Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
October 13, 2015
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$26.95

Eduard has produced this nice photoetch set to add considerable detail to ICM’s Horch 108 Typ 40 WWII German Personnel Car. The set adds much better detail to the light and equipment mounting brackets on the front fenders, the brackets and plaques on the rear doors, the rifle clamps, and many other miscellaneous details.

Review Author
Camden Koukol
Dave Koukol
Published on
October 13, 2015
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$42.00

Background

Developed as a fleet interceptor for the United States Navy in the 1950’s the F-4 Phantom became one of the most successful and prolific combat aircraft designs of the jet age, remaining in US service into the 1990’s. Tasting its first combat during the Vietnam War, Navy and Air Force Phantoms produced leading aces for both service branches.

Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
October 13, 2015
Company
Master Box Ltd
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$23.00

This is my first experience with Master Box products, which is primarily known for its figures series for military and aircraft models. I decided to step outside my comfort zone and build a subject I don’t typically build. This is the first bicycle model that I have assembled since building the old MPC Schwinn Ten Speed 40 plus years ago! The “Price of War” set is a multimedia kit which includes a figure with baggage accessories and a multi-media bicycle with a separate sprue and PE fret by North Star. The details are etched from brass and given the subject it would have been nicer to have them in stainless steel – more about this later.

Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
October 13, 2015
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.96

SAC has filled the niche of replacement landing cast in white metal. In most cases these are copies of the original parts cast in white metal. Some are upgrades that fix noted errors. These products are convenient for many multiple reasons:

Book Author(s)
Artur Juszczak
Review Author
Paul Mahoney
Published on
October 14, 2015
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$35.00

While this is the 4th volume in MMP’s “Spotlight On” series, it is the first one I have had the pleasure of seeing in person. This book (and I imagine the others in the series) consists primarily of large, full-page color profiles of the subject matter.

Upon opening the book, one is immediately presented with an introductory page briefly discussing the P-51D’s development (not the P-51 in general, just the “D” model, so the author assumes some general knowledge of the aircraft type). This is immediately followed by over 40 pages of color profiles. At the end of the book is a page showing the general finish of the P-51, and a 2-page section listing P-51 Aces.

Book Author(s)
Enrico Finazzer, Ralph A. Riccio
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
October 14, 2015
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$50.73

Italian Artillery in WW2 is a subject long neglected in the modeling field, although it’s good to see Italeri and other companies starting to create kits of these subjects. Italy’s artillery arm during that war suffered, to a certain degree, from their successes in the Great War, where they captured or otherwise obtained large numbers of artillery pieces from the defeated Austro-Hungarian Empire. This led to a certain complacency in the higher military echelons concerning further developments, so that Italy was always suffering from inadequate support in this field. That being said, when they did develop new materials they were consistently excellent with innovations such as easily replaceable inner barrels.

Review Author
Camden Koukol
Dave Koukol
Published on
October 14, 2015
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$6.95

Simple but brilliant, Eduard’s pre-cut canopy masks now include a set for Academy’s 1/72 F-4J Phantom II kit.

In this case, simplicity of application was demonstrated by 9 year-old Camden as he built his Academy F-4J Showtime 100 for a related IPMS/USA review. In a matter of minutes, the pre-cut masks were transferred to the model canopy and scraps for left-over mask material were used to fill in the holes. Fit of all pieces was spot-on.

The masks adhered well throughout the construction and finishing process, spanning about 3 weeks’ time. At the end of the build, they peeled off with only one slight trace of residual adhesive, which was quickly lifted by the adhesive side of a piece of low-tack masking tape.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
October 14, 2015
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.95

Shortly after it released its Royal Class 1/72 MiG-15 set, which included a MiG-15 UTI trainer as one of the 4 kits, Eduard released parts of the MiG-15 as overtrees.

One of the first items released was the photo-etch set for the MiG-15 UTI. As this is an overtree set, it did not come with instructions, however, as Eduard’s webpage for the MiG-15 Royal Class kit includes a link to the kit’s instructions, all you have to do is download the portion of the instructions that relate to the MiG-15 UTI and you are all set to go.

Book Author(s)
Gordon L. Rottman
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
October 14, 2015
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$18.95

This book is a description of the changes in equipment, uniforms, and tactics of the allied troops from the landing at Normandy to VE day on May 8, 1945. Experience, technological improvements, and the seasoning of troops in battle brought about these changes. The book is mostly in text with supporting photos and color plates of soldiers’ uniforms and equipment. The book primarily focuses on infantry, but there are also sections on armor and field artillery. The book emphasizes tactics and use of equipment.

The book has sections on the US infantry, Free French Forces, the British/Canadian Army Group and the British 79th Armored Division.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
October 15, 2015
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$99.95

Eduard’s NATO Fighter is a limited edition boxing of the Hasegawa F-104G with the addition of resin parts for two different ejection seats and several sensors/antennas, a photoetch fret of details for the two seats, as well as a full cockpit, and 2 decal sheets – one of stencils and one with markings for five different NATO air forces that flew the F-104.

Hasegawa’s F-104 kit has been reviewed several times in the past, so other than a few gotcha’s that I learned the hard way, I will focus on the added parts and details.