Patrick Brown
Reviews By Author
|
Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E/F with Full InteriorPublished:
Bottom Line Up FrontThis reboot of the Panda Hobby Pz38(t) kit in 1/16 scale is a mixed bag. The full interior provides some exciting possibilities, but the kit is marred by some very sub-par engineering. This kit has a lot of nice features, but it really fights you in some places. It can be made into an award-winning model, but it will take patience, skill, and lots of coins for the swear jar. I built this review as a ‘naked build’ so you can see all the features of the kit unobscured by filling, sanding, painting, or weathering. HistoryThe Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) was developed in Czechoslovakia by ČKD during the 1930s and saw extensive service with the German Army where is saw action in the invasions of Poland, France and the Soviet Union.… more |
|
Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E/F with Full InteriorPublished:
Bottom Line Up Front: This reboot of the well-received Panda Hobby Pz38(t) kit in 1/16 scale provides what many large-scale armor modelers have been hankering for: a an tank kit with a full interior. This in-box initial look shows promise for a fitting upgrade of an already solid kit. HistoryThe Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) was developed in Czechoslovakia by ČKD during the 1930s and saw extensive service with the German Army where is saw action in the invasions of Poland, France and the Soviet Union. Production ended in 1942, when its main armament, the 37 mm KwK 38(t) L/47.8, was deemed inadequate against current Allied tanks. The Panzer 38(t) continued to serve as a reconnaissance vehicle and in anti-partisan units through the end of the war. In all,… more |
|
Panzerkampfwagen V Panther Ausf. A Early/MidPublished:
Bottom Line Up FrontLet’s face it, interior kits with their massive part-count aren’t everyone’s thing. A model retailer once told me that armor kits without an interior outsell those with one by almost 10 to 1. Cue Das Werk to the rescue with reboxing of Takom’s Panther kits with no interior sprues, a reasonably sized box, manageable part count, and correspondingly manageable price tag. This kit builds into a sharp model of a Panther Ausf A with no issues and engineering that is a joy to behold. HistoryThe Panther tank, officially Panzerkampfwagen V Panther was born out of a project started in 1938 to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks. It was used on both eastern and western fronts from mid-1943 to the end of the war in May 1945. Vital… more |
|
Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. F Sd.Kfz 161Published:
Bottom Line Up Front: Even though Tamiya’s “new tool” release of the venerable Panzerkampfwagen IV does not disappoint with nice detail, clever engineering, and three figures that are well rendered in unique and interesting poses. Even though this kit uses the hull and suspension from the 1994 Panzer IV releases, the vast majority of the kit is brand new and up to modern standards. This is not merely a reboxing of an old obsolete kit. HistoryThe Pz.Kpfw.IV began manufacture in 1936 with the Ausf. A, and went through a number of specifications before what was perhaps the definitive short barreled infantry support variant started production in 1941: the Ausf. F. It had reinforced armor and updated hull designs, as well as an L/24 75mm gun. About 460 rolled off of the… more |
|
Etched Parts Set for Tamiya Panther Ausf D.Published:
Bottom Line Up Front: This set brings Tamiya’s 1/48 Panzer V ausf. D kit to the next level. It’s not for the faint of heart though. Like many 1/48 scale PE sets, it contains several sub-assemblies that will make you squint and reach for the Optivisors and the finest set of tweezers you have. Hauler has one of the most extensive line of aftermarket photo etch for 1/48 scale armor. Their sets add exquisite detail to the already excellent lines of quarter scale AFVs from the likes of Tamiya and Hobby Boss. This set contains two PE brass frets with upwards of 70 parts covering engine intake mesh, tool brackets, exhaust mounts, etc. The set comes in the standard Hauler clear plastic bag, stiff cardstock backing, instruction sheet and stapled header card.… more |
|
Russian Medium Tank T-34/85Published:
Bottom Line Up FrontA surprising swing and a miss for Tamiya on this kit. Technically this kit is very well done, but it’s rather boring and uninspiring. The kit is well engineered with many "modeler-friendly" features that make it a simple, quick build. The kit is molded in dark green plastic with hull weights, link-and-length tracks, poly caps, braided copper wire for the tow cables. Decals depict two vehicles from the Battle of Berlin in 1945. This is a "new tool" kit that does not use any parts from Tamiya’s earlier T-34/76 kit with the die-cast hull. HistoryThe T34/85 was a re-evaluation of the trusty T34/76 that had run into trouble against powerful German foes like the Tiger I and Panther. It had a larger, heavier-armored turret with 85mm gun, and… more |
|
Russian Medium Tank T-55Published:
Bottom Line Up FrontTamiya breaks new ground with the first large production injection T-55 in 1/48 scale. Tamiya already has an impressive line of excellent 1/48 scale armor kits and this will likely prove to be one of their most popular offerings. This kit delivers everything we have come to expect from Tamiya; excellent detail, brilliant engineering and interesting subjects. HistoryFrom the mid-1950s, the T-55 was the main tank of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and many others. T-55s have been involved in many of the world's armed conflicts since the later part of the 20th century. The T-55's first appearance in the West around the period of the 1950s (then the beginning of the Cold War) spurred the United Kingdom to develop a new… more |
|
Japanese Armies 1868-1877: The Boshin War and Satsuma RebellionPublished:
Bottom Line Up Front: This most recent addition to the Osprey Men-at-Arms Series does its best to make sense of a confusing subject, to the Japanese civil wars of the 1860s and 1870s period. It is well illustrated and provides rudimentary information that is fairly easy to understand. Chapters
Japanese Armies 1868-1877 describes the conflict between the fledgling Japanese central government and… more |
|
Wehrmacht in the MudPublished:
Bottom Line Up FrontThe latest in MMP’s “Camera On” series is dedicated to a broad selection of German vehicles and equipment battling mud. This book is useful, not just for diorama ideas, but for terrific reference photos on how mud actually looks; something that is rarely depicted accurately in dioramas and scenic bases. Chapters
ContentsIn the forward the author makes it clear he is not trying to add to the body of knowledge about German military vehicles. The book is dedicated to depicting the vehicles in the conditions in which they found themselves, primarily in the… more |
|
American Privateers in the Revolutionary WarPublished:
Bottom Line Up FrontThis is a short, easy to read introduction to ships and history of the private warships which played a major part in the American War for Independence. It is profusely illustrated with period artwork and accurate modern-day artwork of actual ships. The artwork by Paul Wright is the standout feature of this book. AuthorAngus Konstam is the author of over 100 history books, most of which have been published by Osprey. A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as the Curator in both the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida. He now works as a full-time author and historian, and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. IllustratorPaul Wright has… more |