Jarrod Booth
Reviews By Author
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Rafale Collections DecalsPublished:
Sylvain Hautier started Syhart Decals in 2005. Syhart Decals being derived from SY (Sylvain) HA (Hautier), ART (design), Decal (Decals.). The are several manufacturers of the 1/72 scale Rafale kit and represent various versions, whether Air Force, Marine or two-seater. These decal sets do not seem to be specific to any one manufacturer. The decals were presented on bright blue paper that looked very similar to the paper used by several other European decal manufacturers. Most decals on each sheet were sharp and in register, with minimal excess clear film. The printed part of each decal had more of a satin finish, while the excess film was glossy. The instruction sheets for each set were a work of art! They were in both French and English. I would recommend that the… more |
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Rafale M "Tigermeet 2017" Flottille 11F; Rafale EG #451 "Ramstein Flag 2024" Hellenic Air Force – Andravida A.B.; Rafale B/C/M "Arm'ee de l’ Air" et "Marine" (Edition 2020) Standard MarkingsPublished:
Sylvain Hautier started Syhart Decals in 2005. Syhart Decals being derived from SY (Sylvain) HA (Hautier), ART (design), Decal (Decals.). Although I had heard of Syhart Decals, this was the first time I had seen these in person, and I was very impressed with the presentation, the instruction sheet/manual and the high quality of the decals themselves. The are several manufacturers of the 1/72 scale Rafale and represent various versions, whether Air Force, Marine or two-seater. These decal sets do not seem to be specific to any one manufacturer. The decals were presented on bright blue paper that looked very similar to the paper used by ICM and Kits World Decals. Each decal on the sheet was sharp and in register, with minimal excess clear film. The printed part of each… more |
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Bristol Beaufort Mk.1APublished:
ICM continues to pump out fantastic kits in all genres of interesting subjects to the modeling world. This Beaufort is the sixth version to be released. I built the second release that featured tropical filters a couple of years ago, so there were no real surprises with this build. The standard ICM box lid was adorned with a striking painting of a low flying, dark sea grey over white Beaufort dropping a red nosed torpedo over the water. Grey plastic parts were contained in one plastic bag, with a clear parts sprue protected within its own bag. The instruction manual and decal sheet were at the bottom of the box, along with a color sheet showing ICM paints available. Following the instruction manual format, construction was set out to ease painting separate items. Components… more |
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Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe with Universal Military PodPublished:
The CH-54 Tarhe helicopter was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft, a company founded by the prominent Ukrainian aircraft designer Igor Sikorski. The first flight of the helicopter, originally named S-64, took place on May 9th, 1962. Specialized Universal Military Pods were created to expand the carrying capabilities of the Tarhe. A total of 22 of these pods were built. Dave Morrissette of the IPMS Review Corp had already built and reviewed the initial version of this kit with just the helicopter. He offered me some excellent advice on… more |
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3D Printed Tool Caddy w/ Dedicated Knife HolderPublished:
Ian at Charlie’s Plastic Models has produced several “caddys” to help corral a lot of the modeling tools, glue and other stuff we accumulate in the pursuit of building the next award-winning, or shelf-dwelling model! They are well thought out and the slots and spaces are perfectly designed to securely hold regularly used tools, even my abused and worn sanding sticks! If you are like me, there will be plastic containers, old glasses, mugs and jars strategically positioned around my modeling desk, containing everything needed to cut, file, glue, paint and scribe. The Tool Caddy I received for this review was very nicely produced in grey 3 D printed plastic. It is sturdy, and for its size can hold lots of various items. It did not take much imagination or time for me to fill… more |
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Westland Whirlwind FB Mk.1Published:
The Westland Whirlwind was a twin-engine fighter/bomber built for the Royal Air Force. It was conceived shortly before WW2 broke out and went into service almost immediately. It was an aircraft not readily mentioned that fought gallantly through the Battle of Britain and the other campaigns in Europe. The aircraft suffered from what many consider an underrated Rolls Royce engine. Although I have also read the propellors were to blame for poor upper altitude performance. Nevertheless, the Whirlwind could out turn the BF-109 and was formidable with its four Hispano 20 mm cannons in the nose. It was also a marvel of engineering in its construction and innovative designs. Unfortunately, all but one airframe was removed from service in 1943 and scrapped. This model kit was the second… more |
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BF-109K Wheel SetPublished:
Hauler-Brengun from The Czech Republic produces some of the finest aftermarket resin parts and model kits in the industry. The wheels in this set were no exception. Brengun’s packaging was very good, with the contents contained within a clear plastic bag and a hard cardboard backing. There were no instructions included in this set, but none were needed. These resin wheels would fit any 1/144 scale BF-109K kit, and just needed holes drilled to mount on to the kit axel. Two complete sets of main wheels and tail wheels were included. They were nicely cast with petite, slightly soft, tire and wheel detail. The main tires included a flat spot, but no tread pattern (unless these tires didn’t have a tread pattern anyway). In this scale I could not see this as being an issue. … more |
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EA-18G GrowlerPublished:
The EA-18G Growler was designed to replace the US Navy’s outdated Grumman EA-6B Prowler. It was derived from the tandem seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The Australian RAAF operates these aircraft and I chose to model A46-06, celebrating the 6th Squadron’s 100 year Anniversary, based at Amberly Airbase, in 2017. This kit was packed in Italeri’s standard sized, sturdy box, with the grey parts sprues protected in clear plastic bags. An instruction booklet and decals by Cartograf were in the bottom of the box. Construction started in the cockpit and ejection seats. The detail was quite basic and the instrument panels and side consoles were finished with decals provided on the decal sheet. I wanted to do the RAAF 100 Year Anniversary scheme and intended for the canopy to remain… more |
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Bristol Beaufort Mk.1A (With Tropical Filters)Published:
ICM continues to pump out high quality model kits for us eager, plastic hungry modelers around the world! This is the second release of the Bristol Beaufort and represents the Mk.1A with tropical filters. These filters mounted on top of the engine pods and were used in hotter/dustier Mediterranean and North African environments. The downfall was the larger filters increased drag and reduced the cruising speed by about ten mph. The Mk.1A was an improvement over the Mk.1 incorporating a new machine gun turret and an ASV radar for torpedo bombers to search for surface targets. The Beaufort and her crews were relatively forgotten and unsung heroes of the Second World War. The model is presented within ICM’s standard well thought out box. A nice rendition of one of the versions… more |
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OV-10A Bronco US NavyPublished:
The OV-10A Bronco was a highly versatile aircraft and proved itself during the Vietnam War. Some aircraft operated by the US Navy were used in an anti-submarine training squadron, VS-41, Shamrocks. Some of these Bronco’s were painted in black or a very dark blue over white camouflage scheme. Interestingly, I could not find any pictures of OV-10A’s in this color. A number of Bronco’s were also returned to service during Desert Storm. ICM seemingly defies all logic and continues to excite the modeling community with excellent model kits from the Ukraine. Keep them coming!! They have proudly added “Made in Ukraine” on their box tops. The OV-10 arrived packaged in ICM’s typical superb box. All the plastic contents were protected in bags, along with a glossy instruction… more |