Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
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Soviet Pilot with Life Jacket - the Cold War PeriodPublished:
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 different heads with different helmets, and a very nice oxygen mask with attached hose. My first impression is that the torso, in particular, is very nicely sculpted. I’m also impressed with the helmets, which are strikingly different. I admit I’m not 100% sure of the purpose of the helmet with the holes, so some research is called for, I think. Oddly, I was struck by the faces, which… more |
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RS-82 RocketsPublished:
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 Japanese aircraft from I-16 fighters, bringing down 16 fighters and 3 bombers – certainly one of the earliest instances of successful air-to-air missile attacks. Later, these same weapons were used in Air-to-ground attacks against hardened targets, such as armor. Investigating further, I’ve found pictorial instances of these being mounted on the I-16 Polikarpov, the Il-2 Sturmovik, as well as… more |
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Ju87G Stuka ExhaustPublished:
My, but I do love a good Stuka. I’ve been playing with 1/32nd scale Stukas ever since Revell first released their kit back in the 1970’s. I’ve built theirs dozens of times, then the 21st 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, however is the exhausts, which are molded as a solid piece. The exhaust outlets are tiny indeed, and having frustrated myself with trying to ream these out with miniature drill bits, I must admit I was quite pleased to receive the Quickboost replacement parts. As simple, drop-in resin replacements, these really can’t be beat. They feature the relatively miniscule exhausts and are beautifully… more |
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Il-2m3 Wheels and Paint MasksPublished:
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 1/32nd scale Sturmovik comes with a very nice set of rubber tires. They feature a detailed and realistic tread and certainly look good in and of themselves. So why purchase the Aires set? First, they ARE resin rather than rubber. Consequently, they will last over time much better than the rubber tires, which will outgas and eventually fail in one spectacular manner or another. That’s just the nature of the material, alas. … more |
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Bergepanzer 38(t) Hetzer mit 2cm Flak 38 - Smart Kit (2 in 1)Published:
I’ll be honest – I’ve always had a thing for AA mounts. When Dragon decided to release this, it struck an immediate chord with me. Germans in World War 2 certainly had a propensity for creating makeshift anti-aircraft installations on various vehicles. Surprisingly, this particular Hetzer modification, which apparently never made it beyond the prototype stage, was not actually designed to provide air cover at all, but to serve as a reconnaissance vehicle. Like many Dragon kits, this one includes a plethora of already available sprues along with some new items. I spotted parts from a standard Hetzer, a 38(t), a Marder and full 20mm AA kit, among other bits. This is a lot of box and a lot of plastic for such a relatively small vehicle. Consequently, about 50% of the parts… more |
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Model 39M Csaba Armored Car Cordatic Replacement TiresPublished:
A short while ago Hobby Boss released a charming model of a rarity – the Hungarian 39M Csaba armored car, which clearly shares an ancestry similar to the French Panhard armored car of roughly the same vintage. Although Hobby Boss seems to have done well in the overall design of this kit, it is somewhat let down by the soft rubber tires, which fall below the quality of the rest of the model. Ironically, what detail is evident on the tires is soft and inaccurate, and even includes a misspelling! Appropriately enough, S.B.S. Model, which is a Hungarian company, has come to the rescue with some truly lovely replacement wheels and tires, available in two patterns. This package features the Cordatic tires and includes four complete wheels and separate brake drums. The minute detail,… more |
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508 CM Coloniale Replacement Wheel SetPublished:
Recently Italeri released a model of the Italian Coloniale – a military version of a popular pre-war civilian vehicle, which proved to be quite versatile and was used extensively not only by the Italian army but by the German army as well, mostly hauling officers around in rear-echelon areas. The kit itself is comparatively simple, which reflects the relative simplicity of the vehicle itself. However, one area where this reductionism has caused a loss of detail is in the wheels, which are simple two-piece castings with very little detail beyond the hubs. S.B.S. Model, a Hungarian company, has come to the rescue with excellent replacements cast in resin. The package features five wheel/tire units, and these all feature an exceptionally fine tread pattern which beautifully… more |
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39M Csaba Armored Car Firestone Replacement TiresPublished:
A short while ago Hobby Boss released a charming model of a rarity – the Hungarian 39M Csaba armored car, which clearly shares an ancestry similar to the French Panhard armored car of roughly the same vintage. Although Hobby Boss seems to have done well in the overall design of this kit, it is somewhat let down by the soft rubber tires, which fall below the quality of the rest of the model. Ironically, what detail is evident on the tires is soft and inaccurate, and even includes a misspelling! Appropriately enough, S.B.S. Model, which is a Hungarian company, has come to the rescue with some truly lovely replacement wheels and tires, available in two patterns. This package features the Firestone pattern tires and includes four complete wheels and separate brake drums. The minute… more |
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"Shidenkai no Maki" Kawanishi N1K2-J Shidenkai (George)Published:
“Hagoromo Maki is going to an all-girls high school, a special one that allows its students to commute by plane! She and her first friend at school, Hasegawa Motiko, have found a plane and fixed it up for themselves to fly! However, it turns out that it was a plane used by a legendary pilot who protected the airspace for their school, and their school’s ace pilot does not approve of them having it. Will Maki be able to fly and protect the air for their school?” (tethydust) But of course. To Western sensibilities, Japanese pop culture sometimes offers seemingly bizarre juxtapositions, such as giant warrior robots shaped like teddy bears. Or a girl’s school involved in deadly aerial warfare with other schools using antique aircraft. Go figure. In 2013 Hasegawa… more |
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Zis-6 Family Wheels SetPublished:
If you are building any of the host of Russian military trucks from the Great War, you may find yourself mumbling at the rather iffy rubber tires frequently included with the kits. Although a number of manufacturers have come out with really excellent kits of these workhorses of the Soviet Army, the tires included seem to be a regular stumbling block. MiniArt has addressed this problem with a series of new detail sets that create beautifully detailed renditions to replace the soft tires included with most of these kits. This set, for instance, not only provides 12 complete tires, but the various hubs, bolts and brake drums needed as well. Each tire itself is composed of five individual “wafers” that when assembled create a realistic and detailed tread pattern. Finely molded… more |