Review Author
Damon Blair
Published on
November 1, 2019
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.50

The Lockheed C-130 is a versatile aircraft. In production since 1954, the C-130J is the latest in a long line of models. The landing gear was designed for rough field operations, with large, low pressure main landing gear tires and a pair of low-pressure nose wheel tires. The original brake design was for a single disk (like in a modern car) and has been upgraded to a multi-disk unit. The brakes look the same once mounted onto the gear’s axle.

The kit comes with 10 pieces molded in grey resin, and is meant for the 1/48 Testors/Italeri C-130 kit. There are many fine details with the castings. A nice touch is the “Goodyear” emblems and the valve stems and groove lines molded into the tires to represent the spaces between the treads. The only disappointment I found was with the brakes – I wish the back of the main landing gear tires was “hollow” so that the brake details would sit inside, just like on the real aircraft.

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
November 2, 2019
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$19.00

Hauler-Brengun is well known as a supplier of high-quality aftermarket detail parts for aircraft, as well as other subjects. Many of these aftermarket items are resin, P.E., or a combination of the two mediums. In this “inbox” review, we will look at the quality of the parts, decals, and P.E. parts as well as the packaging and kit instructions.

Marketed under the “Brengun” label, this review looks at the Brengun BRL32037 AGM-114 Hellfire Missile. There are 8 Hellfires in this product including PE parts and decals for those eight missiles. The missiles are packaged in a small zip-lock baggie, as is the single sheet of P.E. parts. The kit instructions, printed on a small sheet of paper, and the decals are boxed underneath the missile parts. The sturdy cardboard box is about 3 inches by 3 inches and about ¾ inch deep.

Review Author
Damon Blair
Published on
November 3, 2019
Company
Platz
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$24.50

Rescue Wings is a Japanese anime cartoon known for its realistic portrayal of the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF) Air Rescue Wing, in particular the Komatsu Rescue Squadron. The basic plot involves a helicopter pilot’s (2nd Lieutenant Uchida Kazuhiro) assignment to the JASDF Komatsu Air Base. This initial series ran for 12 episodes (an additional episode added to the DVD release) and was followed by two manga series and a live-action film. They were created with the full cooperation of the Air Rescue Wing.

U-125A

This fixed wing aircraft is based on the British Aerospace’s twin-engine Bae 125-800 private jet. These aircraft are modified for the search-and-rescue with large observation windows, a marker flare ejection system, a droppable liferaft, and an emergency equipment dropping system.

Book Author(s)
Richard Worrall, illustrated by Graham Turner
Review Author
Bob LaBouy
Published on
November 3, 2019
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$24.00

This fine book is yet another in Osprey’s Air Campaign series. It concerns itself with the massive bombing efforts over Germany in late 1943 through 1944. The author provides an excellent overview it’s chronology, including the daylight bombing raids over Berlin, Hanover, Peenemünde, Hamburg, Magdeburg, Stettin, Leipzig, Augsburg and numerous other targets.

Of particular interest is the outline the leadership and organization of both allied offensive and the German defensive forces—both in terms of the array of aircraft, bases and the defensive guns and equipment utilized by both axis and allies.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
November 3, 2019
Company
Special Hobby
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$59.50

I have a love for the unusual Naval airplanes – ones without the glitz and glamour of things like the F-14 Tomcat or F-18 Hornet. When Special Hobby graciously gave a kit of the AF-2s Guardian to IPMS/USA for review, I jumped on it (begged for it)

The Af-2S Guardian was the first purpose-built anti-submarine warfare plane for carrier use to enter the US Navy active duty in 1950. There were actually two planes used for this job- one to carry the large (at the time) radar and detecting equipment and a second plane to carry weapons to destroy the sub. This particular kit is the “Sub Killer” and would carry the weapons. The Guardian was the largest single-engine piston-powered carrier aircraft to see service. Around 200 were built.

Let’s look at the kit- Special Hobby is a limited run kit consisting of seven gray and one clear sprue, a single colorized photoetched sheet and lots of resin parts with a nice decal sheet representing two aircraft:

Book Author(s)
Carlo Cestra
Review Author
Marc K. Blackburn
Published on
November 3, 2019
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$36.95

Casemate Publishers, distributors for Kagero Publications, has added another title to their ongoing series of Super Drawings in 3D. This time they turn their attention to the classic British Battleship, HMS Rodney. If you are familiar with these titles, a ship is rendered in full color, 3D illustrations. Each of these super drawing books provide a short overview of the ship in question specifications and a summary of its operational history before plunging into the illustrations. Kagero also provides a black and white fold out plan of the HMS Rodney.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
November 6, 2019
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$9.85

Hauler has provided another addition to their great Diorama releases. This is two Baggage Carts (Wire Mesh Containers) for use anywhere. They are like ones used at Airports, Train stations, in factories etc.

The detail quality is great; The parts are very delicate parts that need careful removal and added to the assembly. You can build two complete assemblies with this kit.

The kit contains One Photo etch sheet, eight resin wheels and an instruction sheet.

The Assembly is quick and easy with no real issues, as long as you are experienced with Photo Etch parts.

The final part is painting which is free for you to do as you please. I chose a medium grey as used at most post war airports around Europe.

Thanks go to Hauler for providing this kit to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Review Author
Blaine Singleton
Published on
November 7, 2019
Company
Mission Models

This is the fourth of a four-part review of Mission Models Paints.

Clear Primer

Why Clear Primer?

That is the question I asked Jon Tamkin owner of Mission Models Paints at the Chattanooga IPMS Convention. John looked at me for a second and I saw just a slight smile starting to emerge from the side of his mouth as if to say here is a whole new chapter in the Mission Models Paint story. After a conversation with him about the primer, I am inclined to agree with him.

What is Clear Primer

When I first heard about the Clear Primer, I was thinking to myself the primers I use are to check for defects on the model and can correct them with a little sanding. So how could a clear primer help with that?

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
November 7, 2019
Company
Brengun
Hauler
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$9.65

Hauler-Brengun is well known as a supplier of high-quality aftermarket detail parts for aircraft, as well as other subjects. In this review, we will look at a set of wheel chocks, the packaging, and parts, and take a look at the finished wheel chock.

The packaging contains parts for two wheel chocks modeled after those used by the U.S. Navy during World War II. In the images associated with this review, one is labeled as, “Product Packaging”. Take a look at that image to see how the product is packaged. The product instructions are placed behind the white sheet inside the baggie. Included with this review is a snapshot of that instruction sheet. It’s clear, simple, and easily understood with a quick glance.

Book Author(s)
Peter E. Davies Illustrator: Jim Laurier
Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
November 9, 2019
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$24.00

Hearty thanks to Osprey for sending IPMS USA one more of their first-class reference books to review, and thanks to John and Phil for the opportunity for me to do something different in reviewing... READ ON!

I have been asked on numerous occasions about what I like to read. I am so busy building and painting and doing “the day job” that I find it hard to define. I like modeling trade magazines for learning what is the new “Shiny thing” that has come along, and also little frammazamits coming available to budget for. I also read of the world we live in (THE EPOCH TIMES comes to mind) or a foot-thick manual on how to save a marriage (yep, me too).