Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
September 6, 2021
Company
MikroMir
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$29.95

A recent addition to the IPMS Review Corps suppliers is Mikro-Mir, whose kits remind me of what I am used to seeing with limited production manufacturers. This is not a negative comment, but more of a heads up that some building experience is required to end up with a nice finished model at the end of construction. The overall assembly of this kit was relatively easy with 23 plastic parts and 11 photoetched parts included. Modelers with some experience will enjoy this kit, which represents a one-off design that was the fastest submarine produced to date.

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
July 22, 2018
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$39.95

This set comes in an extremely large box considering the size of the completed conversion but it takes a lot of room to hold what is in the set. There are four clear bags worth three containing resin and one containing photo-etch, instrument decals and clear sheet for instruments. The photo etch has a standard brass sheet and a second sheet that is full color photo etch. Next in the box is a lengthy full color instruction sheet containing twelve pages that clearly describe what kit parts to modify and where the update set parts go.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
January 24, 2021
Company
Airfix
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$39.99

Airfix has released a new-mold Ju-87B-2/R-2. Typical the recent releases of Airfix, you get state-of-the-art surface detail and fit, together with superb engineering that makes the construction of this model a very enjoyable experience.

Like with most airplane models, construction starts with the cockpit. Being a two-seater, there is plenty of detail on it, including a radio, pilot and gunner seat, sidewall detail, extra ammo for the gunner, etc. Take your time and do some detailed painting, it will pay off later. Note that the instrument panel is provided as a decal (which looks very good) and no seatbelts are provided. I scratch-built the seatbelts being depicted in this model.

Also note that there are a few ejection pin marks in the cockpit floor area, near the gunner seat that could be visible. I choose to fill them out. Also, there are a few ejector pins on the fuselage inner sides, but are not visible, as the sidewall detail will cover them.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
July 21, 2018
Company
Coastal Kits
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.27

From Coastal Kits website: Founded in 2011, Coastal Kits is a family run business based in Blackpool, Lancashire UK and originally retailed plastic model kits and associated hobby supplies.

During the latter end of 2012/early 2013 we introduced our own range of display bases, encouraged by a successful launch at Scale Model World Telford where they were well received. Because of the success and popularity of the product we decided to concentrate solely on the manufacture and supply of our display bases.

Continually developed, and after listening closely to our customers, the range covers a variety of popular scales and subjects with a choice of over 220. Custom bases are also provided to customer requirements when requested.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
July 21, 2018
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$14.95

The first kits of Eduard’s long awaited line of 1/72 MiG-21’s have now been released and along with them a whole slew of photo-etched and resin accessories. This set provides resin and photo-etch replacement parts for the kit’s exhaust. The set consists of 3 resin parts and 3 photo-etch parts. The resin parts replace the aft turbine blades, the exhaust tube and the exhaust nozzle while the photo-etch parts make up the afterburner assembly. The exhaust tube depicts the corrugated interior of the tube adjacent to the afterburner assembly and the smooth tube leading to the nozzle.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.95

The AN/ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures pod is used by the US Air Force and the Air National Guard on tactical aircraft including the F-16 and the A-10. The pod is a self-protection jammer and is available in either two or three band versions.

This set depicts the shorter version of the ALQ-184, so presumably it is the two band version and it is often seen on the centerline pylon of USAF F-16s or an outer wing pylon of the A-10. The set is very straightforward consisting of simply of resin cast pod. The casting is outstanding and includes several small antennas on the nose of the pod. I used a sharp razor saw to remove the pod itself from the pour stub as well and then cleaned up the stub attachment points with a fine sanding stick.

Review Author
Paul Mahoney
Published on
July 21, 2018
Company
Eagle Editions Ltd.
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$17.50

New (to me) from Eagle Editions’ “EagleCal” line is this 1/48 scale sheet of decals for the Me 262 B-1a/U1 night fighter. There is a copyright of 2016 on the instructions, but this is my first exposure to this sheet.

As with any other EagleCal product, my first impressions are that this is another high-quality product. Opening the ziplock bag, one finds a single, full-color instruction sheet wrapped around a decal sheet (with a protective slip of tissue paper). Three subjects are covered: two operational Luftwaffe night fighters and one a/c that was captured by the US.

Aircraft markings in this sheet are:

Book Author(s)
Yves Buffetaut
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
July 21, 2018
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$24.95

The book goes into great detail German Campaign on the Eastern front 1941 to 1942.

It covers Germans path from Moscow to Stalingrad which was full of successes and failures for both the Wehrmacht and the Red Army.

I found this book very interesting and fascinating. It was full of such a lot of information and some fantastic photographs that I had never seen before. This whole period of World War two was full of problems created by Hitler’s obsession that he knew better that his high command. occasions.

There are lot of pictures and illustrations that make the book even more interesting.

I recommend this book to everyone with a deep interest the war. The only downside was it could have had a little insight into the actions it fought from an eyewitness perspective to give it more feeling.

Thanks go to Casemate Publishing for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them.

Book Author(s)
Cross & Cockade International
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
July 21, 2018
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$36.77

The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Summer 2018, features a front cover photograph of a 2F1 Camel taking off from the Firth of Forth. The inside and outside rear cover features a series of four photographs depicting the launching of a 2F1 Camel from a turret platform (Probably the HMS Barham). If you check out the web site link above, you can get additional sample pics of the current issue.

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.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
July 16, 2018
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$124.00

In Part 1, we reviewed the changes that Tamiya did to the kit, built and assembled the cockpit/wheel wells, the wings were attached to the fuselage and the front of the fuselage was assembled. In this part, we’ll button up the fuselage and attach the nose, get the intakes installed and prepare the kit for primer/paint.