Joe Porche

IPMS Number
20296

Reviews By Author

Product Picture

F-4J Phantom II United States Marine Corp

Published:
Company: Zoukei-Mura

Parts Breakdown

  • 14 Parts 1 Crystal Clear Sprue
  • 367 Parts 11 Light Grey Polystyrene Sprue
  • 1 Decal 8 1/4” x 11 5/8” Decal Sheet
  • 1 32 page Instruction booklet
  • 1 Full size and color decal Layout page.

To further enhance my building experience I purchased three things from the Zoukei-Mura website.

  1. Zoukei-Mura Concept Note SWS No.IX Mc Donnell Douglas F-4J/S Phantom II. Building the Zoukei-Mura F-4J/S
  2. Zoukei-Mura Decal Sheet SWS48-04-D03 VMFA-235 “Death Angels”
  3. Zoukei-Mura F-4C/D/J/S Weighted wheel set

Model History

No fewer than six examples of the modern F-4 Phantom II have been released as 1/48 model kits in the last 50 years since the first flight of the F-… more

Boxart

F/A-18F Super Hornet

Published:
Company: Revell

Coming in under budget, on schedule and underway the McDonnell Douglas F/A -18 E/F have replaced 4 separate aircraft for the US Navy. The Super Hornet has more powerful engines and can carry war weapons further then the previous Legacy Hornets. Congress was quick to approve the new Hornet which is an advanced derivative of the existing Hornet.

Revell has recently re-released both versions of the new modern Super Hornet. The version I chose to model is a specially decorated version of the Super Hornet from VX-23 “Salty Dogs” (Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23) NAS Pax River, Maryland. Sporting very bright blue diamond stripe with red and white checks down the spine and bright blue vertical stabilizers, this is remarkably attractive aircraft. The second airframe on the decal… more

Box Art

'30 Ford Model A Roadster 2'n1

Published:
Company: Revell

Parts Count

  • 71 White styrene plastic parts on ten spure with two individually wrapped
  • 69 Chrome styrene plastic parts on five spure
  • 10 Clear styrene plastic parts on one spure
  • 4 Vinyl rubber tires
  • 1 5 ¾” x 5 1/8” decal sheet
  • 1 16 pages, 24 step instruction booklet

All parts are in separate sealed plastic bags and appear to be free of any flash. The chrome is bright and free of scratches. Clear parts are individually wrapped and appear free of scratches. The molds for the rubber vinyl tires appear to be fresh and without flash or mutation. Of note, the white styrene plastic this kit is molded in is extremely easy to work with; carves easily, sands well and reacts nicely with liquid solvent style glues like… more

Box Art

Beer Wagon

Published:
Company: Revell

"It’s Back!"

I was quite caught off-guard when I discovered that the Tom Daniels “Beer Wagon” was to be reissued by Monogram/Revell this summer. There had been nothing noted on any recent publications from Revell that this kit was to coming back out, but I am so happy it has resurfaced. Now, how many different variations to this kit can I build?

Historically this is the single kit that launched my interest in scale modeling. Not the first kit I ever built, but the first kit release from Monogram in 1967 under the Tom Daniel’s banner. Many more would follow of which I have built nearly 50 of the various Tom Daniels designs and have a collection of over 80 of the 80+ he is given credit for drafting.

As a young boy I had a great interest in show rods, hot rods,… more

Box Art

Foose Design 2013 Challenger SRT8

Published:
Company: Revell

I believe in the past few years Revell has offered a few of these pre-finished model kits in order to stir the modeling beginner’s pot. First they did this with the NASCAR Snap kits and most recently with offers like the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette. Confronted with no serious painting task to do and well pre-finished body, these kits should stroke the modeling urge of just about any entry level modeler.

This 2013 Dodge Challenger in Foose motif should be a popular subject among muscle car fans sporting Foose custom wheels, Foose custom graphics and sharp two-tone Sublime Green and Gloss Black paint job.

