Steve Zajac
Reviews By Author
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U-47 in Scapa Flow The Sinking of HMS Royal Oak 1939Published:
Osprey Publishing’s latest edition in their Raid series looks at sinking of the HMS Royal Oak by German U-boat U-47 in 1939. From the website: "At the outset of World War II, Scapa Flow was supposed to be the safe home base of the British Navy - nothing could penetrate the defences of this bastion. So how, in the dead of night, was Gunther Prien's U-47 able to slip through the line of protective warships to sink the mighty Royal Oak? This book provides the answer with an account of one of the most daring naval raids in history. Drawing on the latest underwater archaeological research, this study explains how Prien and his crew navigated the North Sea and Kirk Sound to land a devastating blow to the British." The author Angus Konstam provides detailed research, both past and… more |
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Leyte 1944 Return to the PhillipinesPublished:
Osprey Publishing’s latest campaign monograph focuses on the battle waged by the US to regain the Philippine Islands held by the Japanese since 1942. This from the website: "The loss of the Philippines in 1942 was the worst defeat in American military history. General Douglas MacArthur, the 'Lion of Luzon', was evacuated by order of the President just before the fall, but he vowed to return, and in August 1944 he kept his word when he led what, at the time, was the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the island of Leyte. This is the full story of that fateful battle, one of the most ferocious campaigns of World War II and one of huge strategic and symbolic significance. In the face of stubborn Japanese resistance, including the first systematic use of Kamikaze attacks, the… more |
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Armies of the Greek-Turkish War 1919-22Published:
Osprey Publishing’s latest Men-at-Arms monograph focuses on the fighting men, weapons and equipment used during the war between the Greeks and Turks, in the aftermath of World War I. This from the website: "This is a comprehensive guide to the armies that fought a devastating and decisive conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean between the two World Wars of the 20th century. From the initial Greek invasion, designed to "liberate" the 100,000 ethnic Greeks that lived in Western Turkey and had done for centuries, to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's incredibly efficient formation of a national government and a regular army, this was a war that shaped the geopolitical landscape of the Mediterranean to this day. It gave birth to the modern Turkish state, displacing millions and creating bitter… more |
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King TIger Tank (Henschel Turret) Sd.Kfz.182Published:
This kit is a re-boxing of an earlier kit, with a photo etch fret, vinyl tracks, and decals. According to the website: "Cyber-Hobby is well known for its fantastic Orange Box tank and figure set combos in 1/35 scale. These special sets provide updated Dragon kits that have not been available for some time and at competitive prices." Detail is excellent for this scale, and goes together without any glitches. You get decals for 3 tanks dated 1944-1945 located in Andler, the Eastern Front, and Germany. 2 tanks are three tone camo, one is two tone. The kit went together without a glitch, there's only 8 total steps:
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SnapTite Build & Play 2015 Ford Mustang GTPublished:
Revell has released the brand new 2015 Ford Mustang GT in its SnapTite line, coinciding with the fall introduction of the actual car to auto dealers nationwide. The kit is a fast build with 10 pieces, and comes well packed in plastic sleeves with no sprues whatsoever. All parts are wrapped in plastic, are crisply molded and look to be very accurate. This was a 15-20 minute build by my nephew, age 11, who also took the attached pictures. The comments that follow are his own. Overall, he gave the kit 4 out of 5 stars. It was a fast build and easy. The body seemed accurate, and the yellow color was cool. The instructions were clear and easy to follow. The interior (consisting of fully appointed black interior with steering wheel) was realistic. It didn't matter that there was no… more |
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USS Zumwalt DDG-1000Published:
The US Navy’s pending new guided-missile destroyer class looks like something entirely out of a science fiction movie. Known as the Zumwalt class (Admiral Elmo Zumwalt was the youngest officer ever to serve as Chief of Naval Operations, and he led the USN during the time of the Vietnam War), it features a wave-piercing hull and sleek form to reduce its radar cross-section. The first-of-class USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) was launched in October 2013 and she’s expected to reach initial operating capability in 2016 at a cost of about $1.4 billion. Only three 14,654-ton Zumwalt-class destroyers will be built by General Dynamics. With a crew of 142, USS Zumwalt will reach speeds of 30.3 knots. Her armament includes 20 MK 57 VLS missile modules, two 155mm guns and two Mk 46 30mm cannons, plus she… more |
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F-5F/N Defenders of the Conch RepublicPublished:
US Navy squadron VFC-111, stationed at Key West, Florida, is the only F-5 Adversary Squadron on the East Coast. In the 2012–13 timeframe, a new tail scheme was approved for all of the squadron aircraft. Twobobs last provided a decal sheet for VFC-111 in 2007 (48-143). At that time, the only kit in town was the venerable Revell/Monogram version. Happily, Twobobs has updated the sheet with the Sun Downers’ latest F-5N/F schemes, and you can try them out on the newer AFV Club kit. The color diagrams of seven aircraft are superbly laid out in four perspectives: top, bottom, left and right:
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JGSDF Type 10 MBT Prototype w/DozerPublished:
I enjoy 72nd scale armor kits; they're usually easy to build without a zillion parts. Also, I've built mainly aircraft and cars over the last 15 years, so a fresh subject helps to get the modeling juices flowing again. This kit fits the bill. It's well cast with crisp moldings and excellent details for the scale, and the finished model certainly looks like the real-life subject (though I'm not counting the rivets). The kit goes together well, but there are a few issues the modeler will have to contend with. Steps 1-10 deal with the tracks and wheels. You need to decide whether to use the optional street pads (I did not). The tracks are injection-molded, so assembly to the wheels was fairly easy. When you add the side skirts in step 12, however, much of the running gear will not… more |
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Arnie Beswick's "The Super Judge" 1969 Pontiac GTO Funny CarPublished:
To honor funny car racers of the ’60s and ’70s, Round 2 LLC announced last year that it will be releasing a new drag racing memorabilia line called "Legends of the Quarter Mile." The first model kit released was Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick's 1969 GTO funny car known as the "Super Judge." Hailing from Morrison, Illinois, Beswick is a legend in his own time. He is the most well-known Pontiac drag racer in the world. For over 50 years, his successes have made him a fan favorite. Keep in mind this nostalgia kit was originally issued in 1969 by MPC, and has been reissued several times since, this time in a very cool original box art. As it’s an older kit, expect to spend considerable time cleaning up the parts. Round 2 has also added "MH Racemaster" printed slicks and very nice Beswick… more |
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M&H Racemaster Dragster SlicksPublished:
AMT has now released another package of pad printed tires, this time eight 11.75" M&H Dragmaster slicks. The printing is sharp in a flat white color, and the lettering is not raised above the surface. The tires are hollow vinyl and can accommodate any number of wheels from various drag model kits. In the attached picture, I've fitted wheels from the following kits with no trouble:
I look forward to using a pair on my next dragster! Thanks to Round 2 for the parts pack, and thanks to IPMS USA for the opportunity to review this detail set. |