Editor's note: This kit is a re-release of the Renwal kit of the late '50's. It set a standard in its day.

Short History

Right after WWII the US Army looked hard at its experience and decided it wanted most of its artillery to be armored and provided with overhead protection for future combat.

Thanks once again to Chris for providing IPMS USA more of his excellent products; in this case, a brace of modern snakes!

The AIM-9X program has been yet another joint effort (Navy/AF) intended to provide better weapons to our warfighters. The AIM-9 series is one of the more effective close-in weapons; it’s notoriously accurate, and usually does the job better than radar guided weapons. Of course, you are in a knife fight at this point if you must use these missiles, so effective and accurate are both pluses. The AIM-9X is the latest generation Sidewinder; it is tied in to helmet-cuing sight technology, and goes where the pilot is looking. It’s an excellent follow-on to the AIM -9L (Lima) and -9M (Mike)… both which have extremely successful history as lethal close-in air-to-air weapons.

Thanks first to Airscale for providing IPMS USA this product sample…. We sincerely appreciate it!

This is a simple, yet effective upgrade for the huge Airfix Mosquito. Consisting of a small set of instrument and panel decals, and an acetate sheet, the instructions guide you through installation. I unfortunately had sold my Mossie before this upgrade showed up; last week! (The postmark showed Dave Morrissette had put it in the mail back in March!). Lost in transit; a first for me. Guess I’ll be buying another Mossie… Because this would be an excellent upgrade to an already noteworthy kit.

Polish Wings 12 is part 2 and continues the story of the Mig-29 in Polish service started in Polish Wings 11. This work covers the ex-East German aircraft obtained from the Luftwaffe in 2002. It is a softcover book of 96 pages that includes 226 color photos and 36 drawings (side profiles and 4-views).

Following past format each aircraft is covered individually with photos when in German service and with many more in Polish color schemes. The eighteen single seat Mig-29s are covered extensively in 60 pages. The remainder of the book is devoted to the eight two-seat trainers – Mig-29UB. The last three pages are devoted to cockpit views of these aircraft. Additionally, it is noted on the inside of the front cover that Techmond will be releasing decals (1/32,1/48 & 1/72) for the Mig-29 based on information published in this book in the near future.

Short History

Land Rover is synonymous to mobility in the British Army as Jeep and Humvee are to the US Army. Land Rover Defender was the main vehicle type for the British Army and the armies of the Commonwealth for many years, and in 1994, Land Rover created a new variant - the Defender XD (eXtra Duty) to replace the older vehicles in service. The XD is powered by a 300Tdi engine and was produced in 90 and 110 inch configurations.

These XD Defenders were called the 'Wolf' and these can be equipped with hard tops or soft tops and where needed, could be fitted with a Weapons Mount Installation Kit (WMIK). WMIK vehicles could carry a 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun on a gun ring in the rear or the MILAN ATGM launcher. Gun mounts for squad weapons are provided for the driver and commander as well.

This book is a revised and expanded edition of an original book on ANZAC Spitfire pilots that is now out of print. This book gives accounts of the service of ten pilots, seven from New Zealand and three from Australia who served in the China-Burma-India theatre, Europe and the Middle East while flying Hurricanes and Spitfires.

The stories within are based on actual accounts of these pilots sourced through memoirs and/or personal interviews. The pilot’s opinions are frank and uncensored and make for a fascinating read. There is a good teaser from the authors about Squadron Leader Jeff West’s further knowledge of the loss of Douglas Bader. Sadly he passed away before the follow-up interview could be conducted.

As always, this excellent publication comes in full color, printed on high quality glossy stock with this issue containing 65 pages. There is an outstanding array of modeling subjects done by some of the finest craftsmen in the world. It is published by AFV Modeller Ltd. and this issue contains the following articles:

Any of us who suffer from AMS (Advanced Modeler Syndrome) are never satisfied with the “stock” kit, even one as fine as Tamiya’s F-16 series! Luckily there is a cure for those who love that insane level of detail but don’t have the time to do it ourselves, and Aires has long delivered the goods. This cockpit set continues to provide the quality we expect from Aires, however there are a few issues with getting it into the advertised kit it was “designed” for.

History

The Focke-Wulf 190D-9 was a superb aircraft but situations in the war prevented it from being really effective. The production of the aircraft was done by sub-contractors with final assembly taking place at various locations. Occasionally, the sub-contractors couldn’t keep up; such is the case of this version of the 190. It appears that approximately five aircraft received the Ta-152 type tail at the Mimetall factory, but the exact number is not known. There is photographic evidence of at least two aircraft. The Germans did not see the quandary that they would cause model builders in the future but they didn’t have any different designations to denote the new tail.

