MMD-Squadron has released two unique detail parts in their True Details line that 1/32 scale model builders should find very useful. True Details USAAF WWII Parachute #1 (#32508) is a highly detailed 1/32 scale replica of a Type AN-6510 parachute that is casually posed as an aircrew chute would appear in pre or post-mission repose with integral pack (upturned), cushion, harness and intricate hardware. It is molded in gray resin on a very thin amount of resin molding scrap. This is a perfect accent for any 1930s-WWII US aircraft model. It is posed in the way parachutes were typically placed on the wings or stabilizers of fighter aircraft prior to a mission so pilots could quickly ‘suit up’ for a takeoff. This unique detail part is sculpted with an amazing amount of detail and is packaged on a blister card with a foam pad backing to protect the fragile features of the casting. No assembly is required.

History

The Macchi C.200 had its origins in a series of Schneider Cup seaplane racers designed by Mario Castoldi during the early thirties. The prototype C.200 first flew in 1937, and was an all-metal, low wing, radial powered monoplane possessing extremely clean lines. Its main drawbacks were its low powered 870 hp. Fiat A.74 engine and its meager armament, two fuselage mounted 12.7 mm. machine guns. Nevertheless, its flying characteristics were excellent, and it was selected for mass production, and a total of about 1,200 were completed by Macchi, and also Breda between 1939 and 1943, when it was replaced on the production lines by the C.202.

Plusmodel has introduced a wheelbarrow diorama piece that should provide some opportunities to be creative in deciding what the wheelbarrow will be carrying.

Opening the Bag

First, a little background on why I selected this kit. Previously, I had written over a dozen IPMS reviews across several scales and categories. Then I took a break from modeling, and when I returned a couple of months ago I wanted to start with something easy. This subject looked like a good start.

The contents of the bag include 6 resin pieces and an instruction diagram. The pieces are a light grey resin with very light flash around the wheel. The wheel and axle were deformed.

Volume 111 in Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces series presents the interesting story of Russian Aces of World War I. The 96-page soft cover book is the result of author Victor Kulikov’s lifelong interest in Imperial Russian aviation in WWI. He is a recognized expert, having written articles on the subject for Windsock International, Cross & Cockade, Avions, Aero Journal and Over the Front, and co-authored Flying Machine Press’ massive hard cover book Imperial Russian Air Forces. In Osprey’s Russian Aces of World War I, Kulikov draws from recently sourced Russian military and private archives to detail the exploits of each of the aces in a thoroughly researched and well-written narrative combined with a number of previously unpublished period photos.

The Fokker D.XXI single seat fighter was developed in the late thirties to replace the Fokker biplane fighters serving with the Dutch Army Aviation Branch. Although used in relatively small numbers by the Dutch, and quickly overwhelmed by the Luftwaffe during the German invasion, the type was also adopted by the Danes, but its major operational use was with the Finnish Air Force in the Winter War and afterwards . Faced with shortages of Bristol Mercury engines, the Finns also produced a variant powered by American Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior engines. These aircraft had some additional modifications, and were operated on both wheels and skis, quite successfully against the Russians, who didn’t fare too well against the highly trained and experienced Finnish pilots.

Normally I don’t build 1/72 scale. The armor is too small and my eyes are too old. There is a guy in our club named Scott who only builds 1/72 and because I thought how funny it would be to enter something into our upcoming contest in 1/72 scale to surprise him, I picked this kit to review.

It is a Village House, which is molded in color (although it still will need to be painted), and it is awesome. I’ll admit that building this kit was a lot of fun, my son helped me because it went together so easily, and it is going to look cool once I add in the extras.

The title of this one says it all. This book is dedicated completely to covering the markings and colors of Spitfire Mk Vs on Malta in 1942. Not all aircraft on Malta, not all 1942 Spitfires, and not anything else – JUST Spitfire Vs, JUST in 1942 and JUST those based on Malta!

