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Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
Company
Platz
MSRP
$42.00

This is a review of the NuNU Mitsubishi Lancer Turbo ’82 Rally of 1000 Lakes race car by Platz Hobby.

Engine

Disappointed that there’s no engine. It is curbside kit.

Interior

Interior is wonderfully engraved and fits extremely well. Very little, if any, flash needed to be cleaned up. Did not even have to paint some of the parts.

Body

Body was crisp and clean with no flash. I used HOK snow white pearl on the body, applied decals, and then sprayed 1 coat of clear to protect the decals. While the instruction sheet for the decals was available, I found them to be lacking in sufficient detail to apply correctly, especially on the door posts.

Chassis

The suspension parts are separate from the chassis pan as is the exhaust system. Some of the parts are pretty small and care must be taken when working with them.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Schiffer Publishing
MSRP
$19.99

David Doyle's book on the Ford M8 and M20 is one of the latest entries in the 'Legends of Warfare' series with entries in Ground, Naval, and Aviation. The Legends of Warfare series has expanded rapidly since its 2017 debut in the market with now over 100 titles released. This hard cover series covers a wide variety of monographs at a good price point.

Book Author(s)
Ronny Bar
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Casemate UK
MSRP
$39.99

Historical Background

Most of the information published on the subject of World War I aviation deals with the development of single seat fighter types, and it is refreshing to see a book dealing exclusively with the less publicized two seaters. At the beginning of the war, airplanes were seen primarily as a means of observing the enemy to see what they were doing, or were capable of doing, and for spotting the results of artillery fire.

Review Author
Tom Pope
Published on
Company
Platz
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$38.50

The Northrop/Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft with an integrated sensor suite that provides global all-weather, day or night intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. The Global Hawk's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of information collection capability to support forces in peacetime and wartime. For example, USAF RQ-4’s from Yokota Airbase (AB), Japan, have been used for relief and recovery efforts after recent natural disasters in the region.

PLATZ Models of Japan has just re-released their 1/72nd scale RQ-4B kit (# AC-34) as a Special Edition (# AC-34SP) that includes new Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) markings for Yokota Airbase (AB), Japan. The JASDF has recently purchased RQ-4s and is awaiting delivery. These aircraft will have the Japanese livery as portrayed in this kit.

‘Thank you’ to PLATZ Models for providing this kit to IPMS for review.

Review Author
Michael Reeves
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$15.75

History

If you were born in the last century at any time, you probably remember an older relative- perhaps a grandparent or older aunt who had an outhouse in the backyard. At the very least-- maybe a campsite or campground anyways. I frequented the one in my grandfather´s backyard as it was much easier than having to take off my shoes to go in the house and back then, I never wanted to come in. ICM has provided a relatively straightforward kit of the standard field toilet, although to be sure- one would probably only see these in more permanent set-ups. Most of the time these were set up over a hold in the ground with no wooden floor- but this is a dolled up version to be sure.

The Kit

Inside the durable cardboard box is just one sprue that contains the roof, door, sides, rear, and front frame of the assembly. There are also a few parts for the seat and inside assembly as well as a latch to lock yourself in and a handle for the front.

Book Author(s)
David Doyle
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
David Doyle Books
MSRP
$19.99

David Doyle's book on the A-20 Havoc is one of the latest entries in the 'Legends of Warfare' series with entries in Ground, Naval, and Aviation. The Legends of Warfare series has expanded rapidly since its 2017 debut in the market with now over 100 titles released. This hard cover series covers a wide variety of monographs at a good price point.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$117.00

To start part 2, I started with the unique horizontal stabilizers. These are molded in a single piece (check out part one for a picture. This slots into the bottom of the fuselage with a rubber grommet and the two moving parts are actually separate allowing the entire thing to be posed. The fit is so good; I assembled the parts and left them off until later to ease painting.

I assembled the tail next and it consists of four parts. Since I was doing the VF-111 plane and its tail was white, I was worried about masking it off; no need to , the fit is so good, it also can be added later making painting easier. I did add the outer wing panels at this time and did have to do a little bit of filling with Perfect Plastic Putty.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.10

This set provides an upgrade for Hasegawa’s AV-8B Harrier II kit and provides a complete overhaul of the kit cockpit and along with a number of photo-etch details for the exterior of the aircraft.

The cockpit parts include photo-etch rudder pedals, sidewalls, replacement tops for both the left and right-side consoles, two different main instrument panels, a photo-etch HUD bracket with clear film for the reflecting glass, and photo-etch harnesses and other upgrades to the ejection seat. The two instrument panels give you the option to model either an early AV-8B, such as those that saw combat in Desert Storm, or an AV-8B Night Attack Harrier or AV-8B+. The early panel has a single multifunction display, while the Night Attack Harrier and the AV-8B+ panel has two multifunction displays. The casting for each instrument panel is outstanding with exceptionally fine detail.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$159.95

This is a re-release of the F-104 A/C kit originally released by Italeri back in 2014. The kit includes six sprues of grey plastic, one clear sprue, a photo-etch sheet and two large decal sheets. In examining the sprues, it is clear that some of them are common to Italeri’s 1/32 F-104G as the sprues include the later zero-zero ejection seat, AIM-9L Sidewinders, several pylons that are not used on the F-104A or C, as well as two styles of ventral fins and exhaust nozzles. The decals depict five F-104As and one F-104C, however two of the six aircraft (markings E and F) are repeats from the original 2014 issue. Unlike the previous release, all 6 of the aircraft depicted in this kit are in a natural metal finish with white upper wings.

Book Author(s)
Dennis Oliver
Review Author
Michael Novosad
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$24.95

During the summer of 1944 a series of massive Soviet offensives threatened to destroy the entire German army on the Eastern Front. As the Wehrmacht scrambled to hold what ground it could many formations simply disappeared and the available armored units were used to plug the gaps in the front line. One of the most important elements of the defense was the newly raised IV.SS-Panzerkorps which contained the veteran Totenkopf and Wiking divisions. Although both were well equipped their real striking power lay in the battalion of Pzkpfw V Panther tanks with which each was outfitted, perhaps the most effective armored fighting vehicle produced by Germany during the Second World War.