What's New

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Furball Aero-Design
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$19.99

Furball (Geoff Martin) has been producing some awesome decals and with this latest release, he addresses a venerable kit, Revell's EA-6A Electric Intruder. As a quick background, before the four seat EA-6B came into service to jam all those enemy radars, the Marines ordered 27 of the EA-6A Electric Intruders. They look like Intruders with Prowler tails! Revell's kit has been out a while but still can be built into a beauty and Furball has given us 11 superb schemes to dress the kit up.

As with most Furball sets, you get five large color pages- a cover sheet, side profile sheets of all 11 jets, a sheet of wing marking locations and one sheet showing the stencils provided. All sheets have color call outs with the needed FS numbers. There is one large decal sheet with markings and stencils and one small sheet with wing walks and color for the arrestor hook. The decals have perfect register and are printed by Cartograf.

Review Author
Tim Hortman
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.50

Here is another great addition to the growing Quickboost line of detailed exhaust parts. Here we see a set for the 1/48 Hasegawa N1K1-J “George” WWII Japanese Naval Fighter

The exhaust set comes in the typical Quickboost plastic sleeve packaging, and contains a single resin part attached to a ‘base plug’ which is easily removed.

The Quickboost set is a direct replacement part for those with the kit, so there is no major surgery needed to use these parts. With some very minor clean-up, they are able to be painted and glued into place. Since these are resin parts, you will have to use your favorite brand of super-glue.

Review Author
Walt Fink
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$25.99

Revell has re-issued their Shelby GT500 as a convertible with a new body shell, roll bar, a convertible top which can be modeled up or down with an included boot, and also features two options for the engine. The mill can be built stock, or with a set of dual quads and a high-rise manifold. The hood has a scribed, outlined section to cut out in order to accommodate the custom engine option if that’s the builder’s choice. A set of stock wheels and a set of custom ones are included as well.

The interior is a one-piece tub, with separate seats and instrument panel/dashboard. Decals are provided for the instrument cluster, plus the wood panels on the doors and the dash.

Construction on the chassis was pretty straightforward with only a couple of minor fit issues with the exhaust pipes. I noted the molded-on lettering on the frame said the kit was originally issued in 1988 - I don’t know how many of the original fastback kit parts are common with this new issue.

Review Author
Keith Pruitt
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$16.95

History

I’ll have to admit a personal fascination with the story of the USS Indianapolis. I read a magazine article about the tragedy during my high school years, which was probably close to the 30th anniversary. In July of 1945, the Indianapolis, a Portland-class heavy cruiser, was tasked with the top secret mission of delivering parts for the first atomic bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. On the next leg of her journey, the ship was struck by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine. The ship sank within minutes, leaving almost 900 of her surviving crew stranded in the Pacific Ocean at the mercy of the elements, dehydration, and marauding sharks. After three days in the water, they were finally rescued, but only 317 of the men survived the ordeal.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$21.95

All jokes aside, the Handley Page V/1500 was proof that in some situations size does matter. At the time when military aviation was still somewhat in its adolescence, the controversial idea of dropping a significant bomb load on an enemy target 500 miles away (and flying over a substantial body of water in the process) meant finding an appropriately large and powerful aerial vehicle to carry out the mission. The Germans had used huge zeppelins to bomb London, but some in Britain believed it a better strategy to use an aeroplane to return the favor. Thus was born a scheme to build a ‘Super’ bomber…actually a ‘Super’ Handley Page bomber, capable of carrying up to 30 250-lb. bombs.

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$13.00

Eduard Models continues to add these excellent pre painted cockpit interior sets that save modelers both time and grief when it comes to painting an aircrafts interior. This one is for the Italeri F-35A. The pieces look very realistic and dress up the cockpit. I know that I will leave this canopy open. They are also self adhesive, but I like to add a little CA glue for that added strength.

It doesn’t take very much time to add these details. Just add an interior base coat and then start adding details. Some pieces just go right on while some need a little bending. I only needed a bending tool for part # 9 because it is shaped like a small box, for the rest I bent the parts with a small set of pliers. I’m really impressed with the final results.

I highly recommend this interior detail set if you want a nice touch of realism.

I would like to thank Eduard for making a very tedious task easier and IPMS USA for the chance to review this item.

Book Author(s)
Author: Robert Panek; Illustrator: Chris Sandham-Bailey
Review Author
Paul Mahoney
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$30.00

MMP’s latest volume in their “Orange Series” covers the Henschel Hs 123. The book is published on high quality smooth paper, in-between glossy stiff stock covers. On first inspection this appears to be of the same high production quality I have found in all other MMP productions. Lots of clear photos and nicely-done color plates appear throughout the book.

In a similar manner to other titles in this series, this book starts with several chapters covering the design and development of the Hs 123 (about 30 pages in ll). Throughout each of the chapters in this section there are numerous 1/72nd scale drawings depicting either the entire aircraft, or a particular feature thereof. This is followed by a chapter titled “Technical Description.” Here, as one might expect, the technical specifics of the design are laid out (ie, single-seat sesquiplane of metal construction….), and the text is accompanied by drawings from the actual Technical Manual of the aircraft.

Review Author
Mike Howard
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$32.00

Aires and Quickboost (a division of Aires) continue to provide us modelers with very nicely detailed addition to many new and older kits that can greatly enhance the final appearance of the build.

This installment will look at the Aires replacement wheel wells for the fairly new 1/48 Kitty Hawk Saab Jas-39 Gripen (kit #KH80117).

Book Author(s)
Fernando Vallejo
Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
AK Interactive
MSRP
$29.00

This is a beautifully illustrated book showing more than 170 profiles of vehicles used by the Deutsche Afrika Korps (D.A.K.) during the North African campaign. The sections of the book include:

  • Introduction
  • Light vehicles
  • Medium/Heavy Vehicles
  • Armored Fighting Vehicles
  • Artillery
  • Markings
  • Colors
  • Photos
  • Photo credits/bibliography.

A Prologue briefly describes the military episodes of the Afrika Corps between 1941 and 1943. The Prologue describes how the Afrika Corpstook over for the Italian army and, despite being outnumbered and out-supplied, effectively battled the British and, later, American forces. The Prologue provides a brief backdrop for the vehicles that are profiled in the book.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Sword Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$32.99

When the fledgling United States Air Force sought a jet-powered interceptor to replace the piston-powered P-61 Black Widow and P-82 Twin Mustang, they selected the Curtiss-Wright XF-82 Blackhawk. When the prototype didn't live up to expectations, the USAF turned to the one company that had an effective jet-powered fighter in service - Lockheed. As with the piston-powered interceptors, the new turbine-powered machines would have to have a two-man crew… one to fly the aircraft, the other to operate the intercept radar. Having developed the successful T-33A, a two-seat trainer variant of the F-80 Shooting Star, Lockheed was given the green light to create an interceptor out of the T-33A in an accelerated development program.