Quickboost has issued this set of 12 Compressed Air Cylinders for the Great Wall Hobby P-61A/B. There are 12 cylinders perfectly case in grey resin and attached to a single carrier at the bottom. Cast guards are in place to make sure no damage is done. Removal is simple in just cutting the cylinders from there base with a sprue cutter and removing a few faint seam lines.

This review is for the 1/35 MiniArt Ardennes Street, which is a road section with a damaged building and a small culvert.

As with most of these MiniArt kits you get extras, and these are worth it too. There is a full door, some window panes and some window shutters plus a rail fence. The culvert is really neat too, and I plan to dress mine up with a small piece of pipe, and some trickling water.

The building is not difficult to build, but it does need some reinforcement in the form of styrene stripes. As you can see in the photo, it helps the building stay together, and it provides a place for the putty later on. I have built three of these MiniArt 1/35 buildings, and while I do like them my main pet peeve is that they don’t have much surface for glue to grab onto. However, as you can see from my previous two reviews, once the putty work is done and once they are painted they do look nice.

One of the planned builds in my stash is the Mig-21 F-13 the USAF obtained from the Israelis that became the secret “Have Doughnut” project. I discovered this aircraft in an article in an old Air Force Association Magazine my Dad gave me. The photos of the ungainly looking natural metal beast with stars and bars markings were intriguing. When I saw this book offered up on the review list, I asked for it thinking it would contain all the reference photos I needed to supplement those in the magazine to complete that build. I was wrong. There were few photos of the aircraft in the book.

What I did find, though, was the fascinating story of the creation of one of our country’s greatest defense assets over the past few decades. Author, and former F-4 Phantom driver Gail Peck (Col., USAF, ret’d.) details the story of the USAF’s aggressor training squadron from inception to its’ current status as the opposing force team for the best trained pilots in the world.

Prominent on the underside of the Mig-23 is the twin GSH-23 twin barrel 23mm cannon which can be used air to air or air to ground. The Trumpeter 1/48 Mig-23M and Mig-23MF kits provide multiple parts to create the cannon – the L34 for the fairing, PE parts 2 and 3 for the shell ejection chutes and part C2 which consists of the twin cannon barrel. Once covered by the fairing, the only portion of the GSH-23 are the muzzles of thee barrels with their distinctive finned shaped. This offering by Quickboost is a one for one drop in replacement for kit part C2, providing a more accurate pair of muzzles that are physically separated, unlike the kit part which has the muzzles connected. My guess is that the kit muzzles are that way for easy of injection molding. The resin replacement is not only separate provides smaller more realistically sized gun bores.

Osprey Publishing continuous to expand the fledging series “Air Vanguard”. This new series is focused on a specific airframe, different versions/models and a brief detail of operational service of the aircraft under scrutiny. This volume (number 7 of the series) focuses on the USAF F-4 Phantom II.

Based on the premise of this series, there are sections devoted to the airframe, engine, fuel system and armament. Specifically there are sections devoted to the F-4C, F-4D, F-4E, F-4F, and F-4G. It also includes sections on the reconnaissance versions of the above marks and special sections for license build/modifications for the Israeli and Japanese air forces. There are also a few short sections on special prototypes and test-bed airframes.

Each section is well written and has plenty of color pictures. The author is very objective, emphasizing both the strengths and weaknesses of the airplane.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, or colloquially known as the Evo is a high-performance sports car manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors that is based on the Lancer. There have been ten official versions to date, our subject review kit is the forth generation of the series. All EVO’s use two litre, turbocharged and four wheel drive systems. EVO’s were not officially imported into the American market until 2003; therefore this model represents the “home-market” version of this car,

The Kit

Our subject kit comes from Hasagawa imported by Hobbico and is part of their extensive line of the Lancer GSR series. All of the kit parts are crisply molded; since this is an EVO, there are additional standard Lancer parts included in the kit that would not nessarily be used but are available. The kit comes with a complete set of decals, window painting masks and mesh material for the front intercooler intake.

