Aircraft

Prominent on the nose of the Mig-23 Flogger is a pitot tube. From a modeling perspective a nose pitot presents several challenges. First you hope that the part is not bent, broken or molded out of round. Surviving that, you then need to remove the pitot from the sprue, remove the mold lines and ensure that the cross section is round. Lastly, a nose pitot tube becomes a transportation liability during model shows and displays. This Quickboost product provides a safety net to the modeler who has had difficulty with any of these issues with the Trumpeter Mig-23 kit (or for that matter the Italeri/ESCI or Hobby Craft kits).

Osprey Publishing continuous to expand the fledging series “Air Vanguard”. This new series is focused on a specific airframe, different versions/models and a brief detail of operational service of the aircraft under scrutiny. This volume (number 7 of the series) focuses on the USAF F-4 Phantom II.

Based on the premise of this series, there are sections devoted to the airframe, engine, fuel system and armament. Specifically there are sections devoted to the F-4C, F-4D, F-4E, F-4F, and F-4G. It also includes sections on the reconnaissance versions of the above marks and special sections for license build/modifications for the Israeli and Japanese air forces. There are also a few short sections on special prototypes and test-bed airframes.

Each section is well written and has plenty of color pictures. The author is very objective, emphasizing both the strengths and weaknesses of the airplane.

Prominent on the underside of the Mig-23 is the twin GSH-23 twin barrel 23mm cannon which can be used air to air or air to ground. The Trumpeter 1/48 Mig-23M and Mig-23MF kits provide multiple parts to create the cannon – the L34 for the fairing, PE parts 2 and 3 for the shell ejection chutes and part C2 which consists of the twin cannon barrel. Once covered by the fairing, the only portion of the GSH-23 are the muzzles of thee barrels with their distinctive finned shaped. This offering by Quickboost is a one for one drop in replacement for kit part C2, providing a more accurate pair of muzzles that are physically separated, unlike the kit part which has the muzzles connected. My guess is that the kit muzzles are that way for easy of injection molding. The resin replacement is not only separate provides smaller more realistically sized gun bores.

This is a detail set I am not sure really offers a significant improvement to the appearance of the kit. However, if you like better detail on all parts of your kit, this is a detail that will make your model that much more realistic for a small investment.

At the 2012 Orlando IPMS Nationals, Model Rectifier Corporation made a special decal sheet of multi-nationals roundel insignia available for giveaway at their show booth.  I was lucky enough to receive one of those sheets from the IPMS Reviewer Corps.

This sheet contains national markings for USA modern aircraft (color stars & bars), Japan, Australia, Russia, Soviet Union, Germany, China, Italy and Canada, in various sizes and scales from relatively large to tiny. 

I built an old Starfix 1/72 T-38 for my father’s career aircraft collection, and the decals were unusable.  I found some USAF lettering in my spares box, but used the stars and bars from this sheet.  They went down smoothly, and with a touch of Solvaset, nestled down into the re-scribed surface detailing I applied.  They made a mediocre kit look good.  I will keep this sheet on hand to use in similar situations.

One of the planned builds in my stash is the Mig-21 F-13 the USAF obtained from the Israelis that became the secret “Have Doughnut” project.  I discovered this aircraft in an article in an old Air Force Association Magazine my Dad gave me.   The photos of the ungainly looking natural metal beast with stars and bars markings were intriguing.  When I saw this book offered up on the review list, I asked for it thinking it would contain all the reference photos I needed to supplement those in the magazine to complete that build.  I was wrong.  There were few photos of the aircraft in the book.

What I did find, though, was the fascinating story of the creation of one of our country’s greatest defense assets over the past few decades. Author, and former F-4 Phantom driver Gail Peck (Col., USAF, ret’d.) details the story of the USAF’s aggressor training squadron from inception to its’ current status as the opposing force team for the best trained pilots in the world.

The Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik is perhaps one of the most famous aircraft of World War II, especially since more IL-2’s were produced, 36,163, than any other military combat  aircraft of this era. Appearing in numerous versions, including single and two seaters, the IL-2 was probably the best close support and anti-tank aircraft used during the war.  Any serious modeler should be aware of this plane’s history, so I won’t repeat it here.  The model presents a rather unusual variant, the one with 37 mm. NS-37 cannons mounted in streamlined fairings underneath each wing.  Flying characteristics suffered, caused by the CG shift rearward because of the cannon installations, but the aircraft was available in adequate numbers for the Kursk Battles, resulting in the destruction of many German tanks and other vehicles.   Shortages of cannons kept production numbers small, and previous variants with the Way-23 mm. wing mounted cannons were by far the most common types.  Towards the end of the war, an improved variant, with NS-45 45mm. cannon was tested, but it was never produced.

A sincere “THANK YOU” goes to our friends at MMD for providing this most excellent combination for IPMS to review… This was the build of the year for me.

This was a truly pleasurable effort on many levels.  First, the size is agreeable… I’m getting older and if a kit is larger it’s easier to work with.  The only drawback is where to put it!  (The office wins again; most of my IPMS builds are given to the folks there…  Most are VERY appreciative, as they can’t do it themselves).  Second, I have not built a 1/32 kit like this in quite a while.  I never worried about breaking the basic kit because of my ham-fists… Engineering is first rate!

The kit has over 400 parts; if the number excites you like a jigsaw puzzle, buy the kit, because you’ll be busy.  If you want a 1/32 spider, buy the kit!  Judging by the “out of stock” level, many have… Let us go over the highlights…

Quickboost has issued this set of 12 Compressed Air Cylinders for the Great Wall Hobby P-61A/B. There are 12 cylinders perfectly case in grey resin and attached to a single carrier at the bottom. Cast guards are in place to make sure no damage is done. Removal is simple in just cutting the cylinders from there base with a sprue cutter and removing a few faint seam lines.

The title of this one says it all.  This book is dedicated completely to covering the markings and colors of Spitfire Mk Vs on Malta in 1942.  Not all aircraft on Malta, not all 1942 Spitfires, and not anything else – JUST Spitfire Vs, JUST in 1942 and JUST those based on Malta!

The author is a modeler himself, and the introduction to the book briefly describes how he came about researching and writing about this topic.  In brief, he had been corresponding with WC ‘Laddie’ Lucas (leader of 249 Squadron on Malta during much of 1942).  The author had decided to build a Spitfire model for WC Lucas, and the subject of markings came up.  The author had planned on painting a standard desert camouflage scheme on the Spitfire, and Lucas responded by saying none of the aircraft he remembered were painted in this manner.  This evolved into several years of discussion and correspondence over just how exactly the Spitfires on Malta were marked.  From that beginning, a full-blown research campaign was conducted and this book is the product thereof.  As a modeler, I found this little section particularly interesting.

The Fokker D.XXI single seat fighter was developed in the late thirties to replace the Fokker biplane fighters serving with the  Dutch Army Aviation Branch.  Although used in relatively small numbers by the Dutch, and quickly overwhelmed by the Luftwaffe during the German invasion,  the type was also adopted by the Danes, but its major operational use was with the Finnish Air Force in the Winter War and afterwards .  Faced with shortages of Bristol Mercury engines, the Finns also produced a variant powered by American Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior engines.  These aircraft had some additional modifications, and were operated on both wheels and skis, quite successfully against the Russians, who didn’t fare too well against the highly trained and experienced Finnish pilots.  Later replaced by more modern equipment, including Hurricanes, Brewster Buffaloes, and Curtiss Hawks, and later Bf-109G’s, the D.XXI’s continued on until the 1944 Armistice, being used primarily for reconnaissance and  ground attack.  A few survived postwar, and were used for training, operating with the blue and white roundels replacing the light blue swast