There is somewhat of a recent trend in home furnishing circles that gives renewed life to older furniture and kitchen cabinets. The painting technique of which I speak is dry brushing. The trend has even caught the eye of Bob Vila, once and former host of the PBS series 'This Old House'. Bob is no longer affiliated with the program after lambasting (allegedly) a homeowner for being a lazy twit, but that's a story for another time.

This dry brush technique involves dousing your paint brush into the paint of choice, removing almost all of it from the paint brush bristles and applying the minute amount of remaining paint onto the selected object. In the case of a home improvement project that might be cabinet doors or the odd tabletop but for our purposes this missive will focus solely on scale models.

If not for the continued support of companies such as Osprey, IPMS USA would not have the excellent review opportunities we do. Thanks very much to our stateside distributor of these great books, Mr. Wellington. Was not he the guy who’s Army someone else’s’ Army, named Napoleon, at Waterloo? (Answer: yes) And where is “Waterloo”? (Answer: Belgium). I’ve seen that battlefield from both the air and ground (flew over it in an H-53C in a typical European Rainstorm) and it’s not very big as battlefields go. And not once did I associate it with a bomber. Until I put two and two together and got seven (new math). Oh, and it’s not a set of waterproof rubber boots (“Wellingtons”, or “Wellies” as the Brits call them) either.

This set provides replacement two main gear tires, 2 variations of tire rims and a new tailwheel. The main wheel tires have radial tread with raised markings. There is a flat spot, with slightly bulged sidewalls on each main gear tire to simulate a loaded aircraft. The tailwheel appears to be a solid style tailwheel, so there is no flat spot anywhere on it. Oddly, the set does not include the tail wheel strut but instead instructs you to remove the molded tire from parts “A6” or “A7”, so a little surgery will be necessary to install the replacement tailwheel.

The set includes two options for the left rim for each main gear, one with a spoke type pattern and the other a more standard looking rim. To avoid confusion later, I installed the same rim on both sides of each tire.

Company Intro

For those of us who have been in the game a while, Bert and Rock need no introduction. Detail & Scale has been pumping out great references and books longer than I have been alive (I’m 35 btw). I have a few physical copies of their publications, but this was the first foray in the digital content they provide.

This book was already reviewed in its physical form so I will keep it short, sweet and to the point not stealing anyone else’s thunder or sound repetitive

The book is broken down in the following sequence:

ICM is offering an injection-molded kit of a Polish Regiment Representative Officer in 1/16^th scale. The figure is well dressed and well-armed, with a sword and scabbard in hand, and a pistol strapped to the waist belt on the back side of the figure.

The figure consists of 26 parts on two runners. The larger runner holds 20 parts, all of which will assemble into the figure and weapons. The smaller runner holds 6 parts making up an impressive base. In its final form, the base will consist of only 3 of those 6 parts. The base “frame” is a rectangular part that gives the base its height as well as a flat, untextured surface upon which 1 of 3 textured “walking surfaces” can be affixed. The first option resembles a textured surface of bricks, in the traditional staggered, straight row pattern. The second option is, again, a pattern of bricks, this selection featuring the bricks laid out in curved rows. Lastly a surface of large steppingstones is provided.