Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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B-24JPublished:
Loud “THANKS” to Danielle at Revell for providing IPMS/USA a chance to review this kit! We sincerely appreciate your support and look forward to even more great things from your company… Revell is a stalwart in the industry! For those of you unaware, the Revell re-release of the venerable (Originally Monogram) B-24J kit is just that… and VERY welcome to those of us who don’t appreciate having to pay internet auction house prices for models. This kit, originally released back in 1976, has been a staple of the 1/48 WWII scene for quite a while. Re-released several times, and modified as a B-24D at one point, this kit is still sought by people like me who really enjoy the genre. Glad to see it back in the fight… What’s in the box: One B-24J kit, molded in light gray and… more |
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SU-24K/UBK Frogfoot AntennasPublished:
This is about as simple as a review can get. First, thanks once again to Quickboost for the review items; once again you provide something I would not have thought to manufacture, but is, to my mind, a worthwhile improvement! This set contains Angle of Attack (AOA) vanes, two IFF antennas, and an air data probe. All are much more delicate than the kit items; the IFF blades are, in particular, much more refined than the kit items. The AOA vanes are likewise much thinner than the injected molded parts. And the air data probe, well, has the tube already hollowed out for you! To review, I added the IFF blades to my already-completed SU-25; the kit items were shaved off, and I installed the QB items. Very nice. A quick and easy set for your use; thanks to our friends… more |
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PV-1 Ventura CockpitPublished:
Outstanding detail, great support of the plastic modeling community, etc… all apply to Squadron Mail order and MMD distributors. We at IPMS/USA appreciate and thank you for providing us items to review! When I purchased the Revell Ventura kit, I thought, “wow, a decent, out of box build even I can sink the ol’ teeth into…” I did not know that True Details was working to upgrade the kit…and, with this cockpit, the detail level went up. The major items replaced are the instrument panel, throttle/fuel mixture quadrant panel, the basic floorboard, back bulkhead, seats, and middle “island” instrument and switch panel. There are also two side fuselage panels that replace the truly understated sidewall detail in the cockpit. Several kit parts are required: the seat legs for… more |
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T-28 Landing GearPublished:
Ross, the proprietor of SAC, has been a prolific supporter of IPMS/USA from the inception of his company; not only are his products excellent, but he definitely has provided us with some gems, and we appreciate it! Released in its standard bubble pack with card backing, (with the shield of the only true Air Force Command (SAC) for backdrop (ha), this set is a simple but important addition to anyone building Roden’s new T-28 kit. I was surprised to see my name written on the header card… until I realized it stood for “Roden”, not “Rod”! Alzheimers is real… The kit nose gear in plastic is to scale, which means if you put the required nose weight in to keep the nose on the ground, it will (over time) bend and eventually break off. Enter SAC. I am unaware of what type… more |
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Tu-95MS "Bear-H"Published:
First, thanks to Dragon Models USA and particularly Alain for providing IPMS/USA this review sample! Your support as a major model distributor is greatly appreciated. Dragon’s TU-95MS is a re-release of the original Dragon TU-95 kit from the late 1989/90 time period; decals are upgraded, but otherwise it’s the same kit. Fit is good with the exception of the nacelle assemblies; you will have to spend a bit of time getting the aft portion lined up with the front. Markings are included for two recent (circa 2010 or so) Bear airframes. Basic airframe assembly is simple; liquid cement, a bit of a swipe with a sanding stick and the seams disappear. The cockpit has no interior, and it could not be seen even if you were to detail it out. I had to use a bit of filler around the… more |
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Eduard FW 190D-13 Weekend EditionPublished:
Eduard continues its prolific release schedule of truly new items with this weekend release. Thanks very much for providing us the kit, and, as a company, for supporting IPMS USA with review items! This kit is a re-release of Eduard’s Fw190D kit, without the photoetch, extra markings, masks, etc… and as such the price is much lower. The intent: build a model in a weekend! An excellent idea for those who don’t want to have AMS(Advanced Modeling Syndrome) rule their modeling, and it certainly makes the kits more attractive to the modeling public at large. A brilliant idea that appears to be bearing fruit! I had not built one of the Eduard Fw190 series models. I have an A-8 and the Profipack D-9 in my stash, with the intent of building them later when I have time (!). When… more |
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P-61 Corrected Cowling, Propellers, and Engine DetailsPublished:
Thanks go first to Squadron Products for supporting IPMS/USA with these review items; without the support of our model companies, we would all be carving wood again. This accessory set contains two new cowls with corrected front opening, two sets of propellers, and engine gear box fronts with magnetos and control mechanisms. The price is right for what you get, too! First, the propellers are exactly the same as those I reviewed earlier for the Revell/Monogram P-61 kit. The spinner contains prop hub mount detail, and the props themselves are all separate; the propeller mounting bosses fit tightly within the spinner/hub area. Just be careful to set the pitch and prop run-out and you’ll have no problems. Center-drill a hole for the prop shaft, and they are complete. … more |
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F-104 Pitot TubePublished:
Thanks very much to Iwona and Piotr at Master Model for providing us this review item. IPMS/USA is always excited to have high-quality products show up in our mailbox. Look at the picture and tell me I can say anything that will add to what you see. This is just an amazing little item; one turned brass F-104 pitot tube. Next to the kit injected item, it looks less chunky, is far stronger than plastic, and adds more than a little to the final product. It makes the kit pitot look like a wooden 2 x 4! I have purchased a bunch of these things, for not only the F-104 but other century series birds as well. They are that good! I rate this as higher than 10, as I can’t come close to this level of machine work. Thanks once again to Master Model for this item, keep them coming!… more |
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F-15C “Eifel Eagles”Published:
32-061 $25.00 First, sincere appreciation to our friends at Twobobs Decals for providing IPMS/USA these review items. These sheets provided impetus for me to finally properly build an F-15 from one of my old units. Twobobs have consistently filled a niche for decals previously unavailable from other sources. Enclosed within the standard protective plastic sleeve are three decal sheets to mark F-15Cs from the 36th TFW at Bitburg AB, Germany accurately. Although this base is now closed, it used to be the hub of F-15 operations within central Germany. In my former life in the USAF, from 1988 through 1990, I was the F-15 Weapon System Maintenance Manager at 17th AF at Sembach AB, GE; we had to provide daily tracking and status of all our jets, as the “Cold… more |
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P-61 Propellers and SpinnersPublished:
First, thanks once again to Gary at Squadron for providing IPMS/USA yet another review item. We count on the support of many companies, small and large; Squadron has survived just about every trial and tribulation imaginable for a business while continuing to provide excellent service and products! With Squadron having branched out into the aftermarket genre over the past few years, their in-house products continue to improve in quality. Such is the case with these propeller and spinner assemblies. The Revell/Monogram (RM) P-61 was, at the time of its release in 1974, a market-setter for detail. In many ways, it still is, but the kit propellers have a difficult-to-remove seam between the front and rear spinner halves, and there is no propeller mounting boss detail as is… more |