Review Author
Roger Carrano
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Master Details
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.95

Master Details sells all different kinds of products which are manufactured in the USA. These guys have just about everything for our hobby. Some of their products are figures, diorama supplies, paints, glue and tools, but this review is about their 1/32 U.S. Army Air Force Fighter Pilot figure from mid- to late-World War Two, dressed in cold weather gear. Master Details has designed the pilot figure for a P-38, P-40, P-47, and U.S. Spitfires which flew with the USAAF service. I feel that this pilot can be used in any aircraft of the U.S. as long as the diorama is not depicted in a hot climate.

Review Author
Mike Kellner
Published on
September 10, 2012
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$45.00

This Special Edition kit of Academy's B-17G comes in a large [12” x 18” x 2-½”] heavy cardboard box – this helps when storing a large stack of kits (but who has a stack of kits? Certainly not me). Inside, you’ll find a crisply-molded kit with finely recessed panel lines, along with several extra parts which aren’t needed since they’re used on the B-17C and D series.

Besides the early model stabilizers, there are 2 types of props, cowls, top turrets, and nose glass – though not an E model one – and both a Cheyenne and stinger tail gun position.

This special edition has been issued in honor of the 15th Air Force and comes with decals for 5 aircraft: Betty Lou, KWITURBITCHIN VI, Miss Prissy, Sleepy Time Gal, and hell’s angel, all of which are natural metal airplanes. The kit comes with 500 lb bombs and has a detailed bomb bay if you want to pose it with the doors open.

Review Author
Perry Downen
Published on
September 10, 2012
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.79

A "Thank You" goes to Master Models for submitting this item for review and to IMPS/USA for allowing me to review it.

The pitot tube is used to measure flow speed. Attached to an airplane it measures the "flow" of the aircraft through the air – an airspeed indicator. The pitot tube can be mounted on an airplane in a number of places and ways. Most propeller-driven aircraft have them mounted on the wings in some fashion. Most modern day jets have them mounted in the nose. Some are the very tip of the nose. Others are located on the side near the tip. Such is the case of the pitot tube of the MiG-21, the subject of this review.

Book Author(s)
Gordon L. Rottman
Review Author
Marc K. Blackburn
Published on
September 10, 2012
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

Osprey Publishing is without a doubt one of the most prolific publishers of military history on the face of the planet. Whether you build models, teach history, or are an armchair historian, Osprey has something for you. This new release is part of their Elite series which tend to focus on particular units or armies. This title has a tight focus – the US Cavalry Groups that fought in the European Theater of Operations during World War Two. The author makes it clear at the beginning of the book that this title provides a focus on the thirteen cavalry groups that fought in the ETO. The coverage does not include the two that served in Italy or Southern France or remained in the states.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
September 11, 2012
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$24.00

Having limited exposure to Model Art Magazine except for thumbing through them occasionally in a vendor room, I was more than eager to do a review on this product. Even though the text is in Japanese (except for some English text sprinkled in), the photographs are excellent and really make it easy to follow along. Even though this is a magazine, the print quality and binding is more like a softcover book.

This is a special issue dedicated to airbrushing. It is broken down into four chapters.

The first chapter is further divided into ten stages. In the ten stages you are taken from setting up a compressor through using different diameter airbrush supply hoses and couplings. They also cover setting up an exhaust hood and different types of airbrushes (single action, double action, and a pistol grip type). The last of these stages focuses on getting proper paint-to-thinner ratios and, in conclusion, they cover airbrush cleaning and maintenance.

Review Author
Dan Mackay
Published on
September 11, 2012
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$23.50

The Sd.Kfz. 263 Funkspahwagen (8-rad) is part of Dragon’s 1/72 “Armor Pro” series. You get 91 medium gray hard plastic parts on five sprue trees with minimal flash. The instructions are very well illustrated with six sequences of assembly and painting guides for 5 marking options. The detail is exceptional and is consistent with other armor kits in this range. The decals are in perfect register and allow you to customize the license plates numbers.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
September 11, 2012
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$14.75

The September issue of Model Art Modeling Magazine is just another fine example of this publication. The text may be in Japanese, but the pictures clearly tell the story. All this time, people have told me that all I had to do was get a book that had plenty of pictures and I would be set. Well, I may have found my book!

This issue starts out with an article about the IJN Aircraft Carrier Akagi, and if it had survived to 1944, what she may have looked like. We all know that she met her demise in the Battle of Midway in 1942. The modeler (Yamauchi Takashi) used the Hasegawa 1/350th scale model and converted it. All I can say is -- wow! This model is amazing.

The next article is dealing with 1/700th scale model kits of IJN large aircraft carriers. The carriers shown are the Akagi, Kaga, Syokaku, Zuikaku, Tahio and Shinano. There are thirteen pages that review the different kits of each of these carriers.

Review Author
Fred Wilms
Published on
September 12, 2012
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$43.50

History

The passenger car was built for comfort, with a powerful engine. Admiral was the top of Opel pre-war model range. Between February 1938 and October 1939, 6404 cars were produced. During World War II, most cars were requisitioned by the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe and used by their senior officers.

Items in the Box

The model is made from injection molded plastic, light brown in color. The plans are well presented in book format, printed both sides. Provided are clear molded plastic sheets for windows, both for a hard top or convertible configuration; also, parking and head light lens are supplied. A small decal sheet is also included.