Right On! Replicas

Right On Replicas, LLC SnapShot Review 20141029*
V-2 Rocket Estes Semi-Scale Model Kit #003228 Review

Review and Photos by Robert Byrnes

Awesome is the word for the kit! Standing 22.4 inches tall and when powered by an E9 engine, this rocket can soar over 700 feet high! A great color scheme makes the V2 easy to see in the sky. I built the V2 during a rainy weekend. The fins provided with the kit are large for added stability.  I decided to replace them with scale fins.  I found a website (http://www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com) that provided me with a pdf copy of the scale fins.  I cut the new ones from 3/32” balsa and followed the instructions for attaching.  I have several Estes Rockets that I’ve collected over the years.  This is one of my favorites, and I can’t wait to fly her. You can find Estes Rockets at most hobby stores or at their website online .  This rocket is simple to build and would make a great father son project.  I have another one in my stash that I will build with my future grandson or granddaughter (someday). Keep learning… and have fun!

Buy this kit here through Amazon Estes V2 Semi Scale Model Rocket

History of the German V-2 Rocket:

Originally, plans called for the V-2 to be launched from massive blockhouses located at Éperlecques and La Coupole near the English Channel. This static approach was soon scrapped in favor of mobile launchers. Traveling in convoys of thirty trucks, the V-2 team would arrive at a staging area where the warhead was installed before towing it to the launch site on a Meillerwagen. There, the missile was placed on the launch platform, armed, fueled, and the gyros set. This set up took approximately 90 minutes and the launch team could clear an area in 30 minutes after launch.

This mobile system proved highly successful and up to 100 missiles a day could be launched by German V-2 forces. Also, due to their ability to stay on the move, V-2 convoys were rarely caught by Allied aircraft. The first V-2 attacks were launched against Paris and London on September 8, 1944. Over the next eight months, a total of 3,172 V-2 were launched at Allied cities including London, Paris, Antwerp, Lille, Norwich, and Liege. Due to the missile’s ballistic trajectory and extreme speed, there was no effectively method for intercepting them.

V-2 attacks against English and French targets only decreased when Allied troops were able to push back Germans forces and place these cities out of range. The last V-2-related casualties in Britain occurred on March 27, 1945. Accurately placed V-2s could cause extensive damage and over 2,500 were killed and nearly 6,000 wounded by the missile.

Estes V-2 Rocket Specifications:
Length – 22.4 in. (56.9 cm)
Diameter – 2.6 in. (66 mm)
Estimated Weight – 6.3 oz (178.6 g)
Projected Max Altitude – 725 ft. (221 m)
Laser cut wood fins, plastic nose cone, 18 in. (46 cm) parachute recovery
Recommended Engines: C11-3 (First FLight), D12-3, *E9-4, *E9-6

German V-2 Rocket Specifications:

Length: 46 ft.
Wingspan: 11.7 ft.
Diameter: 5.4 ft.
Loaded Weight: 27,580 lbs.

Performance
Power Plant: Rocket
Range: 200 miles
Max Speed: 3,545 mph
Ceiling: 55 mi.

Armament
Warhead: 2,200 lbs. Amatol
History of the Estes V-2 Kit

Kit #               Year
K-22 1222     1965 – 1977
1267              1974-1981 ( Maxi)
1904              2000 (Same as1926 – never in catalog)
1926              1984 – 1987
1952              2002 – 2004 (discontinued in fall of 2004) (Maxi D & E powered)
3228              2011 – Current

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2014 All rights reserved.
*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.

When using any of the products mentioned here be sure to follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines.

RoR Step-by-Step Review 20131027*
C-47 Skytrain and Paratroopers 1:48 Scale Monogram Model Kit #85-5637 Review

Review and Photos by Kevin Lawton

The Douglas C-47 is probably the most ubiquitous transport aircraft of World War II. A military version of the venerable Douglas DC-3 civilian airliner, it has served in many roles for many countries over the past 70 years.  First flown on Dec. 17th 1935 and built for 11 years, before production ceased in 1946,  over 1,000 remain in service today.  The C-47 served primarily in the transport in the Pacific Theatre and paratrooper transport role in Europe during World War II.  It soldiered on as the AC-47 ‘Spooky’ gunship during the Vietnam War.  More than 10,000 C-47s (and variants) were produced.  Between March 1943 and August 1945 the Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s. As Revell’s website puts it, “An aluminum tube 63ft. long; unheated, un-pressurized, unarmored, unarmed and carrying 32 men to war through flak and fighter fire. Gooney Birds, the C-47 Skytrain, were the workhorses and warhorses of the Allies throughout WWII. They carried paratroopers into combat, brought supplies to embattled soldiers and, at the end of the war, carried them home. No model collection is complete without at least one model of the humble yet mighty C-47 Skytrain!”

