Completed model

Sd.Kfz.251/17 Command Version (2 in 1)

Kit main gear

T-33A Shooting Star and Cockpit Detail Set

Finished Model - Right

CMP F15A Van Lorry

Bottom

MiG-21MF Interceptor ProfiPack

Finished Model - Underside Front

J7W1 Shinden - Final Construction and Painting - Part 2

Allison Front

Allison Prop Jet 501-D13 Engine

Finished right

T-72 MBT

Nacelle Snap Lock

Mosquito B Mk.IV - Part 2

Wing Sprue

P-51 Mustang 1a

Whirlwind Cannons

Westland Whirlwind FB Mk.1

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Packaging cover art

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVIe Part 1
Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
Lifelike Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.00

If you don’t already have a Tamiya 1/32ndscale Spitfire Mk XVI, this decal sheet might be enough to make you want one. This set of decals offers markings for four Mk XVI Spitfires operating during 1946 to 1948. SL721 is the aircraft of Air Marshall Sir James Robb, Commander of the Fighter Command Communications Squadron in Northolt during 1948. The powder blue overall finish is supposedly a mixture of PRU blue and white. It is a unique looking Spit and quite attractive.

The second offering is TB900, a MKVI flown by Squadron Leader Raymond A.F. Lallemant of RAF No. 349 (Belgium) Squadron, based in Fassburg, Germany in 1946. It is RAF Dark Green/Ocean Gray/Medium Sea Gray with Sky codes.

Spitfire MkXVIe TD231 is also from Fassburg, Germany in 1946, but it is of the 350 Squadron, Belgium AF. It is camouflaged in RAF Dark Green/Ocean Gray and Medium Sea Gray with white codes. The red, yellow and black Belgian roundels are what set this aircraft off.

Decal package art

Messerschmitt Me 109 Part 2 (Marseille Special with his Kubelwagen)

Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
Lifelike Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$19.00

Whenever you open the bag for this decal set, you get a bunch of stuff. You get two decal sheets that are crammed with markings for four separate Me 109F-4 Tropical aircraft belonging to Hans Joachim Marseille from his 52ndaerial victory to his 151stvictory. Sadly, though, there are only enough stencils and walkways for one aircraft. The arrangement of the decals keeps you hunting for the partner in the case of two-part decals but this may have been done for printing reasons. The markings for Marseille’s kubelwagen are enough to make you go get a Tamiya kit.

The second instruction sheet gives you a detailed history of each of the four aircraft, including where it was manufactured, which kills Marseille had with that aircraft, and peculiarities of the aircraft itself or its markings. This includes his kubelwagen.

Box Art

Northrop Snark SM-62 Cruise Missile
Review Author
Gary Telecsan
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/81
MSRP
$21.99

Talk about a trip down memory lane…I first built this kit nearly 50 years ago. The Snark was America’s first surface-to-surface cruise missile, and was developed back when the expense of a manned bomber fleet made missiles seem mighty attractive. It was deployed from 1958-1961, and passed into history without ever having been fired in anger; which was just as well, being that the mean time between failures of its guidance system was less than the flight time to most of the targets of the time.

The actual box art image is not available on-line; I included the photo the web site uses in the catalog.

The web site lists 198 parts, but there are actually only 31, even counting the two crew figures. The mold is still crisp with very little flash, but the kit does show its age. The panel lines are raised, including raised decal outlines. There are ejector pin marks galore, which are easily seen in photos of the base. The launcher base is, well, basic.

Box Art

North American P-51D Mustang, Part 2
Review Author
Dave Koukol
Published on
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$168.00

At the time of this writing, it’s been a week since I penned the “First Look” at this amazing kit, and I’ve now logged 19 hours of benchtime on this baby – 19 glorious hours of relatively problem-free building with exquisitely-engineered parts and crystal clear instructions.

Powerplant

Virtually identical to the Spitfire Merlin, with the exception of several parts unique to the Mustang, the engine’s 80-plus parts all but “fell together” with about 3 hours of steady effort. Detail is crisp and accurate, fit is perfect, and it paints up into a real gem. Only disappointment here is the absence of spark plug wiring – which would be an easy add on another fret of PE.

Cockpit

Not sure what the aftermarket guys are going to do regarding aftermarket cockpits for this fella, since Tamiya absolutely nails quantity and quality of detail. Over 1/3 of build time thus far has gone into this pony’s office – clocking in at a hefty 7 hours.

Kitset packaging

Big Ed Set for the F-16I Sufa
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$42.95

The Contents

You get a heavy duty envelope with 4 plastic sleeves inside. You get:

  • 73366 PE, one self-adhesive mostly cockpit, and a really big PE fret for interior and exterior detail
  • CX264 Canopy and Wheel mask
  • 72493 Boarding Ladder
  • 73380 Remove Before Flight Tags (Israeli)

You also get 2 full pages of instructions, folded so that you have 7 separate half pages of instructions, plus a half page instruction each for the ladder and the masks.

The Aircraft

The F-16I Sufa (Storm) is basically a Block 52 F-16, but there are additions and changes. Most of the changes are internal, with Israeli-built electronics and systems, but there are those 2 conformal fuel tanks, built by IAI which really change the look of the aircraft.