Review Author
Christopher Martens
Published on
May 29, 2014
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$14.50

Master Model has a knack for making impossibly small upgraded detail “kits” that are assembled from turned-metal parts and photoetch (PE). Previous highlights included the 1/72 scale six-barreled M61 Vulcan machine gun found in most modern US fighters, and the 1/72 GAU-8 Avenger gun tip, found at the business end of an A-10.

Now, Master has somewhat outdone themselves with two “kit” versions of the aircraft-carried WWII Mark 13 torpedo…in 1/350 scale:

Review Author
Christopher Martens
Published on
May 29, 2014
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/200
MSRP
$24.00

Trumpeter’s recent 1/200 scale Bismarck is a gigantic kit at over four feet in length! Using plastic for her guns is, frankly, a serious disservice. Fortunately, Master Model has fired a salvo of several metal barrel upgrade sets aimed squarely at this large-scale Bismarck.

The three Bismarck sets being reviewed are:

  • SM-200-06 - 1/200 German battleship Bismarck - main gun barrels - 38 cm (15in) SKC/34 (8 pcs) - $24.00
  • SM-200-07 - 1/200 German battleship Bismarck - secondary and heavy AA armament barrels - 15cm (12 pcs), 10,5 cm (16 pcs) - $15.00
  • SM-200-08 - 1/200 German battleship Bismarck - anti-aircraft armament barrels - 37 mm SKC/30 (16 pcs), 20 mm C/30 (12 pcs), 20 mm C/38 (8 pcs) - $15.00

Master Model has excelled in creating amazing turned metal products at reasonable prices, and these upgrades are no exception. The main guns are huge, well machined, and beautiful. The secondary and AA guns have astounding detail.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
May 29, 2014
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$49.95

History

The Messerschmitt Bf-110 series was originally designed as a long range escort fighter, and so much has been written about the type that I need not be repetitious. Preceded into production by the Bf-110B, which first appeared in 1938, the Bf-110C was the first major production model, followed by the “D”, “E”, “F”, and “G” variants. It was not particularly successful at the beginning of the war, as it was used against more nimble single seat fighters. Later in the war, it was used as a night fighter, where it was very successful and even outlived the aircraft intended to replace it.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
February 10, 2020
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$8.50

Master Model is an aftermarket supplier that offers modelers the opportunity to add exceptional turned metal parts to their models. Generally, the sets are available for builders in 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 scale. Most builders who prefer to add aftermarket gun barrels, refueling probes, antennas and pitot tubes to their aircraft models are quite familiar with Master Model’s line of excellent detail parts.

This set (AM-72-066) provides highly detailed 1:72 scale Hispano Mk. 1 cannon (with flat recoil springs) for the Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC. The parts may be used to replace the injection molded ones in Revell, Airfix, Hasegawa, Academy, Smer, Matchbox and Heller kits. In some cases, they simply will drop into place, in others a little surgery may be required. Holes may need to be drilled in the leading edge to accept the fairing and barrel combination or a kits’ molded wing fairing may be drilled to accept only the cannon barrel.

Review Author
Bryan Krueger
Published on
May 30, 2014
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$49.95

Dragon's latest Panzer III represents the Panzerkampfwagen III Sd Kfz. 141/1 Ausf L "Late" production. This kit is a bit of a mix and match from earlier kits, most notably the 2010 Dragon Models 6606 PzIII Ausf N with Winterketten. It also shares a bit of pedigree with the 2011 release of the Cyber Hobby 6422 Pz III ausf L Vorpanzer which builds an "Early" version of the Ausf L.

As early as 1940, Hitler ordered the Pz III to be equipped with the 5 cm Kw.K. L60 but it wasn't until December 1941 that the weapon was finally fitted to the Pz III ausf J. The Pz III Ausf J with the extra armor (Vorpanzer) and the L60 gun evolved into the Pz III ausf L and earlier Ausf Js with these features were re-designated Ausf Ls. Production of the Ausf L ran from June to December 1942 with a total run of 653 vehicles.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
May 30, 2014
Company
Cyber-Hobby
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$41.00

History Brief

The F6F Hellcat, was a completely new design from Grumman for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The F6F Hellcat, a single-seat carrier-based fighter is credited with destroying a staggering 5,271 enemy aircraft. In all, some 4,402 F6F-3 carrier-borne fighters were produced up until April 1944 before it was replaced by the F6F-5. This type first flew on 3 October 1942 and it reached operational readiness the following February with VF-9 aboard USS Essex. The fighter’s standard armament was six .50-cal M2/AN Browning machine guns plus six High-Velocity Aircraft Rockets (HVAR) mounted under its wings , while later aircraft had three hard-point’s capable of carrying 900kg of bombs.