Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
"Sankas" WWII Wehrmacht Ambulance TrucksPublished:
I suspect that most modelers are aware of the tendency of the German Army in World War Two to use just about any vehicle in their inventory as an ambulance. Mostly it was war-weary half-tracks or armored vehicles or trucks which had seen better days. Almost anything proved useful for transporting the wounded out of the battle area to where they could be aided more effectively. ICM has done it again by supplying a combo kit of three ambulance trucks from the period. Happily, they’ve elected to provide three very distinctive vehicles for the set; a V3000 “Blitz” truck, a half-track Maultier based on a Ford design, and a Lastkraftwagen – a French truck design employed in some numbers by the Wehrmacht. To begin, I chose what I believed to be the oldest of three kits in the set… more |
|
Dardanelles Campaign 1915Published:
No one can ever think of World War One as anything but a human tragedy, and the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915 would be arguably one of the worst of the worst. Frustrated by the lack of movement in the trench gridlock on the Western Front, some Allied leaders considering doing an end run through Turkey. Winston Churchill was convinced that knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war would be a devastating blow to the Axis and would almost certainly end the war much sooner. As a result, British and Franch ships began an assault on the Dardanelles – a narrow strip of water dividing Europe from Asia. This assault was met with large losses due to Turkish mines which had been laid in the strait beforehand. Despite this, land forces were then committed to the Gallipoli peninsula, with… more |
|
WWII British Army Mobile ChapelPublished:
People who know me know my modeling quirk for the strange and unusual. This new kit by ICM certainly fits the bill – literally a chapel on wheels! Mounted on a short Studebaker chassis, this vehicle was designed to travel from location to location, dispensing spiritual solace to soldiers in need. Of course, this vehicle was clearly Church of England, so I’m not sure what they provided for their Jewish or Muslim troops, although they may have had similar vehicles. The boxy rear cabin was large enough to provide ample space for altar and organ as well as a nice fold-down stage from which to preach. In inclement weather it appears there would have been enough space in the closed cabin for a small gathering if required. Because of its nature, though, I doubt profoundly that this… more |
|
WWII Military Vehicles of Britain Paint SetPublished:
ICM continues expanding its acrylic paint line, this time providing extremely useful colors for World War 2 British vehicles. This set includes:
Basically, you’re provided with three different greenish shades that British vehicles were painted in as well as Middlestone, which was used on many desert machines. A satin varnish permits you to create the exact tone many British vehicles were painted in more realistically. Lastly, Off-White is provided either as winter camouflage or specifically targeting their new mobile chapel model. Unlike previous reviews where I tested the paints on primed figures, this time I was going to do something I… more |
|
NASAMS (Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System)Published:
NASAMS – either defined as Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, is a short-to-medium range ground based air defense system originally brought into service in 1997 as a point defense system.It employs the AMRAAM Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missile in a six-silo set mounted on a fully pivoting ground launcher. Designed in collaboration with both Norwegian and U.S. arms manufacturers as part of an integrated air defense system for sensitive ground targets. It has been used here in the States to protect targets in Washington D.C. and is currently in active service in the Ukraine opposing Russian missiles as well as other aerial targets. Reportedly, so far the system has destroyed over 100 Russian missiles and drones. At… more |
|
“You are Important to God” Prayer Before BattlePublished:
Right on the heels of their lovely Mobile Chapel kit, ICM has released a set of figures that can either be used to create a stand-alone vignette or be used together with the aforementioned vehicle. This set includes five well-sculpted figures, along with a separate sprue containing a portable organ, folding chair and numerous small bits that would be appropriate on an altar or other religious table. As I mentioned in my previous review of the mobile chapel itself, I stated that such a vehicle would rarely (I assume) have seen front-line service, and this set of figures supports that theory, as they appear very much to be rear-echelon types in suitably casual garb. The set includes a preacher in appropriate ecclesiastic garb, an organ player, two supplicants and an assistant… more |
|
SeagullsPublished:
Anyone who lives even remotely near a shoreline knows how ubiquitous seagulls can be. Essentially, they’re everywhere in warm weather – complaining to each other in their raucous voices, stealing food from tourists and generally creating shenanigans wherever they are. Pig Models has released a lovely package of 3D printed seagulls that can make a fine addition to any nautical scene. The package includes 10 seagulls in 5 poses and each comes in a protective “box” to guard the contents. Unfortunately, even this precaution hasn’t prevented damage to the contents, at least in my case. Three of the figures in my set had severely damaged “landing gear” before I’d even opened the package. I don’t know if this is typical or if mine had just received extraordinarily rough handling, but… more |
|
U.S Navy Mk.38 5/38 Twin Gun MountPublished:
Pig Models is a new manufacturer on the market, and I must confess that they would have done well checking international languages before settling on this label (“Have you seen their latest kit? It’s a real pig.”). All kidding aside, they have produced an extremely intriguing model that I never thought I’d see in this lifetime – a replica of a very common World War 2 (and beyond) Naval mount for 5-inch secondary armament in my preferred modeling scale. Molded in a Navy gray and clear plastic, this is a highly detailed replica of this formidable weapons system. From the beginning, however, I must add that this is not as straight forward a build as the images might suggest. Some of the seriously fragile parts are mounted with irritatingly thick sprue attachments to the point… more |
|
WWII Pilots of British Naval AviationPublished:
ICM continues to add to its excellent aviation figure series with this latest contribution, WWII Pilots of British Naval Aviation. The title of the kit is a bit of a misnomer as the included figures only feature a single pilot. The other two figures are a sailor and a naval officer. In addition, I was surprised to see that this set only included three rather than the usual four that ICM offers in such sets. All that being said, I’m actually quite taken with the figures provided. The naval sailor and officer are, to the best of my knowledge, the first ever offered in plastic in this scale, and the detail is lovely. The pilot figure comes with a beautifully detailed parachute and harness slung over one shoulder, and with very little modification (mostly the color of his pants)… more |
|
Helicopters Ground Personnel (Vietnam War)Published:
In yet another happy move, ICM has now released a set of very nice figures to support their growing line of 1/35th helicopter kits. Set in the Vietnam War era, this set of four figures depicts a typical support crew performing general maintenance on a helicopter, with a commanding officer pointing to an area needing attention. Three are wearing the standard working cap for ground personnel including one bare-headed figure. All four figures are in the casual ground *uniforms for maintenance work and are on the whole relatively easy to assemble. Some attention needs to be paid, however, to the loose hands that attach to wrists – obviously intended to provide some flexibility in positioning for your particular diorama. All four figures are wearing essentially the… more |