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Review Author
Marc K. Blackburn
Published on
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$72.95

The Kit

Joining Trumpeter’s growing fleet of prime movers, this kit is their latest addition. The AT-T is a tracked vehicle, sharing the same components as a T-54. The kit and markings are for one vehicle. The color call out sheet shows this as a parade vehicle, white rims and markings of the Soviet flag. I chose to make it a grubbier vehicle with the Soviet red star (ironically enough, left over from another Trumpeter kit). Molded in the now customary grey Trumpeter plastic, there are ten sprues in the kit of which three are the tracks and two are the rubber road wheels. It includes one fret of PE, clear parts and one sheet of decals. The parts are nicely molded, but there are some prominent mold lines on some of the smaller parts that must be taken care of.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$39.95

History

The Avia B.534 originated with the B.34 fighter prototype and first appeared in 1934. After several engine changes, the type was approved for production for the Czech Air Force with an initial order of 34 aircraft. With detail development over a period of several years, a total of 568 was finally produced. Series I and II, the subjects of this kit, had open cockpits, with the Series II having a total of four machine guns in the fuselage, firing through the propeller arc.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions specializes in white metal replacement parts. Its line of replacement landing gear has been expanded to include a set for the 1/48 Hasegawa Mc 202 (also Eduard “Folgore”), and at least for the main landing gear, it can be used with the Hasegawa/Italeri Mc.205 “Veltro” as well. Perhaps the tail wheel, but I’m not sure.

The set includes 5 parts with the following breakdown: two main landing gear struts, actuator arms, and a tail wheel. The parts are finely molded in white metal. These parts are drop-in replacements for the plastic parts.

I should say that these parts are more than just drop-in replacements. Some of the white metal part would be comprised by the equivalent of several plastic parts, so you have an easier job of assembling the landing gear due to having fewer parts to deal with. In addition you don’t have to deal with cleaning seam lines.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$64.99

Hasegawa has re-released his 1/48 F-8E Crusader, this time with the markings of “Shin Kazama”, the lead character of a Japanese TV show called “Area 88” (You can find out about the TV show online)

Make no mistake, the markings provided in the box might be for Manga-fan characters, but the plastic in the box is the same than in any other of the Hasegawa releases and that is great news!

You get a total of 14 sprues (one clear) plus 3 small sprues of polycaps. Despite the high number of sprues, the total number of parts is about 120 parts, making the build to be reasonable engaging, while not overwhelming.

This kit has been around for 15 or so years and it has been re-boxed many times. Despite that, there is no flash anywhere, it has exquisite surface detail and fine panel lines, with perhaps the exception being the lower fuselage where a few lines seem to be a tad on the faint side of things. Nothing that a bit of re-scribing cannot fix.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
Company
Plusmodel
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$24.00

Plus Model was established in 1990 in the Czech Republic. Their product range is comprised primarily of 1/35th scale resin kits, conversion sets, and accessories which are vacuum cast from polyurethane plastic. The company also has a line of quality dioramas made from a special hardened gypsum. Additionally, Plus Model sells styrene sheets of varying thickness and a wide range of printed-paper 1/35th scale accessories such as scale posters, road signs, rations boxes, tents, etc..

The subject of this offering is a 1/48th scale Shed. The kit consist of laser cut wooden parts, a small sheet of card stock, and five resin parts. The resin pieces are two Jerry cans, a spoke-wheel, a fifty-five gallon drum, and a toolbox/crate. The detail on all the resin pieces is superb. The laser cut wooden sections comprise the sides, top, and floor of the shed.