Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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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 |
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Buccaneer Pitot Boom and A/R Probe NozzlePublished:
Another in a long line of excellent turned metal (aluminum in this case) items from Master Model; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps! Once more Master provides a turned-metal pitot probe and Air-Refueling nozzle 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 tube and Air refueling probe nozzle. As you can see by the pictures, these metal parts have far better detail than the kit items. This particular set requires a bit more finesse to integrate into the kit, as the 1993-era Buccaneer model is… more |
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Arado 234bPublished:
First, welcome to FLY models and thanks very much for sending us this great kit to review… and to the IPMS USA review corps leadership for sending this kit and the landing gear accessory to the crazy builder in Oklahoma… I purposely did not open any other review commentary on the new Fly Arado 234B-2/B-2N kit… my impression was to be that of someone who just invested in a new company and wondered how it was going to come out. To the people at FLY… You need not worry; this is one magnificent effort and I’m VERY impressed! The box belies the size of the aircraft; the Arado is about the size of a B-26, and therefore has a commanding presence in this scale. As I removed the kit items from the box, the initial impression was one of high quality for a “limited run”… more |
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Metal Landing Gear for C-123Published:
Thanks yet again to Ross and his team at SAC for passing on this set to IPMS USA and to our leadership for sending it my way!!! This set is an almost mandatory upgrade (as they all are), targeted for the new Roden C-123 kit. I have been waiting for someone to do this model for a long time; there are several interesting paint schemes and variants, and I remember these crawling around the sky when I was much younger. A “RANCH HAND” spray bar added to this basic kit would make an interesting yet controversial “Agent Orange” display... Roden makes excellent kits, and have really improved recently; the only drawback I have ever experienced is the softer plastic used for these models tends to bow or flex over time on major structural parts like landing gear. And, as I have said… more |
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Metal Landing Gear for Hasegawa F-35Published:
The usual thanks to Ross and his team at SAC for passing on this set to IPMS USA and to our leadership for sending it my way!!! This set is, as usual, a simple SAC upgrade (as they all are), targeted for the new Hasegawa F-35A kit. Among the big three 1/72 F-35 kits that I have now constructed, (Academy, Italeri, and Hasegawa), the Hasegawa kit is by far the simplest. In many ways I like the detail better, particularly the use of decals for the external RAM panels. No external stores or open weapon bays… this one is the clean, closed up and stealthy model. The cockpit itself contains an excellent crewmember figure if you choose to use it (I did). The SAC set contains two main gear struts, four actuators, a nose gear strut, and the forward actuating arm and torque link… more |