Scott retired from the commercial nuclear industry with over thirty years of experience in Maintenance, Engineering, and Training. Prior to that he served on two aircraft carriers during his time in the U.S. Navy. He has been building models for over 50 years with his first kit being purchased with money from his grandparents for his sixth birthday. With a stash that consists of more aircraft than anything else, Scott still enjoys building a little bit of everything (including but not limited to tanks, cars, show cars, military vehicles (aside from tanks), ships, figures, real space, and some science fiction), which keeps his stash growing. Scott and his wife Fern reside in southwest lower Michigan, not far from South Bend, Indiana, and have three adult children and currently three grandchildren as well as a small dog and a large cat.
Scott Hollingshead
Reviews By Author
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Cactus Air Force Deluxe Set – F4F-4 Wildcat and P-400/P-39D Over GuadalcanalPublished:
Arma Hobby continues to build on their 1/72 scale inventory with the release of this Cactus Air Force Deluxe set. I have previously had the pleasure of reviewing their F4F-4 Wildcat Expert Set (kit 70047) as well as their P-39Q Airacobra (kit 70055) and this release essentially combines the two kits albeit with a different version of the Airacobra. With the addition of 3D printed parts for both aircraft, the already great level of detail is improved for some key areas. I highly recommend this kit to modelers experienced in handling small parts looking to represent the Cactus Air Force planes between August 1942 and February 1943. The “Cactus Air Force” was the name given to a combination of Marine, Army Air Force, and Navy planes that operated from Henderson Field on… more |
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P-39Q AiracobraPublished:
This is the second Arma Hobby kit that I have been fortunate to review, and once again, the company has delivered a wonderful representation of a 1/72 scale aircraft, this time, the P-39Q Airacobra. Arma Hobby produces some of the finest detailed kits that I have seen in some 50 years of modeling. I would highly recommend this kit to anyone who wants to add a model of the final variant of the Airacobra to their collection. The Bell P-39 Airacobra was first ordered by the USAAC as an XP-39 in October of 1937 and was known to Bell Aircraft as the Model 4. The P-39 was unique among American aircraft as it had a 37mm cannon in the nose, like the German Bf-109 with its 23mm cannon. In order to fit the armament in the front of the plane, the engine was placed in a mid-position within… more |
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US Army Helicopters Paint SetPublished:
For anyone painting United States Army Helicopters from the Vietnam-era onward, one of the latest releases from Ammo by Mig is an Air Set providing three different greens and flat black for the rotor blades. The bottles include a mixing ball (as identified by the yellow cap) which greatly aids in agitating the paint prior to use. I find the paints of a consistency that allows for brush painting straight from the bottle, and I add a small amount of thinner when airbrushing. This is a great set that I highly recommend if you have any US Army helicopters in your stash. This set includes four bottles of paint as follows: A.MIG-0019 4BO Russian Green, A.MIG-0046 Matt Black, A.MIG-0925 RLM83 Olive Drab Dark, and A.MIG-0929 Olive Drab Shine. To try out this set I used a bagged kit of… more |
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Ford Mk. II Le Mans 1966 2nd PlacePublished:
If you enjoyed the movie “Ford v Ferrari” that was released back in 2019, Starfighter Decals now provides you with the ability to replicate the Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby driven Ford GT Mk. II that took second place at the 1966 24-hour race at Le Mans (or you can watch the movie and decide who really won). This decal sheet was produced to aid the modeler in more accurately reproducing the Ken Miles vehicle and are recommended for any modeler. I noticed this decal release at the Starfighter booth at the IPMS USA Nationals this year and was fortunate enough to pick them up at the Review Corps get together. I previously purchased the 2021 Meng release of this car (kit CS 004) thinking it was good out of the box with the Meng decals. According to the “Builders Notes” included with… more |
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F/A-18 Hornets Part 2 Super Bug “E” VFA-81 & VFA-143Published:
