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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Photetch Detail Set for Tamiya M1A2 AbramsPublished:
For those of us who attended the IPMS Nationals in 2017, we were able to see the 1/48 scale M1A2 that Tamiya would soon be releasing. I built the original 1/35 Tamiya offering in the 1980’s as the tank was just entering service, and I knew that I would need this new release in a smaller scale. The folks at Hauler have released a photoetch set to improve detail on some items and add more/missing details in other areas. I would highly recommend this set to modelers building this Abrams tank, but also recommend that you have experience with some rather small detail parts. This set comes with two frets of thin brass holding 75 numbered parts, and there are over three dozen additional parts for instances when multiple parts share the same number (such as the tow cable supports).… more |
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Project 661 Anchar (NATO reporting name Papa class)Published:
A recent addition to the IPMS Review Corps suppliers is Mikro-Mir, whose kits remind me of what I am used to seeing with limited production manufacturers. This is not a negative comment, but more of a heads up that some building experience is required to end up with a nice finished model at the end of construction. The overall assembly of this kit was relatively easy with 23 plastic parts and 11 photoetched parts included. Modelers with some experience will enjoy this kit, which represents a one-off design that was the fastest submarine produced to date. Project 661, also known as the Anchar-class to the USSR, and by NATO as the Papa-class, was a nuclear-powered submarine meant to launch guided missiles at surface ships during the Cold War. Directions were given to develop this… more |
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The German Soldier’s Pocket Manual, 1914-1918Published:
With the centennial anniversary of the end of the “war to end all wars” approaching on November 11, Stephen Bull adds this new pocket manual to the list of Osprey publications covering this period. This new book, which is compiled using excerpts from the German Army as well as from the intelligence sections of the British and American armies, describes German tactics throughout the war. It is an interesting read on a fascinating period in history as the militaries of the world were developing new weapons and tactics at an incredible rate. After the Introduction, the chapters are Der Spatenkrieg: The Spade War, Proposals for Technical Methods, German Instructions for the Employment of Flame Projectors, Trench Raid Report, Machine Gun Instructions, Nahkampfmittel, Minor Tactics,… more |
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USAF Fighter Pilot with ejection seat for F-5EPublished:
If you are looking to add a figure to your F-5 Freedom Fighter, you may want to investigate the latest offering from the Aires Aerobonus line. The figure is posed in his ejection seat with his hands resting on the throttle and stick. With a little care in removing the parts from the pour plug, and some painting, this figure is an easy addition for most modelers to place in their aircraft. The packaging for this figure is simple with a clear plastic bag containing the ejection seat and majority of the body of the pilot (the arms and head are separate) as well as a folded sheet of paper that provides drawings of the assembled figure as well as painting recommendations. The build was quick and easy, as the arms and head are set into position without issue. After giving… more |
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U-295 type U-VIIC/41 + "Biber" German SubmarinePublished:
If you are looking for a unique addition to your WWII U-boat collection, let me direct your attention to the kits of Mirage Hobby. In one of their latest releases, the company offers a Type VIIC boat equipped with a pair of Biber mini subs, each carrying a pair of torpedoes. Shying away from the typical 1/700 and 1/350 scales for ships, Mirage Hobby offers this and several other submarines molded in 1/400 scale. Modelers with some experience with small parts will have no issues with the construction of this kit. The actual U-295 was laid down on 31 December 1942, launched 13 September 1943 in Bremen, and was commissioned just over a month later on 20 October. Initially, the boat trained with the eighth Flotilla in July 1944 before being transferred to the 11thFlotilla in August… more |
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USS Richard B. Russell SSN-687Published:
“They saved the best for last.” The USS Richard B. Russell (SSN-687), named for the Georgia senator who served his state from 1933 to 1971, was the 37th and final boat of the Sturgeon class, and was the ninth long-hull version of the class. Built in the Newport News Shipyard, her keel was laid 19 October 1971; she was launched 12 January 1974, and was commissioned 16 August 1975. She was decommissioned 24 June 1994, and was scrapped through the Ship and Submarine Recycling Program between 1 October 2001 and 3 January 2003. Powered by an S5W reactor, the boat could travel at speeds of 15 knots surfaced, and 25 knots while submerged. The crew complement was 126, and she was armed with four 21-inch torpedo tubes. A recent addition to the IPMS Review Corps suppliers is OKB Grigorov… more |
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A-4E MasksPublished:
If you want to make life a little easier when masking and painting canopies and wheels, you may want to check out the line of masks produced by Eduard. This particular set is made for the Hobby Boss A-4E (kit 81764), and provides masks for the windscreen, canopy, and wheels/tires. The precut masks are easy to use, so modelers with a little experience placing items in exact locations will have no issues with this set. After seeing the decals provided at the IPMS Nationals last year, I decided that I needed to add an A-4E Skyhawk to my stash, and being a relatively small plane, 1/48 scale seemed appropriate. Hobby Boss had recently released their kit of the E model, so it was an easy decision when I saw one on the Squadron table. My late father in law was a Naval Aviator, and he… more |
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GBU-43/B MOABPublished:
The GBU (Guided Bomb Unit)-43/B, MOAB was released by Eduard in 1/72 scale (kit 672160) late last year, and was followed up by this release in 1/48 scale. In U.S. Air Force terminology, MOAB is a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, which is often referred to as the Mother of All Bombs, and for those who build this kit, you will likely refer to it as I do as the Mother of All Brass. The kit looks great built up, but you will want some experience with photoetched brass if you decide to construct one for your collection. I will mention here that it is a good idea to spend some money on your tools from time to time, as I do not know how I would have completed such a project without the Mission Models Etch Mate that I purchased several years ago. The GBU-43/B was conceptualized in the… more |
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SSN-578 "Skate"Published:
A recent addition to the IPMS Review Corps suppliers is Mikro-Mir, whose kits remind me of what I am used to seeing with limited production manufacturers. This is not a negative comment, but more of a heads up that some building experience is required to end up with a nice finished model at the end of construction. The overall assembly of this kit was fast with only 24 plastic parts, and the 11-photoetch items that I utilized. Modelers with some experience will enjoy this kit, which can be used to represent any of the four boats of the Skate-class (Skate, Swordfish, Sargo, and Seadragon). The USS Seadragon (SSN 584) was the second ship of the U.S. Navy to bear this name; she was the sixth nuclear-powered submarine and the fourth and final boat of the Skate-class. Her keel was… more |
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USS Nautilus SSN-571Published:
“Underway on nuclear power.” With those words uttered by Commander Eugene P. Wilkinson on the morning of 17 January 1955, the United States Navy had begun a new era in how submarines (later aircraft carriers, and for a time guided missile cruisers) would be propelled through the waters of the world. The USS Nautilus, SSN-571 was built using a Tang-class hull design, with a revolutionary Westinghouse nuclear reactor providing the steam used to power and propel the boat. SSN 571 was the sixth U.S. Navy vessel to carry the name Nautilus; she was authorized for construction in July 1951, her keel was laid in June 1952, and was launched in January 1954. She was decommissioned in March 1980 after steaming over 500,000 miles, and is currently on display at the Submarine Force Museum. … more |