Rod Lees
Reviews By Author
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English Electric Lightning F1/F1A/F2/F3Published:
Thanks first off to Hornby/Airfix for sending IPMS/USA this kit, and keeping the brand alive! If you have not built one of the new Airfix kits, you need to get over to the store and buy one, or several. HELP KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS, as Airfix has many economical and fantastic kits. Kudos to John and Phil to providing it to me to review. Airfix’s re-release of their venerable 1/48 English Electric Lightning kit is a welcome return of an old friend, not one of their newest molds. When originally released in 1997, the kit was considered ground-breaking with "state-of-the-art" molding technology. The parts fit was lauded as best available, with detail impeccable for the time. This kit and the Spitfire Mk 22/24 and Seafire FR46 were the "new Airfix" in the late 1990’s for a short time… more |
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Pitot Probe for Mirage III/VPublished:
IPMS/USA again thanks Piotr for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with one more of many monthly releases, with an extremely useful and well-thought out 1/144 Pitot tube probe for any of the 1/144 kits of the Mirage III. 1 part (ONE) is included, along with a detailed instruction sheet on what size hole to drill and where to insert the probe. I find these probes more useful than pins to address the issues of scale size, appearance, and flexibility without incurring personal injury. Steel pins are more durable, but tend to not “flex” or give, and the effect of driving a staple into one’s eye or hand or whatever is not so traumatic if the brass probe deflects off to one side. Even Nurses wince with needles…. The base kit I used was a relatively new release from Mark 1… more |
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Vietnamese Spads (2) VNAF AD-6/A-1H Skyraiders in the Vietnam WarPublished:
AoA (Angle of Attack) decals are in their fourth year by my records, and continue to release some of their earlier Vietnam War subjects in different scale from the earlier releases … We sincerely appreciate AoA sending IPMS/USA their latest releases for review! (…and the usual thanks also to IPMS USA Reviewer corps leadership John and Phil for sending these my way...) This sheet provides 11 different paint schemes, and covers the range of Vietnamese A-1 schemes from the early 1960’s to the early 1970’s. Airframe stencils in included for each model, along with national insignia. This sheet focuses on the main markings for the aircraft, particularly since several of these SPADS were repainted with camo and as such did not receive replacement stencil markings. … more |
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PE Instrument Panel for Revell FW-190A-8/R11Published:
IPMS/USA again thanks Eduard for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with one more of many monthly releases, in this case a new PE instrument panel for Revell’s 1/32 FW-190A8/R11 NachtJager. If you have never used these panels, I recommend you try them and become hooked like me. I cannot paint to this level of detail. The kit provides impressive instrument panel and bezel detail, and the lower cockpit side panels can be painted for a realistic look; but they will never have the fine details and legible numbers, placards, and detail work exhibited by Eduard PE sets. In this scale the overall colors and additions add so much to the panel areas that it truly impresses even the jaded flashlight and mirror contest lovers out there. Preparation work was minimal;… more |
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Su-30MKK Flanker G Landing Gear (HB)Published:
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 7 separate well-cast white metal parts, this gear is the usual replacement for the kit gear. Hobbyboss provides excellent kits with great detail, but usually has some things simplified. In this case the landing gear has everything it needs attached to the main gear, and as to the nose you add kit shimmy dampers, doors, and taxi lights. The FOD/Mud Guard is supplied with the set as well. This SAC set adds the usual structural strength to the… more |
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TU-160Published:
First things first: a hearty “Thank you” to Brengun for providing IPMS USA this little gem for review. We cannot function as well without our manufacturers support, and we sincerely appreciate Brengun’s provision of items to review. Thanks also to John and Phil for finding and distributing these items. This set provides minor detail work for the Trumpeter TU-160. Big kit. Big. Particularly if the wings are in the parked and ready to take off position with flaps and slats out. Makes a B-1 look like an F-15 when parked next to a “Bone”. The engines are massive, the jet carries a lot, and the White Swan is impressive from any angle. The pictures show the set in action; lots of little brake lines and valves and such added to the gear, which adds a lot of visual interest.… more |
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Metal Landing Gear for SU-35Published:
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 14 separate well-cast white metal parts, this gear is the usual replacement for the kit gear. It’s been my experience that GWH tends to use a more robust plastic than many other manufacturers, but SAC metal gear is still worthwhile to install. This SAC set adds the usual structural strength to the weakest part of most models: The landing gear. Cast tough yet malleable white metal, it addresses any concern for splayed and failed landing… more |
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Wellington Mk. Ia/c WheelsPublished:
IPMS/USA again thanks the Eduard team for sending us more of their prolific output targeted toward improving already great kits. Thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team… This set is an upgrade to the 2018 release of the new-mold Airfix 1/72 Wellington 1a/c. Consisting of three parts, it is the two main wheel/tires as one part each, and the single-part tail wheel strut and wheel/tire assembly, and a masking set for same. On the kit the main wheels are split into two halves per old-school molding, which the resin items dispense with, having a casting block on the ground section of the tire. . I rattle-can painted the parts with Rustoleum Flat black automotive primer, then used the masks to protect the tires. A tooth pick/cocktail stick was used to push… more |
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Douglas A-1E "Fat Face" Skyraider ConversionPublished:
IPMS/USA extends extreme gratitude to Paul and Susy Fisher for sending us this excellent set to upgrade the Trumpeter AD-2/6 or A-1H to an A-1E Hallelujah! WE HAVE A LARGE SPAD! And thanks to Phil and John for graciously allowing me to review this set. On the “be patient” side of the ledger, Paul and Susy have had some misfortune by being located in Paradise, California. Although they lost most all their manufacturing capability and personal possessions, they are still here with us, and my last note from him showed he’s temporarily out of the business until they can recover with a new place. I expect they will be back. On to modeling: This shall be a basic review of the set as received and built so you can see what is in the box. The kit I received contained one… more |
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BIG ED Set for ICM HE-111H-3Published:
IPMS/USA again thanks the Eduard team for sending us more of their prolific output targeted toward improving already great kits. Thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team. Eduard is a company that has truly come of age. They seem to go from one success to another, and there is not a part of their range I have not used or tried. In this case, I have the “BIG ED” set for the new ICM HE-111H3, and it fills a major niche. Thanks to Eduard and the IPMS USA team for joining forces to make sure I have this set on my workbench! In the “Big Ed” format, Eduard provides one each of the following photoetch frets:
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