I’d like to thank Osprey Publishing for offering this book to be reviewed, and I’d like to thank IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it.
The Focke Wulf Ta-152H series was the ultimate development of the FW-190 design, and appeared in small numbers right at the close of World War II in Europe. Most of our readers are probably familiar with the history of the type, so I won’t go into many details. Needless to say, the Ta-152H series, which was powered by a Junkers Jumo 213E-1 engine of over 1,700 hp., was as good as any of the piston engine fighters that were operational at the end of the war.
Squadron Signal’s latest Walk Around title deals with the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. The book is presented in its typical 80-page softcover landscape format. You can also get the book in hardcover format for an additional $10. It is chock full of clear and well presented color and black & white photos which provide not only overall long-shots, but the typical Walk Around up-close detail shots. All photos are accompanied by descriptive captions, although I did find an error to the caption of a photo on page 58 which describes the photo as a Marine loading an Mk-82 Snakeye, when in fact, he is loading ammo for the 20mm gun. Otherwise, all seems in order.
The arrival of the Zvezda Bf-109F-4 has been highly anticipated by this modeler. Having built the Bf-109F-2, I was excited about the possibilities. Packaged in an extremely sturdy cardboard locking-lid box, the kit features a beautiful painting of a JG54 aircraft in combat. This is just an exciting beginning to the model.
Inside the cardboard box, you are treated to three large light grey sprues, two smaller light grey ones, and a sprue of clear parts. There are over 200 parts and they are beautifully rendered, although my lower wings were slightly warped. This would be no big deal, as the upper wings would take care of the warp. The detail is gorgeous and perfectly rendered with no flash anywhere. You get parts for the F-4 and F-4/Trop. A relatively complete engine is included, and you’ll have to use most of it regardless if you have the engine cowlings open or not.
This aircraft need little introduction, being one of the two major fighters of the German air force in World War 2. The Bf-109E-1 was the first of the Emil versions and lead to the F through K versions. The Emil was also the basis for the ill-fated carrier fighter for the Graf Zeppelin.
Huge thanks as usual go to our friends at MMD Squadron for providing us these great kits and manufacturing the accessories to improve them. We at IPMS USA appreciate your support (and thanks, Dick and Steve, for trusting my questionable skills to execute a review!).
This kit brings yet another Corsair to the stable. In the box is, of course, an excellent F4U-4 kit with minute, delicate surface detail. Multiple options such as antennas, folded or extended wings, and an open canopy are offered. A decal sheet with two Korean War marking options is provided, and a full-color “here’s what it should look like” paint leaflet is also there. All parts are individually bagged and protected; the cowl and clear parts are separated from the main parts by a cardboard divider.
The Pilatus was a widely exported Swiss (STOL) turboprop utility aircraft floatplane variant, powered by Pratt Whitney of Canada. The aircraft began its career in 1959. It had been modified with several different engines. The aircraft ended its military career in the mid 1990’s. It then started a new career, or second life, in the private sector with some modified as floatplanes.
The model is made of injection molded plastic, gray in color. The instructions were made up in book form, printed on both sides of the pages. Other parts were made up of clear plastic windows and landing lights.
For those who might have missed it, Eduard has launched the Bunny Fighter Club, a membership club from Eduard which will have special kits and aftermarket available to members only. To join, you need to purchase their excellent 1/48 MiG-21MF kit which has Bunny Club markings. The markings for the kit include the 2 Czech planes and the MiG-21MF flown by Lt. C. Bunnyfield. This colorful character has a light blue and green plane with orange details, with a large bunny on the tail wielding a missile.
All kidding aside, Bunny Club members receive some great perks:
This product review will begin with a general introduction to GasPatch Models. GasPatch Models is located in Athens, Greece. GasPatch was founded in 2011 and produces plastic model kits and an excellent array of aftermarket parts intended for WWI aircraft subjects. One gets a sense of the professional nature of this enterprise by visiting the GasPatch website. The website is first-rate in appearance, navigation of the site is intuitive, and finding specific items is simple, easy, and quick. In a word…the site is an excellent site and reflects well on GasPatch as a company.
At the time of this writing, GasPatch has three variants of the Salmson 2A2 in the planning stages, all in 1/48th scale. This review, however, focuses on some GasPatch products that are already available. GasPatch produces a line of turnbuckles and air speed indicators in 1/48th and 1/32nd scales. This review focuses on these turnbuckle accessory packs.
In this detail set, Eduard provides modelers with a unique way to add detailed seat belts to any 1/48 scale WWII Luftwaffe fighter. Unlike previous Eduard seatbelt sets, this one does not include solely painted photo-etch parts. Instead, the photo-etch components in this set are for the buckles and other hardware, and the belts are provided in a flexible, pre-printed fabric that comes on a paper backing. This multi-media combination promises realistic looking results because of the flexibility of the belt material.
The drawings on the front of the small instruction sheet illustrate the somewhat complex assembly process, and the step-by-step instructions on the back describe how to do it. These cryptic instructions describe a process that proved to be more tedious than I had expected.
The steps read:
