Reviews

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$27.99

It has been a while since AMT has issued the Lil Hot Dogger. I thought the plastic was typical to their current releases being just the right consistency for trimming, sanding, and gluing. All the clear parts were crystal clear with little flash. The white styrene molds themselves had produced small areas of flash especially around some of the larger parts and many ejector pin marks in noticeable locations.

Parts count:

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$27.99

It has been some 35 years since this version on the Ford Model “T” Delivery Wagon has been issued from AMT. Surprisingly the molds have held up fairly well with little flash or exaggerated seams. Do to the engineering of the kit however, there is a great deal of punch holes to be dealt with. See photo reference #2.

The AMT plastic is typical to their current releases, not too soft, not too hard, just right for trimming, sanding and gluing. All the clear parts were crystal clear with little flash. I used Tamiya primer, paints and glue for the assembly of this kit and Bondo 907 as filler. All products reacted well to the AMT plastic.

Instructions follow a typical layout, engine, tires, chassis, rear suspension, front suspension. One issue with the suspension is the chassis uses metal axles in both the front and rear which can be clearly seen once the Model T is complete. This is not very realistic and again another engineering issue with the kit.

Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$9.85

Brengun has been bringing out more and more stuff in 1/144 scale, kits, accessories and detail sets. This is darned good, because those of us who do “Braille scale” need more and more help. Many of the older kits are so lacking in detail that any addition would be SO welcome. And this is one of those detail sets.

So on to the adventure. The detail set is a single PE fret, approximately 3 ½ by 6 ½ inches. (9cm X 16.5cm). There is a single page instruction sheet which shows the Revell parts replaced by PE parts and the PE add-ons for some parts.

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$28.99

AMT recently released the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow Racing Dreams Snap/it generic race car with some special markings attempting to appeal to the wider base of children modelers. The kit is simplified in its parts count and if the directions are followed a fairly simple build. Clippers, a file or sanding stick, hobby knife and screw driver are all that are needed to complete this kit. Painting is not necessary to complete the build.

Available options are limited to the choice of rear wing or spoiler. There are only one set of stickers with a few placement options. If you choose certain parts such as the containment seat, rims, dash board, chassis and drive train could use some detail painting. Unfortunately for the junior modeler there are no color options called out for, they will have to wing it. There is no under-hood detail or engine, a primary focal point for most race car models.

Parts Count:

Book Author(s)
Bill Yenne
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Specialty Press
MSRP
$32.95

The delta wing design configuration is synonymous with Convair. No other aircraft company had as many delta designs as they did. Convair designed America’s first jet with delta wings, first and only seaplane supersonic jet fighter as well as the phenomenal B-58 Hustler! This is a new paperback version of a book previously released in hardback.

The book is broken down into 20 chapters. The first two explain what delta wings are and the history of Convair and its predecessors. Chapter three covers the XF-92 which was the first US jet aircraft of Delta configuration. It covers the history of this aircraft and is accompanied with many photos several in color. The next five chapters are devoted to the F-102 Delta Dagger and cover it from inception through combat in Vietnam and on into use by the various Air National Guards.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Takom
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$60.00

This is the first Takom kit I have built, and I must say I was most impressed once I opened the box and got into the build.

In the box is:

  • 8 sprues
  • 1 hull
  • 1 decal sheet
  • 1 instruction booklet

The sprues are well molded with very crisp details on all the parts with no flash. The plastic itself seemed very soft. The sprue lay out is a dream and makes it extremely easy to find parts as needed.

Construction

Construction starts with the upper Hull. This is very easy to assemble with few or no issues at all. My only personal comment is the total lack of interior detail, which would have added a lot to the kit, and allowed for the various hatches and doors to be built open. The machine gun and cannon sub-assemblies are built next, and do have a few fit issues that needed filling. Once the gun sub-assemblies are installed, the upper hull is set aside for now.

Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$41.13

The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Autumn 2015, features a color painting by Geoffrey Watson of the Vickers FB.19 A5227 on the cover. A5227 carried interesting armament in the form of two extra Lewis machine guns on the lower wing just inboard of the wing struts, bringing its total armament up to four machine guns. This issue also includes a separate A2 size sheet in color covering Ordnance Survey maps that are marked up with the location of WWI aviation interest sties in Ireland.

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier. In fact, this issue includes some updates for that monograph in the Fabric section.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$26.95

This set contains 2 sheet of Photo Etch parts, one of which is self-adhesive. These parts are used to add a lot of detail to the cockpit, and the rest of the interior of Airfix’s latest HE 111-P2 kit.

These sets from Eduard the details are great and add a lot of realism to the finished kit.

A great price for such fine additional detail.

Book Author(s)
Martin Windrow
Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$14.95

Osprey is a publishing house in the United Kingdom. This book at the time of this review is slated for an October 20, 2015 release date but from what I have read and see history buffs and modelers alike will not be disappointed. It is packed with useful information and illustrations covering every era of warfare and the uniforms and clothing that was used in those conflicts.

For this book the chapters are organized as follows:

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$12.95

This new Snap and Play kit from Revell is part of a series of kits going after the most junior of modelers. Ideal as a first model kit these models are pre-finished in a multitude of colors and have the minimum parts count to simplify constructions.

All the parts are packed in individual plastic bags to retain their finish and are removed the spure runners with the attachment points cleaned up. There are no tools necessary to complete the construction.

Parts Count - 17 total parts

  • 1 Pre-finished Ford Crown Victoria police car
  • 5 Clear styrene and finished parts
  • 5 Black parts
  • 2 Axles with wheels and tires attached
  • 2 Chassis mounting pins
  • 2 Chrome and colored parts

It actually took me longer to unpack, separate and count the kit parts than it did to construct the kit. The instructions are way simplified with no more that three parts going into each step. There are a total of 7 steps.