Dave Koukol
Reviews By Author
Grumman F-14A TomcatPublished: November 28, 2016 BackgroundIntroduced in the 1970's as the U.S.Navy's replacement for the F-4 Phantom in its fleet defense fighter role, the F-14 Tomcat quickly established itself as a state-of-the-art weapons system and as one of the world's leading air superiority fighters. The Tomcat saw significant combat duty, starting with the downing of a pair of hostile Libyan Su-22's in the early 1980's,… more |
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Douglas Dakota Mk III and Willys JeepPublished: January 23, 2021 Background"Four things won the Second World War-the bazooka, the Jeep, the atom bomb, and the C-47 Gooney Bird," said General Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Dakota, the C-47’s designation in service with the Royal Air Force, was used in European and Southeast Asia (SEA) theaters of operation by the British throughout WW II. Modified from the civilian DC-3 airliner design, C-47/… more |
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American Staff Car Painting MasksPublished: October 9, 2016 BackgroundOf the many consumable items available to the modern-day modeler, pre-cut masking aids are perhaps one of the most useful types on the market. Originally targeting aircraft areas of interest, recent years have seen a tremendous proliferation into other genre – including military vehicles. The ProductA recent and pleasant surprise was to see Hauler offer… more |
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F-5E/F Canopy Frame DecalsPublished: July 10, 2016 New on the scene, at least to this modeler, is the availability of canopy frame decals for modern jet aircraft. Close examination of many modern jet canopies and windscreen reveals a thin line between the clear and the subjects primary paint color. Often times a model omits replicating that detail, and occasionally modelers will attempt to replicate with paint or colored decal strips. … more |
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F-5E/F Canopy and Wheel Hub Vinyl Mask SetPublished: July 10, 2016 Of the many modeling aids available today, one of the most welcome for aircraft modelers is a good set of canopy masks. Furball Aero-Design delivers well with its 1/48 set designed for AFV Club’s F-5E/F Tiger II kits. The single sheet of black die-cut vinyl masks will handle a single F-5E or F-5F kit – masking the edges of all canopy sections and the entirety of all wheel hubs… more |
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F-15C Fresno Repo EaglesPublished: July 6, 2016 BackgroundDesigned to fulfill the US Air Force’s 1968 requirement for a lightweight air superiority fighter, the F-15 Eagle has arguably been the most successful and dominant air-to-air fighter since its entry into operational service in 1975. Even after over 40 years of exceptional performance and the emergence of the F-22 Raptor, the F-15 is expected to remain in service well into… more |
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F-16C Blk 50 - 50 Yrs YGBSMPublished: July 6, 2016 BackgroundDeveloped in the 1970’s and first fielded in the early 1980’s as the US Air Force’s lightweight multi-role fighter-bomber to replace the F-4 Phantom and A-7D Corsair II, the F-16 Fighting Falcon established itself as one of the most capable, reliable, and cost-effective aircraft in US Air Force history. One of the specialized roles the F-16C inherited from the F-4 was that… more |
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F-15C MSIP II "California ANG 144th FW"Published: February 3, 2020 BackgroundDesigned to fulfill the US Air Force’s 1968 requirement for a lightweight air superiority fighter, the F-15 Eagle has arguably been the most successful and dominant air-to-air fighter since its entry into operational service in 1975. Even after over 40 years of exceptional performance and the emergence of the F-22 Raptor, the F-15 is expected to remain in service well into… more |
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F-16C USAF Multirole FighterPublished: February 3, 2020 BackgroundDeveloped in the 1970’s and first fielded in the early 1980’s as the US Air Force’s lightweight multirole fighter-bomber to replace the F-4 Phantom and A-7D Corsair II, the F-16 Fighting Falcon established itself as one of the most capable, reliable, and cost-effective aircraft in US Air Force history. One of the specialized roles the F-16C inherited from the F-4 was that… more |
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Sd.Kfz.131 Panzerjäger II für PaK 40/2 "Marder II" Early Production Smart KitPublished: December 30, 2015 BackgroundDespite early and overwhelming success of its armored and mechanized forces during initial conquests in western and eastern Europe early in World War II, the German Wehrmacht found itself in urgent need of an able tank destroyer capability as it began to encounter Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks following the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Initial response was to… more |