Fran
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Posts posted by Fran
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6 minutes ago, HubertB said:
Well, it seems that HPH are throwing the towel on Infinity. The Kate is 50 % down the road, and the project is advertised for sale.
That was a meteoritic passage in the modelling word …
Hubert
Hubert where did you saw the info?
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1:32 Lancaster Grand Slam Wheels
AIMS
Catalogue n.º 32P048
Price Tag: 15£
To buy – Hannants - here
The 1:32 HK Model Grand Slam Lancaster is a beautiful model kit that I have had the pleasure to review it right here on Large Scale Modeller.
The Grand Slam is modified Lancaster especially in belly and structure and of course on it wheels.
One point that I make on the review is that the Grand Slam version used the Lincoln wheels that have a large wheel hub.
It`s a quite visible detail but back then there were no aftermarket 1:32 Lincoln wheels.
Well, as John helped me out back then, he thought to release this set with his brand AIMS: a wheel set to Grand Slam and all Post-war Lancaster.
The set comes in a small box, with the wheels casted in a single pieces and the interior rims in two pieces (exterior and interior).
The resin casting is, as usual, top noch.
The resin is in gray color with good consistence.
The resin blocks will give some work to remove but is the usual work when it comes to work with resin.
The surface details are very good. Love the detail of the letters.
The rims details are great and they are in fact much larger that the original wheels.
The comparasion between the AIMS wheels and the HK Models wheels
See how much larger is the rim.
Conclusion:
This wheels set is a must have to all the have the Grand Slam Lancaster or want to make post-war Lancaster or simple that wants to build a 1:32 Lincoln (scrachtbuilding one?)
The wheels are a standing point in the model, at least for me so wheels with good detail just will stand out.
The detail of all resin pieces is excellent.
Very Highly recommended
Francisco Guedes
My truly Thanks to John of AIMS for this review samples.
To purchase this directly, click THIS link.
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Looking very good!
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Enjoying this quite a lot!
I will need to get myself a Val!
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Great pics!!! Thank you!!!
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1:32
DK Decals
A-20G Boston (or Havoc)
in RAAF service
DK decals is a decal company with quite some reputation but in fact, it is the first time I have one of their sheet in hand, so I was quite curious about it.
This are the first AM decal for upcoming 1:32 Hon Kong Model A-20G.
This sheet comes in a ziplock bag, with the two decals sheets and a small A5 size, with profile, and color guide.
Analyzing the decal sheets, the color registration is great and a very good definition of the details. The decals have a thin film, in fact looking very thin and delicate. These are printed by BOA Agency. It`s a new name for me.
It have two schemes options of two RAAF aircrafts:
- A-20G Havoc A28-60, N.º 22 Sqn RAAF, New Guinea 1944
- A-20G Havoc A-20-78, n.º 22 Sqn RAAF, New Guinea 1994
I have a soft spot for RAAF aircraft and the Havoc`s are no exception.
The nose art of the A-20G Havoc A28-60 is in a separate sheet and to assure alignment between the girl itself, her name and the top bombs, it all come in one single decal.
The instructions are in fact general and applicable to all decals, it is always important to remember the general principles of decal application. In this case, there is no specific rule for applying these decals.
The profiles draws contains lots of information, with side view (both side) and top view with precise decal indication.
Conclusion:
Well, DK Decals is a very good surprise for me. While the name was well knowed, I never had one decal sheet in my hand.
The color densifications and pigment looks quite good. The white should not be transparent.
The guidelines given about decal location are very good.
My thanks to DK Decals for producing these fantastic decals for the A-20G and for the review sample.
Francisco Guedes
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and to complete the Border 1:35 Kate, Border is releasing the Akagi Bridge and flydeck in 1:35......
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Fantastic work!!!
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6 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:
So it was a time saving thing.. OK.
In that case, I’d say polyurethane resin would have been a much better option than waiting 6 months to do 500 of those.
probably it would much better but probably much more costly that 3D...
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Thanks Ernie.
I agree with you... it`s probably an easy fix thing to do.. but however, it shouldn`t happen in a model kit that cost 300$...
And the problem is notthe 3D Print technologie.
