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IPMSUpdates

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Posts posted by IPMSUpdates

  1. rssImage-f168ce82e26e311c47f358a712d5966a.jpeg

    Detail and Wonder (D&W) is a new aftermarket company; They currently list The F-35, F-4, and recently the F-16 as target kit improvements for their products, (Tamiya F-35A, Meng F-4E, and Tamiya F-16, which means it will work on the Kinetic copy) producing landing gear with integral Wheels/tires/struts, Exhaust Nozzles, and some intake/exhaust FOD (Foreign Object Damage) prevention plugs. The subject of this review is the F-35 Augmentor Exhaust and intake/exhaust plugs… IPMS USA is grateful to D&W for providing us this set to review!

    The packaging is frugal but effective; no parts breakage noted on my set, and opening them revealed one exhaust nozzle and three separate intake/exhaust plug parts encased in protective foam inserts to prevent movement and crushing.

    The printer resin is an almost-black color, and the wheels are medium gray.

    View the full review

  2. rssImage-a72ec26426370e540e8bcf6beedac3f8.jpeg

    A new set of 3D printed F-16 Fighting Falcon landing gear in 1/48th scale is provided by Detail & Wonder Studios for the Tamiya kit. This is a drop-in replacement for the Tamiya kit.

    Note: There is no official website for Detail & Wonder Studios, but a Facebook page is available.

    In The Package & Product Notes

    The sample review I received came in a small black box with tape stating “Test Set.” However, I did find on their Facebook page a box with the printed label.

    There are four (4) 3D printed parts, three (3) resin poured wheels, and bag containing a metal rod and tube. A bonus is an attractive photo etched metal placard for your F-16 to add to its base if so desired.

    View the full review

  3. rssImage-bd0f105f5c5c17cf5b5a2fb44fb2fc27.jpeg

    Arma Hobby has produced this kit for its tenth anniversary. Following the successes of its previous 1/48 scale Hurricanes (Mk IIc, Mk IIb, and now a Sea Hurricane Mk IIc), this “Anniversary Special Edition” Mk IIc comes with new parts. The Hurricane Mk IIc differs from the Mk IIb with the armament being four 20mm Hispano cannons instead of twelve .303 Browning machine guns.

    From the Arma Hobby Website:

    At the beginning of November, Arma Hobby celebrates its 10th anniversary! On this occasion, for modelers, we have prepared a special, jam-packed anniversary model kit - Hurricane IIC "Jubilee" in 1/48 scale.

    View the full review

  4. rssImage-aed3d0efba48d976c4478901f3717f63.jpeg

    3D basics: I really fell down the rabbit hole in this respect and very quickly found a whole bunch of information about the ‘art’ of 3D printing and other basics. While I can’t say I’ve mastered anything, I suggest that you consider these URLs as a jumping off point: Tom's 3D for basic information, Plugnplay3D, and 3D Printer Anatomy: 50 parts in 5 minutes (Basics).

    View the full review

  5. rssImage-49af2543a63a500c6a26ec1ccaf322ee.jpeg

    This well-researched book, The Battle for Grozny Volume 1, is part of the Europe at War Series, which contains 46 titles to date. The author, Efram Sandler was born in the former Soviet Union and is a former combat veteran of the Israeli Defense Force Armored Corp. He has authored or co-authored eight books of this amazing series.

    In the mid-1990s, the south-central region of the former Soviet Union was in turmoil. The Republic of Ichkeria had declared independence and influence from Chechnya was growing stronger. The Kremlin and Boris Yeltsin, Russian President from 1991-1999, grew increasingly concerned over controlling oil and gas pipelines, which Dzhokhar Dudadev, leader of Chechen opposition, had seized. Yeltsin eventually launched a large-scale military operation on December 9, 1994.

    View the full review

  6. rssImage-27a12574bb4c30b3805428ee4a1b24be.jpeg

    A new F-16 one-piece 3D printed resin intake in 1/48th scale is provided by Fab Scale for the Tamiya kit.This is a drop-in replacement for the Big Mouth intake for the GE F110 Engine. Sample comparison Tamiya kit is from Block 50.

    Note: There is no official website for Fab Scale, a business card was inside the box referencing Scalemates.com

    In The Package & Product Notes

    The sample review came in a small plastic box and was wrapped in a Ziploc bag.

    There is one (1) 3D printed part made from white colored resin. This part will replace H5 & H9 from the Tamiya kit.

    The printed resolution of this intake is excellent and is an exact replica of the Tamiya parts but without the seam running horizontally on the sides.

    Review Process

    View the full review

  7. rssImage-0e84203d4dcc35c50fb9d508f259035e.jpeg

    A new 3D printed F-16 Exhaust Nozzle set in 1/48th scale is provided by Fab Scale as drop-in replacements for the Tamiya kit (General Electric F110 engine).

    Note: There is no official website for Fab Scale at the time of this review, but a few foreign hobby websites were selling the exhaust nozzle.

