Steve Zajac
Reviews By Author
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Austro-Hungarian Battleships 1914-18Published:
Osprey Publishing’s latest monograph focuses on the waning years of the Habsburg Empire, and the Kaiserliche und Konigliche (k.u.k) Kriegsmarine's effort to protect its southern coast on the Adriatic Sea before and during WWI. Today, the coast and the cities along the coast, Trieste, Pola, and Fiume, among others, are parts of present day Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The book features fine illustrations of the 5 ship classes, 2 “in action” paintings, and many sharp black and white photos, sure to be of interest to ship modelers. The only weakness is the lack of a map of the 1914 Habsburg Empire's coast, and theater of operations during WWI. As the book notes, Admiral von Tegetthoff's victory against Italy in the Battle of Lissa in 1866 was celebrated as the… more |
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Panther: Germany's Quest for Combat DominancePublished:
The Greens have written a detailed, very readable account of the Panther tank (Panzerkampfwagen V, Ausfuhrüng D). Michael Green has first-hand knowledge of the Panther, as he was a member of the team that restored a Panther A, now part of the late Jacques Littlefield's collection in Portola Valley, CA. I'm not an armor buff myself but found the book easy to read and understand. The book is well written, and both armor buffs and modelers can each take away all the detail or general info they desire. The book provides color photos of restored tanks' interior and exteriors, and WWII black & white photos of operating and knocked-out tanks. Best of all, the Greens provide first-hand accounts of the Panther's effectiveness in battle from official British and US reports, as well as… more |
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1962 Ford ThunderbirdPublished:
Round 2 has reissued the AMT 1962 Thunderbird with both stock and custom parts, not offered in the original release. The 1962 Ford Thunderbird, known to aficionados as the “Bullet Bird”, was the 3rd generation of the 3 most classic and beloved Thunderbird designs: “Square Bird” 1958-1960, “Bullet Bird” 1961-1963, and “Flair Bird” 1964-1966. The customizing features include ride lowering suspension with rear skirts, low profile whitewall tires and sombrero wheels, Lucas style headlights and sombrero taillights, and a 4 barrel engine option with separate manifold and air cleaner. The decals are a customizer’s dream: scallops for the hood, rear deck and sides, pinstripes, and “T-bird for Two” logos in black and white. To top off the custom look, choose the… more |
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U-511 Type IXC Turm IPublished:
After producing several 1/400th U-boats, Mirage is now offering U-boats in the increasingly popular 1/350th scale. The U-511 was a Kriegsmarine long-range IX-C type submarine. The Turm-I variant included trial installation of a six tube Wurfkörper 42 artillery rocket launcher rack and improved 37mm and 20mm anti-aircraft armament. The kit features a 2-piece full hull, detailed exterior surfaces, conning tower with 2 periscopes and wintergarten, 10.5cm deck gun, display base, photo-etch parts (railings for all deck levels, anchor, cable cutter, WGr42 launcher base, ladders, screw blades and nameplate), and decals (U-511 bow placards and ensign). The completed model is approximately 8.6" long. Having worked most recently with 1/25th scale autos,… more |
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1969 Dodge Charger NHRA Funny Car - Chi-Town HustlerPublished:
Revell has come out with an all new tool kit of this iconic late 1960’s funny car *, with the offset engine, hood, and chassis all faithfully reproduced in the kit. Based on the reproduction of the actual car, the kit consists of 90 parts, with chrome, body, and clear parts bagged separately from the others. The new mold is impressive: the fiberglass body is a spot on reproduction of the ‘Mini- Charger’, and the chassis frame is delicately molded in one piece with a fully detailed offset cockpit and roll cage. Details are crisp, fit is Tamiya-like, and the model looks great when completed. Rated a “3” in terms of difficulty, experience with small parts is a must. I built the major sub-assemblies: body, engine, chassis frame, suspensions, and cockpit following the 9 page instructions.… more |
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British Dreadnought vs German DreadnoughtPublished:
Osprey Publishing’s latest monograph (Book # 31 in their Duel series) focuses on the largest World War I battleships, the Dreadnoughts, and the epic 1916 clash between the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Kaiser's High Seas Fleet. Author Stille (CDR USN ret.), makes the technical material understandable to the layman, and is ably assisted by the illustrators, whose drawings and maps clarify the ships’ layouts and the battle tactics. I read the chapters in order, and found them well organized, with the climactic Battle of Jutland saved for last. The reader, depending on his previous knowledge of the subject, may choose any particular chapter of interest. The book is an excellent starting point for naval history buffs, war gamers and ship modelers. I selected the book to learn more about… more |