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Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Yellow-Wings Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$14.95

Yellow Wings is well known for their thorough research and excellent decals of traditionally Navy subjects, in particular from the ‘Golden Era’ of aviation. This particular sheet covers the time Kingfisher during the immediate pre-war timeframe.

Packaged as most decals are nowadays in a ziplock baggie, these decals are further protected by a heavy card stock title card. The instructions are included on three double sided 8.5 x 11 sheets.

The instructions cover all three aircraft. Each sheet contains a profile view, split view of the plan views and a head on shot. The specifications are included. These sheets look very much like the historical data from the National Archives.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$18.95

More metal gear from Ross at SAC; another winner set… THANKS VERY MUCH for sending IPMS USA another of your expansive line of metal landing gear, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review….

This is the SAC-standard metal landing gear improvement over the kit plastic. Airfix newest releases are just fantastic, and easy to work with, but the landing gear, being part of the new plastic as well, tends to be a bit “soft”. This SAC set has 11 parts; two main struts, two retraction links with extension rams, four gear strut arms, and a tail wheel and strut combo. The tail wheel and strut turn three parts into two, and adds requisite strength to this very vulnerable area on most models

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$24.95

Like many aviation enthusiasts and modelers, I have always admired the beauty of Supermarine’s Spitfire design. I am admittedly no expert on the type, but when Eduard announced their 1/72 version of an already well received 1/48 family of this aircraft, I jumped at the chance to do a review build. I also asked for a couple of the supplemental accessories Eduard has issued for the kit. The aircraft’s history is well known and extensively documented, so let’s get on with impressions of this 1/72 scale plastic version.

This kit issue (#70-121) is a completely new mould tooling. This kit is significantly more detailed than nearly every other 1/72 Spitfire kit out there, and the resulting high parts count will take me some time to build. So, I’ll give you my initial impressions in case you’re considering a purchase sooner, rather than later.

Book Author(s)
Thomas Anderson
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$45.00

The book arrived and I was very impressed with its quality and content! It was a joy just to have and flick thro as the pictures are worth getting this book for alone.

The book is a definitive guide to the history of the Sturmartillerie from its conception in 19335 up until the end of World War 2. The book also explains the development of the equipment used by them. All the major actions and battles are covered in great detail and written in a way that draws you in to the chapters.

The pictures many vehicle’s and units of the Sturmartillerie are fantastic and most I had never seen published before.

I highly recommend this book to everyone with an interest in the World War 2 and Armored units.

Book Author(s)
David Fletcher
Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$30.00

The book explores the early development history of the British tanks from 1915 to 1939. To be honest I had never read known much about the early tank development, but this book really does provide all the knowledge you could want on the early tanks and their success and failures.

It is writing so everyone can grasp and understand the history and technical details of this important piece of the tanks creation.

It covers all the prototypes and concepts of the British Tank development including the main variations and their uses. The many pictures really add to the books ability to clearly show the primitive tanks as they evolved into practical working armored vehicles.

I cannot recommend this book enough I finished during one long flight. The booked helped me learn and understand the early years of the British Armor.

Thanks go to Osprey Publishing for providing this book to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.95

Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Scale Aircraft Conversions adaption of the RF-84F Thunderflash landing gear in white metal for the 1/48 TanModel kit. This set consists of the two main landing gear legs with the lower doors, a nose gear leg with the additional wheel fork and some smaller struts. These are direct replacements for the parts that come in the TanModel kit. When comparing the kit landing gear and the SAC landing gear side by side you will notice similarities between the two, but a lot better detail in the SAC offering including brake lines. The nose landing gear from SAC offers you the option to depict the nose wheel fender removed or you can use the plastic fender from the kit(TanModel kit parts E42 & E43).Overall this is highly recommended for stronger landing gear and added detail and is a great addition to the TanModel RF-84F kit.

Book Author(s)
Greg Van Wyngarden; Illustrator: Ronny Bar
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$15.50

Greg Van Wyngarden has taken a new look at the Pfalz D.IIIa service in WWI. This is but the first volume of a two volume set. Datafile number 21 by Peter M. Grosz came out in1995 so it is about time that Windsock revisited the Pfalz D.IIIa! The initial Pfalz D.III aircraft received a poor reception amongst German pilots as it was regarded as inferior to the Albatros D.V. That doesn’t negate the fact that it was still superior to most of the Allied opposition of the time. The Pflaz firm, however, did listen to the pilot’s concerns over the D.III and soon offered improvements in the form of the D.IIIa.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$5.00

Another in a long line of excellent turned metal (brass) items from Master Model; IPMS USA sincerely appreciates Master’s support of our reviewer corps!

Up front, Master provides turned-metal pitot probes for the excellent Airfix Vickers Valiant. As usual, Piotr provides an excellent, more scale pitot replacement for the kit item. Metal is the answer!

In side by side comparison, you can see the difference in the Master pitot verses the Kit provided plastic version. The master pitot is far more scale in appearance; and since it’s extremely thin, it pays to be careful with this set. Bend it and cry…. But at least it won’t break off!

This package contains two turned metal probes in a double-bag system; first, the outer protective card with details on the contents, then an internal “small” bag with the scale, strong air data probes.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
PJ Production
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.95

PJ Production has jumped in to help 1/48 Mirage III series model builders. This new release provides you with a Mirage center line RP 825 fuel tank along with the pylon featured on the Dassault Mirage IIIS / RS, CJ, CJ / EZ, and the Cheetah. This set is probably focused on the new Kinetic 1/48 Mirage III kits, but it should also work well on the Academy, Eduard, Fonderie Minatures, Heller, and Hobby Boss kits; along with the older ESCI kit that has also been re-boxed by Revell and Italeri.

Notable is the re-sealable packaging that PJ Production uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. You will want to be careful handling the resin fins as their thinness makes them easy to break or chip. There are no painting instructions included with the small instruction sheet. I did not observe any air-bubbles in the resin parts.