What You Get in the Bag

The Photo Etch Part Cut-Out Kit is packaged in a simple poly bag containing 3 black 3/32 inch-thick Plexiglas square tiles just shy of 4 inches on each edge, 1 clear 3/8 inch diameter Plexiglas rod 1 inch long, and 1 clear 3/32 inch thick Plexiglas tile measuring 1 by 1.5 inches. The rod has a slight chamfer (a 45 degree cut that softens the edge) on one end, and one long edge of the small clear tile is also chamfered. A one page instruction and description sheet is included. All of the parts were loose in the bag, but the black tile had protective paper to protect the finish.

I would like to thank Julie Lockwood for this review sample.

I would consider myself to be very experienced working with photo etched parts, having added them to armor, aircraft and ship models. In fact I love the challenge of working with the media. Up until now, however, I have roughed it, being content working the metal with a few pairs of pliers, scrap dowel, a steel rule, a no. 11 knife blade and a scrap piece of acrylic. In fact, I have turned up my nose at the fancy PE folding tools on the market. So Julie Lockwood of Kalama Precision Machine may not have realized that she was throwing down a challenge when she asked me to review some of their latest PE working tools. Suddenly, I was in the lion's den … alone.

The Porsche 962 was one of the most successful race cars ever produced. Being a customer based car, there were many teams that raced them at all the major tracks in Europe and the US. Every superlative fits this amazing car, and M & S Hobbies has chosen it as the basis for a series of decal sheets that will fit the Tamiya 962 kit. M & S also produces a transkit for the 962 that will enhance and accurize this kit, but that’s the subject of another review!

I received three decal sheets in the series. There are two sheets for the #86 Bayside Disposal car, One in Budweiser markings and the other in Bridgestone markings. The third sheet is in #16 Dyson Racing livery. Produced by UMI for M & S Hobbies these sheets contain all the markings for the featured car. Theses decals are about the finest I’ve ever seen. They’re extremely well printed and in perfect register. The colors are spot on to the actual cars according to my references and observations.

The IPMS Reviewer Corps was recently contacted by the folks from TSDS Incorporated, asking if we would be interested in reviewing some of their products. The company is producing interiors, decals, and lighting sets for the Jupiter 2, Space Pod, and Chariot from "Lost in Space" that are produced by Moebius, as well as decals for the "Land of the Giants" Spindrift kit. Decal/detail sheets are available for the Aurora/Monogram "Invaders UFO" kit and the Moebius "Invisible Man" and "Seaview" kits, and four different Flying Sub interior items are made for the Moebius 1/128 and 1/32 scale kits. If you are a fan of this particular genre, I would recommend checking out their web site to see what all is available, as well as their pricing.

Is there anybody on earth that hasn't heard of Star Wars? Released in 1977, the George Lucas film changed the genre of Sci-Fi forever. One of the biggest stars of the show was the Incom Corporation T-65 X-Wing Space Superiority Fighter, or just X-Wing for short. When flown by the infamous Red Squadron, the X-Wing was able to fight its way to the Death Star and "then maneuver straight down this trench" and launch a proton torpedo and destroy the Death Star. This specific movie event solidified the X-Wing's place in history, or at least in the mind of this young 15 year old boy.