This is a set of resin exhaust stacks for the new Eduard Bf-110E kit. The advantage in using these units is that they are drilled out, whereas the kit parts are not. They fit perfectly, and were a welcome addition to my model. They are to be installed after painting the basic structure, allowing for such detailing and weathering as you desire. These are worth getting to upgrade your model. Recommended.

My thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this item.

History

When Ernst Udet brought back two Curtiss Hawk biplanes to Germany in the middle thirties after witnessing dive bombing demonstrations by US Navy pilots, he started a trend that resulted in the development of dive bombing aircraft for the Luftwaffe that eventually resulted in the development of the Junkers JU-87. Capable of nearly vertical dives retarded by very effective dive brakes, bombing accuracy improved dramatically, and during World War II, the Germans, along with the Americans and Japanese, developed dive bombing to a fine art. The Ju-87 was an early attempt at a specialized dive bomber, and although progressively developed during the war, could never keep pace with or coexist in an environment with enemy fighters unless a strong friendly fighter escort was present, a luxury the Germans didn’t always have.

Quickboost now offers model builders an aftermarket detail set that replaces the exhaust pipes found in Tamiya’s great 1/72 A6M5 kit. As nice as the kit parts may be, these pipes provide greater detail than those in the kit because Quickboost has molded them with open ends. They are designed to simply drop in, in place of the kit parts. As the photo below shows, they match up with the kit parts exactly so adding them to the model should be a simple matter after they are removed from the casting block.

Following the conclusion of World War II the U.S. Army and the U.S.M.C. were in dire need of a heavy tank to keep up with the Soviet armor force. After many years of development and testing the M103 was ready to go into production. Through the development of the M103 there were several variants developed. The main variant being the M51 heavy tank recovery vehicle. The M103 never served in a war zone, but was deployed in Germany and, of all places, Guantanamo, Cuba. The M103 was retired after only fourteen years of operational service.

The author and Osprey publishing do a very good job of telling how the M103 came to be and then finally being put into service. The writing is very clear and they use photos and artist drawings of the M103 in combat, which it never was, just kind of a "what if" type of artist's rendering.

One interesting side note is that there is a local military museum that has an M103 turret as one of their displays.

Quickboost has produced a set of resin gun barrels to replace the nose armament for the Eduard Bf-110E kit. The only real differences between the kit and replacement parts are that the resin part is one piece, whereas the kit parts need to be glued together, and the gun barrels are drilled out, allowing for more realism. Once installed, the gun barrels are barely visible, although the drilled out muzzles do stand out, and the parts are so small that drilling them out could be a bit tedious at best.

This is a nice little addition to what is already an excellent kit. Recommended. My thanks to Quickboost and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review these items.

Quickboost now offers model builders an aftermarket detail set that replaces the wing gun barrels and pitot tube found in Tamiya’s 1/72 A6M5 kit. The parts provide a higher level of detail and accuracy, and the gun barrels are molded with open ends. The parts are designed simply to drop-in, in place of the kit part, and provide better detail.

The parts are molded in Quickboost’s familiar resin on a small casting block with protective bars on the ends. The quality of the molding is quite flawless, with no bubbles, pinholes, or flash to deal with. A sharp #11 X-Acto blade or razor saw blade is the only tool needed to remove the parts from the casting block, and a quick swipe with a sanding stick can dress up the cut, if necessary. Because they are resin, they must be anchored with superglue or epoxy cement.

These detail parts will be a very nice addition to the 1/72 scale Tamiya 1/72 A6M5 kit. This set is highly recommended.