I talked with a friend that is a 3D expertise and have a 3D print business and he told me, after see the images, that the fuselage was printed at 0,05 microns definition when it should be printed in 0,02 microns.
The difference? The printing time. More the double it!!
Being 500 pieces, of that side, probably could take them more than 6 months to make in 0.02 microns.
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Not the final test shot but the one before that (As I was told) was "review" here.
I`m building it (not as fast as I would like but no instructions in the begging and now with test instruction) and it`s flawless! Its the best HK Models until now, that`for sure.
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Great review Ernie!!
I`m expecting the X-3... but i confess i didnt like the look of the 3D fuselage for the price you pay for these kind of limited kits.
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I already made this model and this scheme!
Its a beauty!! Thanks for sharing!!
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Great review Ernie!!
I waiting thatr it arrived in EU, to my usual HB so I dont want to pay 50% of the kit of taxes!
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A WORLD OF DIORAMAS
(Master Collection Series Vol.2)
Canfora Publishing
Author: PER OLAV LUND
ISBN: 978-91-984776-9-6
Price tag: 29,50€ (plus shipping)
Seven years ago, I have had the true pleasure of receiving a book directly from Per Olav Lund.
It is still a book that I open, read and contemplate those fantastic dioramas.
And now, seven years later, Toni Canfora gives me another opportunity to read and appreciate the fantastic and extraordinary work from one of most talent modeller in the world.
This second book of A World of Dioramas has several new Per Olav Lund works, some of them which I never saw it before
As the previous book, this is not a step-by-step technical book but a book where some of the steps of these master pieces are explained (almost like a step-by-step for that figures or animal, or a simple detail) and several work in progress are photographed and explain
Inside you will find twelve (12!) new works from the Author:
1. Starvation Cove;
2. For Valour;
3. Forgotten Walker
4. Abandoned;
5. Sacre Bleu!;
6. Shutterburg;
7. Passchendaele;
8. Childhood
9. Angel
10. Anne Nicole
11. The Fisherman
12. Kiiling Moon
And a final chapter: “More Houses”
Just a look on the cover first: Is amazing. A central and big photo of Mark I tank in Passchendaele in a satin finish. The cover is in soft cover with a high grade paper and satin finish.
The cover is A3 folding sheet so you got on the front cover the already mention diorama, and opening the paper, you got Per Olav Lund introduction.
Starting flipping through the book, I really do not know where to start! Almost mental block with all the fantastic photos.
All the 128 pages have a fantastic color printing in a satin finish touch.
In general, all the impression and color quality is not an issue for sure!
In every single diorama, Per Olav gives you, a small well written text that tells how the author got inspired and what he wants to represent with that work.
I will not comments all the work that are inside this book.
These are pure art. Everything is perfect balance, with no extra things or confusion just to fill empty spaces....
Per Olav Lund almost in every work (probably in all) make figures transformation so he posed them in the position desire and he don’t need to rely only in figures manufactures to achieve his goal, to have a dramatic scene or a moving look scene.
On the first work (“Starvation Cove”(, the polar bear is impressive piece of art by itself and all the scene is perfect balance to the dramatic encounter with the polar bear.
The work “For Valour” is a great piece and as Passchendaele work, the side wood presentation are fantastic. Both work are very dramatic, with the terrain fantastic made, with woundens and deaths soldiers to show the horrors of the WWI. And as usual the author reach his goal: to impress the reader with the scenic real scene. Outstanding.
The other military work, “Scare Blue” add to the drama, a sense of action, with a german soldier being hit and falling back to outside of the diorama scene! No words.
This book also get to sci-fi with the “Abandoned Walker”. The nature is reproduce in perfection.
There`s some civil dioramas being my favourite “The Childhood”. A balance, comic, dramatic and truly representing the childhood of many of us! A piece of art! To see it, you will have to buy this book! It`s worthy it!
The Fisherman is a large scale diorama, with a man fishing with river water by his knees. It`s perfect balance with the right sense of movement!
As I said I will not talk about all the works in the book, but I have to finish with the two diorama boxes, one of them in full scratch, “Killing Moon”, part of a Zeppelin Gondola, more specific the weaponary of the engine gondola, with all the infrastructure inside and the crew. All that in a big box with a moon and a Se5 in the back, making this a truly amazing box diorama.
