December 2016

Review Author
Ron Bell
Published on
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/96
MSRP
$25.99

The Kit

The Caravelle was the world's first short/medium-range jet airliner, first flying in 1955, and was produced by the French Sud Aviation firm. The Caravelle was one of the most successful first-generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with an order from United Airlines. The Caravelle established the aft-mounted engine and clean-wing design that has since been used on a wide variety of aircraft.

Book Author(s)
Tom Cooper, David Nicolle, Lon Nordeen, Holger Müller , and Martin Smisek
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Harpia Publishing
MSRP
$69.95

Tom Cooper and David Nicolle's Arab MiG series is an incredible history that addresses the Arab air forces of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from 1955 through 1973. Although MiG aircraft dominate the story, all Post-WWII Arab aircraft are included. The authors have been able to access official archives as well as the combatants involved to provide a unique perspective of the Middle East conflicts. Volume one in this series, published November 19, 2009, covered the background of the Arab air forces from 1955 focusing on MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighters. Volume two, published October 19, 2011, addressed the Arab air force supersonic fighters from 1956 through 1967. Volume three in the Arab MiGs series focuses on the Arab air forces in the June 1967 War and was published October 24, 2012. Volume four in the Arab MiGs series focuses on the Arab air forces in the Attrition War from 1967 through 1973 and was published October 19, 2013.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.00

AOA Decals specializes in Navy and Marine Corps subjects from the Vietnam era. This particular sheet focuses on Trumpeters very nice 1/32nd scale A-4 kit and is Part 4 of the Scooter decals. This set is similar to the first three parts with coverage of USN/USMC A-4’s with three choices of colorful squadrons and also a choice of aircraft with and without the later avionics hump. There are also different time periods represented for each of the squadrons so there are a total of six options. The options are:

Book Author(s)
Tom Cooper, David Nicolle, Albert Grandolini, Lon Nordeen, and Martin Smisek
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Harpia Publishing
MSRP
$64.95

Tom Cooper and David Nicolle's Arab MiG series is an incredible history that addresses the Arab air forces of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from 1955 through 1973. Although MiG aircraft dominate the story, all Post-WWII Arab aircraft are included. The authors have been able to access official archives as well as the combatants involved to provide a unique perspective of the Middle East conflicts. Volume one in this series, published November 19, 2009, covered the background of the Arab air forces from 1955 focusing on MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighters. Volume two, published October 19, 2011, addressed the Arab air force supersonic fighters from 1956 through 1967. Volume three in the Arab MiGs series focuses on the Arab air forces in the June 1967 War and was published October 24, 2012. Volume four in the Arab MiGs series focuses on the Arab air forces in the Attrition War from 1967 through 1973 and was published October 19, 2013.

Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$3.51

The Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun was a German single-engine sport and touring aircraft developed by Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Works) in the 1930s. Originally designated the M 37, the aircraft was designed as a four-seat sports/recreation aircraft for competition in the 4th Challenge International de Tourisme. The M 37 prototype flew first in spring 1934 powered by a 250 PS (247 hp, 184 kW) Hirth HM 8U inverted-V engine, which drove a three-blade propeller.

Although it was outperformed by several other aircraft in the competition, the M 37's overall performance marked it as a popular choice for record flights. Particular among these traits was its extremely low fuel consumption rate, good handling, and superb takeoff and landing characteristics.

Review Author
John Kaylor
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

Background

Yenko Chevrolet was a Chevy dealership in Pennsylvania between 1949 and 1982. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Don Yenko utilized Chevy’s Central Office Production Order system to order cars built with the 427 cubic inch, 425 HP, L-72 Chevy engine. Only about 38 Yenko Novas were built in 1969, and this kit does a remarkable job at representing these incredible vehicles.

This was an easy build. It has its share of instruction-related issues, and there are a few places that I will point out where you have to be careful, but it has some nice features, and goes together nicely.

Review Author
John Noack
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$13.20

Brengun has been giving us fans of the smaller scales some wonderful products to work with. This 2 in 1 kit is no exception. Housed in a box about the size of a Samsung Galaxy 7 (but less likely to catch fire on your workbench), the Brengun kit of this failed Luftwaffe wonder weapon consists of 2 identical sets of sprues and two clear canopies, allowing you to build 2 different prototypes. Mustermaschine 52 is the earlier version with a horizontal tail the same span as the wings, and Mustermaschine 58 is the later variant that replicates the production version.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Res-Im
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$9.57

This set of wheels from Res-IM in the Czech Republic is a replacement for the wheels on Revell’s 1/32nd scale F-15B or Tamiya or Revell’s 1/32nd scale F-15C. They are different on the “E” version so this set is specifically made for the “A/B/C/D” versions out there.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Res-Im
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$3.55

Often the kit manufacturers produce wheels for the kits which aren’t as accurate as some modelers demand. The term AMS comes to mind here. Anyway, Res-Im has produced improved resin wheels for the late model 1/144 MiG-21.

Only the main wheels are done for this set, as all of the 1/144 MiGs I found had the gear leg molded onto the nose wheel. This shows up in the photo below which shows the Airfix wheels and the Res-Im wheels, with the nose wheel firmly molded onto the gear leg.

There’s no real assembly to this set, you just paint the wheels. Additionally, there are no instructions, but they aren’t needed. I painted the wheels first before I removed them from the pour sprue. Then I cut the wheels off the sprue, cleaned up the attachment points, and finished painting the tires.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Quickboost
MSRP
$7.00

Zvezda’s outstanding new Pe-2 kit leaves little room for improvement, but as is often the case, Aires has still found a way to add just a bit more detail here and there with a few new parts from Quickboost.

  • QB48709 (Intakes) $7.00
  • QB48708 (Exhausts) $7.00
  • QB48712 (Fuzes) $5.50

The kit’s four air intakes are molded in halves, requiring seam clean up of these small parts. The four Quickboost replacements are smooth, curved single-unit open-ended pipes. The kit’s sixteen engine exhausts pipes are even smaller pieces, all with flush ends. The Quickboost replacements mimic the larger intakes’ smooth surface and convincing open ends. The walls of these openings are so thin that care will be needed when handling them so as not to crush them, especially when removing them from the casting block.