 
For the Modeler: This is a review of the C-47 Skytrain and Paratroopers 1:48 Scale Monogram Model Kit #85-5637. This the latest re-release of the old Monogram that’s been around for years. It is rated a skill level 2 kit and is part of the limited production Selected Subjects Program (SSP) Series. The kit contains 102pieces. Thre are Olive Drab injection molded pieces and six clear parts. Of those pieces 21 of them are devoted to 9 paratroopers and 3 crew members. Decals are provided for 2 aircraft, Buzz Buggy” of the 81st Troop Carrier Squadron and ”Drag ‘Em Oot” of the 87th Troop Carrier Squadron. Decals are also provided for the D-Day invasion stripes although only ‘Drag ‘Em Oot’ has the invasion stripes on both upper & lower wing surfaces.  Because I wanted the invasion stripes to be visible all around, I chose to build the second version – ‘Drag ‘Em Oot”.  I opted to paint the stripeson instead of using the decals, but more on that in the full review. Finished dimensions are: Length: 16″,  Wingspan: 23-5/8″, and Height: 4-1/4″.

Covered in this Review: If you want to perfect your build; basic construction; preparing parts for better finishing; extensive paint and finishing information; adhesive selections and applications; basic construction; glue and material selections; repairing seams; cockpit instrument panel treatment and highlighting; gluing clear parts without crazing; liquid mask, low tack putty and film masking; black washes with diluted paint; accuracy of markings; decal preparation and application; using decal setting solutions; applying Future floor finish; livery considerations; stripes versus paint; identifying  repairing pin marks;  Deluxe putty notes; using pencil to pick out details; removing unwanted doors; handling care for delicate parts; prop finishing; matching up stripes; detailed masking instructions; diorama considerations; crew and paratrooper uniform colors and paint sources; are all fully examined in this pictorial 17 page, full-color Step-by-Step review.

100% money back guarantee!

Click the Buy Now link below to purchase the full Step-by-Step review for $3.95 USD.

Important – You MUST click on the “Return to Right on Replicas, LLC” link after you’ve made your purchase to download your review!

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2013 All rights reserved.
*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.

Right On Replicas, LLC Step-by-Step Review 20141025*
Ferrari Mythos 1:24 Scale Tamiya Model Kit #24104 Review

Review and Photos by Alan Mann

The Ferrari Mythos was a mid-engine, rear wheel drive concept car designed by Pininfarina and produced by Ferrari in 1989. The radical design was implemented on the platform of the Ferrari Testarossa, which dictated the car’s wedge shape and large air intakes ahead of the rear wheels. This prototype was created to overcome the design problems which arise when engines and radiators are mounted at the rear as it calls for a rear track which is much wider than the front track. Neither a hard roof nor side windows were included in the design. At the rear, the wing-spoiler which is the continuation of the side surfaces rests on a central telescopic support which can raise it according to the speed, to accentuate the down lift effect, positioning it in an area where the air flow is not disturbed. The front spoiler works in the same effect by lowering to deflect wind from lifting the car. All the panels of the bodywork are built entirely in carbon fiber. The instrument panel, dashboard, door panel and seats are shells covered in leather. Although not intended to be sold to members of the public, the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is known to own two. The prototype is stored in Pininfarina Style Center at Cambiano (Italy).

 

 

For the modeler: This review is based on the Tamiya Ferrari Mythos in 1/24 scale, Kit #24104. The box is dated 1991 and this is the original release version but it is still available and can be found quite easily at online auction sites and web stores. The kit consists of about 115 parts molded in Red, Black, Steel, Chrome and Clear with Vinyl tires. The decals are actually a chrome Rub-on and consist of 4 badges and the shift pattern. This is a Japanese Model Kit so with that said the directions are in Japanese with multiple language translations on the instructions, it can be confusing. The build is straight forward and well detailed so if you take your time it should go together nicely. Tamiya is a quality product and the parts show few if any blemishes. The build is more traditional and starts with the motor then chassis then interior with the final assembly installed in the body. The motor is detailed and the cowl will open to show the motor. Overall the finished size is: Length: 6-3/4”, Width: 3-3/4”, Height: 2”.

 

Covered in this Review:  If you want to perfect your build; basic construction; preparing parts for better finishing; alternate assembly sequence suggestions for fit and ease of finishing; complete paint and adhesive selections and applications; test fitting; detailing the engine bay; dashboard detailing; paint mixing specs for authentic colors; realistic seat belts; authentic interior color scheme; detailing with photo etched parts; painting the shocks for realism; where NOT to use glue; correctly orienting directional tires; replacement gauges; wiper options are discussed; window surround detailing; making realistic tires; engine construction and detailing; suspension construction and detailing; are all fully examined in this 14 page, full-color Step-by-Step review in PDF format.

100% money back guarantee!

Click the Buy Now link below to purchase the full Step-by-Step review for $3.95 USD.

Important – You MUST click on the “Return to Right on Replicas, LLC” link after you’ve made your purchase to download your review!

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2014 All rights reserved.
*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.