Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.00

AOA Decals has filled another void in the decal world by producing a set for VF-143 Pukin’, and covers one specific airframe, BuNo 155887, call sign “Taproom”. The decals cover three cruises:

  • USS 1969-70
  • USS 1971-72
  • USS 1972-73

One note directly from their web site caught my attention. For the 1972-73 cruise, this aircraft also bore the name of VF-143's XO, CDR Harley Hall, who sadly become the last Navy combat loss on 27 January 1973 flying Taproom 113 and last American to be listed as POW. While his RIO was later released, there is still controversy and contradictions surrounding the ultimate fate of CDR Hall. CDR Hall was previously Blue Angels Officer-In-Charge/Flight Leader (Plane 1), he and his Blue Angel team were featured in the 1975 documentary Threshold – “The Blue Angel Experience.” One of the first things you note about all AOA decals is the depth of the research and passion which they devote to it.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$14.00

Two Bobs has been giving us awesome decals for a very long time now, and this latest set is designed for the wonderful Tamiya 1/32 F-15C kit. These markings represent the F-15C’s from the 65th Aggressor Squadron from Nellis AFB. When this was squadron was disbanded, the F-15’s were sent to various ANG squadrons. The planes from this sheet were sent to the 144th FW in Fresno, CA hence the “repo” Eagles name. These planes still retained their aggressor markings.

Review Author
James Corley
Published on
Company
Yellow-Wings Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$13.95

The Kingfisher was the result of a competition in the late 1930s to replace the SOC Seagull, a biplane battleship & cruiser scout plane. The new airplane was a radical improvement over the SOC in performance and maintainability. The aircraft proved so popular with both the aircrews and shipboard crews that its immediate replacement, the SO3C Seamew, was often left behind due to "maintenance issues", and the OS2U & SOC served far longer than the Bureau of Aeronautics wanted, with most of the aviation-capable ships still using them at the end of the war.

The decals provided give the builder the option to build one of several Kingfishers:

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Res-Im
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.66

A new company to me; Resin Improvements (RES IM)… THANKS VERY MUCH Lukas for sending IPMS USA this wheel and tire set to review, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for trusting me to use them on my model….

This is a well-executed improvement over the Eduard Mig-21 kit wheels and tires. Three fully-assembled wheels and tires! The wheels are extremely well done with fine details. Bolts, brakes and associated wheel bits are there.

The improvement over the basic kit items is welcome. The kit tires are injection molded in two halves in plastic, and the wheels are separate items in the Eduard set. I personally like the separate wheels and hubs as I can get a clean, clear paint job if I am careful while cementing them into place. The Res IM wheels and tires offer a simpler solution but you have to be careful painting them.

Review Author
David Wrinkle
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$62.99

The Ki-67 was a very robust aircraft, able to withstand heavy battle damage and employed good defensive armament. Its high maneuverability allowed it to carry out dive bombing attacks and escape from a low level. Japanese troops nicknamed it the "Flying Dragon," while the Allies gave it the code-name "Peggy." This limited edition kit features resin upper panel and drop tank parts, side panel parts and three marking options to represent the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's 14th Flight Regiment in August 1945.

Book Author(s)
Author: James D’Angina, Illustrator: Adam Tooby
Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$19.00

There is no question that the Mitsubishi A6M Zero is one of the most famous and recognizable aircraft of the Second World War. From its early days of domination over the skies, to the end of the conflict where the once seemingly invincible aircraft was relegated to Kamikaze missions; the Reisen saw service throughout the war in Japanese Naval Air Force service.

Author James D’Angina tells the story of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero in Osprey Publishing’s Air Vanguard #19. Chapters are broken down as follows:

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$35.00

A new release from Casemate Publishing, this set of 16 full color posters is just what every aircraft modeler and enthusiast will want for the Hobby Cave, office, or wall. Each poster is 11in x 17in and features a different aircraft. Thirteen of the posters feature aircraft from World War II while the remaining three posters feature post war jets.

Aircraft list:

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Advanced Modeling
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$7.45

Advanced Modeling, based in Chelyabinsk Russia, has jumped in to help 1/72 (and 1/48 as well as 1/32) model builders of modern Russian aircraft that include the Su-24M, Su-25TM, Su-25SM, Su-30MKI, Su-30MKK, Su-32, MiG-27K, and MiG-29SMT. This new release provides two KAB-500Kr 500kg TV guided bombs consisting of four grey resin parts and two clear resin parts. It also includes a photoetched fret consisting of two pieces for the rear end of the bombs and a well done waterslide decal sheet with black stencil markings.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that Advanced Modeling uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. Painting instructions are included with the instruction sheet, in this case calling out FS 26473 grey. The resin parts are well cast with no air-bubbles or any casting errors that I could spot on any of the resin parts.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Advanced Modeling
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$7.95

Advanced Modeling, based in Chelyabinsk Russia, has jumped in to help 1/72 (and 1/48 as well as 1/32) model builders of modern Russian aircraft that include the Su-24M, Su-25TM, Su-25SM, Su-30MKI, Su-30MKK, Su-32, MiG-27K, and MiG-29SMT. This new release provides two KAB-500L 500kg laser guided bombs consisting of six resin parts. It also includes a photoetched fret consisting of two pieces for the rear end of the bombs and a well done waterslide decal sheet with black stencil markings.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that Advanced Modeling uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. Painting instructions are included with the instruction sheet, in this case calling out FS 26473 grey. The resin parts are well cast with no air-bubbles or any casting errors that I could spot on any of the resin parts.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$18.00

Brengun has provided another great uncommon model a 1947 production Soviet Pulse Jet missile based on the German V-1.

The kit contains

  • 1 sprues molded in hard, light tan styrene
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

This build starts the twin pulse jet engines which do require a little bit of attention with filler when complete. Construction moves on to the missile body and again a little bit of iller is required. Wing and tail assembly was straight forward and I utilized a jig were aligned correctly as the attachment locations are very shallow. The final stage of the missile assembly is to attach of the pulse jet engines to the body and expect no surprises with this step. The missile cart assembly went together very easily. The kit includes details of two color schemes and I chose to finish the kit in the the Black version as I love Black!