What's New

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Scale Modeling Quarterly
MSRP
$7.99

Scale Modeling Quarterly is an interesting new magazine that nice variety of subjects of interest to many modelers. This is the second edition of the relatively new modeling magazine by Hobbyscale Press. The magazine is described is a journal for and by scale modelers. The magazine is published quarterly and costs $7.99 per issue.

The magazine is 8.5” x 11”, printed on a gloss paper and is 52 pages including covers. The typeface is large, easy to read, and colors are used to accentuate paragraph headings and titles. The photographs are sharp and are all printed in color.

The magazine includes a nice mix of editorial articles, modeler profiles, build articles, and modeling techniques.

Contents of this issue include:

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$16.95

The usual appreciation and applause to Ross at SAC for providing one more of his new metal gear for the new kits; and as usual, thanks to the IPMS leadership for sending it on!

This is a stronger, metal version of the kit’s gear. It is essentially a “form/fit/function” replacement, with the exception of the fact the SAC gear improves on the strength of the long kit legs. For this build, I left the SAC items unpainted just to see how they looked. I may go back and change that later.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.00

A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus fire drum set. Aires Aerobonus provides two resin fire drums and a set of decals: “ For Fire Only”. Of note is the Quickboost re-sealable packaging making the parts easy to review and stuff back into the package securely. The supplied instructions provide color and decal placement drawings.

Aires Aerobonus has molded the fire drums in light grey resin with only a few bubbles that are easily filled. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. The inside rim had a small resin protrusion, but that was easily removed with a swipe of a scalpel blade.

Review Author
Doug Hamilton
Published on
Company
Xuron Corporation
MSRP
$24.00

Most likely, if you build models, you’re familiar with the Xuron Corporations line of products. Designed by modelers for modelers, Xuron supplies some of the finest cutting tools on the market today. From sprue cutters to these photo-etched cutters the name Xuron is synonymous with high quality.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

The kit includes six resin bombs, resin tailfins, photoetch for the nose fuse and rear arming vanes, 1 decal sheet, and instructions.

I compared the Brassin 250 lb. bomb to a 500 lb. bomb from Revell’s B-17F Memphis Belle. The Brassin bomb has much thinner tail fins and greater detail with the flanges on each of the fins. The nose fuse on the Brassin bomb has a more accurate projection, and the suspension lugs have nice definition. The Revell bomb only includes a slot for attachment without the suspension lugs. The rear arming vanes on the Brassin bomb are obviously much greater detail, as they are not included with the Revell bomb. The Brassin bomb his only very slight mold seams, which are easily corrected, compared to the larger glue joint and sprue attachments on the Revell bomb that need more extensive cleanup.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.00

A perfect addition to your diorama or display base is this Aires Aerobonus fire bucket set. Aires Aerobonus provides you with four resin fire buckets and a set of decals: “Fire”. Of note is the re-sealable packaging that Quickboost uses that makes the parts easy to review and then stuff back into the package securely. The supplied instructions provide color and decal placement drawings.

Aires Aerobonus has molded the fire buckets in light grey resin with no bubbles that I could find. There are no mold seams to sand off and the resin plug is easily removed from the bottom with a razor saw or Dremel. Use care in removing the plug resin plug though as the bucket bottom is quite thin (ask me how I know). Also be very careful with the handle tabs. They are quite thin as well and will require a light touch when drilling a hole for the handle.

Book Author(s)
Lechosław Musiałkowski
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$55.89

Bomber Aircraft of 305 Squadron is a photographic history of the 305 Weilkopolski Polish bomber squadron. The book is dedicated to Gabriel Milosz, who served as a photographer for the 305 squadron from its formation until its disbandment. Milosz's photographs capture the aircraft used by the 305 Squadron as well as the crews before and after the, often tragic, missions. He also captured the mechanics, armorers, and daily life of the Polish squadron. The photographs are black-and-white, while the illustrated aircraft profiles are in full-color.

From the back of the book:

This is the illustrated history of the aircraft of the successful Polish bomber squadron flying for the RAF during WWII. No. 305 'Weilkopolski' squadron was a Polish bomber squadron, which originally served is a night bomber squadron, then in 1943 converted to daylight operations, and ended the war is a low-level specialist bomber squadron.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

The kit includes six resin bombs, resin tailfins, photoetch for the nose fuse and rear arming vanes, 1 decal sheet, and instructions.

I compared the Brassin bomb to a 500 lb. bomb from Revell’s B-17F Memphis Belle. The two bombs are very close in size and shape, however the Brassin bomb has much thinner tail fins and greater detail with the flanges on each of the fins. The nose fuse on the Brassin bomb has a more accurate projection, and the suspension lugs have nice definition. The Revell bomb only includes a slot for attachment without the suspension lugs. The rear arming vanes on the Brassin bomb are obviously much greater detail, as they are not included with the Revell bomb. The Brassin bomb has only very slight mold seams, which are easily corrected, compared to the larger glue joint and sprue attachments on the Revell bomb that need more extensive cleanup.

Book Author(s)
Paul R. Hare
Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$21.95

To coincide with the display in the UK of two airworthy BE2E reproductions from New Zealand's TVAL earlier this year, Albatros Productions fortunately decided that Centenary Datafile 165 would continue telling the story of the first WWI British two-seater to see action in the Great War. This Datafile picks up where the story left off in Centenary Datafile 163, giving a chronological account of the sequential development of the BE2/BE2A/BE2B versions into the up-powered E version. Paul Hare (who also authored Datafile 163, devoted to covering the BE2/BE2A/BE2B versions) authored this well-researched and heavily illustrated monograph. Hare has made a special study of Royal Aircraft Factory designs in WWI and is recognized for his knowledge of the BE2 type.