1. Home
  2. By Year and Month
  3. By Year and Month

all 2014

Nice cover art of the kit’s subject on a mission

A-7A Corsair II
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$20.00

Thank you to Revell, Inc., for providing this kit for review. I had fun building the kit and trying new techniques while polishing older skills. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me the opportunity to review this reissued classic.

The A-7A Corsair II is a distinctive former workhorse of many flying services. Two aircraft are represented by this kit, with markings options for a USN A-7A from VA-22, or a commemorative aircraft from the Portuguese Air Force, celebrating 64,000 operational hours.

Product Picture

Compressed Gas Bottles - Acetylene

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$10.00

Aires Aerobonus line continues to pump out great add on sets for dioramas for kits and the latest release is a set of Compressed Gas cylinders in 1/32 and this time specifically acetylene tanks. The set has four casting blocks of materials. two of the blocks are the tanks with four bodies being provided. the remaining two block have the options for each tank. There are four closed tops and enough hardware to make the tops open and have gauges. the instructions show you both ways and the decision is the modelers.

Construction is simple. Cut the tank from the casting block and sand smooth. For the closed tank, cut the lid off and sand smooth and glue on the top of the tank. For one with the pressure regulator, cut the regulator and dial off and glue those on the tank as shown in the drawing.

Oil Draining Dolly
Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$12.00

Aerobonus latest release is an oil draining cart used as a catch basin for motor oil. The set consists of eight resin parts and a decal sheet. The parts are in typical gray resin and are flawless. Parts removal is easy with careful trimming needed on the cart body and handle. Take your time and use a razor saw. A light sanding and you are good to go. The wheels are tiny as are the bolts to hold the handle. Be careful and things will clean up quickly.

I did notice one problem and that is the two bars that extend out of the front of the cart to hold the handle. Mine were broken off so i sanded them smooth and made a new set with strip in less than five minutes. Aires has protectors built into the casting block to prevent this but it didn't work in this case.

Cover

US Marine vs. Japanese Infantryman - Guadalcanal 1942–43
Book Author(s)
Gordon L. Rottman
Review Author
Jim Stratton
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

US Marine versus Japanese Infantryman: Guadalcanal 1942–43 is the eighth volume in Osprey’s Combat series and the first dealing with an American fighting force in WWII. Fortunately, this volume deals with the US Marines. There are never enough references covering the USMC, so this volume is a welcome release.

This new book deals with the Marines fighting the Japanese infantry during the Guadalcanal campaign. However, it only deals with the first three months of the Marine’s involvement, concentrating on the three main battles that occurred during the three months: the Battle of the Tenaru in August, the Henderson Field attack in September and finally the Matanikau counteroffensive in October.

Packaging

Douglas C-47/Dakota/DC-3 Landing Gear
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$16.95

First, my thanks to Ross, the CEO of Scale Aircraft Conversions, for providing IPMS/USA with so many examples of his new products. I am certainly not paid to say any of this, but Ross and his crew have taken the metal landing-gear market by storm. Their cautious first releases were met with a chorus of “whys?” That was, until their metal was proven (a bad pun, but true).

My personal epiphany came after building the Revell 1/32 Ju 88 kit. The owner of my local, now-defunct, hobby shop tried to convince me to use a set of SAC gear, but I passed based on the cost. Of course, the kit’s plastic gear failed after two months. I had second thoughts, but I was not convinced to try the SAC products until a similar fate befell my 1/48 Roden T-28; the kit’s gear legs were so accurately scaled, the thin, soft-plastic of the nose-gear leg couldn’t hold the weight of the CMK resin engine I had installed.