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April 2019

Cover

M3A1 Scout Car: The US Cavalry’s Primary Reconnaissance Vehicle in World War II
Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
March 6, 2020
Company
Schiffer Publishing
MSRP
$19.99

David Doyle's latest book is one of the latest entries in the 'Legends of Warfare' series with entries in Ground, Naval, and Aviation. The first Ground book focused on the Panzerkampfwagen IV, the first Naval book was on the USS Yorktown (CV-5), and the first two Aviation books were are on the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (#4) and Douglas TBD Devastator (#3). This tome is the ninth release in the Legends of Warfare - Ground series.

Package

KC-10 Extender
Review Author
David Horn
Published on
April 21, 2019
Company
Caracal Models
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$13.99

Caracal Models is one of the leaders in aviation decals offered in 1/32, 1/48, 1/72 and 1/144 scale with many unique subjects never offered before now. The KC-10 is not a new subject, however it has been a long time since this subject has been available. With that being noted, older decals may not be reliable and the quality of printing is also in question.

Product Picture

Redstone Launcher
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
March 20, 2020
Company
Horizon Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$31.95

Be aware that ordering the kit direct from Horizon will entail a postage fee. Horizon is located in Australia. Also note that Horizon is offering reduced pricing for their other 1/72nd scale spacecraft kits.

The kit instructions can be downloaded at https://www.horizon-models.com/172-redstone-launcher

Horizon Models has, in the last few years, has established itself as a source of superior models of launch vehicles for both unmanned and manned space flight.

The Redstone Launcher will be my third Horizon model and hopefully, it will not be my last. This, kit, however, is the final release in the Redstone series according to Tony Radosevic, the Managing Director or Horizon Models.

Package

Spitfire Wheels
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
April 23, 2019
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$8.12

Here’s another nifty little “add on” or “fix-it” for your 1/144th Spitfire. The envelope contains 18 main wheels for Spitfires. I had to look closely, but there are 3 different types of tires in the envelope. There are 6 with no tread, 6 with a tread that runs around the tire, and 6 with a diamond tread. When I said I looked closely, I had to use the headband magnifier to see the tread. But they are there.

As far as using these wheels, they’re slightly better in quality than the wheels in the newer Spitfire kits such as Eduard or Mark 1 so you may want to replace the kit items. But if you’re looking at one of the “older” kits (Crown/Revell/Academy), the Brengun wheels are far superior. And then there’s another need for wheels. The wheels are sometimes knocked off the landing gear, or they just get lost. These are the wheels you need.

Package

Fine Brass Chain
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
April 24, 2019
Company
CMK
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$3.80

Czech Master Kits, known as CMK, is one of the prolific model companies out of the Czech Republic releasing full kits and aftermarket parts for aircraft, AFVs, ships, figures, and more.

This includes a series of brass chains which are listed as Fine (72nd scale), Medium (48th) and Coarse (35th). This review covers the Fine version of these products as I build mostly 1/72nd scale kits. What you get is a very nice chain in brass that is 30cm long (almost 12 inches). The links are 2mm long and 1.2mm wide. The quality is high. You can either use the chain at its full length or cut it into smaller sizes for different uses.

Package

P-40N-5 Through N-40 Seats
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
April 24, 2019
Company
CMK
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$3.80

CMK, Czech Master Kits, has released several resin seats designed to fit their numerous P-40 kits. This one is designed for their new P-40N. The set includes 1 part, the seat. This is a direct replacement for the kit part. The detail is crisp and it should look nice settled in the cockpit. There are no seatbelts molded onto the seat so you can easily use your favorite option.

This is another quick and simple addition to your P-40N.

Thanks to Special Hobby and IPMS/USA for the review kit.

Product Picture

P-40 Wheels - Cross Tread
Review Author
Phil Peterson
Published on
April 27, 2019
Company
CMK
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$5.10

Czech Master Kits, CMK, have released a really nice P-40N kit recently and a ton of aftermarket items for it and other P-40 kits.

This set is one of several replacement tire kits and features the cross thread pattern which resin is probably the best medium to capture this detail.

The set includes two main wheels and tires with alternate hub detail parts. The cross thread pattern is really well done and I could not find a molding blemish or bubble in the castings. These are direct replacements for the kit items.

These wheels will really add detail to one of your P-40 builds. Just make sure to check your references to make sure you use the correct hub and type of threads.

Thanks to Special Hobby and IPMS/USA for the review kit.

Product Picture

Rutan Quickie
Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
April 27, 2019
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$24.00

Burt Rutan’s name has become synonymous with innovative, unconventional aircraft designs built with efficiency and safety in mind. Types like the Varieze, Varviggen, and the Voyager all shared a common platform utilizing a canard or small wing ahead of the main wing. Wanting the promote safety, the principal behind the canard was the forward smaller wing would stall before the larger rear wing protecting the pilot from loss of control during the critical takeoff and landing phases of flight. The construction of these designs incorporated a composite structure of a foam core wrapped in fiberglass. This structure was not only strong but it was very aerodynamically clean. These designs could attain cruise speeds faster than most production designs with a fraction of the horsepower. That brings us to the subject of this review. The Quickie was built around an 18 hp Onan engine. Rutan along with Tom Jewett and Gene Sheenan wanted to build a low cost, low power single seat design.

Front Cover

Cross & Cockade International Spring 2019 Volume 50/1
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
April 27, 2019
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$36.25

The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Spring 2019, features a front cover photograph of Josef Csatek and Andreas Dombrowski of Flik 29 in front of Albatros D.III 53.24

The inside rear cover features three period black and white photographs of the BE 12 airframe construction details. The outside rear cover features an investigation into a possible photograph of Captain R.M. Foster’s Sopwith Camel “C 61” (top). The one verified photograph of “C 61” is included at the lower right, along with two additional photographs of 3N Squadron Sopwith Camels.

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.