Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
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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 |
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Star Trek Galileo ShuttlecraftPublished:
As a hard-core Star Trek aficionado as well as modeler, this is a model I’ve been waiting literally decades to see. The classic Enterprise’s Galileo shuttle appeared in a number of episodes, and was always a fan favorite simply because it brought starship technology down to a human level. Round 2 has seen fit to finally release their long awaited Star Trek shuttle, and it’s been more than a little interesting examining and building it. AMT released a Galileo shuttle many decades back, and despite its numerous inaccuracies, I’ve built at least six of them over the years, trying to render something reasonably approaching the screen version but with little luck. With the arrival of this new version, I was able to compare the two to each other, and the differences go far beyond… more |
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American Civil War Confederate InfantryPublished:
Wow. Just when you’ve given up on seeing something, it suddenly becomes a big hit in the modeling industry. Long, long ago, Dragon released a set of Union Civil War figures in 1/32nd scale, which I was totally thrilled to see. I bought an entire case of them, and then waited for baited breath for the follow-up Confederate Infantry to come out. And waited . . . and waited . . . Obviously, it was never released. However, recently two Ukrainian companies have suddenly released figures from that era – Masterbox and now ICM. I couldn’t be happier. This particular set of Confederate infantry provides three soldiers in a variety of uniforms, one firing his weapon, one reloading, and one standing ready. It also includes an officer with both pistol and sword. Detail… more |
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Roman ShieldsPublished:
Silly me. When I saw the title of this book, I thought it was simply going to be a compilation of various shield motifs I could use in my figure modeling. Instead, this publication opened a world of fascinating information on the development, manufacture and use of this most Roman of military items – the scutum or shield. Use of the large, rectangular shield had a large part in dictating Roman tactics, as it permitted the Legionnaire to move in tight formations, well-protected by his fellow soldiers and his own shield – something few other ancient armies were capable of. How this definitive device came to be is an intriguing story in its own right – centuries of development and trial and experimentation (presumably) along with the development and use of other forms of shields… more |
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Standard B "Liberty" with WW1 US DrPublished:
ICM continues to crank out some lovely combo kits these days, especially around World War 1 subjects. This kit, which includes both their previously released Type B Cargo Truck, as well as US drivers, is an example of this. The Standard Type B Liberty Truck was the first standardized vehicle ever produced by the U.S. armed forces and was essentially an attempt to reduce the enormous inventory parts problems then associated with logistical support as well as come up with something that had all the best features of trucks of the time. It was produced by some fifteen firms to rigid specifications and served overseas starting around fall of 1918, so they were in service for little over a month before the end of the war. A large number of these were sold off to private companies and… more |
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Model T RNAS Armoured CarPublished:
ICM has certainly put its Ford Model T molds to good use, making no less than four different variants of this ubiquitous little vehicle previously, all variants which served with distinction in World War One. Now a fifth variant has been added – a little-known armored version used by the Royal Naval Air Service along the Russian Front. Really more of a weapons carrier than an armored car, only nine of these were ever made. I rather suspect that it was seriously underpowered for the additional weight of the armor, which would have made this a strictly hard-surface weapon of war. Like the vehicle itself, the kit is a relatively simple build. It also comes with a separate sprue containing the parts for their newly released Vickers Machine Gun, which is a fine little kit in and of… more |