Dave Morrissette
Reviews By Author
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T2 Aerial Hunter KillerPublished:
The Terminator series of movies is iconic especially considering that 2014 is the 30th anniversary of the first movie. There haven't been many mainstream kits of the movies. Pegasus has started their releases with the Aerial Hunter killer tank from the 2nd Terminator movie. At the beginning of the movie, the rebels are being chased by Terminators, tanks and Aerial Hunter killers. Previously, this was only released in vinyl as far as I know. Let me say up front that the challenge to this kit will be the painting. Looking at shots of the movie on the Internet, the Aerial Hunter Killer is colored somewhere between chrome and polished aluminum. For those with the funds, one of the original props is up for auctions (starting at a mere $47,000) but it gives a great view of the actual… more |
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General Dynamics F-111 - A Comprehensive GuidePublished:
For those of you who haven't seen them, SAM Publications has a series of books they call Datafile which are devoted to a particular aircraft and also have a modeling section. The newest one is No. 19 and deals with the General Dynamics F-111 series. There are 12 chapters dealing with all things Aardvark. The chapters are listed below:
There are also three appendices -… more |
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The Modern Hornet Guide - The Boeing F/A-18 A/B/C/D ExposedPublished:
Reid Air Publications has issued a new book and the winners are anyone interested in the F/A-18 A/B/C/D Hornet! For those of you unfamiliar with the series, Jake Melampy has written his series of books detailing specific airframes. F-16's and F-16's and others have been detailed before as well as others but the newest covers the entire series of the F-18's. The format of the books starts with the cockpits and works its way back to the wings, vertical stabilizers, horizontal stabilizers, fuselage and landing gear and finishes with all the ordinance used by the Hornets. The first thing you will note about the book is the quality of the pictures. Whether they are operational shots or detail shots, the pictures are superb- in focus, clear and well lit. Even the "in-action" shots… more |
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Scale Aircraft Modelling, Vol. 35, Issue 11Published:
Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling follows a basic design and format. There are usually two Feature Articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, industry news and a series of Compact Build Reviews. The Feature articles for this issue covers a magnificent build of Airfix new Gloster Javelin Mk 9 and also a 1/48 Academy BAe T-59 Hawk. The Airfix Javelin build by Mike Williams covers the construction and painting in detail with excellent shots of the cockpit and all internal detail. He finishes with an excellent paint scheme and the kit looks fantastic. The other Feature article from Brian Wakeman covers building the Academy BAe Hawk in Korean trainer markings. The Korean trainer version requires adding a replacement nose. Detail is provided on this and upgrading the cockpit… more |
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Wooden Gate - StraightPublished:
Plusmodel continues its laser etched wood releases with a straight sided gate. This set is made from laser cut wood and contains two sheets of cut wood parts with 26 parts. The set also comes with directions to construct the gates. Construction starts by removing the parts from the backing. There are small attachment points which are sanded flat. I used clear Elmer's glue for all the building. One note here. If you are going to stain the parts or paint them later, watch where the glue goes as it will fill the wood and leave some issues with the paint or stain working. To start, the door panels are two parts- back and front. This allows for depth which is great. I added glue and aligned the pieces and added weight to keep flat while drying. Once done, the framework on both sides… more |
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Wooden Gate - RoundPublished:
Plusmodel has made a rounded top European wood gate. This set is made from laser cut wood and contains two sheets of cut wood parts, about 43 in total. The set also comes with directions to construct the gates. Construction starts by removing the parts from the backing. There are small attachment points which are sanded flat. I used clear Elmer's glue for all the building. One note here. If you are going to stain the parts or paint them later, watch where the glue goes as it will fill the wood and leave some issues with the paint or stain working. One very nice thing about this set is that it builds depth like a real gate so you started by gluing the back and front together. In this case, I added glue and got the part square and them added weight to it to keep it flat. I let… more |
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Sorted Waste ContainersPublished:
This kit from Plusmodel are two sorted waste containers for recycling...modern garbage cans! This would fit great into a modern diorama. The kit comes with 10 resin pieces, a small photoetch fret with four pieces and a small decal sheet. It makes two containers. Construction is simple. Remove the pour spout from the container and the base. and glue together. There are three parts glued to the top and then the photoetch covers. These are excellent with one part being the flaps to push in the recycling and then a ring securing it. It did take some putty on the side of the main container at the mold lines but one application and a quick sand and done. There is no paint scheme so I used the box cover which shows one lime green container and one fluorescent orange. They were… more |
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Hay Wagon with Wooden TankPublished:
Plusmodel out of the Czech Republic continues its great diorama accessories this kit of a European style wagon with a wooden tank in 1/35 scale. the kit is entirely resin with 27 gray resin parts and a small piece of wire. The parts molding is excellent with wood grain molded in subtly to the parts. The base of this kit is similar to the hay wagon in its undercarriage with the base and tank included. As with any resin kit, each part will need cut from its pour block and cleaned. The parts are well done but it pays to take care here. I used a fine razor saw and cut the parts loose and scraped/sanded away the molding lines. Once done, I washed the parts in dish soap and warm water in case there was mold release and the parts were ready for assembly. Assembly was very straight… more |
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European Hay WagonPublished:
Plus Model out of the Czech Republic makes great diorama accessories and kits. I state that upfront as more people need to hear about these great items. This kit is a European style hay wagon in 1/35 scale. the kit is entirely resin with 25 gray resin parts and a small piece of wire. The parts molding is excellent with wood grain molded in subtly to the parts. As with any kit, each part will need cut from its pour block and cleaned. The parts are well done but it pays to take care here. I used a fine razor saw and cut the parts loose and scraped/sanded away the molding lines. Once done, I washed the parts in dish soap and warm water in case there was mold release and the parts were ready for assembly. Assembly was very straight forward and quick. The front wheel/axle assembly… more |
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A-3D-2 of VAH-1 'Smokin Tigers' DecalsPublished:
Superscale initial release for Trumpeters 1/48th scale A-3D-2 with a marking set for the VAH-1 "Smokin' Tigers". Looking at the Internet, there are some great pictures of the Skywarrior in these markings especially on a cruise on the Internet. The decals come in a single sheet. The sheet contains the markings for the kit including some of the major stencils. The sheet has great registration and color and are printed by Cartograf in Italy. The markings are distinctive with a large red flash on the side and great tail markings. Decals are provided for one airframe, build number 138932. The kit has a great color scheme with the gull gray over white being the primary colors. The nose and the leading edge of the tail is black. The engine parts are metallic titanium and gunmetal. The… more |