Walt Fink
Reviews By Author
F6F Hellcat Correct Radome – Part OnePublished: November 13, 2012 Quickboost advertises this product as a correct radome for the Eduard 1/72 Hellcat kit. What they mean is that it has recessed panel lines to match the rest of the kit, unlike the kit’s radome which has raised ones. The one-piece casting also means no seam to worry about as is not the case with the kit part, which is formed by upper and lower halves. The resin is smooth with no pinholes… more |
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Warplane No. 01 – Martin MarinerPublished: November 11, 2012 This Dutch publication from Violaero by authors Nico Braas and Srecko Bradic is chock-full of photos and detail drawings of Martin’s PBM in all its variants. They managed to pack a lot of good information into its 48 pages, with several photos which were new to me – and I’m a real Mariner fan. Covering U.S. Navy and Coast Guard aircraft in both WW2 and later operations, the book also… more |
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L2D Type Zero Transport & C-47 SkytrainPublished: September 12, 2021 This Special Edition dual kit is a re-release of Hasegawa’s DC-3/C-47 kit with decals included to build two variants of the L2D “Tabby,” the Japanese copy of the C-47, and one USAAF C-47. The parts are typical Hasegawa – molded in gray and with super detail. On my sample, something apparently happened to the C-47 during packaging because it had what looked like tank tracks across the left… more |
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Folland Gnat T.1Published: July 30, 2012 Folland’s Gnat is aptly named – it’s about the smallest airframe they could wrap around a tandem-seat cockpit, jet engine, and assorted systems to achieve an effective training aircraft. The aircraft was, in fact, selected by the British Aerobatic Team the Red Arrows, who flew it for several years before they adopted the BaE Hawk for their mounts. The Gnat is the outgrowth of Folland’s single-… more |
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RAF Hendon – The Birthplace of Aerial PowerPublished: July 12, 2012 Having spent some pleasurable visits to both the RAF Hendon and RAF Cosford museums, my curiosity was piqued by the title of this book and I was anxious to review it. When I received it and saw “Royal Air Force Museum” on the soft cover as the official “sponsor,” I anticipated coverage of the first, if not both museums. Nope. In fact, the author states in the second paragraph of his… more |
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'56 Chevy Nomad Wagon 2'n1Published: September 15, 2021 1955 was a milestone year for Chevrolet, with the introduction of an OHV V-8 and all-new styling, and a new wagon in the line – the Nomad 2-door hardtop. The follow-on 1956 Nomad had styling and trim more closely allied with the other cars in the Chevy line and had more pizzazz than the ’55, too. Revell has re-issued the 1997 Monogram kit in its 2’n1 series, featuring additional… more |
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1959 Chevy Impala Convertible 2'n1Published: September 16, 2021 The final creation of the legendary designer Harley Earl, the ’59 Chevrolet caused a big “Wow!” reaction when it was introduced – the total redesign sported a long, low hood, and tail fins about as appropriate for an aircraft as a car. Automobile enthusiasts were impressed with this total metamorphosis, particularly since the predecessor ’58 Chevy had all softly-rounded corners and a jellybean… more |
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Fw-190D-9Published: September 16, 2021 Platz kits are noted for their delicacy and true-to-scale thickness of parts, and their Focke-Wulf 190D-9 is no exception. Engraved surface detail and excellent fit make the build easy with little need for putty; the gear legs are scale thickness and even the pitot tube is molded pretty much to scale. The offering is typical Platz – two complete kits in the box, with decals and optional parts… more |
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'69 Chevrolet Nova COPOPublished: June 12, 2011 In the heyday of muscle cars, if the buyer knew what boxes to check on the order form, they could get a rocket right from the factory, in effect doing the much same thing as having Yenko or Baldwin-Motion “improve it” after driving it from the dealer’s lot. This dealer option was abbreviated COPO---Central Office Production Order. Revell’s re-released their ’69 Nova SS kit in a less-… more |
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'58 Thunderbird Convertible 2' N 1Published: April 21, 2011 Monogram’s venerable ’58 Thunderbird kit---first released in 1964---has been updated and re-packaged under the “Car Show” banner, meaning it can be built stock or with extra customizing parts in the kit---including a double-bubble clear top of really heroic proportions. Moilded in white plastic, the kit has just a couple of fit issues, but is generally an easy build, and despite its age, can… more |