Mike Kellner
Reviews By Author
USS. Skipjack, Nuclear-Powered Fast-Attack SubmarinePublished: March 8, 2013 When I received this kit for the review, the box wasn't as big as I’d expected, and upon opening it I also discovered the kit was double-boxed. There’s a nice colorful outside box of typical smooth cardboard and a second inner box of fine white corrugated board. The reason for the smaller-than-expected box is that the hull comes in four pieces – top and bottom front half and top and bottom… more |
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T-28C TrojanPublished: February 6, 2013 The North American T-28 was used by both the Air Force and Navy and was designed as a replacement for the old T-6/SNJ. It saw use in the American military from the 1950's until the mid 80's. In the end there were 4 variants, the A, B, C, and the counter-insurgency D models. Several other variants, such as the Fennec, were used in foreign service. The T-28C, the subject of this kit, came… more |
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Mitsubishi A6M2a Zero Fighter Type 11 ComboPublished: December 31, 2012 Called the most famous aircraft ever produced by Japan, the Zero fighter first appeared in 1939 and was arguably the best fighter aircraft – land- or carrier-based – in the world. It had great range and maneuverability, and its firepower was at least equal to any of its rivals. It had a wingspan of 12 meters and carried an offensive firepower combination of two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 20… more |
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Academy B-17G 15th Air Force Special EditionPublished: September 10, 2012 This Special Edition kit of Academy's B-17G comes in a large [12” x 18” x 2-½”] heavy cardboard box – this helps when storing a large stack of kits (but who has a stack of kits? Certainly not me). Inside, you’ll find a crisply-molded kit with finely recessed panel lines, along with several extra parts which aren’t needed since they’re used on the B-17C and D series. Besides the early… more |
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Higgins PT Boat On DeckPublished: May 16, 2012 The Higgins PT boat is lesser known than the Elco PT boat probably because a future president wasn't driving one that got cut in half by an enemy destroyer. There were only 209 Higgins PT boats built versus 326 Elco 80-foot PT boats, but it’s claimed by various sources that more Higgins 78-foot PT boats survive today. This soft-cover book measures 8 1/4 by 11 inches, the same as… more |
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B-17G Flying Fortress "Silver Fleet" Limited EditionPublished: April 29, 2012 The B-17 was designed in 1935 and had, by 1943, evolved into the B-17G model, which comprised a production total of 8680 – 4035 by Boeing, 2395 by Douglas and 2250 by Lockheed-Vega. This issue by Hasegawa features a new set of decals, but the same basic moldings which this kit had 35 years ago: lightly raised panel lines, typical fit (good), and some sink marks which you might expect… more |
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Manned Submersible Shinkai 6500Published: March 19, 2012 When I was a kid, I was always fascinated by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his underwater exploration, so when this kit came up for review, I was interested in learning more about it and building this kit. The submersible is named "Shinkai” and can dive to a depth of 6500 meters (ed note: 21,320’); as of 2011, it is the deepest-diving vessel of its type, having been completed in 1989 and… more |
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SA-16B AlbatrossPublished: September 14, 2011 The Albatross was to be a replacement for the Grumman Goose; it began life as the XJR2F-1 Pelican with a Navy designation as the PF-1 and an Air Force designation of SA -16A. The SA-16B – the subject of this kit – was an upgraded machine which had 100 inches added to each wing in two separate plugs. A seventy-inch extension was grafted outboard of each engine nacelle, with a thirty-inch one… more |
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RQ-1A PredatorPublished: September 14, 2011 The Predator was developed between January, 1994, and June, 1996, as a medium-altitude-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle. The complete Predator system has three components – the air vehicle, the ground control station, and the date dissemination system. One system is made up of 4 RQ-1A air vehicles. Each has a max weight of 2250 pounds, and is powered by a 115-horsepower Rotax engine, so no… more |
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USS FletcherPublished: May 7, 2011 This is Revell's original Fletcher-class destroyer in “box scale” of 1/306. The first Fletcher to enter service, USS Nicholas, was commissioned on June 4, 1942, and was the first of 175 of the class to be built by war’s end. Revell's kit features the square bridge version, but gives the modeler the parts to update it with rocket launchers for a later version.… more |