The March/April 2013 issue of Windsock Worldwide is the second issue of Volume 29, and the cover photo of a TVAL reproduction Sopwith Snipe foretells the main feature of this issue. The Snipe is the centerpiece, presented with an exclusive pictorial coverage that provides modelers with much, and supports subsequent product reviews of Wingnut Wings’ two new Sopwith Snipe kits. But, before getting to the Snipe, this issue is packed with a wealth of relevant news and other features.

The first regular column; the READER’S GALLERY, presents photo coverage of four highly detailed models ranging from a static 1/72 scale model to a 1/6 scale flying model. Then, following a brief Front Line News column, there is a RARA AVIS covering a one-of-a-kind Swedish Friedrichshafen G.IIIA. Lance Krieg then brings Chapter Eight of his valuable WWI Modeling Master Class to closure with two pages devoted to “Concluding The Chapters on Adding Extra Detail to WWI Models.”

This is another fine publication in Osprey Publishing’s Men-at-Arms series. There are 10 books in the series that covers the Indians of America. This publication covers the Indian tribes of the Southwest, which is mainly Arizona and New Mexico and some of the surrounding states. The contents cover the history of the tribes, the Spanish Invasion, and the approximately 35 tribes in the Southwest. This number includes all the major tribal groups along with their sub-tribes. There is a description of the major tribal groups and their main characteristics, hunting, gathering, and customs. The section on language and tribal accents is particularly interesting. The major tribes of Ute, Apache (with 4 variants), Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, and Pueblo are covered, as well as marginal tribes. Numerous photographs from circa 1870 up to 1910 are included, along with color art work, maps, and illustrations.

Content overview:

This book follows the operational use of the Spitfire starting in Australia, moving into India, then onto Rangoon, The East Indies, and then with the last mission being flown on 10 August 1945. The last mission that day was a search for a Mosquito in distress.

The author takes you on a journey as the book goes along, using many first-hand accounts and after-action reports. It is interesting to read about how these pilots had thought that they had encounter one type of Japanese plane only to find out through the author’s research that it was a different type. Just goes to show how in the heat of combat everything becomes a blur and you just start relying on your training.

Background

Considered by many the best American close air support fighter of the Second World War, the P-47D Thunderbolt was instrumental in the Allied ground campaign in the European Theater of Operations, as well as a key to ensuring air superiority and providing air interdiction in European and Pacific theaters.

The Kit

Hobby Boss steps up with another addition to its fantastic “Easy Assembly” series of 1/72 aircraft kits in the form of the “Razorback” variant of the P-47D. Molded in 3 light gray sprues and solid wing and fuselage segments, a single clear sprue, a small sheet of decals for 2 markings options, and instructions with full color paint and marking guide, the contents of the little box offer a gold mine for modelers of all skill levels.

ADH Publishing is a UK-based magazine company that produces a multitude of model related magazines. Some examples are Military Illustrated Modeler, Model Military International, Tamiya Model Magazine International, and Model Airplane International, along with a host of RC magazines.

This magazine covers the units of the German Army in defense of Sicily. Even though this magazine only consists of thirty-three pages, there are a lot of great references. A narrative starts off the magazine with several excellent period photographs embedded within it. The rest of the magazine is loaded with many period photographs with captions, campaign maps, loss charts of the Divisions involved, a full page of color divisional markings, and color drawings of the equipment of this campaign.

Quickboost has added the ejection seat for the F-8 Crusader to their line of resin aircraft accessories. This latest addition is molded in a grayish resin – smooth, seamless, and bubble-free. Noteworthy is that it is easy to remove from the mold block by taking only a couple of minutes with a saw blade.

The package doesn’t state that it is for any particular kit, so it should work well with any of the F-8 Crusader kits. I compared it with the Heller and Academy kit parts. Talk about a noticeable difference – the detail on the Quickboost part is outstanding. I left the pieces of the Academy seat unassembled in one of the photos to show the number of pieces there are. Big plus for Quickboost, the seat is only two parts. The initiator rings that are at the top of the seat are separate so that they don’t get broken before you get them.