Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
Leyland Retriever General ServicePublished: February 7, 2022 The Leyland Retriever was a 6x4 general utility lorry manufactured by Leyland Motors between 1939 and 1945. Roughly 6,500 were produced for the British Army during that period, and they served on all fronts and in a number of guises, one being General Montgomery’s caravan and also a fully armored version. Personally, I’ve always liked this beast, as it has a distinct WW1 feel to it and couldn’… more |
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Hungarian Armored Forces of the Second World War (Les Forces Blindées Hongrises Durant La Seconde Guerre Mondiale )Published: February 1, 2022 Like many avid modelers of WW2 armor, I have to admit that until recently I had a major blind spot regarding Hungary’s contribution to the Axis cause. Amazingly for such a relatively small economy, Hungary possessed even then a robust arms industry. They did purchase armor from other sources, the most notable being Germany and Italy, but even so their home-grown products were comparable to… more |
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Napolean’s Imperial Guard: Organization, Uniforms and WeaponsPublished: December 23, 2021 When Napoleon Bonaparte first began his rise to power in France in 1799, there already existed a private armed force dedicated to protecting the person of the King of France. After the French Revolution, this force became known as the Consular Guard, intended to protect French politicians – sort of a personal secret service or bodyguard force on steroids. Private armies of this nature were not… more |
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CR. 42 Falco with Italian Pilots in Tropical UniformPublished: November 13, 2021 The CR. 42 Falco was one of the last operational biplanes of World War II, as well as being (at least in my view) one of the most elegant aircraft of the period. In the Libyan and Malta campaigns, it battled against the equally obsolete Gloster Gladiator until more modern aircraft made the scene on both sides. It soldiered on for some time thereafter as both an ad-hoc night fighter and… more |
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CR.42 CN WWII Italian Night FighterPublished: October 7, 2021 Fiat’s CR.42 Falco was one of the last biplanes to serve in an air force at the beginning of World War 2, and as such was essentially obsolete from the moment of its activation. Nonetheless, it served with some distinction in the early air battles both during the Battle of Britain and in the Libyan desert campaign before being relegated to second tier operations. In this instance, serving as… more |
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Chernobyl #5: EvacuationPublished: September 10, 2021 ICM continues with its fascinating series of Chernobyl “instant dioramas” with the latest being a scene depicting the evacuation of civilians from the threatened region around the power plant disaster. In this case, five figures are provided, along with an apartment balcony, a small pot and a printed background to bring it all together. The figures include one older gentleman, a young… more |
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WW1 Belgian InfantryPublished: August 4, 2021 ICM has finally filled a big gap in their ongoing World War 1 Infantry series by releasing a set of early-war Belgian Infantry. Unlike most of the previous sets which displayed figures advancing toward an unseen enemy, this set displays Belgian infantry in what must be the most iconic fashion for the period depicted – fighting from a defensive position. The set includes three infantry… more |
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Factory GatePublished: June 29, 2021 With the loss of the famous Verlinden line of diorama accessories, other small manufacturers have been stepping in to fill the void. Danger Close Dioramics is one such company, with a line of nineteen products as of the time of this writing. Their “factory gate” accessory is one such product, consisting of six dark grey, non-porous resin pieces which, when assembled, make a diorama backdrop… more |
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Budda TemplePublished: June 29, 2021 Danger Close Dioramics is a relative newcomer to the area of diorama accessories, but they seem to be expanding their offerings at a good pace. The subject of this review in their Buddha Temple in 1/53th, which features a statue, base with steps, background wall and 1 side wall. DCD also includes several strips of bamboo-like plastic that can be used to enhance the scene if one wishes. … more |
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WWII RAF CadetsPublished: June 29, 2021 ICM continues with its growing tradition of providing suitable pilots for its newest 1/32nd releases, in this case the Tiger Moth training aircraft. Like most ICM figure sets, this one is comprised of four figures – three RAF cadets and an officer/trainer. One cadet is trying on a parachute harness while his classmates look on. This is a very simple set of figures to assemble, as there is only… more |