IDF M3 Half-Track

Published: April 7, 2017
Company: Dragon Models

I’ve always had a soft spot in my old modeling heart for the early Israeli equipment, back when the IDF had to scrounge for every item. I loved the interesting field modifications and clever use of limited resources, and the Israeli halftracks were a good example. Admittedly, from a modeling standpoint the conversion was always relatively easy, and I had it on my “to do” list for years, but… more

Household Crockery & Glass Set

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: MiniArt

MiniArt has been moving full steam ahead on providing diorama modelers with the kind of details that simply weren’t available some years ago without resorting to expensive resin short runs. This set of household crockery and glass is an excellent example.

What you get in the box is a tiny clump of REALLY small sprues, which sort of niggled me at first until I actually started working… more

Office Furniture & Accessories

Published: January 27, 2022
Company: MiniArt

MiniArt seems to have its collective ear to the ground in terms of what they’re bringing to the modeling world, and this kit is no exception. Having dealt with dioramas with interiors, I know the frustration of rooms with little to no furniture. This lovely set is most welcome for that alone.

So what do you get for your money? The box comes with a number of opaque and clear sprues, all… more

Mirage III E/R

Published: February 10, 2020
Company: Italeri

Italeri recently released the first ever kit of the Mirage IIIC in 1/32^nd scale – an elegant and iconic aircraft of the cold war that served (and continues to serve) in a variety of air forces around the world. Now they’ve come out with the Mirage III E/R variant. This version of the full-size craft was first marketed in 1964 and featured a slightly longer fuselage - about a foot -… more

The Penguin

Published: January 29, 2017
Company: Moebius Models

Well, Batman fans, I’ve been a very lucky fellow indeed. The Penguin represents my fourth foray into this particular Moebius Models figure range, and what a kit it is!

Once again, the engineers at Moebius have bent over backward to make this large-scale figure as easy to paint as possible, with each area separated by assembly. The kit comes molded in white, which is the color of the… more

Robin, the Boy Wonder

Published: January 11, 2017
Company: Moebius Models

In the Batman universe, Robin, the Boy Wonder, certainly has to qualify as iconic a character as anything. His colorful costume, colorful language (Holy banana peels!) and colorful body language all contributed to the fun. Adding this rendition to my Batman collection has been a real pleasure.

Moebius Models chose to mold this kit in bright yellow plastic, which may seem a bit odd to… more

Soviet Pilot with Life Jacket - the Cold War Period

Published: December 17, 2016
Company: Aires Hobby Models

I love figures, and as a fan of aircraft models, I naturally like figures to go with my aircraft. Figures help provide scale and a “human factor” to any build.

Aires is working hard to provide a range of figures for aircraft modelers, and the Soviet Pilot with life jacket is a good example. Looking over the raw figure, it includes a torso with relatively simple outfit, two arms, two… more

RS-82 Rockets

Published: December 17, 2016
Company: Res-Im

Russian aerial rockets have a fascinating history, and this little creature is very much a part of that history. Design work on this range of weapons began in the 1930s, and they were first deployed operationally during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, part of the early war animosity between the Soviet Union and the expanding Japanese empire. During this engagement, RS-82 rockets were fired against… more

Ju87G Stuka Exhaust

Published: December 16, 2016
Company: Quickboost

My, but I do love a good Stuka. I’ve been playing with 1/32^nd scale Stukas ever since Revell first released their kit back in the 1970’s. I’ve built theirs dozens of times, then the 21^st Century version, and now finally Trumpeter’s kits, which have filled in important gaps in the history of this fascinating aircraft.

One slight problem with the Trumpeter kit,… more

Il-2m3 Wheels and Paint Masks

Published: December 15, 2016
Company: Aires Hobby Models

Rubber tires on models have always been a problem for me, largely because of the unstable nature of rubber and vinyl. I’ve had numerous tires (and treads) crack with age, melt plastic hubs, or otherwise wreak havoc on lovingly-made models which I’d hoped to remain pristine for years.

That being said, I must admit that Trumpeter’s 1/32^nd scale Sturmovik comes with a very nice… more