Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
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Eastern Front Volume 1 (Camouflage and Decals)Published:
Talk about a modeler’s reference. This slim, 40-page volume consists of little more than profiles of vehicles used on the Eastern Front during World War 2. What writing there is (in both Polish and English) is used mainly to provide a little information on the vehicles shown. A decal sheet – not surprisingly heavy on the Polish markings - is also included to make it easier to duplicate a number of the vehicles shown. For the modeler, this is a straight-forward, no-nonsense guide to equipment of all the major belligerents involved in this particular historic unpleasantness. The profiles are quite well done and offer a range of subjects and markings. Both Germans and Soviets are adequately covered, and there are even a few lend-lease pieces on the Soviet side. Although… more |
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CR. 42AS WWII Italian Fighter-BomberPublished:
I’ll admit it – I’m totally hooked on ICM’s line of 32nd scale aircraft. In just the last couple of years they’ve managed to produce exceptional models of some of my dream kits – aircraft I’ve always loved and wished they were made in my favorite scale. ICM has released yet another version of one of these dream models – the ground attack version of the incredibly elegant CR. 42 Falco. This kit comes with a few options, including regular and desert air filters, open and shut engine flaps, bomb racks and three decal selections. Assembly begins with the interior, which does a faithful job of replicating the delicate framework of the original. The control panels all feature decal dials (which simplifies the painting immensely) and the only thing missing is the… more |
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The Danish Army of the Napoleonic Wars 1801-1814 Volume 2: Cavalry and ArtilleryPublished:
As a figure modeler for roughly half a century, I’d like to think I know a wee bit about the Napoleonic Wars. And yet, up until recently I really had no idea that the Danes were much involved in that series of scuffles until I sat down with this little volume. Although the author David Wilson doesn’t dwell a great deal on Denmark’s direct involvement, apparently Denmark joined sides with Napoleon when the British attacked the Danish fleet in Copenhagen’s harbor in 1801 and then the city itself in 1807. Napoleon’s eventual defeat also led to the disintegration of the Denmark-Norwegian union and the end to almost a century of peace in the region. What Mr. Wilson does provide, however, is a detailed look at Danish regimental histories and equipment, along with generous full-page… more |
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Ju EF-126/Ju EF-127 German Experimental Fighter PlanePublished:
Toward the end of World War 2, the Germans were coming up with more and more desperate attempts to halt the U.S. and British aerial juggernaut that was daily pummeling their cities and the remnants of their industrial capacity. Cheap, easily assembled point defense weapons became the order of the day, resulting in such oddities as the Me163 Komet rocket fighter and the He162 Salamander, both of which were as much a threat to their pilots as to any Allied airmen. The Junkers EF-126 and its rocket-powered alternative, the EF-127, were supposed to be the logical descendants of the Komet, and although none were built by German industry, the Soviets made prototypes of both aircraft after the war. Apparently the sole unpowered version of the craft crashed on its maiden flight. I couldn’t… more |
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CR.42 LW with German PilotsPublished:
ICM has lately really gotten into making combo kits, and this one, which combines their excellent CR. 42 Night Raider with their equally excellent German pilots set, is one of the latest. I will review each item separately, so let’s start with the airplane. As most of you already know, the Italian CR. 42 biplane was perhaps one of the most elegant aircraft of its day. Late in the war, however, its obsolescence as a front-line fighter was painfully obvious, and both the Italians and Germans saw its potential as a night intruder for harassing the enemy under conditions where it was unlikely to encounter much, if any, aerial resistance. This involved some modifications, such as adding bomb racks, extending the engine exhausts and cutting down the landing gear spats to deal with… more |
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Gloster Gladiator Mk. 1 with British Pilots in Tropical UniformPublished:
Gloster’s elegant Gladiator biplane was a staple of the British Air Force through the 1930’s and soldiered on through some of the tougher early campaigns of the Second World War in such places as Egypt, Libya and the Maltese Islands. Battling against often superior and newer opponents, it nonetheless distinguished itself before itself being replaced by newer, faster, and more heavily armed aircraft. It also made its presence known in a number of foreign services including Finland, Greece and the Netherlands. ICM has released a number of variants of the Gladiator, including both Mk. I and Mk. II versions as well as the Sea Gladiator with arresting hook. All of these have proven to be thoroughly enjoyable builds and really do a fine job of representing this noble little aircraft… more |
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WWII French Tank CrewPublished:
ICM continues to please with their latest figure offering – three French tank crewmen showing off their pride and joy to a couple of typically bedazzled kids. Not surprisingly, the sculpting is first-rate, with distinctive character to every face. As the figures don’t come with a lot of equipment, assembly is very straight-forward with no real glitches. A wee bit of putty here and there is definitely called for, especially around the officer’s coat tails. Although the box art shows them gathering around ICM’s new FCM-36 French tank, the seated tanker can fit into almost any French tank. The standing figures, of course, are appropriate for just about any vignette you can think of. One of things I particularly like about this set is that despite its title, all of these… more |
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Les Suisses au Service de la France 1715-1820Published:
I didn’t really know this, but the Swiss have a long and distinguished history of serving as mercenaries in other country’s armies, especially France, from as far back as the Late Middle Ages all the way through the Age of Napoleon and beyond. The last vestige of this type of Swiss service remains in the Swiss guards at the Vatican today. In some ways, these mercenaries were the harbingers of today’s professional soldiers – men dedicated to a life of arms rather than the temporary civilian levies standard up until that time. This book by Heimdal studies the history and uniforms of a century of service to the French, starting with the Louis XV and ending with the incredibly colorful period of the Napoleonic Wars. The book is entirely in French, which may prevent one from… more |
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Les Italiens de L’Emperur: Les Armées de la Péninsule Italienne 1800-1815Published:
I’ll be the first to admit it – I’m getting hooked on these Heimdal uniform books. Any dedicated figure modeler is well aware of the fact that the period roughly 1790 – 1815 constitutes the highlight of colorful uniforms worn by any belligerents in any war, before or since. The development of coal tar dyes led to the creation of a bewildering range of bright colors, almost immediately employed by all the major military powers of the time, as they regarded the quality of their military attire to be a direct reflection of the power and majesty of their particular countries. Napoleanic uniforms in particular reflected this obsession, with an almost unbelievable range of military costumes. For figure modelers, the fact that almost all of them were based in large part on standard… more |
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FCM 36 WWII French Light TankPublished:
I’ll be honest. When I first saw pictures of this upcoming kit I assumed it was some kind of prototype. Every other French tank of the period that I’m familiar with – the Renaults, Hotchkisses, Somuas and Chars – all have a fairly consistent look to them, mainly because large castings were prevalent is each design, sometimes with a little bolting. This one is so radically different that it really threw me. But not only is this definitely a French design, but it is also NOT a prototype. A surprising number of these were actually built and saw combat. There’s a fascinating story to this vehicle. Designed by the same team that built the massive Char 2C tanks in the 1920s, this one was engineered to take advantage of the electro-welding capabilities of the Forges et Chantiers de… more |