This upgrade provides a 1//32 scale improved seat for the HK B-17. It comes in three different options, with two seats to a package. One is the plain seat, one has basic seat cushions and backpad, and one has seat cushions, backpad, and the lap-belt, as the B-17 was (from my references) rarely equipped with over-the shoulder harnesses until later versions. The lap belt is the ultimate in final detail. As you can see in the side-by side view, the kit seat (in basic gray plastic) is about 3/8” taller than the Resin2detail seats; I believe the Resin 2 detail seats are more accurate.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Gladiator, as in my opinion it is one of the best looking biplane aircraft ever designed. The Gladiator prototype first flew in 1934 and entered service in 1937, just a year and a half ahead of the Hawker Hurricane. The Gladiator was utilized by 18 nation’s air forces during the war, and its last recorded combat operation being flown by the Finns in February of 1943 ended with a Soviet R-5 recon plane being shot down.

This resin set by Aires is not my first experience with their products. Like their other products, the resin is smooth, bubble and blemish free. What I really like is that the part includes the attachment tab for locating the stabilizer to the fuselage. As a builder, you really only need to know that the part will drop right in and a resin friendly glue will be necessary to attach the fuselage. Certainly don’t forget to wash the part clean before priming and painting.

This kit is a re-release from Hasegawa of the #38 Denso sponsored Toyota 88C that ran in the 1989 Le Mans race. The car finished in 53rd place and did not finish the race due to a crash. This is a curbside kit and has no engine or suspension details.

Kit

The kit comes packaged in the usual Hasegawa cardboard box and contains 1 bag of clear parts with the tire marking decal sheet inside and 1 bag of white parts with 4 rubber tires and polycaps separately bagged inside of it. There is a total of 7 sprues of white parts plus the chassis and body and 1 sprue of clear parts. All together there are 97 parts in this kit, although 14 of those parts are for other versions of the car. My kit had quite a bit of flash on the parts, but none that was difficult to remove. Just be careful to clean up the parts before assembly. There were also some ejector pin marks that will need to be taken care of or they will be seen.

Following up the first book in this series, The Russian Aviation Colours 1909-1922: Camouflage and Markings, Vol. 1 Early Years, comes MMP’s latest tome. This book, focused on the ‘Great War’ is planned to be followed by at least two additional volumes on ‘Red Stars’ (Volume 3), and ‘Against Soviets’ (Volume 4). The authors leaned heavily on Russian private archives, as well as archives, libraries, and museums.

The book is a nice hardbound, with a nice glossy cover, and 176 pages on high-quality stock with a matt finish. Mainly clear black and white period photos are supplemented with modern day color photos, color period posters and postcards, color side and top views, and color unit emblems and personal markings. The text is in English and quite readable.

This upgrade provides a 1//32 scale improved seat for the HK B-17. It comes in three different options, with two seats to a package. One is the plain seat, one has basic seat cushions and backpad, and one has seat cushions, backpad, and the lap-belt. As the B-17 was (from my references) rarely equipped with over-the shoulder harnesses until later versions, the lap belt is the ultimate in final detail. As you can see in the side-by side view, the kit seat (in basic gray plastic) is about 3/8” taller than the Resin2detail seats. I believe the Resin 2 detail seats are more accurate.

The Eduard Bf-109s are some of the best engineered models ever. I’ve enjoyed building them from the get go but there are parts of modeling I don’t overly enjoy. The main one is masking the canopies. Eduard has designed the kit and the canopy masks.

The Eduard masks are made out of Kabuki tape similar to Tamiya tape. I think this is some of the best masking material available. It is pliable and conforms to compound curves.

Since Eduard makes the kit and the masks they fit perfectly. The Eduard masks for the G-5/6 gives you the inside mask for the rear canopy. This set does not. No big deal just an observation.

The Eduard Bf-109s are some of my favorite models to build. They look great when done up. Of course there are limitations that plastic can do. So that is one of the reasons that we do resin aftermarket parts. Brassin is the Eduard resin line. It combines resin and photo etch in perfect harmony.

This set is designed for the Eduard Bf-109F series. Contained in a typical vacuformed plastic container you get five pieces of perfectly cast light grey resin and a masking set.

Removal of the parts from the sprue is easy enough. Nothing dramatic except the molded in detail which is impressive to say the least. I did have to sand down the spokes for both wheels. Each wheel is beautifully rendered. The tail wheel assembly is a single piece and looks great despite being a single piece.

Adding the parts to the kit is fairly straight forward. Don’t forget to add the tail wheel before you close up the fuselage.

A generous thank you goes to Aires Hobby Models/Quickboost for this review item.

The German Heinkel He111 civil prototype was demonstrated publicly in 1936. By the end of 1936 the bomber version, He111B, was entering service with the Luftwaffe. There were dozens of He111 variants developed over its 10 years of service making it a popular aircraft in the modeling world.

Quickboost has released a nice set of resin exhausts for the Airfix Heinkel He111P-2. The delicate parts come in a clear re-sealable plastic bag packaged with a small card insert showing a photographic image of the parts, part number, name of the parts and the recommended kit, Airfix. What is not included in the bag is a set of instructions. This is not a problem as the resin parts fit the exhaust locations the same as the kit parts.

