Timothy Gidcumb
Reviews By Author
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Early P-40B Aluminum Prop & SpinnerPublished:
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter, after the P-51 and P-47; by November 1944, when production of the P-40 ceased, 13,738 had been built, all at Curtiss-Wright Corporation's main production facilities at Buffalo, New York. Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Ultracast P-40B Aluminum Prop & Spinner Curtiss 11' dia,… more |
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Early P-40B/C Tubular ExhaustsPublished:
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground-attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational service. The Warhawk was used by most Allied powers during World War II, and remained in frontline service until the end of the war. It was the third most-produced American fighter, after the P-51 and P-47; by November 1944, when production of the P-40 ceased, 13,738 had been built, all at Curtiss-Wright Corporation's main production facilities at Buffalo, New York. Recently I was… more |
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Tamiya Masking Tape for CurvesPublished:
The MSRP for the tape products are: 5mm $6.50 and 12mm $11.50 Masking is a job that makes most modelers cringe but it is a task that at some point in your modeling career you will use. There are several different types of tapes out there that seem to do the task to a certain level but we can find complaints in all of them. I was given the opportunity to review 2 different sizes of Tamiya’s tape offering’s to allow you to mask curves on your model of choice. The tape is made out of a soft resin material, allowing the tape to adhere in a curved line while preventing paint from seeping into masked off areas. I’m sure we are all familiar with Tamiya masking tape in the yellow variety but this tape offers more than just casual masking but allows you to make curves of any… more |
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Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Tail Wheel AssemblyPublished:
Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Aires Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 tail wheel assembly for the 1/32 Revell Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 kit. One of the first things to notice with this product is the excellent presentation of the packaging with the sealed flap on the back of the package to allow for easy access to parts. Upon removal of all the different parts that make up the tail wheel assembly, you will notice the great detail that we have come to expect from Aires QB products. The molding and detail on the tail wheel assembly’s parts are excellent and they come off of the resin block with little effort along with the help of an X-Acto blade or razor saw. The tail wheel assembly comes in several highly detailed parts that will need assembly. The tail wheel… more |
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Focke Wulf FW-190F-8 Fuel Point with CoversPublished:
Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Aires Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 fuel point with covers for the 1/32 Revell Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 kit. One of the first things to notice with this product is the excellent presentation of the packaging with the sealed flap on the back of the package to allow for easy access to parts. Upon removal of the resin fuel points and covers, you will notice the great detail that we have come to expect from Aires QB products. The molding on the fuel points and covers is excellent and it comes off of the resin block with little effort along with the help of a razor saw. As you notice in the pictures of the Revell Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 the fuel point covers are molded in the side panels of the fuselage. You will need to cut these… more |
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Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Gun CoverPublished:
Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Aires Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 Gun Cover for the 1/32 Revell Focke Wulf Fw 190F-8 kit. One of the first things to notice with this product is the excellent presentation of the packaging with the sealed flap on the back of package to allow for easy access to parts. Upon removal of the resin gun cover you will notice the great detail that we have come to expect from Aires QB products. The molding on the gun cover is excellent and it comes off of the resin block with little effort along with the help of a razor saw. Even though there is a separate gun cover in the kit, this cover is an addition to this kit, when looking at the side by side comparison you will notice that the Aires offering has a lot more underside… more |
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Curtiss P-40B Landing GPublished:
Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Scale Aircraft Conversions adaption of the Curtiss P-40B landing gear in white metal for the 1/48 Airfix kit. This set consists of two main gear legs, the two retraction strut pieces, which are on a metal sprue, and the tail gear strut. These are direct replacements for the parts from the Airfix kit. When comparing the kit landing gear and the SAC landing gear side by side you will notice they are very similar, other than the difference between plastic and white metal. Ignore the rough texture in the pictures all white metal is like this but will not show once painted. Overall this is highly recommended for stronger landing gear and added detail and is a great addition to the Airfix Curtiss P-40B kit. I would like to thank… more |
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Junkers Ju-88A-10 (A-5 Trop) North Africa LimitedPublished:
Dive-bombing. Torpedo-bombing. Night fighting. The Junkers Ju 88 could do it all - and then some. Over the hot, dusty battlefields of North Africa, the A-5 tropical relied on extensive air filters to keep out sand and dirt. Rommel's Afrikakorps relied on the Ju 88 for support strikes against Allied armor and positions. The broad-winged Ju 88 could carry 3-4,000 lbs. of bombs to targets at moderate range. Used effectively as part of Rommel's combined arms strategy, the Ju 88 helped Germany reverse Italian losses in North Africa and nearly carry the continent. KitHasegawa Junkers Ju-88A-10 (A-5 Trop) North Africa Limited Edition is a re-box of the ICM Ju-88 A-5 that was released in 2015. Hasegawa has added decals for 2 options Luftwaffe Stab / LG1 Kommodore… more |
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Meteor BoysPublished:
From the Publisher: Grub Street is proud to present Meteor Boys, the latest title in its ever-popular Boys series. As Britain's first jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor has had a remarkably varied and lengthy life. But whilst many books have focused on its development and service history, the time has come to hear the personal experiences of its air and ground crews. By interviewing over thirty veterans, author and Meteor veteran Steve Bond has written an incredibly detailed insight into this iconic aircraft, which is supported by anecdotes and accounts from those who knew it best. One example is Alan McDonald who described the Meteor as ‘a bit unforgiving if you got it wrong, as many pilots found out to their cost, especially on one engine, but I must admit I got to like… more |
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A-20 Havoc In ActionPublished:
From the Author: The Douglas A-20 Havoc was a light bomber, attack, and intruder aircraft of World War II. Used by the American Army Air Forces, nearly one-third of the aircraft served with the Soviet military. In fact the Soviet air forces had more A-20s than the USAAF while many other A-20s fought with the RAF. Illustrated with 192 vintage photographs and detailed line drawings. David Doyle continues to impressive with the latest In Action book on the A-20 Havoc. This is the third book in the In Action series on the A-20, Jim Mesko authored the first (#56) and second (#144). David has done a great job with this installment and has expanded on the other 2 editions. This book tells the story of the A-20 Havoc developed out of the DB-7 series of light… more |