Tom Moon
Reviews By Author
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Sd.Kfz.10 w/3.7cm PaK 35/36Published:
This kit represents a field modification of an SdKfz 10 Halftrack to mount the 3.7cm PaK 35/36 in the bed. The AT gun basically just had the wheels removed and was placed in a specially designed cradle in the bed of the halftrack. The sprues are from the halftrack kit (new) and the 3.7cm PaK kit (old), along with the special sprue for the mounting of the gun. There are Magic Tracks for the tracks and, if you are careful, they will moveable and will allow for a good representation of the track sag. There is one sprue of clear plastic and one small fret of photo etched parts. Step 1. This step builds the drive sprocket, idler wheel, and the two front wheels. It has been noted elsewhere that the drive sprocket is undersize in both the diameter and the thickness. After I built a run… more |
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German Super Tank 'Maus' with Tank HuntersPublished:
This super heavy tank project was started in November, 1941. By May of 1942, the size of this tank had increased varied from 70 to 120 tons, and its armament varied from 10.5cm to 15cm, finally settling on 12.8cm, then adding a second gun of 7.5cm. This project slowly progressed due to many changes, lack of adequate motors to propel the beast, and constant competing for materials and space in the production cycles. The plan was for 180 of the tanks, but only 2 were delivered to the testing center and were there at the end of the war. These two tanks were blown up by the Germans to keep the Red Army from capturing them. However, the Russians did find several hulls and turrets at the Krupp works and apparently “built” an example that is now in the Kubinka Tank Museum.
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Flakpanzer GepardPublished:
The Flakpanzer Gepard was a German design that began after WWII in 1955. The design and prototype stages took a very long time and the first Gepard was not deployed till 1975. The basic design had two 35mm Oerlikon cannons mounted on the outside of a turret that has two radar tracking systems. The first radar was 360 degree surveillance radar that tracked and identified targets. Once identified, the target was transferred to the tracking radar that controlled the two guns. This system allowed the two radars to work independently of each other, with the tracking radar concentrating on the target while the surveillance radar looked for other targets. The chassis was based on the Leopard MBT. The Gepard was removed from service in 2010 when it was replaced with the SysFla mobile and… more |
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Masks for Trumpeter Voroshilovets TractorPublished:
These sets of masks are for the use in painting the model without painting the clear glass windows and lamps. The masks are made of a vinyl type of material and are different from the yellow “Tamiya” type of tape. Because they are of this vinyl type of material, they are much stiffer, but do allow you to place them fairly easily. However, it became a task to remove them without popping the glass out. There is a two part mask for the windshield that allows for a depiction of a dirty windshield that has been wiped clean by the windshield wipers. This worked very well and does make the weathering process easier. The only complaint I have about the set, is that there are only enough for one side of the glass. And due to the stiffness of the vinyl when you remove it, it curls so bad… more |
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Photo Etch for Trumpeter Voroshilovets TractorPublished:
Page 1 has the replacement of the front bumper after removing the plastic one. You will need a PE bending tool as the replacement part is several inches long. This step also replaces the rear fender support with a PE U channel. A bending tool would be helpful here. There are replacement foot petals, but I did not use them. They are deep in the cabin and are hard to see unless you leave the doors open. There are two front grill add-ons that look very good. The final item on this page is the addition of PE chains to the towing bolts. I did not place them on until very late in the build, as these have a tendency to pop off during handling. Page 2 has the removal and replacement of the engine access panels. This requires you to bend the louvers to show them with open air access. I… more |
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British 17/25 Pounder Anti-tank Gun PheasantPublished:
This kit is a representation of the 17-pdr Anti-Tank gun used by the British Army during WWII. This variant was rushed into service when the Germans introduced the Tiger Tank into North Africa. Due to the expedited production of the gun, the correct carriage was not ready; therefore the British mounted the gun on the 25-pdr carriage. This combination as designated the 17/25-pdr and has a security code name of “Pheasant” The weapon was effective and the only criticism by the troops was its tall profile. Sprues:
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German Heavy Truck L-4500 "Einheitsfahrerhaus"Published:
The L-4500 German Heavy Truck was a design caused by the shortage of metals during 1943. To reduce the amount of metal used in fabrication, the following design changes were made: the front fenders were made of sheet metal, the cabin was made of plywood on a wooden frame, and the front and rear bumpers were eliminated. These modifications stayed in production through the end of the war. Step 1- 6. These steps direct the building of the engine. Even if you do not plan to open the hood to show the engine, you will need to at least include the main body along with parts C41 and C27 (lower pan), as it and the drive shaft that attaches to it are visible from the side. If you intend to use the mechanic figure as part of a diorama and show the hood open, you will need to do surgery to… more |
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Flakpanzer IV Ausf G "Wirbelwind" Early ProductionPublished:
The Flakpanzer IV “Wirbelwind” (German for whirlwind) was a self-propelled quad 2.0 cm anti-aircraft gun based on the Pz IV. It was developed in 1944 as a replacement for the Mobelwagen. The Wirbelwind was replaced by the Ostwind with a single 3.7cm FlaK 43. The number of units produced ranged from upper 80’s to approximately 105. This is a multimedia kit comprised of 500+ styrene parts, magic tracks, one braided metal wire (which is very stiff even after annealing), one photo etched fret, decals and the set of instructions that need to be reviewed very carefully before gluing any parts together. Most Dragon models today are a collection of old sprues and new sprues added to create a new kit variant. In this case, Dragon has done so and you will have some sprues with… more |
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Attack on Pearl Harbor: Strategy, Combat, Myths, DeceptionsPublished:
The book is divided into 13 chapters with and introduction and 5 appendixes: Appendixes
This book is best described by as an analysis of the Japanese Pearl Harbor air raid on an operational and tactical level, using operational research methods and combat models developed at the US Naval War College. Each chapter reviews what and how the Japanese military planners and the top commanders thought the primary goals were to be and how to accomplish those goals, filtered thru the mindset, doctrine and… more |
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German 8.8cm Panzerjagerkanone PaK 43Published:
Layout of the Sprues:
Steps 1, 2, & 3 – Building of the Cruciform base This is a basic construction with only two options. You can build the model… more |