Don Barry
Reviews By Author
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Sd.Kfz 6/1 Mittlerer ZugKraftwagen 5t (BN9b) Artillery VersionPublished:
Packed in a sturdy, well illustrated box, the kit consists of 28 sprues of dark grey plastic, 1 clear sprue, and 2 photo-etched frets, one of which consists of the weld seam inserts for the spare jerry cans. Also included are 5 each of three slightly different back packs, a covered and folded windshield, one folded-down top, and one full closed top with a clear rear window. Decals include pre-made and make-your-own registration plates, instrument faces, stencils, and division and army group markings. Paint call-outs for detail and overall colors refer to Mr. Hobby, Hobby Color, Humbrol and Tamiya brands. The glossy instruction booklet is broken down into 25 assembly steps, with some options for early and later versions. I found it prudent to deviate from the published sequence… more |
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Neubau-Fahrzeug Nr. 3-5Published:
The kit consists of over 400 parts on 15 sprues (7 containing individual track links), 1 upper hull, 1 small photo-etched fret, and 1 sprue of clear parts. The instructions are the exploded view type, with part numbers and sprue letters called out, consisting of 15 assembly steps on a single, multi-fold sheet. Painting details are shown throughout. Despite the number of track links to be used (124 per side), there was only one problem area to be dealt with. I followed the kit sequence for assembling the suspension and had less than stellar results. Gluing the road wheels onto the side frames leaves them too flexible and makes it difficult to line up. On the second side, I assembled all the road wheel pairs first, letting them cure before attaching to side frames. Be very careful… more |
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Sd.Kfz. 6/2 3.7cm FlaK37 auf SelbstfahrlafettePublished:
Initially designed as a medium artillery towing vehicle, the Bussing-NAG Sd. Kfz 6 was eventually converted to carry the 37mm FlaK37, providing the base vehicle for mounting captured Russian 76.2mm anti-tank guns, as well as rotary snow plows. The 37mm-armed version, known as Sd. Kfz 6/2, proved more successful, providing army anti-aircraft units with mobile, though unprotected, protection from air attack. They usually carried a crew of seven, and generally towed a trailer containing ammunition and crew equipment. Although useful, they were expensive to produce, and their jobs could be performed by other, heavier halftracks, and they were phased out of production in 1941. The surviving examples soldiered on until attrition claimed them. This kit consists of over 680 pieces… more |
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"Supplies, at last!", German soldiers, 1944-45Published:
This set consists of 44 parts on one sprue of medium tan plastic. Parts are included for 2 figures, plus personal weapons and gear, and extra canteens and mess kits. Also, there is a “double” loaf of bread, and a large, insulated food container. One figure is dressed in a greatcoat, the other is wearing the reversible button-down parka. A choice of soft cap or helmet is provided for the greatcoat figure. There are no decals provided, nor a separate instruction sheet. Assembly directions are on the back of the box, as is a painting guide, listing paint numbers and colors from Vallejo, Tamiya, Lifecolor, Humbrol, and Agama. Assembly was straightforward, with figure pieces fitting well, not needing any filler. Both were assembled “out of the box” with the exception of a rifle… more |
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Russian Tank Destroyer SU-100 w/Weathering Master SetPublished:
This kit is an acknowledged reissue of a kit first issued in 1966. In those days, for you youngsters out there, the big thing was motorized kits, especially armor. Accuracy was not terribly important, as long as it looked cool squeaking its way across the carpet. Usually black, the rubber tracks were stretched around the running gear and off it went. This kit is that kit, minus the stamped metal gear box, motor(s), and wired control box (no RC, kids, just levers and wires). Consisting of two sprues of dark green plastic, a separate upper and lower hull, 2 solid metal axles, and a sprue of poly caps, this 78 piece kit is truly a weekend project. The tracks are not the old black rubber bands, but rather their second-generation one piece vinyl tracks, where the ends are joined by… more |
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OT-34 Mod. 1943 (No. 112 factory)Published:
Few weapons on the battlefield can instill fear and panic more readily than the fire-spewing armored flame thrower, especially in the form of a main battle tank. Germany, Britain, and the United States all used this fearsome weapon, and Soviet Russia was no exception. Very useful for breaking trench lines and reducing bunkers and machine gun nests, the OT-34 was used in several variants throughout the war. This version is based on the 1943 version of the T-34, with a raised commander’s cupola. The turret casting molds were not uniform from one factory to the next, giving rise to many subtle variations in shape and texture. This kit from Dragon consists of 25 sprues and more than 480 parts. Separately bagged “Magic Tracks” are included, as well as a nicely rendered photo-etched… more |
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"Vampirella"Published:
Cleanly cast in pinkish-tan styrene the kit consists of 16 pieces, including 2 sets of arms and 2 sets of legs, a base textured in wood grain and cobblestone, and an ornamental bat. The fit is fairly good, and the parts snap together firmly, leaving the arms free to move if desired. I glued everything solidly together for this review. After everything had cured, I filed, filled and sanded to eliminate the joint gaps, also the ones that were left after joining the body halves. I felt that the smooth, sexy vamp look had been done to death, and so took a different approach to this lady. I wanted the look of a vampire in desperate need of a good meal, without re-sculpting the entire figure. I was looking for a wasted, deteriorating skin tone and texture. The first step was to paint… more |
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15-cm Sturm-Infanteriegeschutz 33 Ausf. Pz. IIIPublished:
Editor's note: This kit is from Dragon's Cyber-Hobby line As the battle for Stalingrad bogged down into house-by-house combat, a desperate need was seen for a large caliber gun, under armor protection, capable of destroying a building with just a few shots. The 15-cm heavy infantry howitzer was installed in an armored box-like enclosure mounted on converted Panzer III chassis. An initial batch of twelve vehicles were hurriedly built and shipped to the Eastern front, where they provided much needed fire support to the embattled 6th Army. They were assigned to StuG. Abt. 177. This was done partly because maintenance issues were simplified, since the Sturmgeschutz was built on the same Panzer III chassis. This initial batch were lost in the Stalingrad cauldron,… more |
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German Krupp 12.8 cm K 44 L/55 High Velocity Anti-Tank GunPublished:
Brief HistoryThe 12.8 cm PaK (Panzerabwehrkanone) 44 was the largest caliber German anti-tank gun fielded by her armies during World War II. It was designed as a final response to the escalating armor/anti-armor spiral which continued right through the end of the war, and afterward. Experiences with Russian 122-mm guns and the heavy armor of the KV and IS tanks had shown that even the vaunted 88-mm gun had its limitations. The choice of 128-mm was made due to existing tooling being available for this caliber as naval and anti- aircraft weapons. Contracts for design and prototypes were awarded to both Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig, with testing commencing in late 1944. The Krupp design was chosen for series production, and although performance was impressive,… more |
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BA-64B Soviet Armored Car with CrewPublished:
Based on the chassis of the ubiquitous GAZ Soviet “jeep”, the BA-64 served in various incarnations throughout most of World War II. Used primarily for scouting and liaison work, the two-man vehicle was robust and durable, if lacking somewhat in creature comforts. It soldiered on after the war, being supplied to various Warsaw Pact countries during the early stages of the Cold War. This kit consists of 118 parts on 4 sprues of medium grey styrene, two for the actual vehicle, and two for the five figures. This breaks down to 49 parts for figures, and 69 for the armored car. Markings are provided for 4 vehicles from different formations in the 1943-45 time frames. Paint numbers are called out for the Vallejo, Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol, Revell and Mr. Color lines. The color names… more |