Joe Porche
Reviews By Author
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'23 "T" Delivery VanPublished:
It has been some 35 years since this version on the Ford Model “T” Delivery Wagon has been issued from AMT. Surprisingly the molds have held up fairly well with little flash or exaggerated seams. Do to the engineering of the kit however, there is a great deal of punch holes to be dealt with. See photo reference #2. The AMT plastic is typical to their current releases, not too soft, not too hard, just right for trimming, sanding and gluing. All the clear parts were crystal clear with little flash. I used Tamiya primer, paints and glue for the assembly of this kit and Bondo 907 as filler. All products reacted well to the AMT plastic. Instructions follow a typical layout, engine, tires, chassis, rear suspension, front suspension. One issue with the suspension is the… more |
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Batman Stock CarPublished:
AMT recently released the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow Racing Dreams Snap/it generic race car with some special markings attempting to appeal to the wider base of children modelers. The kit is simplified in its parts count and if the directions are followed a fairly simple build. Clippers, a file or sanding stick, hobby knife and screw driver are all that are needed to complete this kit. Painting is not necessary to complete the build. Available options are limited to the choice of rear wing or spoiler. There are only one set of stickers with a few placement options. If you choose certain parts such as the containment seat, rims, dash board, chassis and drive train could use some detail painting. Unfortunately for the junior modeler there are no color options called out for, they… more |
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Ford Police CarPublished:
This new Snap and Play kit from Revell is part of a series of kits going after the most junior of modelers. Ideal as a first model kit these models are pre-finished in a multitude of colors and have the minimum parts count to simplify constructions. All the parts are packed in individual plastic bags to retain their finish and are removed the spure runners with the attachment points cleaned up. There are no tools necessary to complete the construction. Parts Count - 17 total parts
It actually took me longer to… more |
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F-35 C Landing GearPublished:
SAC has recently issued a replacement cast white metal gear set for the new third in a series Kitty Hawk F-35s in 1/48thnd scale. Following the issue of the Kitty Hawk’s F-35A and F-35B, the F-35C is the U.S. Navy version with larger wing surfaces and heavier landing gear suitable for carrier landings. I will be using the Kitty Hawk instruction parts numbers to identify the corresponding SAC parts. For the front landing gear both the kit and SAC parts are merged together to complete the subassembly. The front landing gear consist of kit parts E6, E29 and SAC replacement parts E11, E13, and E14. I assembled the three cast metal parts together first after some minor clean up using an X-acto knife #11 blade, a pin file and a flex file. Medium speed gap filling super… more |
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OV-10 D Landing GearPublished:
SAC has recently issued a replacement cast white metal gear set for the new beautiful and enormous Kitty Hawk OV-10D in 1/32nd scale. Kitty Hawk will also be issuing this kit in an OV-10A/C version soon and this gear should work well for that kit as well. Big Note Here: This is not an issue with the SAC gear but with the Kitty Hawk OV-10D. Kitty Hawk calls for the numbers on their instructions that don’t exist on the sprue runners. There is no “G” sprue. These parts actually exist on runner “J”. For me I found it easiest to just mark runner “J” to “G”. Disaster averted. I will be using the Kitty Hawk instruction parts numbers to identify the corresponding SAC parts. Four of the cast parts will replicate the front landing gear kit parts B4, B7, F10 and… more |
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1941 Ford Custom WoodyPublished:
Growing up along the Central Coast of California it was common to see Woodies for all types throughout town, at the car shows, school parking lots, and definitely at the beach. They were as familiar as the Volkswagen Vans and Chevrolet Corvairs. Not as frequent as Volkswagen Bugs or Ford Mustangs. I always thought of them as beatnik wagons as those that drove them seamed a little disheveled looking. AMT Round 2’s re-release of the 1941 Ford Custom Woody is a valued addition for those modelers who prefer the quieter and more functional hot rods of the time. Face it, not too easy to haul 2 surf boards 30 miles up the coast to your favorite break in the back of a Ford 1929 T bucket. Panel wagons and Woodies were the main ride for the surfer beach bums of the 60’s and 70’s. … more |
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1979 Pontiac Trans AmPublished:
In 1979 Pontiac sold 116,535 Trans Am models which still hold the record to this day. My relationship with the Pontiac Trans Am goes back to an evening ride with my high school chum Kendal Morbito in his white 1976 Pontiac Trans Am. We cruised around town a little then headed out to the freeway. After two rather abrupt high speed turns the yanked my eyeballs from the sockets, I was hooked. On December 23, 1977 I spent all the money I had been saving since my first job on a brand new shiny blue 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. MPC’s re-release of the 1979 Pontiac Trans Am brings that iconic vehicle back to the hobby stores shelves. At close to 40 years old the molds are showing there age these days with light flash on most all the spure and fairly heavy mold seams lines running though out… more |
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2014 Ford F-250 RaptorPublished:
For those of you who might be skeptical of building a snap tite kit (too easy, not detailed enough, kids toys) this would be the perfect opportunity to put your uncertainty aside and try one out. I had some reservations myself but after watching my 18 year old son bang one of these out in a weekend and it looking purely awesome on the shelf, I though I could do no worse. I chose to build mine as a representation of the Las Vegas Metro Police Departments Ford F-150. Truthfully they do no currently have any Raptors in inventory but I thought this would make a great fantasy vehicle that is oh so close to the real thing. Included is a picture of the patrol unit I was trying to emulate. Being as such I need to add a few things to the model like light bar, radio, shotgun, push bumper… more |
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USMC F/A 18DPublished:
HistoryThe F/A-18D is a two seat variant of the early McDonald Douglas Hornet. The rear seat of this variation is configured to allow a Marine Corps naval flight officer to function as the system and weapons officer similar to that of the F-15E Strike Eagle rear seater. In this roll there are no flight controls situated in the rear cockpit. With the US Marine Corp the F/A-18D serves primarily as a night attack bomber and forward air controller. These modern D models are the result of a block upgrades in 1987 and 1989 which gave the Hornet the capacity to carry new missiles and air-to-ground weapons. Now fitted with forward looking infrared, night vision goggles, multi function color displays and moving maps the Hornet is capable to strike anytime of day or weather… more |
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A-6E Landing GearPublished:
Scale Aircraft Conversions has released a set of white metal front and rear main gear for the Hobby boss A-6E 1/48 scale. The set includes 12 parts, a front gear strut with actuators and scissors, two main rear struts also with actuators and scissors. These twelve parts are replacements for kit parts front gear parts # F58, F18, F33, F32, F52, F29, F45, F46, F49, left main gear parts F23, F27, F22, F15, F47 and right main gear parts F28, F56, F57, F55, F3 and there accompanying metal inserts. The Hobby Boss A-6E landing gear is rather complicated. It includes a metal strut that is encapsulated within plastic half’s to add strength to the undercarriage. It would be hoped that the SAC gear would simplify the process of building the landing gear. For better an understanding see… more |