I expect that all of us have seen ads from various companies for large-scale, highly detailed kits that can be purchased as a monthly subscription. One of those companies is Agora Models, which is based in the U.K. They recently offered the IPMS the opportunity to review one of their kits, and I had the immensely good fortune to be chosen to do the review. I was allowed to choose the kit I wanted to build, and as a life-long car modeler and lover of classic vehicles, I chose their 1/8 scale 1961 Jaguar E-Type. The kit contains over 500 parts, has working headlights and brake lights, windows that roll up and down, and opening hood, doors, and trunk. The steering wheel turns the front wheels, and the brake pedal operates the taillights. The completed kit is over 22 inches long.

Because of the complexity and the unique format of this kit, I will be doing the review in several parts. This first part will cover the “unboxing” and the building of the first 3 packages of the kit.

Well, I never thought I would build, let alone review an Atlantis kit. But you know what, it is a fun little build.I even engaged my wife into providing feedback as to what colors cave bears really are, or were. We recalled our trip to the Lascaux caves as a result. These caves and the cave bear go back to the same time. What prompted the build, is the Coastal Carolina modelers in house contest next year of any Atlantis kits. So, seeing it was available, I opted to review it.

The kit was originally released in 1972 under the Aurora brand. The kit can be snapped together in a few minutes, painted, and ready to go in about a day. There are only 30 parts and they snap together well. This is an ideal kit for younger modelers and is a good kit to get them started into a lifelong hobby. Also available is a Sabre Tooth Tiger in the prehistoric scenes collection. Both kits can be put together to make your very own prehistoric diorama.

Here’s a new figure set from ICM, this time featuring the British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and his staff. According to the box top, the four figures represent Field Marshal Mongomery, a Lieutenant General, a Major and a radio operator or soldier.

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery was one of the most prominent and successful British commanders of World War II. In December 1943, Montgomery was appointed as the commander of the 21st Army Group and the overall commander of Allied ground forces in Europe, also participating in the planning of Operation Overlord. In the autumn of 1944, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. A controversial figure for many reasons, he was nevertheless one of the greatest of Allied Generals during the War, guiding the largely conscript Allied armies to victory while conscious of the need for as small a casualty rate as possible.