Dave Koukol
Reviews By Author
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M48A3 Mod.BPublished:
BackgroundDesigned to fulfill a requirement by the United States Army and Marine Corps for a main battle tank to replace the M4 Shermans and M46 Pershings of the 1940’s, the M48 Patton tank found its place America’s armor hall of fame as the United States’ main battle tank from the early 1950’s through the early 1970’s. Originally fitted with gasoline engines, early M48’s were limited in range and were prone to erupt in flames when struck by hostile fire, thus necessitating the need for an improved version with increase range and less susceptible to secondary explosions and fire when impacted by enemy rounds. Enter the M48A3 variant, equipped with a new diesel engine and improved drive train and fire control system. In addition to production of new M48A3’s, earlier M48… more |
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TANKART 3 Modern ArmorPublished:
If the first two volumes of TANKART didn’t provide enough “eye candy” and inspiration to armor modelers looking to up their game, TANKART 3 provides another potent dose of armor building and finishing “how to” and “why to” for creating true works of scale modeling art – specifically for modern armor subjects. Consistent with the first two editions, Michael Rinaldi provides an image- and narrative-rich guide for modelers to create jaw-dropping finishes and weathering effects through techniques centered around layering and “artistic scalism.” In TANKART 3, the author shares with the reader his latest learnings in his quest to create fantastic finishes while improving the overall efficiency of the process. Notable examples, and a take-aways for this… more |
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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 |
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Battlestar Galactica (TOS) Cylon Raider – 35th Anniversary EditionPublished:
BackgroundAiring in 1978 and 1979, with a brief return in 1980, the original Battlestar Galactica (BSG) television series laid the foundation for a follow-on series of books, games, and reimagined series of television shows chronicling humanity’s struggle to survive after the Twelve Colonies of human civilization were all but wiped out by the treacherous cybernetic Cylons in an attempt to rid the universe of human life. Despite the limited run of the original TV series, BSG has remained a popular franchise among Sci-Fi fans for three-and-a-half decades. In honor of the 35th anniversary of the original series (TOS), Moebius Models has released a series of kits depicting craft from the 1978 production, with a 1/32 scale replica of… more |
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Schwere Wehrmachtschlepper sWS General Cargo VersionPublished:
BackgroundBy the spring of 1942, the Germany realized it needed a half-tracked cargo hauling vehicle for use on the Eastern Front to replace earlier 3- and 5-ton tractors. Büssing-NAG was chosen as the developer, with initial production commencing in December of 1943. Production started with unarmored cabins, but eventually gave way to an armored cabin and engine compartment. By war’s end only 820 examples of all variants had been produced. The KitBronco’s latest rendition of the sWS general cargo is of the early soft-skinned variety, and is exquisitely reproduced throughout. Crisply molded, with 11 tan sprue trees, 2 brown, and 1 large and 1 small clear tree, the kit is packed with detail – including full engine, suspension, cargo bed, and cabin. Tracks… more |
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CV3/33 Tankette Serie II (Early Production)Published:
BackgroundDeveloped from the British Carden Loyd Mark VI tankette in 1933, the Italian government commissioned Fiat and the Ansaldo Company to develop and produce a series of vehicles classified as Carro Veloce (CV), or "fast tank." After a brief run of 21 initial CV-29’s the design was recast in what became known as the CV-33, of which roughly 300 were produced. Seeing action in numerous smaller conflicts prior to World War II, the CV’s posed limited tactical value and were regularly outclassed by larger and more advanced fighting vehicles and anti-armor small arms. The KitBronco brings a welcome addition for Italian armor aficionados with their new CV3/33 Tankette Serie II (Early Production). Although the subject is diminutive in stature, the kit is big… more |
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Battlestar Galactica (35th Anniversary Edition)Published:
BackgroundAiring in 1978 and 1979, with a brief return in 1980, the original Battlestar Galactica (BSG) television series laid the foundation for a follow-on series of books, games, and reimagined series of television shows chronicling humanity’s struggle to survive after the Twelve Colonies of human civilization were all but wiped out by the treacherous cybernetic Cylons in the attempt to rid the universe of human life. Despite the limited run of the original TV series, BSG has remained a popular franchise among Sci-Fi fans for three-and-a-half decades. In honor of the 35th anniversary of the original series (TOS), Moebius Models has released a series of kits depicting craft from the 1978 production, with the flagship being Galactica herself. The Kit… more |
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OQF 6 Pdr Anti-Tank Mk.IV on Carriage MK.III (Airborne) w/CrewPublished:
BackgroundA product of 1930’s design, with first production in 1942, the OQF 6-pounder evolved through World War II into the Mk.IV version on the Mk.III carriage. This version, tailored to fit into Horsa gliders for deployment with airborne troops, would generally be towed by Jeeps into combat. The KitCrisply molded in light grey and light olive styrene, this Bronco kit promises to provide a few hours of high-quality modeling. A signature of Bronco’s commitment to recreating the finest of details, the kit is packed with 9 sprues of gun, carriage, and personal gear parts, ranging in size from tiny to small, 4 sprues of figure parts and personal gear, 1 fret of excellent photo etch brass, and 2 sheets of decals (1 for the gun, and one for uniform rank… more |
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British Airborne Troops Riding in ¼ Ton Truck & TrailerPublished:
BackgroundLightweight, compact, agile, versatile, and reliable, the ¼-ton truck, or Jeep as it is commonly known, was a natural vehicle of choice for British and American airborne forces dropping behind enemy lines in small assault gliders. Often towing small trailers, Jeeps were ideal for transporting squads of airborne troops and their gear quickly and quietly in challenging operational scenarios. The KitCrisply molded in light grey and light olive styrene, this Bronco kit promises to provide many hours of high-quality modeling. A signature of Bronco’s commitment to recreating the finest of details, the kit is packed with 12 sprues of Jeep and personal gear parts, ranging in size from tiny to medium, 10 sprues of figure parts and personal gear, two frets… more |
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Salmson 2-A2 USASPublished:
BackgroundFirst entering service in October of 1917 with French forces, the Salmson 2-A2 was enthusiastically received by its crews as a rugged and dependable improvement over earlier designs. It soon entered service with the United States Air Service in June of 1918. In its brief service with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), a reported 705 examples of the 2-A2 were delivered, although they saw limited combat duties, and went on to serve with the occupational forces in Germany following World War I. The 2-A2 continued to serve with French forces until 1921, and saw further limited service with Russian, Czechoslovakian, Belgian, and Japanese forces. The Japanese version was built under license as the Japanese Type Otsu 1 Reconnaissance Aircraft through 1933. … more |