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I have always wanted to do a series of trainers, so when Kinetic announced this and it came up for review, I was ready to go. Add to that some excellent aftermarket from TwoMikes Resin (with new intakes and tail hook and fairings) and Caracal’s excellent sheet for the Salty Dogs, and we were off to the races.
The latest release in MiniArt’s 1/16th historical figure series is this Roman Gladiator around the time of the 1st Century AD. There were many different classes and types of gladiator, each with specific weapons and armor, and this figure is a Mirmillo, a type of gladiator who was armed with a short sword called a Gladius and a large Imperial army-style shield called a Scutum. The Mirmillo gets his name from a type of fish – his helmet has a large crest like a fish’s dorsal fin. Supposedly, he was pitted against the Retarius, the “fisherman”, the guy with the net and trident. But it is believed he was more often up against other types of gladiators armed with short swords and heavy armor.
This kit actually comprises three kits for the price of one. There are two 1/48th scale Harlan tow tractors kits – two complete kits. Also included is one tow bar and a1/48th modern US/NATO missile cart with multiple configurations. The tow tractors are molded in light gray plastic and the cart and tow bar are molded in a dark gray-green. The parts are crisp and well done. There are no clear parts for the kit.
I won't go into the background of the F9F Panther, mainly because I don't know a lot about it and I know there are those out there who, knowing every nut, bolt and hydraulic coupling, would let me know in no uncertain terms if I were to err. Instead, I'll confine myself to the kit itself. Round 2 Models is a collectibles company located in South Bend, Indiana, that has acquired, among other lines, plastic kits from AMT, MPC, and Polar Lights, and they re-release selected out-of-production subjects from these companies' lines. Interestingly, they put out their releases in the old companies' packaging with no indication that it's from Round 2. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it was 20-30 years ago. The only clue you get is a Round 2 flyer/catalogue that is included in the box. Currently, their offerings are weighted toward automotive and Star Trek subjects, but they do have a couple of aircraft, one of which is the old AMT F9F-2 Panther.
On the heels of Kinetic's 1/48th release of the T-45 Goshawk comes Squadron Products Superscale Decal release of a full set of decals for the VT-22 "Golden Eagles." The scheme itself is excellent, with an eagle head flowing into red stripes decorating the back of the aircraft. There is one scheme on the sheet and it has excellent decals for the eagle, unit markings, and all the needed stencils. The decals are printed by Cartograf and are dense in color, thin in size, and perfectly in register. All national insignia and Navy markings are included.
