Mark Aldrich
Reviews By Author
|
ZU-23-2 "Sergey" - Russian 23 mm Anti-aircraft Twin-barreled AutocannonPublished:
The ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s. It was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 kilometers as well as armored vehicles at a range of two kilometers and for direct defense of troops and strategic locations against air assault usually conducted by helicopters and low-flying airplanes. In 1955, KBP presented the single-barrel ZU-1 and the twin-barrel ZU-14. While the former was eventually dropped, the ZU-14 was selected and, after some modifications, entered series production. In the Soviet Union, some 140,000 units were produced. The ZU-23 has also been produced under license by Bulgaria, Poland, Egypt and the People's Republic of China. Development of this weapon into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) led to the ZSU-23-4 Shilka.… more |
|
F-102A (Case XX)Published:
This TreadHead was recently persuaded to volunteer to review a Sci-Fi project and an Airplane! Not just any airplane mind you, but a 1/72 airplane… way outside my comfort zone! However, in every cloud there is always a silver lining, and that statement could not be truer than with this Meng F-102A. As I looked over the IPMS/USA Reviewer Corps list in need of being built , I saw this Meng kit, and I assumed (we all know about doing that) this was one of the two earlier versions of The F-102A, featuring the Case X wings, that Meng produces. Yep, I was wrong! The two earlier versions are kits DS-003 and DS-003s, which are identical kits with different markings, the latter of the two a limited edition with markings for the bird flown by former President George W.… more |
|
Israel Heavy Armoured Personnel Carrier ACHZARIT EarlyPublished:
Achzarit – (“Cruel” in Hebrew with female inflection) is the name given to one of the IDF’s newer Armored Personnel Carriers. The other is Namer and based on the Merkava Chassis. The Achzarit is based on the Russian T-54/55 chassis that the IDF captured so many of in the previous wars with her neighboring Nations. No matter what name the IDF gave it, it could not describe near perfection. The Israelis are the ONLY Nation that has ever put crew protection and survivability forefront in the design of armored vehicles. The Achzarit is referred to as a heavy APC and rightfully so. It weighs in at 44 tons and is designed to transport the troops into combat and also survive confrontations in urban scenarios. It carries a dismount squad of nine and three vehicle crew members… more |
|
'55 Jukebox FordPublished:
Pro-Modified cars are some of the most killer machines on the planet! I mean what is not to love about an old muscle car that has been stretched, chopped, and a throwing a HUGE powerful engine under the hood? They combine power, speed, coolness and creativity into some crowd pleasing machinery. Dick Brown Motorsports runs this beautifully modified 1955 Crown Victoria with a stretched Boss 429 engine. I have no idea the last time this monster raced. I know it was driven by Norm Wizner, who also appears to be a custom builder as well as a driver. He runs a customizing shop that has a 2005 copyright on it and all the links on the bottom page were bad. I was able to find two photographs of this real machine and only one of them had a date on it…..2011. Norm must love the Fords. In… more |
|
Miss Deal Funny CarPublished:
What do you get when you give a Revell designer free reign on coming up with a design for a Pro Gasser style car? Nothing….absolutely nothing. At least not anything that has ever driven down the ¼ mile strip at any race track on this green Earth. Does that make it a bad thing? Not at all. What you get is a supposedly 1953 Studebaker body done in fiberglass that can pull wheelies at any light! Not a bad promo idea. Let’s paint it in a two tone metallic green and blue and call it “Miss Deal” and add a five Ace card hand on the rear fenders to cement the name home! Way to go! This is what appears to have been done by Revell back in the 70s. While the idea may have come from the real vehicle “Suicide King”, no one is really sure. The box art is most impressive and who doesn’t love… more |
|
Li’l CoffinPublished:
Wow, how much cooler can a car model get? You take a 1932 Ford Sedan, chop the heck outta it and add a scale skeleton to boot!!! Super great idea! Man, talk about old! This kit has been around since I was born and possibly before! Having no idea about car models, I immediately hit the old internet and this baby has been around since 1964 for sure. The real car was built by Dave Stuckey of Kansas starting in 1954. A young girl from Dodge City gave the car it’s Moniker because she thought it’s interior resembled a coffin. Monogram got hooked on the car in 1962 when they saw it at the National Roadster Show in California. Revell’s re-release is still impressive! It only consists of 94 parts. The parts are all almost individual bagged. There are a couple sprues that are two to a… more |
|
Generic/Universal Wooden CratesPublished:
This is the third set of Value Gear Details sets that I have reviewed. Like the previous two sets, these are another great addition to the model builder. All the sets I have reviewed are in 1/35 scale. However, I need to let the other scale modelers know that he also produces items in the 1/48 and 1/72 range as well. Also, for the Sci-Fi modelers, there are four sets specifically designed for you! Currently there are only two U.S. distributors of these fine sets. With his move to Arizona he will hopefully be able to pick up some more U.S. shops that will carry his line. Something I did not mention in my other reviews. The Sherman road wheels are not included in the sets. They are used for size purposes only. What is included in this set is a whooping sixteen different crates.… more |
|
Miami Vice Ferrari TestarossaPublished:
Sonny Crockett, Rico Tubbs and Elvis (not the Legendary Singer) were all familiar names for anyone growing up in 1982. Fast Cars, Fast and sexy women, drugs, guns and fast boats! What was not to want or like? Even the Music rocked! OK…maybe not rocked but definitely top 10 hits. If none of this is ringing bells, you definitely missed out on MIAMI VICE. This was one of NBC’s crown jewels in the hit series. Men’s fashion, pop song stars, and the automotive industry were all influenced by this five year series. The theme song alone garnered two Grammy awards. People Magazine stated that Miami Vice “was the first show to look really new and different since the color TV was invented”. Now that is a pretty bold statement. Two distinct, expensive and beautiful cars were also featured in the… more |
|
Generic/Universal Tents and Tarps SetPublished:
“Any Army Any Era!”……This is the Battle Cry for Steve Munsell of ValueGear. A Daytime Dad and nighttime casting machine. After reviewing the Wooden Crates 3 set and knowing I still had two more reviews to accomplish I figured I would send Steve an email and get some personal knowledge and thoughts. He considers himself a so-so modeler and started ValueGear simply because he got tired of seeing the same pieces used over and over again by the mainstream cottage industries in their stowage set. I also learned that he is no longer in Ireland but right here in Sunny Arizona. Hopefully he will pick up so more U.S. Distributors for his fine products. In this set, you get 21 different sets of tarps and rolls. Not a single one is duplicated. The great thing about this… more |
|
Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1aPublished:
This kit brings back some memories! As model builders, we all remember certain events in our model building history that bring back memories (good or bad) that have influenced our personal model building pastime. This kit, under the Monogram Moniker, was my first attempt at finishing a kit other than OOTB. I used a heated straight pin (under my Dad’s watchful eye) and made bullet strafe marks through the plastic engine nacelle (the one that had the engine in it and the rear fuselage. Of course I now know that it wasn’t accurate but it was a step at making me a better and more interesting model builder. Monogram first released this kit way back in the day. Under the Monogram name it went through several box art changes. There were also several decal changes. The original 1978… more |