The least expensive way to get an Eduard kit is by buying an Overtree kit. These kits are only available for a limited time, typically about one month after the release to the Profipack. This kit is typical of the Overtree line. The kit comes with just plastic. No decals, no masks, no instructions, no nothing but plastic. This is bare bones but I love the concept. I have lots of decals so I don’t need to worry about marking options.

The plain white box is about half the height of a normal Profipack box. This doesn’t diminish the quality of the plastic. Mine had a very small amount of flash on a few parts. Nothing to worry about. There are four sprues of light grey plastic and one sprue of clear plastic. The two main sprues are the same as the ones in the G-5 and G-6 kits. You get a new fuselage and new wings on the other sprues. The fuselage, wings and tail planes all feature restrained rivets and engraved panel lines.

This upgrade provides a 1//32 scale improved seat for the HK B-17. It comes in three different options, with two seats to a package. One is the plain seat, one has basic seat cushions and backpad, and one has seat cushions, backpad, and the lap-belt, as the B-17 was (from my references) rarely equipped with over-the shoulder harnesses until later versions. The lap belt is the ultimate in final detail. As you can see in the side-by side view, the kit seat (in basic gray plastic) is about 3/8” taller than the Resin2detail seats; I believe the Resin 2 detail seats are more accurate.

What can be said about the Messerschmitt Bf109 that hasn’t been said before? Actually, as it turns out, not very much. I will say that the Bf-109G-14 was Germany’s attempt to standardize production of the 109, incorporating the variety of changes made to the Bf 109G-6. On paper, this seems to make sense, however, in practice, the G-14 series were added and built in the same production lines as the G-6, so in the end, it becomes very difficult to tell a G-6 from a G-14.

Talk about a blast from the past – this kit hasn’t been seen since its 1986 release. The secondary market prices were approaching $100 and here it is again for our enjoyment at reasonable prices. This kit features some of the largest tires available for a 1:25 scale kit, and not one, but three fully blown Hemi drag motors and a wagon full of accessories.

This review covers the skill level 3 (ages 12 years and older) 2016 re-release of the Blazing Bison Puller Tractor 1:25 Scale AMT Model Kit #1006. There are 150+ pieces molded in yellow, black, and chrome, with metal axles, gigantic soft vinyl tires and waterslide decals. Finished dimensions are; ~ L-8”, W-5”, H-3”.

Construction and Detailing

To reduce color variations I recommend that you spray all the yellow pieces with a medium-tone primer.

Greg Van Wyngarden has taken a new look at the Pfalz D.IIIa service in WWI. This is the second volume of a two volume set (Datafile 173: Pfalz D.IIIA At War!). Datafile number 21 by Peter M. Grosz came out in1995 so it is about time that Windsock revisited the Pfalz D.IIIa. The initial Pfalz D.III aircraft received a poor reception amongst German pilots as it was regarded as inferior to the Albatros D.V. That doesn’t negate the fact that it was still superior to most of the Allied opposition of the time. The Pflaz firm, however, did listen to the pilot’s concerns over the D.III and soon offered improvements in the form of the D.IIIa.

Aires Quickboost has released a replacement for the Monogram (and later Revell) series of 1/48 B-25J kits that replaces the cheek gun packs. There are no instructions but this is direct a replacement for the kit part. No modifications to the kit are required; the assembly simply goes in the same place as the kit parts.

Quickboost has molded the external gun packs in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles on three resin sprues. Each Quickboost twin gun pack is supplied on its own resin sprue with a separate sprue for the four .50 caliber gun barrels.

Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash this part to remove any remaining mold release and prime it first. This part will need to be installed with your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the resin.

When you purchase an overtree kit, Eduard also offers an ‘minimalist’ photo etch to upgrade it. The LEPT set normally includes just a pre-painted fret, but in this case there are actually two frets. One pre-painted that is primarily for the cockpit, and the other is a brass fret.

Packaged in a ziplock baggie with a card stock stiffener, this set is just the right amount of detail that is needed for the kit. These are things that I would want to add, Eduard just helped me out. The first fret is the pre-painted fret. It is designed primarily for the cockpit. It has the pre-painted instrument panel, which I absolutely love, along with other pre-painted parts. This fret also has the seatbelts. Some people have complained about the ‘pixelization’ of the pre-painted parts. I don’t find that an issue under a coat of flat clear. The clear coat causes the pixelization to disappear.

This book covers the military service history of Elwyn Righetti, a fighter ace and the higher strafing fighter ace from the Eight Air Force with 27 victories. In addition to that he destroyed over 600 enemy locomotives, including over 170 in just a period of 2 days!

Righetti was fascinated with aviation since an early age and learned to fly when he was young. He was a naturally gifted pilot and as such he was made an instructor after qualifying as a pilot with the USAAF. He spent most of the war in the States, training cadre after cadre of pilots. He arrived to the European Front in late 1944 and was put in charge of the 55th Fighter Group.

