Camden Koukol
Reviews By Author
|
Star Trek U.S.S. Reliant NCC-1864 Aztec Decal SetPublished:
BackgroundAs featured in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Federation starship USS Reliant was the vessel commandeered by the despotic Khan Noonien Singh, a late 20th century superhuman product of genetic engineering. Khan first appeared in an episode of the original Star Trek TV series, “Space Seed,” where he and his crew were discovered in cryogenic stasis while drifting through space aboard the SS Botany Bay. Revived by USS Enterprise’s crew, Khan and his followers were permanently exiled on a remote planet by Captain James T. Kirk after a failed attempt to seize Enterprise. As with most twice-deposed despots, Khan had quite the axe to grind with Kirk. The Wrath of Khan follows the titular… more |
|
Star Trek U.S.S. Reliant NCC-1864Published:
BackgroundAs featured in the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Federation starship USS Reliant was the vessel commandeered by the despotic Khan Noonien Singh, a late 20th century superhuman product of genetic engineering. Khan first appeared in an episode of the original Star Trek TV series, “Space Seed,” where he and his crew were discovered in cryogenic stasis while drifting through space aboard the SS Botany Bay. Revived by USS Enterprise’s crew, Khan and his followers were permanently exiled on a remote planet by Captain James T. Kirk after a failed attempt to seize Enterprise. As with most twice-deposed despots, Khan had quite the axe to grind with Kirk. The Wrath of Khan follows the titular… more |
|
Airbrush Cleaning MatPublished:
Finally! Yes -- finally a product to relieve the angst of modelers worrying about losing or damaging delicate and precision parts during the dreaded airbrush cleaning process. It’s simple, it’s attractive, and it’s ingenious – it’s Iwata’s Raised Ridge Airbrush Cleaning Mat. Although, unfortunately, it does not clean your airbrush for you, it provides a soft, durable surface with a raised boundary edge – much akin to a giant mouse pad with wall around the edges. Springs, nozzles, needles, tips, seals, and the like have little to no chance of escaping into the jaws of the carpet monster or into cracks between work surfaces. It’s non-skid backing keeps it securely in place – even against moderate bumps or jostles while moving around at the workbench. Kudos to Iwata for… more |
|
LED MagnifierPublished:
Ever wonder what kind of condition your airbrush needles or nozzles are really in? It’s tough to tell without some magnification help (more than your garden-variety optivisor) and some good lighting. As part of its expanding line of cleaning accessories, Iwata has introduced a 30/60X magnifier with LED lighting to provide a one-tool solution to satisfy that need. Although my sample’s internal switch was a bit touchy (had to jiggle the assembly a bit to get it to stay on), the quality of the test subject images was exceptional at 30X and 60X under both the white and the blue lights. Upon concluding my tests, I took a couple of minutes to determine battery type and accessibility. After disassembling the outer case (snap fit), it was apparent that the batteries were of the… more |
|
Audi R8 Build & PlayPublished:
BackgroundThe production Audi R8 was named after the manufacturer’s 5-time LeMans winner and was first marketed in 2006. Featuring a mid-mounted 4.2 liter V8 engine, generating 420 brake horsepower enabling a top speed of over 180 miles per hour, the R8 is truly a super sports car. The KitConsisting of 13 pieces in pre-painted metallic orange and flat black; clear, chrome, and red clear styrene, steel axles, and vinyl tires, this kit is well-suited for first-time and beginning modelers. Exterior, interior, and underside detail is crisply molded and provides a convincing replica of the R8. The BuildBehind the wheel on this build was my 9-year old son, Camden, who has now been building for a few years and has contributed to a number of… more |
|
U-Boat Aces – Limited EditionPublished:
BackgroundCharacterized as the longest naval battle in history by British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, The Battle of the Atlantic was conducted from the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939 through the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. Crucial to the survival of Great Britain was the island nation’s ability to receive military and general material aid from North America via the sea lanes of the Atlantic Ocean. To disrupt and ultimately destroy this sea bridge, the German navy engaged in a ruthless and relentless campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare against merchant and military shipping carrying aid to the British Isles. Two of the most effective and prominent German unterseeboot (U-Boat) designs of the period were the Type VIIC and Type IXC boats, both… more |
|
Freightliner With TrailerPublished:
BackgroundA familiar sight to all who have traveled the highways and byways of the United States is the “semi” tractor-trailer truck hauling goods from coast-to-coast. One of the leading manufacturers of the “tractor” portion is Freightliner, a subsidiary of Daimler AG established in 1942. The KitBig truck, big box, big model – lots of “wow factor” for the young builder! Molded in light blue, white, black, and clear, the kit comprises of 102 parts. A sheet of peel-and-stick decals and instructions are also included. Copyright data on tractor and trailer parts indicate 1979 and 1980 vintage of the original tooling, respectively. As expected with tooling over 3 decades in service, there was quite a bit of flash along mold parting lines which required some… more |
|
Marvel Comics The Amazing Spiderman Volkswagen BeetlePublished:
Making his debut with Marvel Comics in 1962, Spiderman has been an icon of the comic superhero scene for over 50 years. Similarly, since the end of World War II, and with a bit more longevity, the VW Beetle has become a worldwide automotive icon in and of itself. Combine the two, and you get Polar Lights’ Marvel Comics The Amazing Spiderman Volkswagen Beetle. Targeted for ages 8 and up, the kit is part of the Snapit series designed to introduce youngsters to the hobby of scale modeling with subject matter to capture vivid imaginations. Molded in red, black, clear, and chrome-plated parts, the Spidey Beetle features a detailed engine with opening hood, opening trunk with spare tire (in the front, of course), and a full passenger compartment. Vinyl tires and metal axles are… more |
|
SAS 1/4 Ton 4x4 Truck ETO – Smart KitPublished:
BackgroundOne of the most recognizable Allied vehicles of World War II was the Jeep – or ¼ Ton 4x4 Truck. Outfitted for a variety of roles, one of the most dashing was the role of British Special Air Services (SAS) “raider” operating far behind enemy lines. Equipped with extra fuel tanks, Vickers machine guns, and bullet-proof driver and passenger windshields, the SAS Jeeps were lightweight, agile, rugged vehicles well-suited for commando operations focused on disrupting enemy activity. The KitAnother offering in their prolific line of Jeeps, Dragon beautifully captures the essence of the SAS raider. Molded in gray styrene with a fret of photoetch detail, a small sheet of decals, and instructions, this little subject is packed with features. Notably, a… more |
|
Flakpanzer IV Ostwind Ausf.G w/ZimmeritPublished:
BackgroundWith increasing Allied air dominance in the European Theater in World War II, German armored forces found themselves in need of mobile and survivable anti-aircraft defenses to cover and protect their operations on all fronts. Originally equipping wheeled and half-tracked vehicles as self-propelled anti-aircraft platforms, the requirement for a more robust solution was quickly recognized. The solution came in the form of salvaged chassis from damaged Panzer IV variants retrofitted with anti-aircraft armament. One of the final variants to see combat operations was the Flakpanzer IV "Ostwind" (“East Wind”). The Ostwind’s single rapid-firing 3.7cm Flak 43 and increased armor was a marked improvement over its “Wirblewind” predecessor’s quad 2 cm mount. Of the 100… more |