CONCLUSION
Per Olav Lund, how could you do it all over again?
It’s a art book!
The text is quite simply, very comprehensive and an easy reading.
The print quality is very good, on satin paper.
But Per Olav Lund work is simply amazing! It`s inspirational.
So Just do yourself a favor, and get one!
Very Highly Recommend
Francisco Guedes
A very special thanks to the author, Per Olav Lund for this review sample and all the support.
To purchase this directly, click THIS link.
If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase this product, please tell them you read about it at Large Scale Modeller!
Disclaimer: all photos all in low quality to preserve and prevent all copyright.
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On the Deck
Naval Aviation in Scale
Canfora Publishing
(Grafisk Form & Förlag)
ISBN: 978-91-984776-7-2
Price tag: 15,00€ (plus shipping)
Back on book review and back to one of the most profilic publisher of modelling book.
Canfora book mean quality paper and very high quality modelling pages.
Today, I have had the pleasure to read the “On the Deck – Naval Aviation on Scale”.
This book is a soft cover one, A4 size, with 80 pages of aircraft modelling heaven. The inside paper is satin finish with high quality definition, giving a killer quality overlook to the book.
This book is a pure modelling book with several construction with finish models and several wip pictures. The articles show, between text and pictures what the author did to achieved that result.
It`s also no a truly FAQ/Step-by-step modelling book
So on the book, all dedicated to naval aviation, you get full articles of several planes, almost all in 1:48 (two in 1:72) and all with tons of aftermarkets on.
In total, you get 7 full build articles and one in the gallery.
So the 7 are:
- A-7E Corsair II – Hasegawa with all there is from Aires
- Firefly Mk . I – Grand Phoenix (mix with Special Hobby parts also);
- Sukhoj Su-33 Flanker D – Kinetic with new decals from BEgemot, resin quickboost, PE from Eduard and extensive exhaust set from Dream Model.
- F4U-7 Corsair - Hasegawa with everything in it, and I mean everything: Eduard PE set, Aires Cockpit, Quickboost engine set, Wolfpack Wing folded set, Pavla Model control surface, obsureco models wheels and MDC decal set.
- Aichi B7A2 Ryusei Kai – Hasegawa with Eduard Set
- FM-2 WildCat – Arma Hobby 1:72 ( no AM this one as it’s a expert kit set with its own PE)
- Buccanner SS.2C – Airfix 1:72 with Eduard set, Master Model and CMK port engine
And the Bonus Galleria
Well, there`s no identification of th author, but I saw this work already somewhere!
CONCLUSION
It’s a very interesting aircraft modelling book, a must have to all Naval aviation modeller.
All the builds are stunning (made by expert modeller), with detail to maximum, using in most of case, all aftermarket that exist for.
There are very several good tip to use in thse build that can be used in all other aircraft builds.
The content of this book is a quite inspiration (I just regret to sold my Grand Phoenix FireFly) and a very good consulting guide for any kind of aircraft build.
Highly Recommend
Francisco Guedes
Our thanks to the Toni Canfora and Canfora Publishing for this review sample and all the support.
To purchase this directly, click THIS link.
If you found this review helpful and decide to purchase this product, please tell them you read about it at Large Scale Modeller!
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Wow!! Great review Ernie!! Thanks so much!!
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Love it! Great Work!
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AH-1 Cobra
EARLY TAILS OVER VIETNAM
1:32
Special Hobby
Catalogue number SH32082
Price range: €55,62
“The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a single-engined attack helicopter developed and manufactured by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Helicopter. A member of the prolific Huey family, the AH-1 is also referred to as the Huey Cobra or Snake.
The AH-1 was rapidly developed as an interim gunship in response to the United States Army's needs in the Vietnam War. It used the same engine, transmission and rotor system of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, which had already proven itself to be a capable platform during the conflict, but paired it with a redesigned narrow fuselage among other features. The original AH-1, being a dedicated attack helicopter, came equipped with stub wings for various weapons, a chin-mounted gun turret, and an armored tandem cockpit, from which it was operated by a pilot and gunner. Its design was shaped to fulfil a need for a dedicated armed escort for transport helicopter, giving the latter greater survivability in contested environments. On 7 September 1965, the Model 209 prototype performed its maiden flight; after rapidly gaining the support of various senior officials, quantity production of the type proceeded rapidly with little revision.