Thank you to Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak for updating and enhancing an excellent historical recounting of the Pearl Harbor attack, coinciding with the 75^th anniversary year. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to review this updated volume. I truly appreciate the improved format, increased content, and the effective methods for researching new details and history of this world-altering event.

This book comes in the now familiar red cover with type photo and follows the series normal format. The XB-46 was one of four entries into the competition for a jet-powered medium bomber. They were along with the XB-46; the North American XB-45, Boeing XB-47 and Martin XB-48. Boeing was allowed to use swept-wing research captured from the Germans on their design.

Of the other three straight winged designs the XB-45 was the winner and received a production order. That being said Convair’s XB-46 was one of the most beautiful and elegant straight wing jet designs ever conceived. The long thin 113 foot Davis wing and 105 foot cylindrical fuselage combination was most aesthetically pleasing.

The book begins with the development of the design and construction. Paying strict attention to the details, including a full range of cockpit detail photographs, other crew position area as well as aircraft systems from pneumatic to fuel to weapons to engines.

The Black Label collection from Dragon Models offers an interesting range of novel model kits. Their latest offering, a 1/35th scale MIM-104B Patriot Surface To Air Missile (PAC-1), is not the only kitted offering of this venerable anti-missile, missile system on the market; it is not even the first version of the kit produced. But, with its relatively low parts count and absence of photo etch, it is a kit clearly aimed at modelers with a focus on buildability. Dragon includes not only the complete launcher and four posable missile pods, but also the U.S. Army HEMTT prime mover – quite an undertaking in one box.

If you’re like me, you hate masking canopies/windows. The advent of the canopy mask has made it possible for me to attempt many kits that I otherwise would never try due to large expanses of glass. But even in the case of kits with relatively limited glass, they certainly make life a lot easier.

Hauler Brengun is a Czechoslovakian model company that produces a whole series of accessories for their own kits such as resin detail parts, masks and oddly enough, replacement canopies for their own kits. The subject of this review is their set of masks for their Typhoon IB (car door) kit. Included are a set of masks for the canopy, masks for the wheel hubs and finally for the wing landing lights. They are made out of the same type material as Tamiya masking tape. They have a good level of tack, not too low or high, and can bend around curves if required. Let’s break this down to the three areas covered (pun intended)

Quickbost has produced replacement parts for the Eduard 1/72 Fw-190 kits. The resin replacements are a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include two replacement ribs with finely detailed brace locks, which are not present on the kit parts. There is no modification required to the kit to use these details.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate view should you have the occasion to closely inspect the underside of this exquisite kit. Note the additional detail on the locking mechanisms in the resin part over the kit’s parts.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to the IPMS Reviewer Corps and Quickboost for the opportunity to review this item.

What's in the Huge Box

When I opened the box I was impressed with the numbers of sprues. At first glance it did not appear that this was going to be too difficult of a build. However, I later discovered that my assumption was incorrect. There are a lot of parts to put together, and you must be ready to devote some time into this model because it will take a while to complete. With that said, let's get on with the good stuff. Here is a breakdown of the items in the huge box.

Kit contents

• 20-Grey Sprues
• 4-DS Tires
• 1-Tow Cable
• Decals
• Instructions

(An interesting note. This kit has no photo etch parts. You will also have a ton of leftover parts in the kit which all look like the belong to the HEMTT. The question is why did Dragon not release the HEMMT with this kit?)

Furball; a dogfighters’ term for a fighter-themed modeling company. We sincerely appreciate Furball Aero-Design’s support of IPMS USA and their providing one more of their great products for review. And thanks to the reviewer corps leaders for sending this set to me to review!

This set provides markings for nine early-model F-14A’s from the Bicentennial era:

The book is one of Squadron Signal series Aircraft in Action. It explores the history and development of the Convair B-58 Hustler. I have always loved this aircraft design and was very happy to have this book added to my reference library. The pictures of the B-58 in production and maintenance were something I really liked to see.

The book has some extremely interesting and diverse photos of the iconic B-58, there are over 200 photographs included. The photos show the classic lines and design of this wonderful symbol of the early cold war. The book drew me in to the point that I had to pull the B-58 model out of my stash ready to start building, using the book for valuable reference.

This book should be in every aircraft lover’s library and I recommend this book to everyone. The great reference photos are ideal for all modelers. The pictures and drawings of the aircraft during development, prototyping and production are very good and many I had never seen before

The book explores the history of both the Kubelwagen and the Schwimmwagen in photos.

The visual history series of book mixes rare and visual stunning archival imagery with pictures of restored vehicles.

The book has some extremely interesting and diverse photos of both vehicles. A number of photos that I had never seen before made this a very fascinating book. I could spend hours looking at the pictures that are worth a million words! There are some wonderful pictures showing captured versions – idea for model inspiration.

The pictures depict many versions of the vehicles and there is some very detailed walk around photos included. The close up pictures are great at showing the details of the vehicles.

I whole heartily recommend this book to everyone with an interest in these vehicles; it has great reference photos. It is a great book for modelers.

I look forward greatly to others in the series, especially if they are by David Doyle.