Dave Koukol
Reviews By Author
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Tauchpanzer III Ausf H Smart KitPublished: December 27, 2015 BackgroundOriginally designed with breathing and wading apparatus to support the Wehrmacht’s amphibious invasion of Great Britain during Operation Sea Lion, the Panzer III Tauchpanzer never had the opportunity to wade ashore on the British Isles following the Luftwaffe’s defeat in the Battle of Britain. Despite the denial of the opportunity to tread on British soil, Tauchpanzer III’… more |
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M60A2 PattonPublished: October 15, 2015 BackgroundA variant of the M60 main battle tank featuring a low-profile turret, a 152mm main gun capable of firing conventional rounds, and the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank missile system, the M60A2 was queued up as an interim solution while the MBT-70 was under development. Despite its advanced technology, the “Starship” did not live up to expectations and was eventually phased out… more |
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Masks for Academy F-4JPublished: October 14, 2015 Simple but brilliant, Eduard’s pre-cut canopy masks now include a set for Academy’s 1/72 F-4J Phantom II kit. In this case, simplicity of application was demonstrated by 9 year-old Camden as he built his Academy F-4J Showtime 100 for a related IPMS/USA review. In a matter of minutes, the pre-cut masks were transferred to the model canopy and scraps for left-over mask material were used… more |
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USN F-4J VF-96 'Showtime 100'Published: October 13, 2015 BackgroundDeveloped as a fleet interceptor for the United States Navy in the 1950’s the F-4 Phantom became one of the most successful and prolific combat aircraft designs of the jet age, remaining in US service into the 1990’s. Tasting its first combat during the Vietnam War, Navy and Air Force Phantoms produced leading aces for both service branches. One of the most notable… more |
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M42 DusterPublished: August 26, 2015 BackgroundFollowing the Second World War, the United States Army developed requirements for a modern armored and mobile anti-aircraft platform to deploy with armored and infantry forces. Filling that requirement was the M42 Duster. Based on the M41 Walker Bulldog light tank platform and armed with the Bofors M2A1 dual 40mm anti-aircraft cannon, the M42 became the mainstay of mobile… more |
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Churchill Mk III "Fitted for Wading" Operation Jubilee, Dieppe, France 1942Published: June 12, 2015 BackgroundConceived and initially developed on the eve of World War II, the Churchill infantry tank was designed to provide infantry support in European conflicts, including trench warfare as seen in World War I. Although rushed into production early in the war to counter an anticipated German invasion of England, the Churchill matured through a number of marks to become a versatile… more |
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F-86D Sabre DogPublished: February 3, 2020 BackgroundOriginally designated as the F-95, the North American F-86D “Sabre Dog” was the initial all-weather and night capable extension of the superb F-86 day fighter. Only 25% common to the day-version F-86’s the “Dog” sported a larger fuselage, engine, and tail surfaces, with a distinctive radome to house an advanced air intercept radar. The D-model also traded its guns for 2.75… more |
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Typhoon Mk. Ib Landing FlapsPublished: February 25, 2015 Recently, Airfix has upped its game with the release of several 1/72 scale aircraft kits with new tooling and featuring excellent detail. One such kit is their Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib. Despite Airfix’s excellent out-of-box detail, aftermarket detail manufacturers have tossed their hats into the ring to make an excellent kit even better. Among them is Eduard with it’s set of photoetched… more |
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Hawker Typhoon Ib Control SurfacesPublished: February 25, 2015 Recently, Airfix has upped its game with the release of several 1/72 scale aircraft kits with new tooling and featuring excellent detail. One such kit is their Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib. Despite Airfix’s excellent out-of-box detail, aftermarket detail manufacturers have tossed their hats into the ring to make an excellent kit even better. Among them is Aires -- bringing their improved… more |
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Hawker Typhoon Ib Exhaust (for Airfix Kit)Published: January 31, 2015 Recently, Airfix has upped its game with the release of several 1/72 scale aircraft kits with new tooling and featuring excellent detail. One such kit is their Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib. Despite Airfix’s excellent out-of-box detail, aftermarket detail manufacturers have tossed their hats into the ring to make an excellent kit even better. Among them is Quickboost -- bringing their improved… more |