Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
December 1, 2015
Company
Plusmodel
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$11.30

One of my favorite aircraft is the BAC (English Electric) Lightning and having a few in my stash I jumped at the opportunity to have this pilot figure.

This resin figure is very well detailed and molded with very little flash as is the norm with PlusModels products.

I do not normally get figures as I am not very good at painting faces so avoid it at all cost normally. But this figure was so good so I decided to do a full paint job as best as I could. When finished, I was pleasantly surprised how it turned although the quality of the figure was the reason it looks good not my painting skills when it comes to figures.

This is an excellent figure and I will get more by PlusModel.

Thanks go to Plus Models for providing this kit to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Ray Rimell, Editor
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
December 3, 2015
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$15.00

The Autumn 2015 edition of Windsock World War Centenary is the third edition of Volume 31. This edition’s cover story features an enlarged version of Ronny Barr’s Pfalz D.III 4059/17 side profile as Lance Krieg dives into the Silbergrau color debate. David Hardie provides his build notes for the Wingnut Wings Roland C.II ‘Walfisch’ along with 19 photos illustrating how he did it.

The first of a series by the late Harry Woodman focuses on an unpublished update to his rare Scale Model Aircraft in Plastic Card that portends to be a must have. This feature provides updates to the original and is supplemented with plenty of archival material and color photos. The color feature by arvoart.com is the 15th part of the Great War Paint and depicts fifteen aircraft, highlighted by the Swedish Thulin D. Of course all the usual suspects also are here with reviews of on-topic books, journals, calendars, kits, accessories, and last, but not least, figures

Chapters include:

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

The Dan Fink Metalworks Speedwagon is a wonderful car and Revell has made a terrific kit.

Engine

The small block Ford engine goes together very well but has no alternate parts. I guess because the kit represents an actual car. Parts fit and looks good when completed.

Interior

Interior has separate side panels that can be easily detailed due to the excellent engraving.

Body

The body panels fit like they’re supposed to fit without issues. The fenders, tub and hood are separate pieces. Fenders, hood and grille are probably from the Revell ’32 Ford 5 window coupe kit. I chose to use HOK majik blue pearl while the wood panels were hand painted in a 4 step process.

Chassis

I think the chassis/frame parts were used from another kit – possibly the ’32 Ford 5 window coupe. Nothing wrong with that because it builds just wonderfully.

Review Author
Len Pilhofer
Published on
December 3, 2015
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$74.99

The Einheits-PKW (German for 'standard passenger cars') were supplied to the Wehrmacht between 1936 and 1943 in the three versions Leichter Einheits-PKW, Mittlerer Einheits-PKW and Schwerer Einheits-PKW (light, medium and heavy passenger car). These vehicles were supposed to replace the civilian vehicles previously procured by the Reichswehr with cross-country mobile vehicles that conformed with military requirements while simplifying logistics and maintenance by using standardized components. The program achieved neither of these goals. (Source: https://www.wikipedia.org) However, if your goal is to build a very highly detailed model in 1/35 of this vehicle (the Kfz 12 version included a tow bar), then this Bronco kit definitely delivers.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
December 3, 2015
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$75.00

Thanks ahead of time to Tamiya USA for providing IPMS USA this review kit, and thanks also to the reviewer corps leadership for sending it to me to build and review!

This kit was originally released by Tamiya back in 2006 as the “Yukikaze”, which was the only survivor of the Japanese Kagero-class “A” of Destroyers in World war II. This new release of the kit is the lead ship Kagero itself. Kagero definied in English translates to “Mirage” or “Heat haze”. The net has a lot on it; I just found it interesting to read the history.

Tamiya has, to my mind, an excellent sales process. The kit box captures your attention; a professionally-painted rendering of the actual ship in action, side-view diagrams of the craft, pictures of the assembled model with or without full hull, photographs of the metal parts, and a feeling that “you really want to buy this model” ensues. It works…

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
December 3, 2015
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$30.00

As the late Yogi Bera said, “it’s like déjà vu all over again.” In case you read my previous review on the MiniArt Harley Davidson WLA (kit 35080), some of this may look familiar as the kit includes the same motorcycle, but with a relaxed soldier onboard. The motorcycle and rider are both rendered well in this kit, which will add a unique model for those interested in a World War II motorcycle with a distinctive figure. Although I would recommend the motorcycle to more experienced builders, the kit is very nice overall once constructed, and will look great in any collection.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
December 4, 2015
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$11.95

First, THANKS SAC and IPMS USA for another review opportunity! SAC has been around for a few years, and to my mind fills a serious need for models. As kits get more expensive, they have more detail, weigh more, and you have more invested in it.

Enter SAC. This set adds structural strength to the fragile gear on a 1/144 scale airliner-sized model, in this case the Minicraft C-54. The C-54 has a fork nose gear with one tire; the kit requires about ½ ounce of nose weight, so there is added stress to the nose gear. The gear is also scale in size, meaning it’s very fragile. Metal makes the difference between gear snapping off on provocation, or gear that withstands handling.

Use of this SAC gear is simple, four parts: two main gear, the nose gear (the fragile part of the kit), and the nose gear retraction strut. Just swap the SAC gear for kit items, and you are done!

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$42.99

History Brief

Given the codename "Grace" by the Allies, the Aichi B7A Ryusei was a large and powerful single engine, two-seat carrier-borne torpedo-dive bomber. It was produced by Aichi Kokuki KK for the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during the Second World War. The B7A first flew as a prototype in May 1942, but problems with the experimental NK9C Homare engine and airframe issues delayed the type and it didn’t enter into production until two years later in May 1944. Despite the plane's weight and size, it displayed fighter-like handling and performance, it even outperformed the A6M Zero which was in service at the time. Not only was it was a fast, agile and highly maneuverable machine, it could also carry a single 800 kg bomb, two 250 kg bombs or six 60 kg bombs at once.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
December 4, 2015
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$5.95

I recently built and reviewed Brengun’s USN Tow Tractor (BRL 144025) used on aircraft carriers. One thing that I said was missing was the tow bar to allow the tractor to move the planes around the deck. So here it is.

The entire kit is a single resin cast and a single PE fret. The resin parts are the bars for the tow bar. The PE is the connectors to hook the assembly to the tractor at one end and the aircraft at the other.

Assembly Preparation

The assembly is both easy and difficult. The easy part is that there aren’t a lot of parts, and they are logically set up. The difficult part is that the PE parts are all very small and easy to lose. One way I overcome this difficulty is using a jeweler’s apron, which anchors to my workbench at one end, and the other end has a loop which is around my neck. This way if I drop a part, it usually falls into the apron, where it can be recovered. The carpet monster is bereft.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
December 4, 2015
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$12.79

The VZ-9 Avrocar is marketed as a “what if” kit, but to my surprise there actually WERE two of these things built and “flown”.

The idea originated in the early 1950s as a U.S. Air Force project, built by AVRO Canada, for a high-speed, high performance fighter with high speed and maneuverability. The performance didn’t pan out, and the U.S. Army took over the project with the idea of having something like a high speed, highly maneuverable helicopter. The two prototypes were built in 1958 and 59. The project was abandoned in 1961.

One of the prototypes is on display at the US Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio.