard, and an interior detail set from Eduard as well, available on in their own release. The canopy on the basic kit is closed, and within the limits of thickness which can be successfully injected. It fits and looks nice (and the Eduard kit has a masking set to go with it. Insane? Yep. But an open cockpit requires an open canopy. HEAVY insanity. I had to try it. Tweezers: yep. Magnifier for vision: Mandatory Ham hands: Standard. Here is where Brengun excels! They provide a set of four canopies in a clear plastic envelope which allows (with careful, NEW scalpel or #11 blade work) an open canopy! First off: I’m no wizard in Lilliputian scales. These guys who airbrush complicated schemes on small fighters have my… more |
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Phoenix Aviation Modelling InternationalPublished:
With retirement, I have of course had to seriously curtail spending, and as such, just personally had opportunity to read and learn of this magazine by obtaining it from our reviewer corps. I had read a few kerfluffles online about jealous rivals, and this was an opportunity to find out exactly what this new Mag was about. For Simplicity, I am using PAMI as an abbreviated form of the magazine title. Up front to our friends at Phoenix Scale Publications, THANK YOU for sending this to us and I apologize for the delay in reviewing and writing same. I had to let the opportunity for others to ‘get something’ pass, and once cleared to receive the mag, “Here am I”. We have the usual overseas delay of 2 months to get mags into our local bookseller (those are few and far between… more |
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Douglas A-4K Kahu Skyhawk ConversionPublished:
Roy Sutherland of Barracuda Studios is back… and this time with a totally unexpected item; a 1/32 A-4 “kahu” Upgrade for your Trumpeter A-4 to turn it into a New Zealand bird. Anyone who has been around the modeling community for a while should be familiar with Roy and his company. Well researched and flawlessly executed resin, decals, and other items for (Is it 20 years?)… This set is no exception. 3D printing has arrived at the house of the ‘cuda fish. I have this upgrade in hand and an impressive little bit of upgrade this is. I am no KAHU expert, but have seen the retired birds at work at Nellis AFB (until recently, some kind of contract change). The Kiwi markings are gone, but the overall paint scheme remained. This set is designed to upgrade your Trumpeter… more |
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A-4 Skyhawk Intake and Exhaust SetPublished:
Roy Sutherland of Barracuda Studios is back… and this time with a totally unexpected item; a 1/32 Exhaust and intake set for your Trumpeter A-4. Consisting of four printed resin items, this one is truly necessary for tightening up a neglected area of many models. The exhaust turbine section has the four support blades and centerline flow bullet molded as one piece. Easy to paint on this non-afterburning engine. And for those who like to look up the chute in every orfice in a model competition, this item will take care of the look. (May I digress a bit here? I call these items, “Story time with Rod”. A local famous Fort Worth modeler expounded this little tome this summer on the subject of AMS in some individuals; he related how one fellow club member got really… more |
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A-4 Skyhawk 300 Gallon DroptanksPublished:
From Barracudacast’s website:
Released to accompany the “KAHU” conversion, it is also valid with the standard A-4. Comprised of four parts for each tank and a set of six mounting brackets (Spares included, heck yes I tested it out) This took me all of 20 minutes to finish the review… more |
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P-51H Mustang Landing Gear (Mvit)Published:
This is the SAC gear is made with the brand-new Modelsvit P-51H. This was the last in the Mustang line, and essentially was a totally different aircraft; in outward appearance the lineage was there, but new wings, fuselage, cowling, combined with sub-parts of the previous P-51D tooling, led to a faster aircraft, with a bit more performance. Unfortunately for it, the Jet age had arrived, and as the jets arrived, the majority of users being U.S. Air National Guard units. And no, you can’t turn a D into a H. (well, if someone wants to try, go ahead, new wings, prop, fuselage, cowling, canopy… landing gear, wheel well… I guess you could use a stabilizer and fin/rudder, with an extended bit for the latter). As the previously reviewed F-82, This is a kit not for the faint hearted,… more |
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XA2D-1 Skyshark Landing Gear & Wing Folds for Clear PropPublished:
SAC is an interesting company; started around the year 2010 or so, they continue to provide model landing gear and other stress-handling parts in a world that some would say at the time “has no place for them here”. I differ in this view, one of their first sets was for the Italieri S-3 Viking, and I learned they had released a 1/32 set to replace the Revell JU-88 plastic set that was notorious for breaking off the wheel axle just in moving the model around; I was sold. SAC proves itself resilient where the naysayers are proven wrong (continually, I add) in the value of these vital bits. Others make stronger brass versions, but you will pay dearly for them in my experience, and they are more difficult to install due to being too stiff. I like SAC’s choice of metals. The Clear… more |
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Tiny Tim Rocket Set for Late WWII AircraftPublished:
Brengun/Hauler provides the modeling community with items considered perfect for limited run production. In this case, who would have thought the much-vaunted but not really that effective unguided rocket weapon, affectionately called “Tiny Tim”, would end up as an available add-on? A logical development of 5” unguided rockets employed by Navy and Marine aircraft in the later portion of the Pacific war, Tiny Tim was essentially a standoff-penetration weapon attached to a rocket tube, designed to be used against bunkers or ships. (Supposedly the rocket body was manufactured by tubing used in oil field work, if you believe wiki). The weapon was aimed, dropped like a bomb, and a lanyard fired the rocket motor when it cleared the aircraft. Accuracy was, as expected, questionable,… more |