Reviews of products for scale miscellaneous models.

Review Author
Rick Reinert
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$12.96

There are many ways to fold photo etch, using a folder with a safety razor has been the go-to method for me. Not anymore! This tool set is much more ergonomically friendly. I found it much easier to use because it is easy to control, fits in you hand, is easy to manipulate, and keeps the photo etch in place when using it without a jig. \

Available individually ($4.16), or as a set of three for $12.96 at https://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/index.php

Highly Recommended

Many thanks to UMM for providing this product and IPMS/USA for the chance to review it.

Book Author(s)
Leopold Scholz
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$39.95

The late Dr Leopold Scholtz was a senior journalist, political commentator and a highly regarded military expert. He was deputy editor of Die Burger until 2007 and was the European correspondent for Media24's Afrikaans dailies. Scholtz obtained his doctor's degree from the University of Leiden and was a research fellow at the University of Stellenbosch. He wrote several books and over 40 academic articles, most of which are about military history. He was a captain in the Reserve Force of the South African Army. His books include "The SADF in the Border War 1966-1989" [2013], "General Christiaan de Wet as Veldheer" [1978] and "Terror and liberation: The ANC/SACP, Communism and Violence (1961–1990)" [2022]. Scholtz died of leukemia in 2022 in Delft, the Netherlands, and is survived by his wife Ingrid, also a historian.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Squadron
MSRP
$3.89

Originally founded in 1968, Squadron / Squadron Signal / MMD is back in business again after bankruptcy and are now based out of Ringgold, Georgia. Their web page was re-activated in January 2022 for plastic kits. A retail store was opened in 2025 at their Ringgold address and is open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday. They have invited The Chattanooga Scale Modelers Club to meet at their warehouse, which occurs on the third Monday of the month. If you can’t make it, be sure to check out their YouTube channel where Brandon and guests are live every Wednesday night. Brandon Lowe and his father, Russ Lowe, re-acquired the Squadron Tools Product Line and are now marketing them once again.

Book Author(s)
Jean Paul Pallud
Review Author
Chris Martin
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$39.96

About the Author

The following is taken from the jacket cover.

Jean Paul Pallud was born in France in 1949 and studied physics at Grenoble University, graduating as a physicist engineer. Specialising in the history of the Second World War,he has worked alongside After the Battle for over 43 years, his first submission to the magazine appearing in 1979 and his last in 2022.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$18.95

UMM-USA has provided four versions of their Wooden Epoxy Stands:

  • JH-S04 Wooden Epoxy Stand Durafix 12 & 180 Minutes
  • JH-S05 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 5 & 10 Minutes
  • JH-S06 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 20 & 30 Minutes
  • JH-S07 Wooden Epoxy Stand BSI 15 & 130 Minutes

The stands are packaged unassembled; they are made up of 7 wooden pre-cut parts that slot together. They can be glued with either CA or White Glue. The instructions are printed on the packaging and are very straightforward.

These are very useful when using Epoxy’s and help to keep them organized.

The front and top parts have engravings showing the information for each epoxy.

In conclusion these are handy for your work benches.

Thanks go to UMM-USA for providing this kit to review and IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Illustrators: David Bocquelet, Luca Canossa, Tom Cooper, Anderson Subtil, Daniel Uhr and George Anderson (maps)
Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$37.95

This is a good book if you want to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict. Author Bill Norton does an incredible job of stripping away the hyperbole and myths surrounding the current events of this conflict. I thought I knew more than the average person about modern Israel history: this book has changed my thinking. This book will challenge a lot of conventional thinking, and you will quickly realize that there is no one good side, the situation is murky, muddy, and messy. Both sides have valid points and excess abuses.

The title alone is worth picking up the book and is even more impressive when it is laid out that Israel is in a conflict on seven fronts over a two (and now three) year span. The seven fronts include:

Review Author
Doug Hamilton
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
Scale
N/A
MSRP
$2.46

Produced by UMM-USA (Unique Master Models-USA), these three shapes are part of a larger catalog that contains an extensive number of profiles and sizes made from extruded lead. The shapes and various sizes are useful to the modeler in a variety of applications. I’ve been using the Round Lead Wire (RLW) 0.2 as vertical railing sections for quite a few years. The Half Round lead wire (HRLW) and Flat Lead Wire (FLW), are all shapes that are nicely extruded and have the same profile dimension throughout with measurements bearing out the high quality of the extrusion process.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
JH Models
Scale
1/32 to 1/24
MSRP
$69.95

I have known John Vojtech since the 1990s when he was building models with incredible detail and was starting to sell his razor saws. While I still use my original saw frequently, he has in the decades since branched out to provide a myriad of tools for the modeler as well as some model kits under the UMM-USA name (also known as Unique Master Models). One of the items he provided at the recent IPMS-USA Nationals was this stand created for 1/32 to 1/24 scale aircraft. Modelers who build on larger scales should find multiple uses for this stand.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
UMM-USA
MSRP
$8.95

UMM-USA is dedicated to fine-scale modeling, encompassing model kits, accessories, and specialized tools. Owned by John Vojtech, a fine-scale modeling veteran. UMM-USA is an online store, importing and exports kits, modeling tools, and supplies, and seeks and offers solutions to technical issues. In addition, his services currently include design and production of master parts, casting of original masters, photo-etched masks, decals, and building made-to-order models for customers. You can see a sampling of John Vojtech's finished projects in the Our Gallery section of his website.

Review Author
Paul Dunham
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$9.25

Tamiya’s new 1/35th scale Fukuiraptor kit depicts a Cretaceous-era dinosaur that was found near Fukui Japan. It seems that this kit is intended to be an easy model for young or inexperienced builders. There are only a dozen parts, and at a price of $9.25 can be had for pocket money. With this kit, Tamiya introduces what they call “Clic Loc” design. The parts of this kit press-fit together so that no glue is required.

Included in the kit box are two trees of plastic parts and a small brochure. One tree of parts contains all the parts for the dinosaur. The second tree has the base and a silhouette of two people to serve as a scale reference. The brochure is printed in Japanese, English, German, and French. One side of the brochure has information about the history and ecology of Fukuiraptor, the other side has instructions for constructing the model.