During June 1967, the first examples of the AH-1 entered service with the US Army and was promptly deployed to the Vietnam theatre. It commonly provided fire support to friendly ground forces, escorted transport helicopters, and flew in "hunter killer" teams by pairing with Hughes OH-6A Cayuse scout helicopters. In the Vietnam War alone, the Cobra fleet cumulatively chalked up in excess of one million operational hours; roughly 300 AH-1s were also lost in combat. In addition to the US Army, various other branches of the US military also opted to acquire the type, particularly the United States Marine Corps. Furthermore, numerous export sales were completed with several overseas countries, including Israel, Japan, and Turkey.
For several decades, the AH-1 formed the core of the US Army's attack helicopter fleet, seeing combat in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, and the Gulf War. In US Army service, the Cobra was progressively replaced by the newer and more capable Boeing AH-64 Apache during the 1990s, with the final examples being withdrawn during 2001. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) operated the Cobra most prolifically along its land border with Lebanon, using its fleet intensively during the 1982 Lebanon War. Turkish AH-1s have seen regular combat with Kurdish insurgents near Turkey's southern borders. Upgraded versions of the Cobra have been developed, such as the twin engined AH-1 SeaCobra/SuperCobra and the experimental Bell 309 KingCobra. Furthermore, surplus AH-1 helicopters have been reused for other purposes, including civilian ones; numerous examples have been converted to perform aerial firefighting operations.
Historical text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_AH-1_Cobra
I must confess. I`m thrilled for the opportunity for reviewing this beauty.
First, the plastic on the box is from ICM back in 2021.
The ICM kit was very well received with very good feedback from modellers. I read a lot about it and all the good feedback for modellers that build it.
Just look at it, the simple plastic, and you know that this release eclipses the Revell one (to be fair, the Revell lived a long happy good live).
However, it`s my first look in the Cobra, no matter the boxing.
This edition is a hi-tech edition bring by Special Hobby, with lots of extras that I will be looking carefully here.
First the plastic sprues, four in grey and one clear sprue.
The clear sprue come in a separate bag to protect the big windows. It has great clarity with no distortion at all, quite thin and in a perfect shape. You have the option of finishing the model with the access windows open or closed. This Special hobby box also give us a masking set tape for making the masking process much less time-consuming and painless.
All the other sprues, the plastic is a soft one, good to work with. All the parts have no flash, with great surface detail, both raised and engraved detail.
The surface detail is very good, with a special thing: you got recessed panel lines and raised rivet detail, which is a great point for detail from ICM.
In the sprue A, you get the fuselage halves (only the halves as it doesn’t have floor) and cockpit hub.
On sprue B, the vertical stabilizers, the main rotor blade, fuselage side wings and tail rotor blade.
You can build both early and Late G model as both vertical stabilizers are provided.
Sprue C we got mainly the skids, stabilizers rotor wings, bottom fuselage
The skids of the cobra are quite correct, at least from pictures (and I really like the nice touch of the resin wheels set and towing set to put on the skids).
Sprue D (x2) you got small details and all the armament to equipped your Cobra.
4 x XM-159 19 tube rocket pack
2 x XM-157 7 shot rocket pack
2 x XM-158 2.75 inch forward firing rocket pack
2 x M18E1 7.62mm mini gun
Now, the extra details parts that make this box a hi-tech one.
Starting with the cockpit and their large area, the original ICM leaves lots of room for extra detail which is not the case of this special edition. So for the cockpit the Special Hobby Hi-tech offers the modeler, new resin seats, resin console levers, both joystick in 3D printing (The 3D printing looks fantastic and very well detail). And two helmets!! These are a perfect touch!!
The two helmets:
Also you got PE seatbelts, fire extinctor, side armour console, and both sights in a mix of resin and PE.
