Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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M65 "Atomic Annie" Gun with TransportersPublished:
Thanks up front to Dragon USA and to IPMS leadership for providing this kit to me for review. This kit is an answer to an oft-repeated wish of the post-WWII armor crowd: A new-tool 1/72 scale atomic cannon. Why 1/72? Because even in transporting position, it is only 1 ½ feet long. The existing, much older and less accurate 1/32 kit from another age, at almost two and a half feet long when in transport position, was just too big to display for many. It had a lot of operating features, and looked like the actual item, but in reality is better served by a 1/72 scale model in my opinion. That said, if Dragon ever scales this thing up. who knows how it will sell? The Black Label series is Dragon’s effort at competing in the challenging and changing field of armor models. The… more |
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P-40 Warhawk Landing Gear (Has)Published:
Continual thanks to one of our steadfast IPMS supporters, Ross at SAC, and to IPMS leadership for providing the set to me for review. Yes, it’s metal gear time again! This set is the usual drop-in replacement for the Hasegawa series 1/48 P-40 warhawks. Parts include two main gear struts with torque links integrated, two side braces, retraction arms, and a tail gear. The tail gear is particularly welcome, as it is a typical offset one-arm tail gear, prone to damage from shelf abuse, moving models while dusting, or the occasional home pet attack. Not much to say: Build the kit, then install the gear when you want. In this case, I assembled the airframe, and installed the gear so the kit would have something to stand on while I painted it. The pictures speak for themselves… more |
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Folland Gnat T.1 Landing Gear (AX)Published:
Thanks again to our steadfast IPMS supporter, Ross at SAC… and to IPMS leadership for providing it to me for review. Metal gear rule! This set simply replaces the main and nose gear for the new Airfix 1/48 Folland Gnat. This is an excellent little kit, and the kit gear will serve the purpose out of the box, but the simplicity of installing metal gear on the assembled airframe is too good to pass up. Parts include two main gear struts with extension and drag arms incorporated, and a nose gear. All three parts are one-piece castings, which justifies their use in my mind. Airfix is on a roll, and their kits just slide together with little fuss. The only complaint I personally have is the plastic is a bit soft, so small things like landing gear, pitot tubes, etc., tend to… more |
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Phantom P-51D MustangPublished:
Thanks to one of our steadfast supporters, Revell, for providing us a copy of this vintage kit… and to IPMS leadership for providing it to me for review. Talk about a time capsule… This kit was first released by Monogram models back in 1961. A groundbreaking effort at the time, it was the best of all modeling worlds; an accurately shaped P-51D in clear plastic, with plenty of detail and operating features. Retractable landing gear, spinning propeller, sliding canopy, bombs which could be dropped… what else could one ask for? All at the princely sum of $4.98! This model has stood the test of time; the molds have a little bit of flash, but the parts pretty well fit together as designed. Released several times since then, this model epitomizes what can be done with… more |
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Additional Types of Warheads for British RP-3 Rocket (60LB F, 25LB SAP, 25LB AP)Published:
Here is the third review of the three sets from Master Model which are all common in design but different in utility; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps, and thanks to our leaders for sending these my way! This set contains turned aluminum rocket noses and a decal sheet to provide warhead options for the previously reviewed Early and Late Master Details 1/24 British RP-3 rockets. (Sets 24 0011 and 24 0012). The instructions are comprehensive, and explain coloring, details, and what each warhead is. I can see these used in the case of either ground attack against armor, such as on a Hurricane or Typhoon, or the Naval attack Mosquito squadrons. All parts are individually bagged by item within the generic display header bag; this… more |
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Early RP 3 Rockets with 60lb SAP Heads for Typhoon, Mosquito, Hurricane, or OthersPublished:
The owner of Masterwork truly knows Micro-metal machine work; Here is the first review of the three sets from Master Model which are all common in design but different in utility; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps, and thanks to our leaders for sending these my way! All parts are individually bagged by item within the generic display header bag; this prevents damage and ensures you have the correct bits to finish the set. This set contains eight sections of brass tubing, with rocket fin mount slots milled into the tail section, turned brass exhaust plugs with the igniter hole already drilled, igniter leads, (unbelievably detailed pigtails!), 16 Photoetch interlocking fins and fin support gussets, turned aluminum SAP (Steel armor… more |
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British RP-3 Rockets with 60lb SAP Heads for Late MkIII RailsPublished:
The owner of Masterwork truly knows Micro-metal machine work; This is the second review of three sets from Master Model which are all common in design but different in utility; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps, and thanks to our leaders for sending these my way! All parts are individually bagged by item within the generic display header bag; this prevents damage and ensures you have the correct bits to finish the set. The difference in this set (24 0012) from the first set (24 0011) is the design of the This set contains eight sections of brass tubing, with rocket fin mount slots milled into the tail section, turned brass exhaust plugs with the igniter hole already drilled, igniter leads, (unbelievably detailed pigtails!), 16… more |
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Metal Landing Gear - TyphoonPublished:
SAC continues its prolific output of metal gear designed to support our increasingly resin-filled, detail enhanced large models; thanks for passing on this set to IPMS USA and to our leadership in forwarding it out for review! This SAC set contains two main gear struts, strut extension braces, torque links, a tail wheel fork, the tail wheel oleo extension strut, and the tail wheel mounting trunnion tube. These are all identical to the kit items, with the exception of having more strength. AND, the main gear strut on the SAC parts is assembled with the mounting trunnions in place; all total, 3 Airfix kit items replaced per strut with one item. Unity = Strong! On the Airfix Typhoon kit, you must plan ahead; it is a complex kit, and there are some areas where… more |
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De Havilland Sea Vixen - Pitot TubesPublished:
Another in a long line of excellent turned metal (brass) items from Master Model. IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps! Master provides two turned-metal air data pitot probes to replace the kit items. These are destined to satisfy our requirements for strength and accuracy. This package contains two metal parts in a double-bag system. First, the outer protective card with details on the contents, then an internal “small” bag with the scale, strong pitot tubes. Not much to say: Pull out the directions, carefully drill holes where required (in this case the existing air data (pitot) probe mounting fairings on the wings, and use superglue to install. The usual admonition applies to not stick yourself anyplace sensitive… more |
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Javelin Pitot BoomPublished:
Another in a long line of excellent turned metal (brass) items from Master Model; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps! Up front, Master provides turned-metal pitot probes for the excellent Airfix Javelin. This kit really needs these, as the probes go from robust, “fat” bases, to extremely thin probe fronts. And the kit items are usually bent right out of the box… Metal is the answer! This package contains two turned metal probes in a double-bag system; first, the outer protective card with details on the contents, then an internal “small” bag with the scale, strong air data probes. Installation: drill holes where required, in this case the existing air data mounts on the wingtips, and use superglue to install. Paint and be done… more |