Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$72.99

This is the British Heavy Tank Conqueror Mark 2, heavy tank design featuring a 120mm main gun. Developed specifically as a response to the Soviet IS-3 tank, it was envisaged as a partner for the British Army’s mainstream and contemporary Centurion (armed with a smaller 20-pdr gun) tank so it could give a long-range anti-tank reach. A total of 20 Conqueror Mk.I and 165 Conqueror Mk.II tanks were produced from 1955-59, and they were allocated to tank regiments stationed in Germany.

  • 6 sprues molded in tan styrene
  • 1 separate lower hull
  • 1 separate upper hull
  • 1 slide molded turret
  • 1 Clear sprue
  • 1 rubber gun mantlet cover
  • 4 rubber track sections
  • 2 tow cables
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet.

Construction

The kit is not too complex and assembles in 19 stages which are not too complex.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
August 9, 2015
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

Cleanup on aisle six. That's what I kept thinking as I peeled away layer after layer of flash and mold seams from this kit. Michelangelo once said something like every block of stone has a masterpiece inside. It’s up to the sculptor to discover it. That's the way it is with this kit. Somewhere buried beneath all that flash is a nice kit.

This is a great Revell kit that once was a classic model that every car modeler needs to build. Dates on the sprues suggest this kit was first issued in 1982, and there have been several re-releases since then. The years have not been nice though, as the flash and worn moldings continue to grow, requiring lots of cleanup.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
August 9, 2015
Company
Gyro-Cut
MSRP
$19.95

Matt Greenburg was at the Columbus IPMS Nationals with a new product. They were selling like hotcakes, and after seeing the demonstration, I bought one. As a Convention Special, Matt threw in a pair of extra blades.

The knife is special because the blade rotates to follow the movement of your hand as it changes direction while cutting. This allows very good control of the curves and angles of the cut. The business card below was cut by Matt with one sweep of the Gyro-Cut.

The trick is that you start the cut and move your hand along the line to be cut, and the blade follows. Because it is angled, the tip drags the blade into cutting position, even if the line cut is not straight. So it is possible to cut a curved or wavy line just by drawing the knife along the line, just like using a pencil to draw. Acute angles (less than 90 degrees) require a little finesse, but the knife can do it. You just stop at the angle and let the blade swivel before you go very far.

Review Author
Mike Van Schoonhoven
Published on
August 9, 2015
Company
Model Art
MSRP
$14.07

This is Model Art Magazine’s special quarterly issue that focuses on naval subjects. As with the regular Model Art Magazine this is printed in Japanese with some English subtitles.

The feature article in the Spring 2015 Vessel Model Special covers the battle of Leyte Gulf / battle of Surigao Strait / Nishimura's fleet. The article is comprised of models of the vessels that were involved. Some the models are shown as full build features and others are static color photos. Included are line drawings of some of these vessels.There are several period black and white photos included along with maps of the battle area.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
August 10, 2015
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$24.99

History Brief

The Hurricane ranks with the most important aircraft designs in military aviation history. Developed by Sydney Camm, Hawker's Chief Designer in the late 1930s, the Hurricane was the first British monoplane fighter and the first British fighter to exceed 300 miles per hour in level flight. It was a single seat fighter with an enclosed cockpit. It featured a stressed skin aluminum wing with fabric covered aluminum control surfaces. The fuselage was a mix of steel tube, aircraft spruce forms, and fabric.

1700 Hurricanes fought in the Battle of Britain. That’s more than all other British fighters combined and those historic fights were seen as the Hurricane's finest hour. It fought over southern England and the English Channel during the summer of 1940 and fixed a place in history accounting for 60% of the RAF's air victories in the battle. After the Battle of Britain ended the Hurricanes were used across the world until the end of World War II.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Chris Graeter
Published on
August 10, 2015
Company
Squadron Signal Publications
MSRP
$19.95

Squadron Signal Publication, In Action series has come out with a new book authored by David Doyle on the M2/M3 Bradley. The book starts out with an interdiction on how and why the Bradley came about. From the US Army’s open top M3 halftrack in WWII to the M113 APC the US Army needed a vehicle that could keep pace on the modern battle field with the latest tanks. The new vehicle would need to posses excellent firepower, speed and protection to transport troops. After a long development period the M2 Bradley joined the US Army. The book covers this development period well with good photos and text. The book continues with excellent photo references and text that follows the different upgrades and deployments that the Bradley has seen from the 1980’s, peace time Germany, Kosovo, the two Gulf wars and current training and uses. There are good photos that show how the crews stored there gear on these vehicles in peace time and war and how the crews lived & worked in these vehicles.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
August 11, 2015
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$24.99

History Brief

The Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I fixed its place in history during the Battle of Britain. The RAF pilots known as 'The Few' proved the Spitfire’s ability. Fighting alongside the Hurricane they overcame the struggles of the Battle of Britain over southern England and the English Channel during the summer of 1940. Powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin V12, the Supermarine Spitfire was capable of speeds of over 360mph. Noted for remarkable maneuverability that allowed it to turn inside an opponent, the spitfire made it an excellent dog-fighter and it was the interceptor of choice for Fighter Command. Accordingly, RJ Mitchell's design is a time-tested aviation masterpiece, famous and beautiful too, first flying in 1936 and by 1940 it had become the envy of the world's air arms.

Book Author(s)
Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
August 12, 2015
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$4.95

Thank you to Mushroom Publications for bringing a tremendous digital resource for the modeler. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to test out this new and exciting method of researching model subjects. This digital publication is nearly identical in content to the paperback version [suggestion to editor: here is the link for the paperback review on the IPMS Review site.

Overview

I am very pleased with the increasing availability of research material in the tablet world. Interactive Panels allows an interesting reference experience for the WWII German aircraft modeler. Cockpit views of six different aircraft instrument panels are included, as listed:

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
August 12, 2015
Company
Delta One Decals
Scale
1/32

With the release of the Revell-Germany Bf-109G-6 and G-10 Erla it is just natural to want to put markings on them that aren’t included in the box.

Delta One has been providing some unique looking 109s on their decal sheets and this one is no different. The Croatians had a staffel similar to the Spanish staffel in JG-52. They were proud and carried the This decal sheet provides markings for seven aircraft, six G-6s and one G-5. Most of the aircraft sported the “Flying or Winged chessboard” on both sides of the fuselage.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
August 12, 2015
Company
Tarangus
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$29.95

The Kit

This is the first 1/72 kit by Tarangus, and follows their 1/48 SAAB Lansen A-32A and J-32B kits. Despite being a limited run kit, this is a major upgrade over the previously available Tunnan kits (Matchbox, Heller) and obviously the first as a J-29A or B. Of course the increase in accuracy does not correspond to an increase in buildability. I sincerely hope that Tarangus will expand this kit to do the later Tunnan versions. Hopefully the kit does well and we will soon see the reconnaissance version, S-29C, along with the later J-29E and J-29F with their distinctive dogtooth wings.