Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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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 |
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1/32 Scale Ruler (with Metric Conversion)Published:
IPMS/USA thanks Masterpiece models for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with one of their unique (and very useful) tools. I understand this was one of the items debuting at the Nooga Nats… Lucky you guys! And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me for a review opportunity. This is a clear ruler, approximately, well, ok, it’s actually exactly six inches long end to end. It is, however, a simple concept. Making accurate measurements for larger kits on a clear (Styrene or Lexan, I can’t tell) ruler. VERY nice. A very convenient and accurate tool, this ruler does what it says; measures in 1/32 scale feet and meters, one on each side of the face. No turning over to read calculations, no math. Just hold it up to the part to ensure it is correctly scaled out. Can… more |
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Nose Gear Door and Actuator Piston for A-4B/CPublished:
IPMS/USA welcomes Jeffrey Kubiak of Hypersonic to the list of producers of useful bits and bobs for those of us with Advanced Modelers Syndrome (AMS). And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. Jeffrey began Hypersonic models in the UK, and has recently moved to Japan… a major change of scenery. Originally he started up with resin and detail upgrades for the Special Hobby X-15 kits… and now he’s expanding… making up for lost time, so visit his site for not only this item, but several upgrades aimed at improving the Academy F-4 kits, and, most recently, the Zoukei Mura Phantoms as well. Consisting of 2 perfectly-cast resin parts, this nose gear door is a total replacement for the kit item. It addresses the “busy” factor missing on the venerable… more |
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Kittyhawk UH-1NPublished:
First, thanks to Glenn for providing IPMS USA with this kit, and IPMS leadership for passing it on to me. Kitty Hawk’s new UH-1N has obvious ties with the recently released UH-1W from the same firm. The “Whiskey” has four-bladed main and tail rotors along with scabbed on antenna and systems, giving it a purposeful, definitely non-aerodynamic look, along with weaponry fit for a short, hot firefight. The kit also draws on the recently released UH-1D/H from Kittyhawk, as many of the sprue trees are from that kit as well. The UH-1N (November) however, was originally developed under Bell’s auspices of the natural improvement of a helicopter in overwater and hot, low-density air environments, whereby two-engines are better than one. The “November” has proven longevity and is still… more |
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Metal Landing Gear for 1/48 Eduard Spitfire Mk IXe and XVIPublished:
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 extremely useful and well-thought out landing gear additions for the modeling crowd out here in the modeling world. And thanks to IPMS leadership for sending it to me to be reviewed. Consisting of two (that’s 2!) complete sets of gear, it’s pretty simple. Two main gear struts, two external torque links, and one tail gear. The tail gear is not the standard “Bar and lever” we see on so many early spitfires, but an actual oleo. This set includes the torque scissors. It can be added as an afterthought to building, thereby preventing one from breaking it off during construction. Test fit into the wing and tail sockets to make sure no cleanup… more |