Gino Dykstra
Reviews By Author
WWII Pilots of British Naval AviationPublished: March 8, 2024 ICM continues to add to its excellent aviation figure series with this latest contribution, WWII Pilots of British Naval Aviation. The title of the kit is a bit of a misnomer as the included figures only feature a single pilot. The other two figures are a sailor and a naval officer. In addition, I was surprised to see that this set only included three rather than the usual four that ICM offers… more |
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Helicopters Ground Personnel (Vietnam War)Published: March 8, 2024 In yet another happy move, ICM has now released a set of very nice figures to support their growing line of 1/35th helicopter kits. Set in the Vietnam War era, this set of four figures depicts a typical support crew performing general maintenance on a helicopter, with a commanding officer pointing to an area needing attention. Three are wearing the standard working cap for ground… more |
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The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Volume 2Published: February 6, 2024 Human beings sure like to squabble, and the more history they share, the more enmity they seem to feel. America is little over 200 years old, and has had only one internal conflict during that time, and yet it still impacts the country to this day.Imagine, then, a region occupied for millenia2, and the potential only increases. India and Pakistan have been at each other’s throats since… more |
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Ripped Apart: Volume 1: The Cyprus Crisis 1963-64Published: February 6, 2024 I’ve read a number of books about 20th century so-called brush wars, and it becomes fairly obvious over time that these small, relatively isolated conflicts often serve as relief valves for larger nations who dare not directly confront each other. In the nuclear age, such aggressiveness would almost certainly be fatal. That being said, the authors do a good job of detailing… more |
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DH. 82A Tiger Moth with WWII RAF CadetsPublished: November 29, 2023 ICM has released another combo aviation kit, this one including the ubiquitous Tiger Moth training aircraft and their RAF cadets figure set. The DH. 82A Tiger Moth is perhaps one of the most common light aircraft in the world to this day and really needs no introduction. First beginning production in 1931, it served as the main basic training aircraft for the Royal Air Force well into… more |
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AH-1G Cobra (Early Production)Published: November 29, 2023 I was in college when Revell first released their 1/32nd scale rendition of the AH-1G Cobra Helicopter gunship, at that time being actively used in the Vietnam conflict. I am forced to admit that I was enamored with the sleek and deadly look of this machine, and the fact that Revell had released it in my favorite scale only made it more desirable. For those who aren’t familiar with the… more |
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Chernobyl #6: Feat of DiversPublished: November 22, 2023 ICM continues to model the Chernobyl disaster and its side effects, and this is the sixth set in that series. BackstoryUnlike the previous, more generic versions of various first responders and/or victims, this is a specific set dealing with a very specific set of men. Here’s the story: In 1986, the Number 4 reactor at Chernobyl in the Ukraine exploded, heralding one… more |
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Acrylic Paints Set "WW1 British Infantry"Published: November 9, 2023 ICM continues to come out with interesting paint sets for their kits, and this one is no exception. As with all of the ICM acrylic paints that I’ve tested so far, I’ve found these to be smooth and creamy with no pigment separation in the bottle. They have excellent opacity and cover nicely with one coat and are clearly intended for hand painting rather than airbrushing. I’m finally overcoming… more |
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Acrylic Paints Set "Personal Protective Equipment"Published: November 3, 2023 ICM continues to come out with interesting paint sets for their kits, and this one is no exception. As with all of the ICM acrylic paints that I’ve tested so far, I’ve found these to be smooth and creamy with no pigment separation in the bottle. They have excellent opacity and cover nicely with one coat, and are clearly intended for hand painting rather than airbrushing. I’m finally overcoming… more |
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American Civil War Confederate Infantry Acrylic Paints SetPublished: October 13, 2023 Anyone familiar with my modeling work is aware of my aversion to water-based paints. When acrylic paints first came on the market, I tested several types and found them indifferently opaque and tending to extreme fragility. As a commercial figure painter, I simply didn’t trust them to stand up to the rigors of customer handling. My fondness for all things ICM led me to try out this… more |