    In The Package & Product Notes

    The sample review came in a small cardboard box and parts are individually wrapped in Ziploc bags.

    There are three (3) parts of this exhaust nozzle set printed with pink salmon colored resin. These parts replace kit parts A18, H12 & H3. The printed resolution of the exhaust nozzle is very fine with no build up layers and the print quality is excellent.

    Review Process

    View the full review

  8. rssImage-a92c61fcee50549fc504cf45c1f02728.jpeg

    A new F-16 one-piece 3D printed resin intake in 1/48th scale is provided by Fab Scale for the Tamiya kit.This is a drop-in replacement for the Big Mouth intake for the GE F110 Engine. Sample comparison Tamiya kit is from Block 50.

    Note: There is no official website for Fab Scale, a business card was inside the box referencing Scalemates.com

    In The Package & Product Notes

    The sample review came in a small plastic box and was wrapped in a Ziploc bag.

    There is one (1) 3D printed part made from white colored resin. This part will replace H5 & H9 from the Tamiya kit.

    The printed resolution of this intake is excellent and is an exact replica of the Tamiya parts but without the seam running horizontally on the sides.

    View the full review

  9. rssImage-78991e1987ad4bc809d94646d82b068a.jpeg

    TheSaab 35 Draken is the latest publication from Duke Hawkins Books and is the thirty-first volume of a series of books that they have recently published highlighting modern aircraft. This series got its start with The Sepecat Jaguar in July 2017 and has been quite successful. There is also a special limited edition on the Belgian Air Force F-16 and on the Juan Carlos I Aircraft Carrier. This series of publications fall under the name of Duke Hawkins, but it is not clear exactly who Duke Hawkins is. If you check out other retail sites on this series, you can findRobert Pied and Nicolas Deboeck listed as authors, but there is not much additional information on them. One of the bylines goes like this:

    View the full review

  10. rssImage-b95deeb19e45b73ebdbf1fa16e2b58fa.jpeg

    Introduction

    This is a continuation in the Hawker Hurricane series being released by Arma Hobby. This is the fourth release in the Hurricane series. Previous releases included the Mk IIc and Mk IIc tropical, and the Mk IIc “Jubilee”. The Sea Hurricane (Mk IIc) is their next release. I believe that this review will be applicable to any of their Hurricanes. It is obviously a common molding for all variants.

    Reviewer’s Comments:

    I recently reviewed the Hobby Boss Hurricane Mk IIc and it is available here: https://reviews.ipmsusa.org/review/hurricane-mk-iic-0. I thought it would be great to review an Arma hurricane as a comparison.

    Bottom Line Up Front

    View the full review

  11. rssImage-09430048c5d7131a3f9f6e93f2e9b12e.jpeg

    The Gotha Go-242 was a World War II Luftwaffe Transport Glider. Typically towed by another aircraft into combat, the glider would release, land, and then deploy its cargo of men and material. It was used in France, Africa, and the Eastern Front for the German Army. There were different variants designed which featured different landing gear configuration as well as one that had engines. ICM has produced these different versions as well in the following kits. (48224 Go-244B and 48226 Go-242A)

    View the full review

  12. rssImage-c9fe3050030ea96923092d35f5ebce88.jpeg

    This 27th publication of the ‘Europe at War’ series was of particular interest to me personally. I lived in northern Germany in the years leading up to and including the Fall of the Berlin Wall and had many direct encounters – most of them not good – with East German authorities.

    Andrew Long of Great Britain is a military history researcher. His interest in the Cold War begin with a trip to West Berlin in 1986 (perhaps he and I crossed paths and didn’t even know it!). He traveled through Check Point Charlie to visit East Berlin. Andrew makes sense of this very complex period of history by intertwining stories of politics, ideology, personalities, technology and geography. He has also written Cold War Berlin: An Island City, Volumes 1 & 2 as well as ‘Secrets of the Cold War’.

    View the full review

  13. rssImage-7a7ea34017b6181451ed44359d2eda25.jpeg

    These J-79 Exhaust Nozzles (for the Kinetic Kit No. 48083 primarily, and K48090 and K48093, and most likely any F-104 Starfighter that utilized the J-79 General Electric axial-flow turbojet engine) are a recent release by Chinese manufacturer Fab Scale. Fab Scale’s online presence is hard to find with the provided QR codes stating that the site can’t be reached). The same is for the supplier, Warspite Model Company. It is a shame as this three-piece exhaust nozzle set is exquisite!

    The sturdy box protects the three pieces, each in their own protective Ziplock pouch. The instructions are the box art which shows the arrangement of the three parts. Removal of the 3D supports with a razor saw is easy and, after a quick wash, ready for assembly.

    View the full review

  14. rssImage-fad17d8dd76a317e7098991ed3897464.jpeg

    A new set of 3D printed F-16 LAU-129 Missile Launcher in 1/48th scale (4 pieces) is provided by Fab Scale for the Tamiya kit. This is a drop-in replacement for the Tamiya kit for launchers that hold AIM-9 Sidewinders or AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

    Note: There is no official website for Fab Scale, a business card was inside the box referencing Scalemates.com

    In The Package & Product Notes

    The sample review I received came in a small plastic box wrapped in a Ziploc bag and surrounded by foam.