Parts Count (45 total parts):

  • 1 Pre-finished Ford Dodge Challenger SRT* in gloss black paint over green metallic plastic styrene
  • 1 Clear styrene… more

Box Art

Joey Logano #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion

Published:
Company: Revell

Early last year I was excited to see that Revell was going to release two new NASCAR kits sometime in the 4th quarter of 2015. I was equally excited because these would be of the newer Generation 6 style of cars and Ford Fusions. Well the bubble burst when I discovered that these kits would be SnapTite kits. Excited for the kids and snap builders, but a little disappointed that we haven’t had a new glue-style NASCAR kit in almost two decades.

I understand Revell plans to rectify this situation in 2017-18, based on the sales of these snap kits. At $24 dollars each I am really skeptical that they will be able to penetrate the youth market with these kits.

Construction of the kit is pretty simple and the only tools needed are a small screw driver, nippers, and a file. The… more

Boxtop

‘29 Ford Model A Roadster 2 'n 1

Published:
Company: Revell

Parts Count

  • 68 White Styrene on 11 trees
  • 66 Chrome Styrene on 4 trees
  • 7 Crystal Clear Styrene on 1 tree
  • 4 Mold rubber tires
  • 4 Steel axle/tire pins
  • 1 5” x 6” Decal Sheet
  • 1 16 Page 20 step Instruction Guide

Lots of parts in this kit as it’s a 2 ’n 1 edition of the 1929 Ford Model A.

Options

  1. One Chassis set up for High Boy version to include stockish frame, deep interior tub, deep firewall, correct length front radius rods, correct length steering shaft, appropriate radiator hoses and exhaust.
  2. Alternative Chassis set up for Channeled version to include channeled frame, shallow interior tub, shallow firewall, correct length front radius rods, correct length… more

Model

Jinks Express

Published:
Company: Revell

I have been a fan of Tom Daniel and his hilarious model concepts since I can first remember building model kits. The very first model I built was the Red Baron and the second the Paddy Wagon. Over the last 45 years, I’m pretty sure I have built well over 75 of Tom Daniels models.

Enter the 2015 reissue of the Monogram “Jinx Express” which was originally minted in 1971 and then again in blue plastic as the “Fast Buck” in 1973. Conceptually it appears to be just a hot rodded armored car but as you look closer you will find a combination lock on the rear panel where access doors should be and on the roof there is what appears to be a coin slot. YES, this “thing” is actually a piggy bank in disguise. Monogram refers to it as the “screamin’ Fort Knox.”

Parts Count

more

Box Art

Vietnam Scooters

Published:
Company: Eduard

My fascination with the A-4 Skyhawk dates back to 1979 when I attended my first air show at Lemoore Naval Air Station in the California’s central valley. As a freshman at Fresno State I was enamored with the Air National Guard F-106 Delta Darts, then flying out of the Fresno Air Terminal. I wanted to get a closer peek of the aircraft at the upcoming air show. After the long drive to and onto the base we were parked on, the northwest end of the base next to ramps was full of hundreds of A-4 Skyhawks and A-7 Corsairs. It was explained to us that these aircraft, although still front-line attack aircraft were waiting disposition, as they were in line to be replaced by the soon arriving F/A-18A. Most still had their colorful markings that were applied during the Vietnam War. I sure wish I… more

Box Top

Lil Hot Dogger

Published:
Company: Round 2 Models

It has been a while since AMT has issued the Lil Hot Dogger. I thought the plastic was typical to their current releases being just the right consistency for trimming, sanding, and gluing. All the clear parts were crystal clear with little flash. The white styrene molds themselves had produced small areas of flash especially around some of the larger parts and many ejector pin marks in noticeable locations.

Parts count:

  • 59 Chrome styrene on 3 trees
  • 28 White styrene on 5 trees
  • 3 Clear on 1 tree
  • 3 Clear blue on 1 tree
  • 2 Clear red
  • 6 Vinyl rubber on 2 trees
  • 1 Metal axle
  • 1 3” x 5” Decal sheet
  • 1 Fold up cardboard stand
  • 1 4 Page 5 step instruction booklet

I used… more