Reviews

Review Author
Rick Taylor
Published on
Company
Value Gear
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$11.50

There are certain things that seem to define some nation’s armor in WW2. The Soviets had their political slogans painted on vehicles, and the Americans had lots of personal equipment stacked and hung on the vehicle. If you are modeling the US Army in WW2, you have wall-to-wall Olive Drab in your display case. Value Gear provides the modeler with a wide selection of low-cost stowage to break-up that OD.

Value Gear from the USA specializes in stowage sets for military vehicles. Many are generic tarps and boxes that will work for any county and almost any period. Others are specific to an Army, era, or vehicle. In this review, I will be covering three sets for USA vehicles in WW2

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Value Gear
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$20.00

Before we begin, a few words from our sponsor...

The Value Gear Details idea is to give model builders (me included) a more useful spares box! Creating and casting sets of Generic/Universal stowage. No helmets, no weapons and nothing to keep you from using it in a wooden cart, a chariot, a truck, or a Panther tank. "Any Army, Any Era!" is my motto.

They won't work on everything but so far I have seen people use them on so many different trucks and tanks and even some War Hammer tanks and dioramas. Stowage are accents to help give your model some story or a lived in realistic look. Armies live under canvas...

The Generic/Universal idea is one that bounced around in my head for years, but I never had time or energy working 12 hours a day in USA, to get started. Moving to Ireland for the past 2 years gave me the chance to be a daytime dad (priceless chance of a lifetime) and a night time sculpting and resin casting machine.

Book Author(s)
Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
James Kelley
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.99

This book compiles the 4-view color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (Early).

The “Single” series of monographs from MMP books is very familiar to most modelers, and continues with this most recent entry concerning the equally familiar Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6. Containing scale plans in both 1/72 & 1/48 scales, black & white period photos, diagrams from the aircrafts’ “Handbuch”, and a full color profile, this 24-page monograph should be of serious interest to the Luftwaffe modeler.

Focusing largely on Rumanian (changed to Romanian after WWII) ‘109s, there is one photo of a captured machine sporting RAF roundels, and a few Luftwaffe ones as well. Numerous, up-close detail photos are helpful to the modeler in a “walk around” sort of way. Zu fasteners, weapons, canopies (and their retention mechanisms), landing gear, fuselage bulges and other details are covered.

Review Author
Jason Holt
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$23.99

In the past few months ICM has been producing some long sought after kits, as well as some unexpected, such as the WWII German Torpedo with Trailer. This kit would be ideal for those who want some extra diorama detail for a German maritime bomber or just a nice simple stand alone kit.

Book Author(s)
Adrien Fontanellaz
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

This book provides an explanation of the conflict between Russia (later the Soviet Union) and Imperial Japan over the territory of Manchuria. This conflict was a result of the arrival of the Europeans in Asia in the late 19th Century, and the result of this contact in Japan. The Chinese were more or less dominated by the western Powers, while the Japanese attempted to modernize to the point where they could hold out against Western Imperialism. This was an extremely complicated process, as each nation’s progress was not consistent with their opponents, and also, neither side necessarily had the same objectives. Where one side would want to achieve military victory and control, the other could have been satisfied with some kind of diplomatic settlement.

Book Author(s)
Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$11.99

The Fairey Flycatcher achieved historical significance by being one of the first fighter aircraft designed specifically for operation from Royal Navy ships and aircraft carriers. Developed to replace the Gloster Nightjar, it won out against the Parnall Plover biplane, and first flew in 1922. Only a few Plovers (10) were built, but 196 Flycatchers were finally built between 1923 and 1926, with the type serving with the Home, the Mediterranean, East Indies, and China fleets. It was primarily land and carrier based, although carrier based, a few were operated with a pair of floats, The Flycatcher was very popular with its pilots, and one advanced feature was the wing flaps, when ran the length of both wings, and which significantly shortened the takeoff and landing distances.

Although no original Flycatcher has survived, a replica aircraft was constructed by the Fairey firm in 1977, and it is currently on display at the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Museum.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$38.39

If you are a fan of obscure World War II armor, especially light tanks that were in numbers large enough to only fill two French tank battalions at the outbreak of war, then you are in luck. Furthermore, if you enjoy beutepanzers (German for “captured tanks”), then this is a kit for you. If you are running out of display space, then this model is for you.

Review Author
Michael Reeves
Published on
Company
Value Gear
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$15.00

Value Gear resin stowage products have long been go-to resin additions to modelers looking to detail their builds in nearly any scale. Spanning stowage from WWII through more modern and even sci-fi settings, these pieces really pop with detail and add immensely to the scenes they’re placed in. In this case, we are looking at set #10-- stowage for your StuG in 1/35 scale. While many of the sets are geared towards certain manufacturers’ kits, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t place them nearly anywhere, as you’ll see below.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$17.25

The Extra EA-300L is a two seat aerobatic aircraft designed and built in Germany and flown in many countries around the world. This kit is a revised version of the EA-300L kit previously issued by Brengun and includes a resin four bladed propeller and new decals for two aircraft registered in England, one from Germany and one from Austria.

Book Author(s)
Jaroslaw Dobrozynski
Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$62.00

This first of a two volume set of US combat aircraft over Vietnam exemplifies the excellence that we’ve come to expect from Mushroom Models Publications White Series aircraft reference books. This heavily illustrated edition covers 14 of the most important fighter, bomber, attack and tactical reconnaissance aircraft flown by the US Air Force in southeast Asia. The second volume will cover Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. What you get in these pages is a top notch design description and thorough Vietnam combat history for each of the following aircraft, including many specialized sub-variants and special missions: