The KAB-1500Kr series are Electro-Optical guided bombs. The seeker employs a gimbaled daylight television imaging sensor under a wide angle glass dome. This has enhanced sensors for guiding the bomb and can come in several different explosive materials inside. It is a large weapon for taking out difficult hardened items. Advanced Modeling has produced a 1/72^nd scale version of this weapon and it is a beauty!

Paul Hare has taken a new look at the RAF BE2c (and BE2d) service in WWI. Although not beloved by its crews with nicknames like ‘Quirk’ and ‘Fokker Fodder’, it was an important aircraft for the RFC. Datafile number 42 by J M Bruce came out in1993, and Paul Hare visited the RAF BE2 / BE2a / BE2b in Datatafile number 163 and the RAF BE2e in Datafile number 165, so it is about time that Windsock revisited the RAF BE2c.

Bronco’s 1/35^th scale model of the Horsa Glider Mk. 1 is quite an impressive model, as anyone who has built it will tell you. They may also mention that the landing gear of this kit is fairly fragile, as it’s obliged to hold up a fair amount of weight on this over two-foot long kit.

Scale Aircraft Conversions have come to the rescue with a very nice set of white metal parts which are direct replacements for all of the landing gear components including the front fork. The only thing not reproduced is the skid itself.

As you might expect, these are stronger for the most part than the styrene items included in the kit, and should assist in keeping your model from “drooping” over time – something I’ve been a bit concerned about with my own copy.

Thank you to Ginter Books for providing a review copy of their new release, Naval Fighters Number 102, a second volume covering the Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker and the WF-2/E - 1 B Tracer. I also appreciate all of those in the IPMS Reviewer Corps, who do the heavy lifting to get the reviews done, from start to finish.

Overview

The Tracker holds a special interest for me beyond my personal enthusiasm for USN aviation, an interest honed after hearing two Navy veterans argue about how effective the aircraft was. Naturally, one was a submarine officer, and the other an S2F aviator. This volume adds to the material covered in Part 1, Naval Fighters Number 101, adding brief narratives, squadron insignia images, and photographs related to the aircraft as it was used by reserves, utility, training, and other interesting operational units.

Videoaviation is new to me and once I received the sample for review, I am wondering why I have not seen their fine aftermarket resin sets. Packaged in a sturdy plastic box, resin is protected by bubble wrap with all parts flash free and cast in light tan resin. A nice touch is the pour block on the pod is on the underside opposite the side on where it connects to the pylon. This makes it easy to remove that portion and sand contour without damaging features.

There are two choices on rocket types so take notes on what version you are modeling. These parts can easily be sanded free of the pour base. Instructions show to add lugs to the top but the sample already has these cast in simplifying the assembly however the lugs are very delicate and mine were broken. Not a problem if installing on a pylon and that detail will be hidden. Decals are included with all having a white background except for “Remove before Flight” flags.