Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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Detail Set for DO-335 B-2Published:
IPMS/USA yet again sends regards to Piotr at Master Model for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of his turned metal and resin accessory releases, which are the gold-standard for those who do a lot of model building. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. This set takes the ante up on the previously reviewed AM-32-107 set… included in the -108 version is the brass machine work on the two MG 151 cannon, the very delicate pitot tube and IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) FuG 25 antenna, and also the MG-103 cannon in brass, as well as a brass blast tube for the centerline “through the engine shaft” cannon; more jewels appear in the form of what appears to be CAD machine-printed resin muzzle brakes for the MG-103. The detail… more |
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F-15E Maximum Effort EaglesPublished:
IPMS USA gratefully acknowledges the continued support from Bob at Two Bobs Aviation Graphics… Recommended Kits
The review item is the typical… more |
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F-18C/D WheelsPublished:
IPMS/USA says “thanks kindly” to Brengun for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of their growing number of releases, with useful additions for those who build. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. This set has four parts… two nose gear and two main gear wheels and tires. Cast in medium gray resin, they provide a professional final touch for those of us who frequent the Lilliputian scale of 1/144. There are no instructions, nor are any needed if you are using them. Clean the resin with your own mold release agent remover, paint with flat black primer, then use a touch of flat white on a 00000 brush or a toothpick… followed by a gloss on the wheel, so a bit of weathering dark gray or black pin wash can be used to bring… more |
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AV-8B WheelsPublished:
IPMS/USA says “thanks kindly” to Brengun for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of their growing number of releases, with useful additions for those who build. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. This set has 10 parts… One nose gear wheel and tire and nose gear fork, two main gear wheels and tires, and two outrigger wheels and tires all cast in resin. Also included is a small etch brass set with torque links for the outrigger gear. The resin is cast in medium gray color, and this is the ultimate provision including a professional final touch for those of us who frequent the Lilliputian scale of 1/144. There are instructions included to assist you in your task. Clean the resin with your own mold release agent remover… more |
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RCAF Overseas Catalinas The Savior of Ceylon & BeyondPublished:
Aviaeology is a company based in Ontario, Canada and calls itself “A product of research, illustration, & design for students, enthusiasts, & practitioners of Aviation History Publications, Decal Sets, and Model Parts Right now I’m trying to make my fingers work in my back room where my laptop and I are banished for doing all our nefarious Modeling reviews and such works. However, Ontario is a LOT colder than Oklahoma, so I have it good… Therefore, IPMS/USA sends warm regards once again to the stalwart proprietors of Aviaeology, Alison and Terry Higgins, for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of their marvelously produced, meticulously researched and top-shelf historical and artworks. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be… more |
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Operation Eagle ClawPublished:
This book provides a bounty of historical documentation on the actual “EAGLE CLAW” operation, along with the pictures of actual events taken in the run up to and aftermath of the overall event. Some aspects of the mission are still classified; sourcing data is frequently difficult for anyone attempting to produce a commercial, open-source narrative on Government operations. For those unfamiliar with this operation, it was (in the opinion of many) Noble but ultimately failed attempt to rescue U.S. Embassy personnel who were taken hostage by the (then) existent Religious-controlled Government of Iran due to sanctioned revolution and upheaval in the wake of the overthrow of the government of the Shah of Iran. The embassy of the United States of America, by all accounts and laws… more |
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Part 1 - Waco CG-4A GliderPublished:
IPMS/USA welcomes the proprietors of Masterpiece models back, and serious appreciation for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of their newest releases, in a scale never before attempted: 1/35th! A perfect diorama subject, we certainly will see some of these in a D-Day or Market Garden setting… And my personal thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. Sometimes I wonder at my sanity; then my wife reminds me that I really am over the edge and I know… Resin kits are a case in point; requiring truly radical and different skill sets for a project. Rare (Usually) subjects or subjects which economically do not make sense to cut a mold for injection molding. Resin is rarely forgiving, and on occasion makes you question why… more |
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T-6 Texan/Harvard GearPublished:
Thanks once again for another great set from SAC, and thanks to John and Phil for sending it out for review. Recommended Kits:
The review item is the typical high standard and normal from SAC; a direct replacement for the kit items except these are cast metal. Consisting of sets of two main gear and one tail gear, there is not much to describe except to remove the parts from the pour runners with side nippers, use flat 220 wet/dry to prepare the cut stub, then install the gear on the model. No instructions are provided, nor are any required. The gear themselves are excellent castings, and rarely require much preparation for installation.… more |
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Osprey B-58 Hustler UnitsPublished:
Hearty thanks to Osprey for sending IPMS USA one more of their first-class reference books to review, and thanks to John and Phil for the opportunity for me to do something different in reviewing... READ ON! I have been asked on numerous occasions about what I like to read. I am so busy building and painting and doing “the day job” that I find it hard to define. I like modeling trade magazines for learning what is the new “Shiny thing” that has come along, and also little frammazamits coming available to budget for. I also read of the world we live in (THE EPOCH TIMES comes to mind) or a foot-thick manual on how to save a marriage (yep, me too). In this case, however, I found Osprey’s publication #130 on “B-52 Hustler Units” by Peter E Davies to be particularly… more |
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Sikorsky HO35-1, R-5/S-51, Westland WS-51, Hr.2/3 Landing Gear & Rotor PartsPublished:
IPMS/USA again thanks Ross and his Team at SAC for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with one more of many monthly releases, with useful and well-thought out landing gear additions for those who build. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. This set has eight parts: two nose gear halves, two shock struts for the main gear, a main rotorhead three-point blade swashplate, a cyclic main rotor mount plate with four points, a main rotor brace, and a tail rotor pitch link assembly. Rotor heads are the main focal point and the failure point of most rotary wing aircraft… and metal is the perfect solution for the fragile bits. Speaking a fragile, I am adding a picture of how I remove SAC’s parts from the flow gates. Using my side cut nippers, I… more |