Dave Koukol
Reviews By Author
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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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TANKART Vol. 2 WWII Allied ArmorPublished:
“How the heck did he do that?” A polite version of one of the most often-asked questions in the scale modeling culture. With the proliferation of modeling blogs and videos available on the internet, as well as generations of printed reference material, it seems a rare occurrence when a scale modeling reference in print form hits the market with such great impact and acclaim. It’s déjà vu all over again – Michael Rinaldi’s TANKART Vol. 2 WWII Allied Armor is just such a work, following close on the heels of the amazing TANKART Vol. 1 WWII German Armor. Batting 2-for-2, the author seems to be on quite a roll, with TANKART Vol. 3 Modern Armor’s forthcoming release eagerly anticipated. Back to TANKART Vol 2… Consider this: 208 pages of… more |
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TANKART Vol. 1 WWII German ArmorPublished:
“How the heck did he do that?” A polite version of one of the most often-asked questions in the scale modeling culture. With the proliferation of modeling blogs and videos available on the internet, as well as generations of printed reference material, it seems a rare occurrence when a scale modeling reference in print form hits the market with such great impact and acclaim. Michael Rinaldi’s TANKART Vol. 1 WWII German Armor is just such a work. For that matter, the book seems to be a work of art in and of itself. Yeah, that sounds a bit extreme, but seeing, reading, and re-reading is truly believing. So much for cliché, let’s get into the facts. Consider this: 208 pages of full-color “why to” and “how to” finish and weather German armor. Yes…”why to.” Not only… more |
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Light Tank M24 ChaffeePublished:
BackgroundSpecified in 1943 by the US Army to replace the aging and under-gunned M3 and M5 Stuart light tanks, the M24 Chaffee was a welcome addition to the armored corps of Allied armies in late 1944. Borrowing the M5’s power train, a new torsion bar suspension, a sleek new profile, and a lightweight 75mm gun adapted from the B-25H bomber, the M24 was a significant leap forward in fighting capability. With its late-war arrival in November 1944, the M24 saw limited action by US, British, and Free French forces, but was well received by the units which operated it in combat. Over 4,700 Chaffees were built by war’s end, and most saw service with the US Army through the Korean War and remained in service with other nations into the 1970’s. The KitBronco’s… 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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IDF Merkava Mk IIIDPublished:
BackgroundMerkava, or “Chariot,” has been at the foundation of the Israeli Defense Force main battle tank corps since its introduction into active service in 1979. Now in its fourth generation, the platform has seen extensive use since its baptism of fire in the 1982 Lebanon War. The subject of this kit is the latest and final third-generation variant, the Mark IIID, featuring removable modular composite armor and upgraded and strengthened tracks. The KitHobby Boss’ rendering of this 3-G Chariot is well-presented in tan styrene, with crisply molded detail, individual track links, and photo etch mesh, brackets, exhaust louvers, and straps. Also included are chain and metal beads for replicating the “ball and chain” armor (nothing says “I love you” like an… more |
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Fokker D.VII (Alb)Published:
BackgroundArguably Germany’s premier fighter of World War I, the Fokker D.VII quickly won acceptance by its adoptive aircrews as it began to enter service in the summer of 1918. A well-balanced and stable gun platform with exceptional maneuverability and reliability, the D.VII demonstrated significant performance improvement over prior German types, including its famed older brother, the Fokker Dr.1 triplane. In order to meet wartime demand, Fokker licensed production of the D.VII to Albatross. Albatross cranked out the D.VII at its Johannisthal (Alb) and Schneidemühl Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW) facilities. Multiple models were manufactured, incorporating running changes and three distinct powerplants – two of Mercedes origin and one from BMW. By war’s end… more |
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Normandy Crossroads DioramaPublished:
Another addition to MiniArt’s ever-expanding portfolio of World War II diorama shells is their Normandy Crossroads kit, depicting a crossroads in the ill-fated city of Caen, ravaged by Allied aerial bombardment in a vain attempt to dislodge entrenched Nazi defenders in June and July of 1944. The kit is a mixed bag of vac-formed and injection-molded plastic. The base, building walls, and building roofs are vac-formed on 8 gray sheets, and the doors, windows, gutters, and other fixtures are injection-molded on 4 sprues of light gray styrene. Although shown in the box art, no ground cover is included, other than what’s molded into the base pieces. Vac-form detail level is adequate for the buildings and the roads, but the rubble and other terrain features is somewhat “soft” when… more |