Tom DeMichael
Reviews By Author
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IAI KFIR C2/C7Published:
The Kfir entered service with the Israel Air Force in 1975, modeled after the Dassault Mirage 5. The Kfir is currently in service in Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka and was retired from the Israel Air Force in the 1990s. A total of roughly 220 were built over that time frame. Like most kits, you have the ability to build 2 different squadrons, one from the first fighters squadron Kfir C2 #874 that has a mostly gray scale paint scheme, and one from The Arava Guardians Squadron Kfir C7 #555. Both options come with two different types of armament and the instructions are very easy to follow showing distinctions in the planes. The detail in the rest of the kit is extremely well done. The fuselage comes together very nicely and I only had to do some slight sanding on the top to get… more |
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Su-33 Flanker DPublished:
The Su-33 Flanker-D is the carrier based twin-engine air superiority fighter derived from the Su-27. It was first used back in 1995 and officially entered service in 1998. However with the break up of the Soviet Union only 24 of this aircraft were produced. In comparison to the Su-27, the Su-33 has a strengthened undercarriage and structure, folding wings and stabilizers, better engines and of course the wings are larger to increase lift. There are over 320 parts in this kit with some not being used. There are 21 total sprues and there are photo etch pieces as well. As this was my first kinetic model I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect as I had heard a few rumors. I can honestly say I was disappointed by the overall instructions of the kit but amazed at the detail of the kit… more |
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S35E DrakenPublished:
Designed by Swedish aerospace company Saab, the S35E Draken is a reconnaissance version of the original fighter Draken. The Draken was manufactured by Saab between 1955 and 1974 it was built to replace the Saab J28 Tunnan and Saab 32 Lansen. However to this date Draken’s have been retired from military service. There are roughly 117 parts in the kit totaling 9 sprues with very few parts not being used. The decals provided allow you to make your plane either the 11-02 or 11-16 version. Most decals provided are not used (decals 17-35). There is no armament with this kit. The fuselage comes in two halves (top and bottom), they fit together really nicely. The one thing I noticed immediately was the nice panel lines that this kit has. There are only 13 steps to this kit but that’s… more |
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Su-35 Flanker 'Prototype'Published:
First shown to the public in 2007 the Su-35 has been under development since 2005. The Russians have classified the Su-35 as a “fourth ++ generation” fighter. Essentially the Su-35 is an upgraded version of the Su-27. One of the most noticeable upgrades being the Su-35 having thrust vectoring nozzles. There are roughly 299 parts in the kit however some of them aren’t used. There are 15 total sprues, one of which is a stand for the model, and there are 3 duplicate sprues. The decals provided allow making either the 901 or 902 prototype version plane. There are a lot of options selecting armament for the plane, which makes that step fun. This is a re-boxed kit with a change of decals so there isn’t a major upgrade in any of the tooling. The fuselage comes in two halves and they… more |
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F-16D (Block 52 Advanced) Fighting Falcon Singapore Air Force SpecialPublished:
In 1993, the 425th Fighter Squadron was reactivated to provide Singapore’s F-16 pilots with the latest weapons and tactical training. For the 20th anniversary of the training, certain Singapore Air Force F-16Ds were painted for the occasion. There are roughly 140 parts in the kit, however some of them aren’t used, as they are spares for the different block version. The kit also comes with the additional spline sprue so the original tail isn’t used. There are 18 total sprues, one of which is clear, and the decals allow you to make two different tail numbers. Unfortunately you’re not given all the pieces to make it look like the box art so I deviated from the instructions a little. The only molding issue I saw was with the cockpit glass also had a line down the middle from the… more |