Reviews of products for scale figures and diorama models.

Review Author
Bill O'Malley
Published on
Company
Reskit
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$38.50

This ResKit 3D printed resin set includes three crew members: pilot, copilot, and a rear facing crew chief or flight engineer that controls the hoist. The figures come in three incredibly detailed resin blocks. The first includes the three figures seated in CH – 54 seats. The second block includes four heads for the figures. There are options for the pilots’ helmets to have visors down or up. The headsets on the helmet are printed with a gap between the figure’s face and the headset. The crew chief head is molded on the body with the visor up. The third block includes the control levers for the CH – 54.

The ResKit figures are produced in cooperation with ICM so they will fit perfectly into the ICM cockpit.

Review Author
Paul Dunham
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$25.00

In recent years ICM has been in the practice of producing figure kits as accessories to their model kit releases. This year ICM has released a set of figures to crew their new B-26 Marauder kits. This figure kit includes parts to build four figures: a pilot, a co-pilot, a bombardier, and a turret gunner. While a Marauder had a crew of six or seven, the other crewmen would be difficult to see in a finished model, so I understand why ICM includes only four figures.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Agora Models
Scale
1/2
MSRP
$1,999.00

Hi everyone - had to split the build due to technical limitations to the web site. Part three will cover the rest of the build until we run out of parts and then part three will do the fixes and modifications.

“He'll find her! That's what he does! That's ALL he does! You can't stop him! He'll wade through you, reach down her throat and pull her heart out!- Kyle Reese”

Step 61 and 62 build the right knee and adding it to the upper section of the leg. One note here. This is getting big so allow yourself a larger workspace. As the knee is inserted, you will need to thread one of the upper pistons at the same time- not difficult because everything fits perfectly. This is also tightened with a Allen wrench and can be fixed tightly of allowing movement.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Agora Models
Scale
1/2
MSRP
$1,999.00

“That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!”- Kyle Reese

Hi model fans! Life is good when a big box arrives from Agora full of parts for the second part of the Agora Models Terminator. I am going to split this into three parts with the first two primarily on the construction of the parts and the last, some of the upgrades and modifications to prepare for the rest of the parts to arrive. Let’s dive in!

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Reskit
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.70

New from the folks at ResKit is this female driver for the US Navy A/S32A-31A tow tractor, known as the “mule”. The tow tractors are used aboard ships as well as land bases to move aircraft as needed. Having a female driver modernizes your options to current standards where those serving aboard the ships are not all men as they were back during my years of service. The figure is 3D resin printed with incredible detail and has the option of two heads. Any modeler with experience with 3D printed parts should have no issue adding this figure to a 1/48 scale tow tractor.

ResKit does a wonderful job of creating various parts and figures for an array of models. I have never been disappointed with any of the products that I have purchased, and the level of detail is always top-notch. The figure in this kit is printed as a single piece with two heads included to select from. I chose the head with the tinted goggles while the other head would show clear goggles.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$20.00

Finding helicopter crew member figures, especially in 1/48th scale has been like finding hen's teeth. Thankfully, ICM has listened, and provided modelers with some great figures in this scale. Finally, we have a modern helicopter crew in 1/48. These are the most recent US Army helicopter pilots and crew.

Packaged in a really sturdy top opening cardboard box with the artwork on a sleeve that fits over it protects the entire contents from anything short of fire or a trash compactor. Inside you’ll find a single sprue of light grey plastic that contains 32 beautiful parts for THREE figures.

There are two pilots and a crew chief. The crew wear A2CU OCP flight suits with Aircrew Combat Equipment (ACE). There is a two-sided instruction sheet included that has the ICM paint numbers and full color of the subjects. A nice touch is the small box that explains the multicam camouflage colors and how they should look.

Review Author
Andy Taylor
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$64.99

ICM continues its current conflict series with Drone Hunters, a part of their DS (Diorama Series) line. This kit combines the M1097A2 Heavy HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) with a Soviet DShKM machine gun and three figures (one manning the DShKM, one with binoculars and one holding the MANPADS (MAN Portable Air Defense System, in this case a FIM-91 Stinger) in firing position).

Drone Warfare

Referencing the ICM website and instruction sheet, "Drones have become a crucial element of modern warfare, fundamentally changing combat operations. Today, hundreds or even thousands of drones are deployed in a single day of fighting. Kamikaze drones—aerial strike vehicles—present a significant danger. These range from small units weighing just a few kilograms to large platforms approaching aircraft size.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
ICM
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$96.00

On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France, intending to use an early form of blitzkreig to force a surrender within roughly 40 days. Moving their forces through then-neutral Belgium, the Schlieffen Plan was to sweep down from the north and quickly take Paris, enveloping the French forces as well.

Things, as they say, did not go as planned. Germany’s violation of Belgian neutrality quickly brought Britain into the war. The combined French and British forces, after retreating some 160 miles, regrouped in the Marne River Valley, some 25 miles from the outskirts of Paris. By then, the Germans were stretched thin, exhausted after the month-long campaign with severe shortages caused by outrunning their own supply lines.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Agora Models
Scale
1/2
MSRP
$1,500.00

Agora Models is out of England, and they specialize in large-scale, highly detailed and illuminated/automated models of all genres. This goes from figures such as Alien and Optimus Prime to ships like the Constitution and Bismarck to vehicles such as Aston Martin DB 5 and Lotus Esprit to military vehicles such as a Leopard tank and aircraft like the Japanese Zero. All are large scale from 1/2 for some figures to 1/200 for the ships. The kits are made of everything from die cast zinc to wood to plastic. Due to their size and complexity, they are expensive, but Agora has softened that by selling them as very reasonable monthly subscriptions. And when you are done, you have a showstopper.

Review Author
Tom Dunford
Published on
Company
Atlantis Model Company
Scale
1/8
MSRP
$24.99

In the Box and Molding Quality

Atlantis Models has re-released the classic Aurora 1:8 scale Blue Knight of Milan figure kit, which originally appeared in 1958. As the current owner of the Aurora trademark, Atlantis included the original box art and period instructions. The kit comprises approximately 35 parts molded in a metallic blue styrene, spread across several sprues, along with the traditional small red feather plume. The molding quality is generally good. Minor flash was present, primarily along the parting lines, but was easily removed during part preparation. Ejector pin marks were either absent or located in areas that would be hidden after assembly.