I must begin this review by giving a big thank-you to one of my fellow IPMS Wright Field Scale Modelers, Robert Cobb, who at our January 2013 modeling retreat got me hooked on Japanese Anime. “Thanks, Bob!” Specifically, Bob introduced me to the “Girls und Panzer” series. (And yes, it has snowballed from there.) “Girls und Panzer” follows several characters from the Ōarai Girls High School in Japan. The Ōarai girls participate in the sport of sensha-dō (tankery) along with several other all-girls high school teams located worldwide. The schools participate in non-lethal tank battles fought in World War 2-era tanks. The Ōarai Girls team runs a very eclectic mix of tanks, including the “Chi-Nu” tank operated by the school’s computer nerd team (The Anteater Team).

Revell has brought back to us the revered Chevy Chevelle Z-16 with its awesome 396 cubic inch big block. First minted in 1998 and then again in 2007 as the 2 in 1 “California Wheels,” this kit is a must for muscle car collectors.

The model itself consists of a total of 121 styrene parts on 8 trees, plus the body. Four sprue and the body are molded in white, two sets in chrome, one in clear, one in clear red, and there are two sets of generic vinyl tires (stock and 22” customs).

The Squadron at Sea titles cover specific ships by using photos of the vessel and its equipment from the very beginning of its life all the way through the end of its career. These titles are written about both civilian and military vessels, while the On Deck series is devoted solely to warships.

The USS Alabama is a South Dakota-class battleship, and construction was begun in February, 1940. The build took over two years until commissioning. Even though the Alabama took part in some of the most famous battles of the Pacific during the war, she only lost five crewman and none to enemy action. After the war, Alabama was mothballed until 1964 when she was moved to her present home in Mobile Bay as a museum.