One of the bug-a-boos of a lot of aircraft models for me is all that glass that needs to be masked in order to paint. I’ve read several tutorials and tried lots of methods, but it’s all tedious and with my skill level brings about at best mediocre results. Then along comes pre-cut masks and my life is changed.
Veteran Models in Taiwan has been producing finely detailed multi-media aftermarket replacement parts for ship modelers for quite some time. Nicely crafted, their parts are a significant upgrade to model warships. They started in 1/350 Modern USN systems and have since branched into other Navies. Now they are offering modern Soviet/Russian systems.
If you have noticed Soviet and later Russian ships are busy, some would say crowded, with sensors and weapon systems. While functional, none of these are elegant in design, and the number of each provides redundancy to ensure survivability and reliability. Each one is hodge-podge of small detail not easily duplicated in the ejection molding process, no matter how sophisticated the molds. So Veteran Models move into this area is welcome by at least this modeler.
Two Bobs Aviation Graphics is one of leaders in aviation decals with an impressive variety in 1/32, 1/48 and 1/72 scale. This latest release covers a highly desired subject of Alaskan aggressor aircraft. This Alaskan part II increases the variety of markings including the current colors which two are single color with one all black and the other all gray which was used for ferry flights to Eielson.
The sheets are printed perfectly with the small markings are very fine and easy to read. All the markings are included from unit markings down to the stencils and walkways. There are three full (front and back) color instructions sheets that clearly show placement of markings for the six subjects. The instructions indicate the correct FS paint colors for each aircraft and easy to distinguish where each color is applied.
This photo album is packed with 120 photos and is part of MMP books Camera On series of photo books. Author Alan Ranger uses photos taken by regular German soldiers of vehicles both before and during the WW2. Ranger attempts to show a more personal view of the vehicles through the eyes of the soldiers that lived and worked with the Einheits Diesels. The photos are all in black and white and many have only recently become available. The photographs are in most cases clear, but many are low contrast, typical of personal photos of the time.
This is a photoetch set for Tamiya Centurion Mk III 1.35 Model kit.
The set contains the following sets;
This photoetch set replaces a lot of the simple molded on details and improve the kit immensely.
The parts are very easy to attach and form with only a few issues and points to be aware of being encountered during the complete build. The first one was you need to use Kit part A13 to form the photo etch replacement Item 28. I would also suggest that when attaching the item 109 handles that you pre-drill holes for them sit in. I added a pick axe head as one is not included to replace the one you remove during the build. Remember to fill the holes not required, most are indicated in the instructions but a few are missed. I also added a Sledge hammer to replace the one you remove during the build.
Veteran Models in Taiwan has been producing finely detailed multi-media aftermarket replacement parts for ship modelers for quite some time. Nicely crafted, their parts are a significant upgrade to model warships. They started in 1/350 Modern USN systems and have since branched into other Navies. Now they are offering modern Soviet/Russian systems.
If you have noticed Soviet and later Russian ships are busy, some would say crowded, with sensors and weapon systems. While functional, none of these are elegant in design, and the number of each provides redundancy to ensure survivability and reliability. Each one is hodge-podge of small detail not easily duplicated in the ejection molding process, no matter how sophisticated the molds. So Veteran Models move into this area is welcome by at least this modeler.
The F4U Corsair was first deployed in 1943. Because of the long nose, which made forward visibility for carrier landings a problem, Corsairs were given to the US Marine Corps. The Marines did a pretty good job with the Corsair, getting an 11 to 1 kill ratio. Corsairs were used as a ground attack and air support aircraft and continued like this into Korea.
HobbyFan is a Taiwanese company which produces several lines of models. AFV Club has armor in 1/35 scale, but also 1/350 and 1/700 ships and aircraft in 1/32, 1/48, 1/72 and 1/144.
The B-25 came into the public eye in a big way when a guy named Doolittle lead an attack on Japan not long after Pearl Harbor giving America a major morale boost.
This year Airfix released a new kit of the C/D version of the Mitchell and it looks like a very nice kit.
Scale Aircraft Conversions continues to release new landing gear sets trying to keep up with the plethora of new kits coming out from all manufacturers.
This set comes not only with replacement parts for all 3 gears in the new Airfix kit but also replacements for some of the floor and bulkheads in the nose to assist with trying to keep this bird on all three legs. The parts are direct replacements for the kit parts. There are the usual mold lines to clean up just like on the kit parts.
Dennis Oliver, in conjunction with Pen and Sword Books, has released another one of his very popular TankCraft series; this one covering the German Jagdpanther Tank Destroyer. Written specifically with the modeler in mind, Mr. Oliver has packed these handy books with enough combat history and technical data to be of interest to the non-modeler as well. Several of these populate my modeling library, although I’ve started to buy the electronic Kindle versions as well, so I can zoom in on various images while the e-Book lays flat on my workbench.
I’ve always painted the outside of my canopy framing the interior color first and then painted the exterior color. This ensured that the interior color showed through the canopy. But there was always one thing that bothered me a little bit, the color was always glossy. Well it must have bothered Eduard as well. Enter the new range of TFace Masks, which provides masks for the interior and exterior canopy framing.
This particular set is designed for the Bf-109F series of Eduard models, both the F-2 and F-4. The masks are made of the infamous Kabuki tape so they are flexible and very easy to use. There are instructions to show you which masks to use where, including which is the inside masks and which are the outside ones.