After going out of business after decades of serving modelers needs, Squadron Hobbies has been resurrected like a phoenix from the ashes. Since being purchased by Brandon Lowe, the company has moved from Texas to Georgia, and is quickly reestablishing itself as one of the best mail order hobby shops around. In addition to a growing selecting of model kits, Squadron is also getting back into the production of accessories, including decals. Printed by Microscale here in the USA (a name I had not seen for some time), this is the second release in the 1/48 scale line, and the second of five current sets for the Hornet (three for the “C” variant, and two for the “E”). The suggested kits are those produced by Revell and Hasegawa, and both squadrons represented on this sheet have blue… more |
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Ukrainian Soldier with NLAW and AK-74MNPublished:
As I sit writing this review, the invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing for approaching seven months, and the Ukrainian forces are currently making gains in their eastern territory against their invaders. This recent and timely release from the folks at CMK was kindly provided to the IPMS USA at the Nationals this year in Omaha, Nebraska. Consisting of polyurethane and 3D printed parts, along with a small decal sheet, this is a relatively easy build that nearly any modeler can enjoy. If you are looking for a symbolic kit of a current conflict, I would highly recommend this offering. As this kit contains a single figure and weapons, the packaging is simple, but thoroughly adequate for the task. Upon opening the packaging, you will find four parts cast in polyurethane, four parts… more |
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Micro Pyramid – Shanked Reamer RM (2.5mm)Published:
During the IPMS USA Nationals this year, John Vojtech was kind enough to provide several of his tools from Unique Master Models (UMM) to the IPMS Review Corps, and this was the item I was fortunate enough to receive. Consisting of an ergonomic plastic handle with pyramid-shaped reamer tip, with a built-in label identifying the reamer size for quick recognition. Measuring five inches in length, the reamer is quite comfortable to hold, and the pyramid-shaped tip is made of hardened tool steel. Useful for opening holes in kits used for attaching parts, opening existing holes, or cleaning the ends of tubing, there are many possibilities for using this reamer. The diminutive size will also allow for better control on smaller items. My hits with this release starts with the… more |
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F4F-4 Wildcat, Martlet V Landing Gear (Rev)(for 1/32 Revell)Published:
Scale Aircraft Conversions now has over thirty years of experience supplying resin and white metal parts to model builders, and their product listing continues to expand. This is the twelfth landing gear set from SAC that I have reviewed, and once again, they have provided an excellent metal option for kit-supplied landing gear. This set is intended for the 1/32 scale F4F-4 released by Revell and I happen to have kit 85-6876 that was released in 2004 in my stash. The purpose of this replacement set is to provide stronger landing gear that is adjustable, if necessary, to obtain the proper angles. Even with no previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no issue installing. The beauty of the white metal used by… more |
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Dornier Do 335 Pfeil B: Top Drawings #103Published:
For fans of the Dornier 335 Pfeil (Arrow), this book will be an important addition to your library with a combination of 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 scale line drawings and color plates. Modelers will find the details provided in the drawings as valuable references, and aviation enthusiasts will also find particulars such as the cross-sectional views interesting. I would highly recommend this recent release from Kagero as an addition to your library. Written in both Polish and English, the book begins with a short introduction on the plane stating that the Do 335A did not meet all Luftwaffe requirements, specifically the thin cockpit armor prevented the plane from use as an interceptor. In the summer of 1944, the modified Do 335B was developed with improved cockpit armor and a new… more |
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F4F-4 Wildcat – Expert SetPublished:
While Arma Hobby has been in business since 2013, they are a newer company to me, and this was my first opportunity to build one of their wonderful kits. Their mission is to manufacture the highest quality plastic kits that offer both extreme surface detail and are easy to build. While I will agree on the fantastic surface detail, I am not certain that I would call this kit easy to build. While I do highly recommend this kit, I do recommend that the builder have some experience before taking on a project like this. As a follow-up to the F4F-3, the F4F-4 began to see service in 1942 and added the ability to fold the wings aboard ship along with two additional .50 caliber machine guns. Other changes included the “L” shaped pitot tube, a carburetor scoop and eight flaps on the… more |