Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
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Ancient Greek MedusaPublished:
MasterBox continues to floor me with their bold choices of modeling subjects (especially figures) and this one is no exception. First of a series of figures based on classic Greek mythology, the Medusa here is created in 1/24th(75mm) scale and is a relatively easy build of a truly legendary icon. Typical of MasterBox figures, there are some discrepancies between the illustration and the sculpture. Unlike most figure manufacturers, MasterBox creates a new figure by first eliciting an illustration. Then the sculptors work on the finished item using the illustration as a guide. In this case, the illustrator created a Medusa that looks something like a sorority girl with a skin condition and a bad hair day. The sculpture, if anything, is actually better, as the features are far… more |
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Brewster Buffalo FlapsPublished:
Anybody who knows me and my modeling preferences know that I am NOT a fan of photo-etch for photo-etch’s sake. Too many model companies have begun including photoetch sheets in their products not because they actually enhance the accuracy and scale of the model, but because it gives them an excuse to jack the price up. This does not make me their friend. That being said, there are times when nothing but photoetch will do the job. In this case, Brengun has offered a set to model separate landing flaps for the 1/32nd Special Hobby Brewster Buffalo, and what a lovely little accessory kit this is! The parts come on two separate sheets – one for each wing – and feature not only the flap itself but the interior of the upper wing. They also include a somewhat cryptic… more |
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Soviet Midget Submarine Triton-1MPublished:
Mikro-Mir is one of the Ukraine’s smaller model manufacturers, specializing in submarines and odd-off aircraft in various scales. As a limited-run company, their models require a certain amount of TLC to achieve optimal results, but their kit selection holds so many strange and otherwise never-modeled items that they’re definitely worth a look. The Soviet-era Triton-1M is one such unique kit. Looking very much like something out of a James Bond movie, The Soviet Triton-1M, developed in the 1960’s, was a two-man midget submarine intended to be deployed off surface warships for covert reconnaissance missions and sabotage. According to official documents, only 32 were made and they have now been largely decommissioned. It had a “wet” cockpit (non-pressurized) and the crew wore… more |
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Don’t Even Think About . . .Published:
No one can slight Master Box Models for a lack of both imagination and daring. Their figures have set the bar for the entire injection molding industry in terms of concepts and boldness, and this new addition to their 1/24th scale stable is no exception. Set in a sort of “Star Wars” cantina, this is the first of an eight-figure set which includes saucy ladies, robots, strange elfin characters and burly mercenaries. The first in a series entitled “At the Edge of the Universe. Strange Company’s adventures. Episode 1. The first meeting,” shows a level of ambition I’ve rarely seen in plastic. Theoretically, this is supposed to eventually include not only the original eight figures meeting for the first time in this cantina setting, but further figures in the line showing… more |
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Finnish Army K9FIN "Moukari"Published:
I didn’t know this when I started working on this review model, but the K9 is NOT an indigenous design from Finland, but is a South Korean design intended to replace their aging M109 self-propelled howitzers. Finland has a long history of buying military equipment from abroad and making it their own, and this is a good example. First operational in South Korea in 1999, it was picked up by Finland shortly thereafter. Capable of hurling a 155mm shell some 50+ miles, it certainly has proven to be an upgrade from Finland’s older SP artillery types. Academy’s release of this kit came as something of a surprise to this reviewer. What – no photoetch? No clear plastic vision blocks? No resin upgrades – not even individual track links? What Academy offers here is a sort of “classic”… more |
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Greek Hoplite versus Persian WarriorPublished:
Does anyone who is into historical modeling not know of Thermopylae and the famous last stand of the 300 Spartans? Personally, I’ve always been fascinated by the Greek Hoplite and this period in history, although I will NOT be going into a review of the recent movie on this subject. Let it just be said that this battle and those that occurred around the same period determined, to a great degree, the world as it stands today. Osprey’s Combat series focuses on the strengths and weaknesses of opposing forces in crucial battles, and this book by Chris McNab is a truly fascinating look into the differences between the Greek and Persian approaches to mass warfare. Although I’m certainly familiar with both military forces, having modeled them a LOT over the years, I wasn’t really… more |
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Brittany 1944Published:
I think most military modelers are pretty familiar with the Normandy landings of June 6, 1944 – the single largest endeavor yet by the human race in history. What a lot of people are not familiar with, however, are the strategic needs that came up immediately in the aftermath – mainly, the daunting task of equipping and supplying the massive Allied forces now on the European mainland. For that, they needed more ports of supply, and those were for the most part still in German hands. This book details the grueling job facing the Allies of wrestling these away from the Axis as quickly and efficiently as possible. The Axis, on the other hand, were just as determined to either hold these positions or destroy their usefulness to the Allies before succumbing. Steve Zaloga is a… more |
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Technicals: Non-Standard Tactical Vehicles from the Great Toyota War to Modern Special ForcesPublished:
Modern warfare within the last few decades has seen some remarkable (and sometimes deeply disturbing) changes. For the most part, combat in this century is no longer a matter of state-versus-state conflicts with large standing conventional armies facing off. It has instead devolved into much more local, sometimes tribal skirmishes with small, highly mobile forces either fighting other similar units or challenging large state armies with hit-and-run tactics which are oddly reminiscent of how American citizens fought against the much larger and better equipped British forces during the American Revolution. In a sense, what goes around comes around. Osprey Publishing through the excellent writing of Leigh Neville and Peter Dennis’s art examines an aspect of this new style of… more |
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Armies of the Greek-Italian War 1940-41Published:
As an amateur historian, I’d always assumed that I had a pretty good handle on my understanding of World War II and its various actions, armies, equipment and consequences. However, reading this book has humbled me considerably. Until now I’d known virtually nothing about the dramatic skirmishes that occurred between the ambitious Italian forces and those of the much smaller but fiercely determined Greek forces in the mountains bordering Albania. When the fighting started, no one familiar with the international scene expected much from the Greeks, who were facing a much larger and well-tested force. In fact, the Greeks proved something of an ugly surprise to the supposedly invincible force of “eight million bayonets” that Mussolini had at his disposal, actually throwing them back into… more |
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Kurganets-25 IFV (Object 695)Published:
Russia seems to be having a surge of military development these days, suggesting some expansionist policies which go far beyond the scope of a model review. What this offers for the modeler, however, is a wide range of interesting equipment never seen before. The Kurganets-25 IFV is a good example of this. Heralding back to the BMP-2 and -3 of the previous generation, this new machine seems to be the epitome of both defensive and offensive capabilities, literally festooned with sensors and targeting electronics. The spaced armor enhances survivability on the battlefield, while its armament makes it a worthy opponent for most challenges it might encounter. I've bumped into Panda only once before with a helicopter kit, and I really didn't know what to expect from an armor model… more |