Talking about the PE, there´s two small sheets (one nikel, one brass) , with fantastic detail and the color one, very well done. Basically, one of the fret sheet is the front and rear instruments panels, full set of seatbelts, and the brass one engine bay panel grill, some internal parts and the mounting plates for the rocket launchers.
I can`t tell for the macro look of it but if I had to bet, I would bet that these are made by Eduard. So it`s a top noch product with quality guaranteed.
The instruments panels are all in color PE.
The cockpit is sparse in the original ICM offer, turn into a really good detail cockpit with this edition.
The armament also get so some extra detail in this, more specifically, two XM-158 2.75 inch forward firing rocket pack, in full resin with awesome detail) and M18E1 7.62mm mini gun, also get some add ons with extra detail resin part.
The decals have a very good color registration (love the shark mouth), quite thin. A full set of stencils are also on this very complete decal sheet.
Looks like a Special hobby direct product so I have no clue how they will react to Micro Sol or Micro Set. But I will soon!
The decals give four schemes and markings:
- AH-1G, s/n 68-15183, flown by Neil McMillan, C/2/20 ARA, C Battery, 2nd battalion, 20th Regiment, Aerial Rocket Artillery, Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam, 1971;
- AH-1G, s/n 68-15049, flown by 1Lt George Alexander and WO1 Jim Moran, C72/20 ARA, Bu Dop, Vietnam, June 1970. ((Comments from Special Hobby to this sheme: “helicopters participating in the Cambodian invasion had their tailbooms painted in black to obscure the US markings);
- AH-1G, s/n 66-15259, Cobra NETT, New Equipament Training Team, Vung Tau, Vietnam, December 1967 (Comments from Special Hobby to this sheme: “Wearing a USAF-Style camouflage pattern, this machine also happened to complete the first AH-1 flight in South Vietnam on 4 September 1967)
- AH-G1, s/n 68-15168 D Troop, 3rd Brigde, 4th Cavalrym Chu Chi Vietnam, 1971 ((Comments from Special Hobby to this sheme: “In 1972, Wretched Mildred sustained severe damage to her tail boom which was then replace with a new one, with the tail rotor on the starboard side. The sharkmouth was repainted, Chinese s/n appeared on the fin and the word snake in Chinese under the pilot canopy.”
Over the years I start hating one thing in aircraft modelling: masking canopies. Not that the Cobra canopies look hard to mask but Special Hobby also cover that and gives a full set of mask for inside and outside. Nice touch SP.
At last, the instructions come in a stain quality paper, with good drawings and part indication and color. It have 20 pages, with a historical introduction of the model in English and Czech, you are about to tackle, sprues drawing, part indication of the resin, 3D printed parts and PE.
Conclusion
Well, what can I tell about the Special Hobby Hi-tech box AH-1G Cobra? One of the most complete box model that I have the pleasure to open in the past!!
This 1:32 AH-1G Cobra is fantastic. The plastic is great with good detail, pin locations, a truly modern high standard injection mold kit with a lots of detail bit to make it even better. The lacks of detail of the original ICM kit are cover with the extra bits given by Special Hobby making a very good detail model kit straight from the box.
VERY VERY Highly recommended.
My trully Thanks to Special Hobby for the review sample.
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On 3/4/2023 at 4:00 PM, mark31 said:
Just found this one second hand dirty cheap have to pick it up.
Mark
hi Mark!! Please can we see some pics of the contents?
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On 2/14/2023 at 4:10 AM, Clunkmeister said:
It arrived!!
Inbox Review, mate??
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On 2/10/2023 at 6:22 PM, mark31 said:
Recievd today from the mailman
2 boxes 1kit
whats in
and yes its a bottle tamiya extra thin
I hope to turn it in to this
scale 1/12 limeted run kit
Mark
wow!!!!
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I got an email from Petr from ASK just informing tat they dont use laser cut machine but, and I qoute: " We dont use laser cut, we have in use very very high qualuty cutter. The service, the different cutting speed we use and the daily changing knifes made the small - but on the end the big difference to the other producers"
Thanks for the intel!
Fran
LSM Modelling News 2023 merged Fran and Artful69’s threads
in Modelling Discussion
Posted
thanks! Just saw it... and Heinz account was "erased" from Britmodeller...