Res Kit offers a wide variety of resin parts and bits for a large number of aircraft in 1/48th, 1/72nd, and 1/32nd scale. This review looks at the set of wheels for a P-51 in 1/48th scale. The product is not specific to any particular P-51 kit and therefore, can be used on any 1/48th P-51 that is in your “stash”.
The F-15, no other aircraft in history has been as successful in air-to-air engagement, as the Eagle. Prior to Desert Storm, the Eagle was used successfully by the Israelis but had been unproven in use by the US Air Force.
The F-15C is a beautiful aircraft and during Desert Storm it proved itself so successful scoring 32 aerial victories of the 41 victories achieved by the US forces.
Here is another caricature tank from Meng Models. These models are obviously targeted at kids, but many of us “serious” modelers are finding them to be fantastic “breaks” from our usual in-depth subjects. I am seeing them on the contest tables as well.
The kit comes in a strong end opening box with a colorful painting of a British Matilda. All the sprues, instruction manual and tiny decal sheet are located within a single plastic bag.
Harriers are famous for being able to take off and land vertically. Of course, taking off vertically with a full combat load isn’t practical, unless your mission is to drop a teacup of napalm just off the airfield border. Nevertheless, the Harrier has been successful, and it’s because of the ability to adjust the exhaust to vector it through the nozzles to allow downward as well as normal push for vertical and normal flight.
The entire kit is two sets of nozzles, one forward, one rear, left and right sides.
I used the Dragon AV-8B kit for this review, and the nozzles fit in the Dragon fuselage with no modification.
The Renault FT (the 17 was added after World War I) was the first modern tank to reach production. The big advance over previous armored vehicles was the armament in a fully rotating turret, which allowed the tank to shoot without maneuvering. There were over 3,000 FTs built in France during the war, and there were 950 M1917 light tanks built in the United States. None of the US built tanks were completed in time to see action in the war, but France lent 144 FTs to the US Army in mid-1918.
There were many users of the FT, including Afghanistan, where 4 were discovered by US Forces in 2003, Belgium, Brazil, China, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, and 19 others, including Nazi Germany.
The recent re-release of Airfix's catalogue of 1/76 AFVs has generated a bit of a buzz among Airfix fans, many of whom grew up building these little gems as lads. Now, as adults, these kits bring back memories of the simpler times with the re-boxing of these little beauties. I never had much of an opportunity to build Airfix kits in my youth, I don't remember them, or their many American boxings being available in my local hobby shop. However, coming back into the hobby as an adult, I've really taken a liken to many of Airfix's recent offerings, as well as a few of their golden oldies.
The DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth, like the Stearman Model 75 and possibly the Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny”, is one of the standard and best known biplane training aircraft, in terms of numbers built, reputation, and number of surviving aircraft. Like the Stearman, the Tiger Moth began as a primary training aircraft, moving into fame as World War II began and providing the basis for the training programs for the British Commonwealth air forces, including the RAF, RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF, RSAAF, and many other smaller air arms. Originally conceived as a civilian trainer evolving from the DH-60 Gypsy Moth of the late twenties, the DH-82 featured staggered wings and an inverted engine to provide better forward visibility for the pilots. It was fully aerobatic. Wartime versions were equipped with anti-spin strakes ahead of the horizontal stabilizers, although all DH-82’s did not have these.
Panzer Rollen provides an insightful look into the workings of the Military Intelligence Service that was so invaluable in shaping both the strategy and tactics of the Allied forces during the Second World War.
Captured German field manuals translated and published by the US Military Intelligence Division are crucial in offering a perception of the intelligence provided to Allied fighters. The two volumes gathered together in this publication were originally published by the German War Office and therefore are particularly valuable, as they also provide a rare glimpse into the methodology underlying the operation of an armored division from the German perspective. Comprising of two supplementary field manuals, this book is essential reading for any military history enthusiast.
Fightertown decals is an online retailer offering decals for the various series of F-14 Tomcats and F-18 Super Hornets. Currently, the offerings are limited to 1/48th scale aircraft and data markings. Each decal sheet includes marking for several aircraft.
The decal sheet is big: 8 5/8" by 11 1/2" size. A smaller decal sheet is also included that provides additional windscreen tinting decals, plus smaller items that are somewhat of a mystery to me at this point.
Iliad Design is a Canadian producer of decals, books, and aircraft color charts. Decals are offered in 1/32nd, 1/48th and 1/72nd scales and cover propeller- and jet-powered aircraft
This sheet offers markings for seven MiG-19 and Chinese manufactured J-6 aircraft. Countries include Egypt, Pakistan, and Russia. Many of the color schemes are a bit odd and unusual, which makes for some interesting subjects.
The first aircraft is a Shenyang J-6, the Chinese version of the MiG-19S, in Pakistani Air Force markings. The aircraft is a three-color scheme, with the FS colors called out.
Next is a Shenyang J-6 of the Egyptian Air Force, in a two-color scheme, and the FS colors are noted.
The third aircraft is another Pakistani J-6 in red, green and white retirement markings. This is a very colorful aircraft.
