Published on
May 19, 2011
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$10.95
Introduction
Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.
Published on
May 18, 2011
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.00
For those who love modern US Navy and Marine Corps jets, and like camouflage and color, nothing satisfies more than the schemes of an adversary and training squadrons.
VFA-125 also known as the "Rough Raiders" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" are a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F/A-18 Hornet. From the units own home page, their mission “is the indoctrination and training of Navy and Marine Corps personnel for carrier-borne strike fighter squadrons in all phases of F/A-18 employment and, on order, to be prepared to supply replacement aircraft and pilots to the fleet.” They are also the home to the west coast F/A-18C demo team.
Twobobs released this set covering several VFA-125 aircraft providing markings for three “Raiders”:
Book Author(s)
Peter C. Smith
Published on
May 18, 2011
Company
Crecy Publishing, Ltd.
MSRP
$49.95
I would like to thank Specialty Press for submitting this book for review and thank IPMS/USA for allowing me to do the review.
In the 1950s and 1960s I grew up less than a mile from the end of Dobbin Air Reserve Base runway 11. Dobbins has always shared its runway, control tower, weather and rescue services with Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company. My younger days were filled with watching planes come and go. I was there in a manner of speaking when the C-130 first came to life. Years later I was employed by Lockheed and worked in the engineering department of several aircraft including the C-130. I was very pleased to receive this book for review.
Published on
May 17, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$34.95
Introduction
Soviet aircraft manufacturers, like all the other allied nations during World War II, quickly realized Germany had produced some very potent fighter planes. In response the Soviets produced some classic designs like the Lavochkhin La-7 and the subject of this review, the Yak 3. Resulting from refinements of its predecessors the Yak 7 and 9 series the Yak 3 was lightened and mated with a 1240 hp Klimov engine. The resulting aircraft out climbed and out turned its German opponents at the lower altitudes where most engagements took place in this theater. With a structure built largely of wood, the Yak 3 was a simple, rugged design typical of the Russian approach to military aircraft construction. Over 4000 were built during what Russians called the Great Patriotic War or GPW.
Book Author(s)
Andrew Thomas
Published on
May 17, 2011
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.95
This is the 98thtitle in Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces Series. The softcover book has 98 pages, including nine pages of color side profiles, a bibliography, index and appendices. The appendices include detailed information on each of the 36 color profiles. There is also a comprehensive listing of the aces that flew Spitfires in the theater that includes the units they flew with, their theater claims and their total claims. The front cover has a dramatic painting of Spitfires attacking Me-323 transports over the Mediterranean Sea. The encounter is described in detail on the page facing the table of contents and makes for some very interesting reading.
Published on
May 17, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$5.50
Trumpeter’s lastest 109 is the Bf-109F-4, it is nice but has some issues besides depicting a G-2 more than an F-4 version. One of those things that really needs to be addressed is the propeller. Quickboost offers three perfectly formed light grey resin propellers that are perfectly formed and blemish free. Replacement of the kit part is quite easy just remove these blades and substitute the kit ones.
Highly recommended
Thanks to Quickboost, Aires Hoddy Models and IPMS/USA for the review copy.
Published on
May 17, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.00
This little gem of a set contains four resin stubs. I know you’re thinking what is so special about them. The stubs are not straight pipes. They have a bulge middle and tapered end. The jewel in the crown is the flame dampeners inside the realistically thin end pieces. Designed for the Dragon Ta-154 kit I’m sure these could be fitted to the Promodeler one as well. Simply remove the pour block leaving the attachment stub and paint then add to the model.
Highly recommended
Thanks to Quickboost, Aires Hobby Models and IPMS/USA for the review copy.
Published on
May 16, 2011
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$39.00
The F-16 Fighting Falcon began life as part of the U.S. Air Force Lightweight Fighter Program (LFP) in January of 1972 as the General Dynamics entry in the competition. The evaluation YF-16 first took to the air on 8 February 1974. Sharing an engine with the F-15 Eagle gained the favor of the plane with the Air Force. The Falcon has a unique ejection seat that is reclined in the cockpit, and utilizes a fly-by-wire system to aid in flight. Due in part to a multi-stage improvement program or MSIP, the F-16 was upgraded to the C and D variants, which began replacing the A and B variants in 1983.
Published on
May 16, 2011
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$21.99
The Spitfire certainly needs no introduction; it’s quite simply one of the most versatile and beautiful propeller driven fighters of all time. Because of that fact there has been no shortage of kit manufactures willing to produce any number of variations of this venerable design. Enter Airfix a name long associated with British aircraft models. This time we get a new release of the Spitfire Mk XII in 1/48 scale. In brief, the Mk XII was powered by the Rolls Royce Griffin engine and as a result sports some cowling bumps and a big prop spinner not seen on other variants. Couple the Griffith engine with clipped wings and you get a Spit designed to fly fast at low altitudes to counter low flying Luftwaffe fight bombers and later, V-1 buzz bombs, but enough of the history, lets have a look.
The Kit
Published on
May 15, 2011
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$168.00
Introduced in the latter half of 1944, the Mk. XVIe variant of Supermarine’s legendary design was optimized for low-altitude operations, featuring a Packard-built Merlin 266 powerplant, clipped wings, teardrop canopy, packing a pair each of 20mm cannon and 12.7mm machine guns, and toting either a pair of 250-lb bombs or a single 500-pounder. The Mk. XVI was the last Merlin-powered Spitfire variant to roll off the assembly line, and saw service with the RAF and a number of other nations into the 1950’s.