Will Kuhrt
Reviews By Author
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Henschel Hs 129 B2/RIII Landing GearPublished:
The Zoukei-Mura 1/32 Henschel Hs 129 B-2/RIII was first released in 2019. A new tool version of a Hs 129-B3 was released in 2022. This SAC landing gear kit is formed of white metal and has excellent detail, as is customary with all SAC products. There are a total of 16 parts. Very little clean up is necessary. There is no visible flash on any of the pieces. After detaching, a light sanding of the spurs is all that is needed. Prior to priming and painting, it is recommended to wash the parts in a mild dish detergent solution to remove any mold release, finger oils, etc. This replacement set is very nicely detailed and for a large kit such as the Hs 129 B-2RIII, it is an excellent way to increase the sturdiness of your model. I highly recommend this replacement set.… more |
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F/A-18 Hornet Main Landing GearPublished:
The BBI 1/18 F/A-18 Hornet is a fully-painted and detailed plastic display model and belongs to the “Elite Force” family of products. This is not a traditional plastic model kit nor is it a toy. These are prepared display models intended for the serious collector. This SAC landing gear kit is a replacement for the BBI Hornet’s main landing gear. Because the canopy, all control surfaces and the landing gear are all functional-you can extend and retract the landing gear—they are prone to breaking. This replacement set is very sturdy and for the scale, it has good basic detail. Thank you to Scale Aircraft Conversions for supplying this sample, and thank you for IPMS for the privilege to review it. |
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1/16 German Tank Bits #3Published:
Value Gear Details, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, produces a wide range of high-quality resin accessories for most common model scales. Many of the accessories and stowage sets are universal, which is a nice advantage. This allows the model builder to customize the look they want by mixing sets or you can use one sets intended for specific subjects, such as the “German Tank Bits” family of accessories. The set featured in this review has 21 pieces. Also available is set German Tank Bits #1 consisting of 22 pieces, and German Tank Bits #2 with 21 pieces. The detail of these is stellar. I never cease to be amazed at the level of fine detail Value Gear achieves! Clean-up is minimal. Two of the pieces (ammo cans) do need to be removed from their pour blocks. I… more |
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1/20 – 1/16 Tarp Rolls & Crate Stowage Bits #2Published:
Value Gear Details, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, produces a wide range of high-quality resin accessories for most common model scales. Many of the accessories and stowage sets are universal, which is a nice advantage. The set featured in this review has 14 pieces molded in gray resin. There are 10 rolls of different sizes and four crates. Also available in this scale are sets Crates #1 Sci-Fi Style, Crates # 2 Traditional Military Style, Tarp Rolls & Crate Stowage Bits #1, Tarp Rolls & Crate Stowage Bits #3, and Tarp Rolls & Crate Stowage Bits #4. Clean-up is minimal. I removed the miniscule amount of flash by running a hobby knife along the bottom edge. Next, I soaked the pieces in a mild detergent solution and left them to air dry. This recommended step ensures… more |
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Early USN WildcatsPublished:
This decal set is intended for the Eduard 1/48 F4F-3 Wildcat and is one of the three Wildcat decals sets from Starfighter Decals. The Early USN Wildcats set provides markings for six different aircraft: F4F-3A Number 3916 Ens. Daniels VF6; F4F-3A Bu. Number 3914 Lt. Rawle VF-6; F4F-3A Bu. Number 4031 Lt. E. O’Hare VF-2; F4F-3A Bu. Number 3976 Lt. J.S. Thatch VF-2; F4F-3 Bu. Number 2531 Ens. McCuskey VF-42 and F-1 Bu. No. 4031 Lt. Cmdr. Paul L. Ramsey. The decals are easy to work with, however, there are a few things to watch out for. The tail rudder decals are larger than the kit’s rudder piece. To get the edges to lay down, you will need to apply MicroSol or a similar product. Apply a decal on one side and allow it to fully dry, and then apply the opposite side. BUT…pay… more |
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F4F-3 WildcatPublished:
Eduard’s new F4F-3 Wildcat is a beautiful and well-engineered kit. The recessed panel lines, raised and recessed rivets are gorgeous. The kit contains five gray and one clear sprues, beautiful pre-painted photo-etch parts and a decal sheet, which provides markings for six different planes. The kit, however, is not without its flaws. The 58-gallon drop tank, which all productions of the F4F-3 could carry, is absent from the instructions. There is mistake with the decal callouts (what is identified as Nr. 59 should be Nr. 54). There are raised demarcation lines on the edges of the prop blades for the yellow tips. These should be sanded down. There is nothing inside the wings to hold the guns, so when you insert them into the holes, they won’t stop and you could easily lose a gun… more |
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Astro Vertical Frameless Display CasePublished:
The Astro Vertical Frameless Display Cases are versatile display cases which come in a range of sizes and which are suitable for many model display applications. The cases are constructed of a seamless molded acrylic cover minimally framed in Cherry hardwood. The design features built-in handles, a cover which is easily removed with no special tools, the ability to be outfitted with lighting (provided as an accessory) as well as the ability to be hung on a wall or displayed on a shelf or mantle. The Cherry hardwood grain is beautiful, and the care to the overall finish—the smoothed edges, the gentle curves—gives it an elegant appearance which only compliments any fine model in your collection. The sample in this review measures 11”x 6” x 10.5”. It is the perfect… more |
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1/20 – 1/16 Traditional Military Style Crates #2Published:
Value Gear Details, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, produces a wide range of high-quality resin accessories for most common model scales. Many of the accessories and stowage sets are universal, which is a nice advantage. This allows the model builder to customize the look they want by mixing sets or you can use one sets intended for specific subjects, such as the ‘Shermie Bits & Extras’. The set featured in this review has 11 pieces. Also available is set Crates #1 consisting of 10 pieces. The pieces are molded in a dark-brown resin and the detail is impressive. There are even tiny nails! Clean-up is minimal. I removed the miniscule amount of flash by running a hobby knife along the bottom edge. Next, I soaked the pieces in a mild detergent solution and left them to… more |
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Paasche D3000R Oil-less Air CompressorPublished:
The Paasche Airbrush Company, based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was started in 1904 by Jens Paasche, a self-educated Norwegian immigrant, who through his self-educated inventive genius, became a leader in the air painting industry around the turn of the century. Today, the Paasche Airbrush Company is one of the world’s leaders in airbrush industry and produces a full line of equipment—airbrushes, compressors, spray guns and spray booths, and related equipment for professionals as well as hobbyists. The D3000R is a 1/5 horsepower piston air compressor. It has a ¾ gallon tank and a maximum operating pressure of approximately 40 PSI with a deliverable range of 1-40 PSI. Upon opening the box, you will see it is very well packaged and contains the compressor, pressure regulator, thread… more |
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Small Arms for the Volkssturm Set 1Published:
The set is part of a new line of 3D printed 1/35 scale accessories. The kit contains one instruction sheet, photo etched straps and a one 3D printed part with four weapons on supports. To begin, I primed the weapons using Tamiya Fine Surface Primer while they were still on the supports. Next, I air brushed them with a base coat using AK Interactive Gunmetal. I removed the first weapon by cutting the supports at the bottom due to the tight fit and to prevent unnecessary damage to the gun. Once it was free, I then carefully removed the figures see picture 7. After all the weapons had been removed and trimmed, I completed the painting process. All that remained was to attach the photo etched straps. My one criticism of this set, is that the instructions tell you to… more |