Camden Koukol
Reviews By Author
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USS Enterprise "Space Seed" EditionPublished:
OverviewContinuing to leverage and proliferate the Star Trek brand, Round2 Models has released another episode-specific rendition of the original series (TOS) Enterprise, this time under the Polar Lights label in 1/1000 scale. Joining the AMT TOS Enterprise and its “The Tholian Web” offering is the “Space Seed” edition, featuring a newly-tooled 1/1000 scale SS Botany Bay. In The BoxThe Enterprise kit is the standard Polar Lights “Snap-It” kit which has been on the market for several years now, and is molded in light gray plastic with a sprue of clear parts and a sheet of decals with options to build an of several Constitution Class starships. The stand from the “Refit” (1980’s) movie version of enterprise is included with an adapter arm to suspend Botany… more |
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VW New BeetlePublished:
Timeless and unmistakable in form, the VW Beetle became a symbol of the 1960s and early ‘70s in the United States. After roughly two decades of absence in new car showrooms, the “New Beetle” re-emerged as a concept car in 1994, followed shortly by production versions. Although originally released in 1999, Revell’s rendition of the modern “Bug” is a beauty – both in form and engineering – and serves as a great subject for young or novice modelers. Molded in yellow and black, with chrome-plated trim parts, clear windows, and a sheet of peel-and-stick markings, the model can be readily built into a reasonable and convincing facsimile of the real thing in under an hour. Body, chassis, and interior detail is crisply and accurately defined and well-molded. Part fit is… more |
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SnapTite Ford Expedition Police SSVPublished:
Well-received by many a soccer mom (and dads looking for a “man van”), the Ford Expedition has also gained significant acceptance and popularity among some American law-enforcement agencies looking for a reliable and rugged vehicle with increased towing, passenger, and cargo capacity. Revell’s Ford Expedition Police SSV (Special Service Vehicle) provides a fantastic opportunity for young modelers to build an imposing replica of this popular vehicle. Molded in black, clear, and chrome-plated plastic, accompanied by vinyl tires and steel axles, its 46 pieces are well-detailed with crisp raised and recessed features. A sheet of stickers provide marking options for 2 vehicles. My youngest, Camden (nearly 8 at build-time), gave this SSV the true “kid test.” Construction was… more |
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SnapTite Abrams M1A1 TankPublished:
Introduced into active service in 1980, the M1 Abrams has served as the United States’ main battle tank for over 30 years, and will continue in that role for the foreseeable future. In production between 1986 and 1992, the M1A1 is an upgunned and upgraded version of the original M1, and has seen service in worldwide, including operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Revell introduces young modelers to this mainstay of modern American armored warfare in the form of a 1/35 scale SnapTite kit – and a fabulous introduction it is! Molded in tan plastic, its 56 pieces are well-detailed with crisp raised and recessed features, and are accompanied by 2 pre-joined black vinyl tracks – also nicely detailed. A sheet of stickers provides the vehicle’s markings. My youngest, Camden (… more |
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Scooby-Doo Mystery MachinePublished:
Once again, Round 2 Models’ Polar Lights brand brings modelers (young and old alike) another great classic TV subject – the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, complete with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving K-9 and his best friend. Re-released and touting “All New! Simplified Assembly,” the Mystery Machine comes molded in black, turquoise, and clear plastic, and is accompanied by steel axles, a full-color sticker sheet, and pre-painted Scooby and Shaggy figures. Assembled in under 30 minutes by 7-1/2 year-old Camden, the kit’s design is simple and fit is pretty good, although he did need an assist from large hands to snap in the clear windshield piece and a couple of drops of super glue to hold the wheels onto the axles. Our biggest challenge – and I say “our”… more |
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P-47D Thunderbolt "Razorback"Published:
BackgroundConsidered by many the best American close air support fighter of the Second World War, the P-47D Thunderbolt was instrumental in the Allied ground campaign in the European Theater of Operations, as well as a key to ensuring air superiority and providing air interdiction in European and Pacific theaters. The KitHobby Boss steps up with another addition to its fantastic “Easy Assembly” series of 1/72 aircraft kits in the form of the “Razorback” variant of the P-47D. Molded in 3 light gray sprues and solid wing and fuselage segments, a single clear sprue, a small sheet of decals for 2 markings options, and instructions with full color paint and marking guide, the contents of the little box offer a gold mine for modelers of all skill levels. … more |
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SR-71A Blackbird, “Gravestone” Limited EditionPublished:
Background Conceived originally as a high-altitude, high-speed interceptor to counter an anticipated Soviet strategic bomber threat (YF-12) and a strategic reconnaissance platform replacement for the U-2 (SR-71) in 1959, Lockheed’s “A-11” platform has become one of the most recognizable and awe-inspiring aircraft designs of all time. Setting and holding world speed and altitude records for decades, the SR-71 variant came to symbolize America’s manned strategic reconnaissance program from the mid 1960’s until its retirement in the mid 1990’s – when, ironically, it was retired in favor of the more cost-effective U-2. The Kit Another recent 1990’s re-release from Hasegawa, this Blackbird seems a bit old school by modern standards.… more |
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The Incredible Hulk Monster TruckPublished:
From the pages of Marvel Comics to the arenas and stadiums of North America, the Incredible Hulk has certainly made a brutish and unruly impression upon the imaginations of youngsters and adults for generations. It is also the subject of Round2’s recent release under the AMT brand of this popular monster truck with an equally-popular monster/superhero theme. Another installment in the AMT brand’s popular Snap-It series, this green monster of a truck is molded in green, purple, and chrome-plated plastic with black vinyl tires, and includes peel-and-stick decals. No clear parts are provided. Build is quick and easy, as 7-year old Camden slammed this thing out in no time – even before Dad could get pics of the box contents! Instructions are clear and easy to follow, and… more |
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Ford AeroMax SnapTite TruckPublished:
Introduced by Ford in 1988, the AeroMax was part of their L-Series of trucks produced over 28 years starting in 1970, designed for fuel efficiency, performance, and comfort for long hauls. Revell’s 1/32 SnapTite kit embodies AeroMax with 52 parts molded in white, black, chrome plate, and clear. A sheet of peel-and-stick decals and a set of instructions round out the box contents. Parts are nicely molded, with appropriate raised and recessed detail. Fit seemed to be pretty good, although some of the snap features required reinforcement with a little liquid cement. Instructions are clear and assembly sequence was straightforward. Box art and instruction drawings also provide ample guidance for those wishing to paint their model. The peel-and-stick decals are crisply and… more |
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RMS Titanic Centenary AnniversaryPublished:
Tragically one of the most famous ships of all time, the RMS Titanic was heralded as “unsinkable” prior to her fateful maiden voyage in April, 1912. A floating palace of luxury and nautical innovation, Titanic and her sisters Olympic and Britannic were the pride of the White Star Line. On April 15, 1912, Titanic collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank – taking 1502 souls with her. Marking the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s historic voyage, Academy has released a newly-tooled 1/700 rendition of the infamous liner, molded in 6 colors under their new feature set known as “MCP” (Multi-Colored Parts). The MCP are captured in 5 sprues (white, black, brown, tan, orange-yellow), main superstructure (white), and 2-piece waterline hull (hull red and black). A small decal… more |