The Story

Although many companies in France produced fighters during the interwar period, Nieuport manufactured two landmark fighters beginning with the end of World War I. The Ni-D 29 biplane fighter appeared at the end of the war, and was produced for the Aeronautique Militaire during the twenties, as well as in several foreign countries. Export models were also sold to Belgium, Italy, Siam, Argentina, Spain, and Sweden. By the mid twenties, it was obvious that a replacement would be needed soon, and Nieuport then developed a high wing monoplane replacement, the Ni-D 62 series, many of which were built with a small stub wing, making it sort of a biplane. There were numerous variations in the production models, with differences in powerplant, wing arrangement, and fuselage structure. These were first built for the French, but later, many were sold to Spain, Romania, and Brazil. These aircraft served for many years, some being used as trainers as late as 1940.

The full title of this book is: Early Canadian Military Aircraft, Acquisitions, Dispositions, Color Schemes & Markings: Volume 1, Aircraft taken on strength through 1920 with credits to the authors above and also illustrations by Andrew Tattersall (aircraft) and Terry Higgins (maps).

This is the first volume of an intended series which will cover all Canadian military aircraft taken on strength from 1920 through 1938 -- there are 58 such aircraft, and this volume covers the first seven. It's easier to visualize the contents if you know the "taken on strength" date is effectively the first date a particular type is brought aboard, and not just the date individual aircraft were received. The first seven types were taken on strength in 1920 but many aircraft of a type arrived after that date and served through 1929.

The Kit:

Krupp’s Kfz.70 light truck was a workhorse for the German army throughout WW II. Initial production started in 1933 and continued through 1942 with a run of around 7000 units. It was often employed towing light artillery, particularly the PaK 35/36, 3.7cm anti-tank weapon. Dragon has released a kit of this ubiquitous vehicle in 1/72 scale and it’s a little gem. Molded in light gray plastic, the kit features highly detailed parts for both the truck and the towed cannon. The wood grain simulation on the side panels of the truck is noteworthy. Dragon provides decals for three versions, all from unknown units on the Eastern Front circa 1943. One is in winter camouflage. The instructions are typical for Dragon with exploded views showing eleven steps to complete the truck and two steps for the cannon. The last page is a painting and decal guide with color references keyed to Gunze Sangyo paints.

The Build:

The Quickboost line of after market parts just keeps growing and growing. This time they’ve done the Revell B-17G flying fortress engines. I was really excited when I saw that they were up for review because I had just purchased Revell’s new B-17G. Once the engines arrived I dove right in and started looking at the engine instructions and noticed that something just didn’t look right. I found out that the Quickboost parts are for the OLD Revell B-17G kit, not the new one. The engines in the new kit have been totally redone and have quite a few more steps to them than their older version. I went to Revells’ web site and checked the instruction sheet for the older version of this kit and also included the instructions for the newer kits engines. I didn’t have one of Revells’ older kits but I did have a Hasegawa B-17G in my stash.

The story

The Pfalz D.XII was the logical development of the line of Pfalz fighters developed for the German Air Service during World War I, and it was tested and entered limited production towards the middle of 1918. The superb Fokker D.VII was already in mass production and widespread service, and the Pfalz product, while close, was not quite up to the Fokker standard in speed and maneuverability, only exceeding the Fokker in maximum diving speed. A clean two bay biplane, entering service when the steel tube fuselage D.VII was in service, the D.XII, while better than the D.III, could not compete effectively with the D.VII, and always remained an “also-ran”. It had its weaknesses, including the main landing gear, which had a tendency to collapse during any heavy landing, and its complexity did not endear it to maintenance personnel. In short, pilots preferred the D.VII.

One more excellent re- release from Revell; the copyright date is 1994 on this one, and I remember being able to purchase it for about the same price as it is being offered today. Thanks to Revell for providing IPMS USA this review item and the opportunity to build this kit again without collector prices!

This is a basic kit; originally released as a MASH bird, with a co-release of the MASH cast in another kit, targeted for the TV audiences. It is an accurate 1/32 kit of a late H-13; earlier versions had a single flat tank with non-tip weighted main rotor blades… Later ones had more power, twin fuel tanks, and weighted rotors to maintain rotor energy during autorotation. Up front, this is not a simple build.

This one is especially interesting to me because of the Wingnut Wings Hansa-Brandenburg W.29s on the cover and since I am in the process of finishing up one of these models. For WWI aviation enthusiasts and modelers, this publication is hard to beat.

Logbook entries review many of the latest WWI publications - magazines and books. This is followed by a big article entitled, "Builda Betta Burga!", which is dedicated to the Wingnut Wings W.29 kit. The editor builds a fine model and takes you through the build in detail, pointing out potential gotcha's and things to be aware of. There is also a page dedicated to the Benz Bz.III engine using contemporary drawings and what seem to be photographs. Nice.

This is followed by a good two-page article, "Aspects of the Hansa Brandenburg W29" by Harry Woodman discussing little known facts about the plane and its combat experiences. Following is a two page spread of scale drawings of the De Havilland DH11 Oxford.

Description

Includes 2 resin AIM-26B missiles with separate exhaust nozzles. Designed for the Revell/Monogram kits (Note: these missiles are also included in the resin detail parts of the Encore F-102A kit).

