Roger Carrano
Reviews By Author
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Panzer-Regiment 7 Smolensk 1941Published:
Dragon had just added this Panzer Division set to their already large selection of plastic figure sets. The features of these figures are by far some of the best work I have seen in plastic miniatures. The facial features aren’t as soft like their competitive manufacturers have in this price range, and by far Dragon has some of the best detail, even when compared to some of the higher priced figures. Included in this kit are three figures and one bonus figure of Generaloberst Guderian, which originally appeared in a kit which consisted of only German Officers. These three figures are contained on two sprues with the General alone being made up of seventeen pieces, which does not include an extra pair of boots if you should desire to use them. There are also two small photo etch… more |
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Eastern Region Peasants, WWII EraPublished:
Master Box just keeps turning out these very unique kits made exclusively for building dioramas and/or vignettes. They come out with the most peculiar subjects that will add that finishing touch to a diorama, or base a diorama around, and then you wonder how we ever got along without these kits. This time, they have come out with the Eastern Region Peasants in the WWII era. When I opened the box I wasn't surprised at the great detail and preciseness of their clothes, facial expressions, and other small items which add to the realism – in fact, I knew that these figures would reflect their high standards as always. The kit includes five figures depicting a family of peasants speaking to the youngest child. And as far as the price is concerned, the value can't be beat. I have… more |
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A-4E/F Skyhawk Electronic BaysPublished:
Aires’ new design, which enhances the Electronic Bays, is easily a step up from Trumpeter’s bays. Aires found a weak spot in this area of the A-4 and designed more realistically detailed bays, as you can see in the comparison picture of just how much more detailed the Aires bays look. This kit is a definite upgrade which can be easily detected by anyone admiring your model. The kit contains nine pieces of highly detailed grey resin parts which fit together perfectly. In my sample, I didn’t find any bubbles or flaws of any kind, which is typical of Aires products, and the attachment point on the block does not affect any detail when the cutting is complete. Of course, dry fitting is essential, but if you cut straight there are no problems. The instruction sheet is… more |
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A-4E/F Skyhawk Cockpit SetPublished:
Aires has developed a highly detailed cockpit for the Trumpeter 1/32 A-4 Skyhawk. This set includes twenty highly detailed grey resin parts and one clear resin part, plus a photo etched sprue which includes the seat belts, rear views mirrors, and other small details to add to the cockpit. Not unlike their other cockpit kits, the fit of the cockpit tub is pretty much on the money, but some sanding will be necessary for a perfect fit. The quality of the resin is up there where one has come to expect the great quality from Aires, which is truly fantastic. I found no bubbles or missing corners anywhere on the parts. There is some minor flash, but a few licks from a sanding stick or the like will handle it with no problem at all. I did make sure to wash the parts with mild detergent… more |
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U.S. Special Forces Vehicle Comms SetPublished:
Pro Art Models has another new set of enhancements, and this time it’s a vehicle communications package for those of you who are into super-detailing the newer types of vehicles in the U.S. Special Forces genre. This set comes with 18 pieces of high quality light tan resin which is detailed to the max. I have yet to find any bubbles within the resin that are so often found in lesser quality resins. Also included in the kit is a photo etch fret containing parts which make up the shelves, cases, legs, and small switches for the radios and computers to fit on or into. The resin parts consists of the radios, power inverters, PC screens, keyboards, a hand- held GPS, antennas, and even the plug-in power modules. The detail is the best it can get and the photo etch antennas and shelves (… more |
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A-4 Skyhawk AntennasPublished:
As mentioned in a previous review, Trumpeter’s new kit of the 1/32 A-4 Skyhawk is one of the better kits that Trumpeter has recently come out with, and what Quickboost did for the Air Scoops of Trumpeter’s A-4 kit is what Quickboost also did for the upgrade of the antennas for the A-4 kit. Quickboost’s antennas kit consists of five different types of antennas in a light grey resin and can also easily be “picked” off of the sprue and sanded so as not to hurt the design of the part. The antennas are so precise and real looking that they do enhance the look of the model. However they are very, very fragile and should be glued to the kit as one of the last parts to assemble, especially if there will be a lot of handling before completion. I would definitely recommend this… more |
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A-4 Skyhawk Air ScoopsPublished:
Trumpeter’s new kit of the 1/32 A-4 Skyhawk is one of the better kits that Trumpeter has recently come out with. However, as with all kits from all the makers of fine hobby kits, there is always room for improvement. In this case Quickboost has come out with an upgrade for Trumpeter’s air scoops. Quickboost’s kit consists of three different types of scoops and one set of pitot tubes in a light grey resin and can be easily be “picked” off of the sprue and sanded so as not to hurt the design of the part. These are so precise and real-looking that they easily enhance the look of the aircraft kit. I would definitely recommend this upgrade not only for how well they look but also for the price. They are definitely worth it and they won’t break the bank, either, and the best… more |
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Modern Civilian and Military BackpacksPublished:
Pro Art Models has come up with another idea for filling a simple niche with respect for modelers who build dioramas or need items to use as stowage on military and/or civilian models. This time Pro Art Models have put together 1/35 scale resin backpacks for military and civilian use. The detail is so precise that you almost can’t wait to paint them just to see how real they’re going to look. There are 10 different white resin pieces, of which there are two each (total of twenty pieces), with half being military and the other half being civilian. Even in close inspection, I could not find any apparent bubbles or flaws. Pro Art has positioned them on their resin stubs so as not to cut off any major details which would affect the detail of each piece. The handles, belts, buckles, and… more |
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F/A-18E Hornet SeatbeltsPublished:
Eduard has fired up another set of seatbelts to fit in with their PE Interior set for the 1/32 F/A-18E. Aside from their beautiful and accurate seatbelts, Eduard has also included lots of stuff for the enhancement of the seat for this kit. It has colored “padding” which fits to the seat bottom and back. There are also other small items that can be added to the seat for detail that will make this seat really something to look at. The belts and all the other items are painted beautifully with details that can’t otherwise be matched by dry brushing. The instructions are clear and concise and, importantly, not intimidating. Of course, the use of CA glue will be necessary, but using it sparingly and carefully along with a little weathering or a wash should produce great looking results. I… more |
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F/A-18E Interior S.A. SetPublished:
Eduard has come out with a smaller version of their interior set for the F/A-18E. It’s a full self-adhesive set, with one fret containing the same items as in the larger interior set (#32688) for the same aircraft. This set is designed for those who are only interested in just covering the instrument panel and side consoles. There are two other items included on the fret, one of which is for the top of the fuselage and the other for the canopy. These were already included on the fret in the larger set. In fact, it’s the same fret. So it seems we get a bonus, as it wouldn’t make sense for Eduard not to include those parts. All of the colors and details are perfect, even when compared to photos of the cockpit. This set is for those who don’t feel the need to use aftermarket parts… more |