Reviews of products for scale miscellaneous models.

Book Author(s)
Peter F. Panzeri, Jr.
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

There have been several accounts of the operation to kill Osama bin Laden, including one by a former Navy seal, one by a Navy seal who participated in the raid, as well as the movie Zero Dark Thirty.

In this new book Killing bin Laden - Operation Neptune Spear 2011, author Peter F. Panzeri Jr. has developed another highly detailed account of the hunt leading up to the raid on the bin Laden's compound in Abottabad, Pakistan, and his ultimate death.

Bibliography and Critical Sources

As stated in the book “The most dominant influences on this account are those of the 880+ page Pakistani Abottabad Commission Report for its inclusion of candid raw data, the personal account in interviews of former US Navy SEAL “Mark Owen,” and the abundance of detailed information on Operation Neptune Spear released in 2011 to the producers and screenwriters of the film Zero Dark Thirty.

Sections of the book include:

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$89.00

Part 3

After scratching my head for quite some time I’ve finally came up with a plan to paint and assemble the main parts of the passenger cabin and move forward on the whole plan to complete this model.

First paint and assemble the passenger benches (described in Part 2). Then dry fit and glue the cabin sides to the boarding area sides. That would create two main lateral sides. Mask and paint the sides to your desired color.

Then paint the cabin bulkheads/division from the boarding area, but don’t bother with the clear parts yet.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Ampersand Publishing
MSRP
$9.95

Military Miniatures in Review is an 80-page, full color, perfect bound, bimonthly magazine. Regular features include new product announcements, book reviews and figure reviews.

One of the first things that notice about this magazine is the construction. It has very thick front and back cover with the pages being bound together with glue. All of the photographs are in color and very sharp and clear. One note of interest is they way that the articles are written. They are written as if the person that is writing them is talking to you, some with a little tongue and cheek humor, a somewhat different approach from many of the magazines that I read.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$10.95

Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.

The September issue starts off with several small articles which include the IJA/N Airplane Illustrated and a build article on the Trumpeter 1/35 Soviet JS-7 Heavy Tank which includes a walk around on a actual vehicle in a museum and the history of Russian and American heavy tanks.

The main article this month features tools. What modeler doesn't like tools? The article consists of thirty three pages of pictures of tools and a brief description of what it does and price. The tools in the article range from colored pencils, files, trimmers, drills, solvents, lights, sandpaper, saws, tweezers and punches.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard

Scratch building, who does that anymore? Well I do and the latest releases from Eduard are exactly what you would need. The mesh screen is 6x6 which is 5 1/2 x 2 ¾ inches. The uses are limited to your own imagination. I could see this being used for flooring screen doors and radiator faces in a larger scale. Again your imagination is your only limitation.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Eduard and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain your copy by contacting them directly at www.eduard.com . Let them know you heard about it here. They are also available from your local hobby shop or online retailer.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
MSRP
$6.25

Got a Bf-109 that you want to add some detail to the radiator faces? How about some side skirts for your German vehicles in 1/48th? Maybe some cooling screens for your AFV. Well here is your solution.

Eduard provides you a 5 ½ x 2 ¾ sheet of steel mesh with a square pattern. Just measure your pattern and cut and shape this steel mesh. The possibilities of this scratch building item is limited to your imagination.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Eduard and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain your copy by contacting them directly at https://www.eduard.com/ Let them know you heard about it here. They are also available from your local hobby shop or online retailer.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$13.37

Model Art Magazine is a monthly magazine that covers aircraft, armor, ships and car modeling. Model Art started releasing magazines in 1966 and has evolved from there over the past forty eight years.

The August issue of Model Art contains one main article, a smaller secondary article and several reoccurring monthly features.

Book Author(s)
Benjamin Lai
Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$21.95

Most of us who have a little knowledge of US history know something about what happened on December 7, 1941. Those who know a bit more, might also know that within 24 hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Imperial Army simultaneously invaded the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia and attacked the British colony of Hong Kong. Hong Kong 1941–45: First Strike in the Pacific War by Benjamin Lai, book number 263 in Osprey’s Campaign series, tells the story of Japan’s action against Hong Kong, the British surrender, the years of Japanese occupation, and the eventual reestablishment of British control over the colony when the war ended in 1945. It provides a very compelling look at how the defenders—and later prisoners—faired at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Army.

Book Author(s)
Nic Fields
Review Author
Jeff Leiby
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$21.95

Background

As described on the Osprey Publishing website, “In 52 BC Caesar’s continued strategy of annihilation had engendered a spirit of desperation, which detonated into a revolt of Gallic tribes under the leadership of the charismatic young Arvernian noble Vercingetorix. Major engagements were fought at Noviodunum, Avaricum, and Gergovia, with the last action being the most serious reverse that Caesar faced in the whole of the Gallic War. However, Vercingetorix soon realized that he was unable to match the Romans in pitched battle. Taking advantage of the tribesmen’s superior knowledge of their home territory, Vercingetorix began a canny policy of small war and defensive maneuvers, which gravely hampered Caesar’s movements by cutting off his supplies. For Caesar it was to be a grim summertime – his whole Gallic enterprise faced disaster.

Review Author
Ron Bell
Published on
Company
Airfix
MSRP
$34.99

The Engine

After Robert Fulton proved the viability of using steam to power a nautical vessel with his steamboat Clermont (also known as the North River) in 1807, steam power began to sweep wind-powered vessels from the seas. Constant improvements to his engine were made and Maudslay's Paddle Engine patented in 1827 was one such improvement. It was a style of engine that used improved valve chests and gear and these so called Penn Oscillating engines were in use for many years. (I hope somebody understood all that as I didn't.) The largest such engines were fitted into the paddle wheeler Great Eastern designed by Isambard Brunel. However, the engines could not be adapted to the higher steam pressures that were being introduced and the paddle engine gave way to the inclined direct-acting engine.