History

The AIM-26 Falcon was a larger, more powerful version of the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile built by Hughes. The AIM-26A, with the nuclear warhead, entered service in 1961 with the Air Defense Command F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors. It used a radar proximity fuse and a radar guidance system. To date, it is the only guided U.S. air-to-air weapon ever to carry a nuclear warhead. Considering the issues with using nuclear weapons over the US homeland and friendly territories, the missile was eventually converted to a conventional high explosive warhead and designated the AIM-26B. These were carried by the F-102s, F-106s, and the J35 Draken (designated as RB27).

Thanks once again to Quickboost, and Aires Hobby Models for providing IPMS USA review items; more cool stuff for us!

This is a “well-then” item for me. I wondered why, and learned soon. Enclosed in the upgrade are propellers, spinners, and a jig to make sure the props are properly aligned. This is a cool set, and here’s why: in the side-by side pictures, you will note the kit items have a split spinner, with front and back parts. The props are ok, but could use a bit of “tweaking”. These are ok if you don’t mind a seam through where the props attach. I’ve built a few of these kits, and always had a bit of filler required to finish the spinner.

This detail set if for Tamiya's new F1 F60 car kit. It incorporates three frets of etched metal parts. The fret for the wing and aerodynamic body parts is relatively heavy, which should make these parts more resistant to breakage and warping as well as being more in scale. The other detail parts on the two remaining frets are of lighter material, not brass, but seem to be a light steel or perhaps aluminum alloy. As a nice touch, a Bridgestone tire painting template is included which would be useful for many other kits that do not include pre-painted Bridgestone tires.

Introduced mid-season 2007, NASCAR’s “Car of Tomorrow” (COT) hit the track in an effort to improve driver safety, decrease operating cost, and level the proverbial playing field between the monster multi-car teams and the smaller race teams competing in the Sprint Cup Series. Although received with skepticism and initial contempt by some drivers, the “wing thing” proved to be a more rugged, reliable, and measurable machine than its predecessor. With COT’s arrival, manufacturer’s body styles settled in around 4 core models: Chevy Impala, Ford Fusion, Dodge Charger, and Toyota Camry.

General Atomics’ MQ-9 Reaper was conceived and birthed as a super-sized version of the MQ-1 Predator, which had met with great success in the time-critical-targeting (TCT) role in the late 1990’s and early part of this century. Despite Predator’s utility in the TCT role, it was limited by the size, quantity and diversity of payload it could deliver, as well as by limited range and service ceiling. As a result, “Predator B” was developed to leverage the success of the “Predator A” design, while minimizing development time, risk, and cost. The final product was a weapons system capable of carrying 3,750 pounds (an increase of nearly 800%), including GBU-12 Paveways and GBU-38 JDAMs, in addition to AGM-114 Hellfires, and a 50% increase in range and altitude. Given the significant increase in capability over the legacy Predator design, the MQ-9 was redesignated “Reaper.”

Quickboost just keeps adding to their great line of quality resin aircraft accessories. The latest addition is for the Hasegawa Focke Wulf TA-154 A-1/ R1. It is up to their usual standards; molded in grayish resin, smooth, seamless and bubble free. They come off of the mold block easily; I just cut the doors loose with my sprue cutters.

The doors that come in the Hasegawa kit are okay but just lack the level of detail that the Quickboost covers have. The Hasegawa instructions have you cut the edges of the doors. Quickboost has already made these cuts for you. The Quickboost covers are superior and add just that much more realism to the finished kit. The resin parts are very easy to install and can be used on any other brand kit that is similarly molded.

Among modern aircraft modelers, if they want colorful and interesting paint schemes the aircraft of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) have always delivered. One of the most attractive, and sleek looking aircraft is the Mitsubishi F-2. Having origins within the FSX program in the late 1980’s, it was birthed out of a cooperative effort with Lockheed Martin after selecting the F-16 as a basis for study into a new support fighter. It wasn’t until the mid 2000 that flight test were concluded and delivery started in September of the same year. With a 25% larger wing, longer fuselage, advanced avionics, and 11 hard points it is a F-16 on steroids and provides the JASDF with a 21^stcentury fighter and trainer.

Among modern aircraft modelers, if they want colorful and interesting paint schemes the aircraft of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) have always delivered. One of the most attractive, and sleek looking aircraft is the Mitsubishi F-2. Having origins within the FSX program in the late 1980’s, it was birthed out of a cooperative effort with Lockheed Martin after selecting the F-16 as a basis for study into a new support fighter. It wasn’t until the mid 2000 that flight test were concluded and delivery started in September of the same year. With a 25% larger wing, longer fuselage, advanced avionics, and 11 hard points it is a F-16 on steroids and provides the JASDF with a 21^stcentury fighter and trainer.

The Revell 1/72 F-22A Raptor model kit has been out several years and I can remember a review of it that mentioned the cockpit would be ripe for the after market resin folks to upgrade. Well, Aires has done just that with this latest release of theirs, comprising 13 resin parts, 14 P.E. parts and one small sheet of film for the HUD. The resin parts are finely cast and I only had three parts that had broken when I opened the package. Once these were glued back in place (with some CA) the real fun began.