Reviews of products for scale miscellaneous models.

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Deluxe Materials
MSRP
$15.00

There are many glues and glue dispensing devices on the market. There are dispensers that brush on the glue, tubes that squeeze out the glue like toothpaste, and squeeze bottles that drip the adhesive out one drop at a time. But there are few dispensing devices that allow for very precise application in a controlled manner, especially within a confined location.

The Deluxe Pin Flow-Solvent Glue Dispenser is a precision glue-delivery tool. As Deluxe describes this device, it is “specially designed for the precise control of liquid solvent plastic adhesives”, and the key word is “precise”. The tool is safely stored in a plastic sleeve, and the application needle is protected by a pink plastic cap.

The applicator is a glass pipette, about 5 ½ inches in length, fitted on the “business” end of the pipette with a very small metal “needle” about ¾ inches in length.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
AK Interactive
MSRP
$10.85

Note on MSRP: Primer is $10.85, Thinner is $8.95.

AK Interactive is clearly one of the specialty brands in the world of modelling. From high quality finishing and weathering products to high quality primers, they are all about “the perfect finish” for your model.

The grey primer is an excellent all-round primer, which provides a smooth coverage to plastic parts and it airbrushes really well. Their thinner, to be used sparingly from my own experience as I had a few runs, improves airbrushing quality and it can be used to thin paints from other brands, like Tamiya, Vallejo or Lifecolor paints. I’ve personally tried with Tamiya and it thinned and improved the flow of the paint like a charm.

A killer paint job starts with a good surface and a good surface finish is prepared for painting by the use of a good primer. Give these products a try and you won’t be disappointed. I know I will be using them in a regular basis.

Book Author(s)
Chris Goss
Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Crecy Publishing, Ltd.
MSRP
$19.95

The Following Text is a Historical Perspective from the Publisher.

As the Battle of Britain came to a close, the Luftwaffe began arming its single-engine fighters with bombs, using them in preference to twin-engine bombers against many daylight targets. Two units were designated for these Jagdbomber (literally fighter-bomber) attacks – 10/JG 26. Their targets included shipping and coastal installations, railways, gas holders and selected military and civilian objectives. The detrimental effect on British morale caused by these ‘Tip and Run’ attacks was devastating.

How could the British military combat the raids effectively? How could the local populations cope? Questions were asked in Parliament but no effective answer was supplied. The locals lived in fear of where and when the next attack would occur.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
AK Interactive
MSRP
$8.95

AK Interactive has a selected set of pigments (sold individually) known as the “AK Pigment Colors. There are 9 colors and they are the most used pigment shades for weathering models.

You still can get some other specific shade for that special project you have in your workbench, but most of the time, those 9 colors would suffice. (You can see the full list at https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/ak-weathering-paints/).

This series of colors are bottled in larger (35 ml) flip-top bottles with the expectation of being used as “regular” weathering supplies.

One of them is the “dark steel” pigment, which will find its way into many vehicles, armor, ships and aircraft workbench. It is very finely grinded and it can be applied with an old paintbrush.

Book Author(s)
Denes Bernad and Gyorgy Punka
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$50.00

Mushroom Model Publication has released the second volume of the Hungarian Fighter Color series. You can find a review of volume 1 at http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/hungarian-fighter-colours-1930-1945-vol…

The second volume continues the saga of authors Denes Bernad and Gyorgy Punka for what might become the definite reference books on the Hungarian Fighter Force during World War II.

This volume covers the Re.2000, Bf-109G, Fw-190F in extensive detail (each one of their chapters is over 40 pages long). Plus it has other shorter, but still well detailed chapters on the Me-110, Me-210, He-112, captured examples of PZL.11c, Avia B.534 IV and an indigenous design, the WM-23, which did not see combat but had exceptional performance for their time.

Book Author(s)
Tom Cockle with illustrations by Laurent Lecocq
Review Author
Eric Christianson
Published on
Company
Concord Publications Company
MSRP
$19.99

Concord Publishing, out of Hong Kong, is back again with another Armor At War series entitled Panzer Divisions In Battle 1936-45 by popular author Tom Cockle. Anyone familiar with the armor modeling literature and research will recognize this authoritative combination, and this latest release won’t disappoint.

Looking across my personal bookshelf of maybe 200 titles, I can spot several of Mr. Cockle’s books and I’ve familiar with many of his articles in some of the better armor magazines such as ‘Military Modeler’, ‘Military in Scale’, ‘Military Modelcraft International’, ‘FineScale Modeler’ and ‘AFV Modeller’. If you’ve been building armor models for any length of time, you’re probably familiar with his work as well.

Book Author(s)
Pobert Peczkowski, illustrations by Teodor Liviu Morosanu
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$18.00

Written by Pobert Peczkowski, with color illustrations by Teodor Liviu Morosanu, this book focuses on the “D” model of the ubiquitous P-51 Mustang. For such a small book, 6 ½ by 9 inches, it packs a powerful punch in its 152 pages of intense coverage of the Mustang.

There are 32 pages of black and white images which cover the development of the “D” and “K” models of the Mustang. A full-color section of 120 pages provides a great deal of “detail” for the modeler who wishes to “up their game” on a Mustang project. Drawings and illustrations are included, and add that extra value that modelers seek when selecting research material.

Bound within the publication are 3-view plans of the “D” in 1/72nd scale, with 1/48th and 1/32nd plans, on folded paper inserted in the book.

A set of excellent full-color profiles are included on the final 28 pages of the book.

Book Author(s)
Steve Webster & Illustrated by Peter Scott
Review Author
Phil Pignataro
Published on
Company
AIRfile Publications
MSRP
$29.00

This book is the latest release from AIRfile Publications and covers Royal Air Force operations in the Middle and Near East from right after WW II up to 1979. I had forgotten how involved the British have been in the Middle East in times past. They have had a long history there and played a significant part in the development of several nations. The turmoil and hostility in this region we read about every day is not new. The British have dealt with the violence in this part of the world almost since their arrival.

In the first couple of pages, the authors give a brief history of the area and trace the presence of the RAF from WW II to the late ‘70s. Then the book is divided into four chapters, broken down by the years of British involvement:

Book Author(s)
Chris Goss
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Specialty Press
MSRP
$19.95

KG 40 was the only long range maritime unit of the Luftwaffe. V Gruppe was the only long range fighter Gruppe within the unit. That alone makes the study of their operations an interesting topic.

As part of the Battle of the Atlantic, U-Boats transiting the Bay of Biscay became pray of RAF bombers. As a response measure, KG 40 activated a heavy fighter unit (Junkers 88 C-6) to intercept the bombers. As a response the RAF deployed the Beaufighter and later, Mosquitos into the bay. The Luftwaffe counter the move by deploying single engine Fw-190 fitted with long range tanks (from 8/JG2), but eventually, the sheer number of the Allied aircraft established air superiority over the bay.

The book has the following chapters

Book Author(s)
Andrew Thomas
Review Author
Paul Mahoney
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.95

One of Osprey’s latest in the “Aircraft of the Aces” series is number 113, covering Allied pilots that shot down 5 or more V1 Flying Bombs.

This book opens with the words of the first pilot to shoot down a V1 (Flt Lt John Musgrove, in a night-fighter Mosquito) on June 16, 1944. Within minutes, 3 more V1s would be shot down that evening by other members of the same Mosquito squadron. After this exciting opening page, the reader is then guided chronologically through the story of the V1 campaign, starting with the development of the “Buzz Bomb” itself and culminating with the last V1 shot down on 28 March 1945.