Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
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The Normans in Italy 1016-1194Published:
Normans, the direct descendants of Viking marauders who finally settled in France and the Low Countries, were a restless bunch. Due to population pressures many of the more ambitious traveled far afield, looking for conquest or new lands to call home. Italy was one such location. Here, they established a number of kingdoms, even going so far down the “boot” of Italy to settle on the island of Sicily, where many of their descendants remain to this day. The story of this migration and the military events associated with it is the basis of this new book from Osprey. As is typical of Osprey works, this one is carefully researched, using surviving artifacts and stories to fill in the details. I know for my own that I was quite surprised to see what a cultural crossroads this area of… more |
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P-38F/G Lightning Gun Barrels var.BPublished:
Call me old-fashioned, but I consistently find myself being floored by the level of modeling detail available these days, especially with resin aftermarket materials. In the old days, you could only dream of this kind of quality. Quickboost scores another one with their release of this outstanding set of P-38 gun barrels. Designed to fit the Trumpeter kit (although I suspect they’d fit the venerable Revell kit in the same scale). The set includes four .50 caliber barrels and the 20mm cannon barrel. Each machine gun barrel has the lightening holes beautifully represented completely around the barrel as well as an open muzzle. The cannon barrel displays the minute recoil spring and an open muzzle as well. Designed to be drop-in pieces, they should require no additional… more |
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Gloster Gladiator Air IntakesPublished:
ICM’s Gloster Gladiator series in 1/32nd have to be one of the most anticipated kits of the year, and having built all of them (so far) I can honestly say they are a delight and a wonderful addition to my collection. However, the small air intakes associated with the detailed engine build were a bit of a trial. Consisting of three parts each, they were a fiddly assembly and due to the nature of the sprue attachments, it was all too easy to damage the thin nozzle rim on removal (I speak from experience). Quickboost’s replacement engine nozzles eliminate both the fiddly build and the potential damage scenario. Consisting of two small handed replacement parts, they are extremely easy to remove from the molding block and to clean up. They also feature some really fine… more |
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Messerschmitt Bf 109-F-4 PropellorPublished:
I can’t count the number of times I’ve read of someone complaining about the props or spinner on a later 1/32nd scale Messerschmitt. Apparently, these specific parts are particularly hard to reproduce in styrene accurately (or so I’ve been led to believe). Enter Quickboost to the rescue with a beautifully cast spinner and props for the F-4 version of this classic aircraft. This one comfortably fits either the Revell or the Hasegawa rendition of this aircraft and may even prove a good fit for the Twentieth Century Toys replica. As always with this manufacturer, the parts are molded in an absolutely flawless grey resin which captures every nuance masterfully and is also easy to carve and prep. I think it took me all of ten minutes to clean and assemble my… more |
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Bf-108 Wheels and Paint Masks - EarlyPublished:
Aires, a company out of Czechoslovakia, continues to create wonderful detail parts with the release of their Bf-108 wheel and mask set, intended for the Eduard kit. This set includes replacement parts for all three wheels, which are cast in a grey resin which captures the fine detail extraordinarily well. In addition, masks are included to aid in painting the wheels, along with detailed illustrated instructions in their use. The casting is flawless and displays details right down to the molded lettering on the tires. There is literally nothing I can fault with this set, and they should add to the Eduard kit immensely. This is aftermarket quality at its finest. I really don’t think you can go wrong with this detail set – it will simply enhance your work and add that “… more |
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Wehrmacht 3-Axle TrucksPublished:
ICM has recently started a trend of boxing several different kits under a single title, a useful way of boosting sales of certain items in their inventory. One such boxing is the “Wehrmacht 3-Axle Trucks” set, which includes three different heavy truck kits of various vintages. Personally, I like this trend, as it provides the modeler with a host of material to work with at a relatively low price. Perhaps the only downside to the marketing for this specific set is the cover art, which is perhaps the dullest model box top I’ve ever seen. As stated before, the three kits were originally released separately at various times, and to a certain degree the age of the original kit impacts its buildability, as the later kits are certainly easier to assemble than the earlier, although… more |
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Spitfire Mk. IX Wheels (4-spoke) & Paint MasksPublished:
Aires, a company out of Czechoslovakia, continues to create wonderful detail parts with the release of their 4-spoke Spitfire main wheels and masks, intended for the Tamiya kit. Cast in a medium gray styrene, they capture the most minute details, from the Dunlop letters to the exceptionally fine ribbing along the rims of the tires to the air valves. As always seems to be the case with this manufacturer, the casting is absolutely flawless. A set of vinyl masks with clear, detailed instructions in their use are also included to permit you to make the best use of these detail parts. There is simply no way to go wrong with these detail parts. They are straight “drop-in” replacements for the original kit tires and definitely add something to the final build. Frankly, they… more |
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American Civil War Union InfantryPublished:
It never rains but it pours. The first company to release styrene figures from the Civil War was Dragon, which released a terrific set of Union soldiers in 1/32nd scale some decades back. Unfortunately, they never followed up with the promised Confederate infantry, as they apparently didn’t feel the sales merited it (hard to understand, as I literally bought a case of them for myself). However, recently two different companies have suddenly released figures from that era – Masterbox and now ICM. ICM, in my opinion, has taken the lead in this arena by releasing BOTH Union and Confederate troops. This particular set of Union infantry provides four soldiers, two firing their weapons, one reloading, and one apparently just having received return fire. Unusual for… more |
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Chernobyl #3: Rubble CleanersPublished:
It’s a little hard after all this time for the average person (like me) to really understand the magnitude of the disaster that was the 1986 Chernobyl Reactor #4 meltdown. Although the Russians themselves are pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing, it is roughly estimated that somewhere above 300,000 workers ( called “liquidators,” ironically) were cycled through the clean-up process between 1986 and 1989, although as many as 500,000 might have been involved. At least 40 died immediately or only shortly thereafter, and of the rest . . . well, the stories aren’t pleasant. One worker from a team of around 30 states that he and four others are the only ones alive today, all others having succumbed to cancers of various sorts. What the ultimate death toll was (or will be) is unknown,… more |
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American Civil War Union InfantryPublished:
It never rains but it pours. The first company to release styrene figures from the Civil War was Dragon, which released a terrific set of Union soldiers in 1/32nd scale some decades back. Unfortunately, they never followed up with the promised Confederate infantry, as they apparently didn’t feel the sales merited it (hard to understand, as I literally bought a case of them for myself). However, recently two different companies have suddenly released figures from that era – Masterbox and now ICM. ICM, in my opinion, has taken the lead in this arena by releasing BOTH Union and Confederate troops. This particular set of Union infantry provides four soldiers, two firing their weapons, one reloading, and one apparently just having received return fire. Unusual for IM figure… more |