    There are four (4) 3D printed LAU-129 missile launchers printed with pink salmon colored resin. These parts can replace C28 & C29 from the Tamiya kit.

    The printed resolution of the missile launcher is amazing. There is a lot of tiny detail throughout the entire part and some careful painting and contrast weathering will make them pop.

    View the full review

  15. rssImage-8740476b94cba58c8330d266f9635855.jpeg

    Tamiya follows it 1/48th F-35A Lightning kit with a new and very updated 1/48th F-35B. I have been lucky enough to review both. The F-35A Review is here: https://reviews.ipmsusa.org/review/f-35a-lightning-ii-4

    For this review, I will focus on the differences between the two kits. Inside the box, you will find 14 sprues with tress A, B, C and E being carryovers from the A version. There are sprues to make weapons also:

    View the full review

  16. rssImage-414c779d533a119aff918061d68c2491.jpeg

    Tamiya follows it 1/48th F-35A Lightning kit with a new and very updated 1/48th F-35B. I have been lucky enough to review both. The F-35A Review is here:

    https://reviews.ipmsusa.org/review/f-35a-lightning-ii-4

    For this review, I will focus on the differences between the two kits. Inside the box, you will find 14 sprues with tress A, B, C and E being carryovers from the A version. There are sprues to make weapons also:

    View the full review

  17. rssImage-3f4c6bcd9e9e9c6169959ad8931c1fb7.jpeg

    Avonmore Books is an Australian publisher specializing in military and aviation history, with a particular interest on the early period of the Pacific War. Avonmore prides itself in being the only mainstream Australian military history publisher producing full colour, illustrated books. While expensive to produce, we strive to produce titles that are a pleasure to own and read, and which incorporate first-class profiles, illustrations, and maps. To date, Avonmore Books has published 25 aviation books.

    View the full review

  18. rssImage-914c65120c1230ef335b5de0ef31d4f7.jpeg

    The Westland Whirlwind was a twin-engine fighter/bomber built for the Royal Air Force. It was conceived shortly before WW2 broke out and went into service almost immediately. It was an aircraft not readily mentioned that fought gallantly through the Battle of Britain and the other campaigns in Europe. The aircraft suffered from what many consider an underrated Rolls Royce engine. Although I have also read the propellors were to blame for poor upper altitude performance. Nevertheless, the Whirlwind could out turn the BF-109 and was formidable with its four Hispano 20 mm cannons in the nose. It was also a marvel of engineering in its construction and innovative designs. Unfortunately, all but one airframe was removed from service in 1943 and scrapped.

    View the full review

  19. rssImage-c5debe2566bcb6833434e18d3977b102.jpeg

    I have been building 3D-printed resin kits from Vargas Models for almost two years now, and these are just getting better and better. If you are unfamiliar with this small but prolific company, Vargas Models specializes in unusual 3-D printed, limited-run armor models, and is now offering the M2A4 Light tank,the fourth variant of the M2 light tank family (formally Light Tank, M2), that served in the U.S. Army during the interwar period. A few of these vehicles went in with the Marines at Guadalcanal early in the war – it is one of these that this particular offering depicts.

    View the full review

  20. rssImage-40f7b185baf76d5b8f1e68d26d868c79.jpeg

    The 9P149 is a tank destroyer of Soviet origin and in this example, it is a vehicle carrying radio guided anti-tank system designated 9K114 Shturm which uses the 9M114 Kokon (Cocoon) missile. Same missile as used by the Mi-24 helicopter.

    The kit comes in standard gray plastic in 15 gray sprues, two clear sprues, decals and 2 photoetch frets. Total is 790 parts many of which are very tiny as the entire vehicle is a about a scale foot long. There is an entire interior which covers the driver compartment, engine and transmission. You will decide how far you want to build the interior if you don’t decide to open the hatches. The interior is really nice but I didn’t find many references no color call outs on the instructions.

    View the full review

  21. rssImage-4eb4af6750b607771813a319d768fbfa.jpeg

    Floyd Werner and Werner Wings produces wonderful aftermarket and decals primarily (but not wholly) aimed at helicopters. That not surprising as that was what Floyd’s does- fly helicopters. This set consists of parts and decals to convert the Kitty Hawk 1/35th scale HH-60H to the Coast Guard version of the HH-60J Jayhawk. Wait, Kitty Hawk is out of business! Zimi Models to the rescue. They have reissued many of Kitty Hawks kits and that includes the Resue Hawk. Problem solved.

    The set includes seven well cast resin parts. The bigger pats are in white resin and include the extra fuel tank and the front fairing in front of the cockpit. Three of the seven parts make up the search light with the modeler supplying the lens.The last two parts modify the instrument panel with a moving map panel and a correct set of gauges.

    View the full review

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