Reviews of products for scale figures and diorama models.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
January 19, 2012
Company
Ultracast
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$17.75

I’ve come to expect that Ultracast puts out some of the finest figures available anywhere. This latest release is just that. Sculpted by world renowned artist Mike Good, this piece is typically perfect. Molded in light cream-colored resin, the castings are blemish-free and perfectly cast. All the pour blocks are easily removed.

You get a body with a very thin film between the legs that is easily removed. The pose is very natural looking. You get a single arm for each side that is keyed to ensure alignment. The other thing is that they fall on a natural line so you can paint them separately if you’d like. The left hand is nicely molded with a cigarette between the fingers.

Review Author
Jack Kennedy
Published on
January 7, 2012
Company
Master Box Ltd
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$15.75

Master Box has done it again. This time they produce a four figure set of US Soldiers at a Checkpoint in Iraq.

The figures come in four different poses with multi parts to make up four complete figures. I would like to point out that the box art is superb and is terrific for use as a color guide. The only thing missing is the concrete barrier as shown on the box cover. The rear of the box is the layout of the parts and two figure views of each figure showing where the various parts belong.

I found the detail of the figures and accessories to be terrific, especially the weapons. The heads are separate from the helmets, too, making the well detailed faces easier. I also found the parts almost free of flash and required almost no cleanup before assembly.

After assembly, I primed the figure with Duplicolor Light Grey Automotive primer. This is my favorite as it dries very fast and does not obliterate any detail with a light coat.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
July 4, 2020
Company
Moebius Models
Scale
1/8
MSRP
$39.95

This is going to be the easiest review I have done in a while. This is the best styrene figure kit produced...at least to date. Now for the why's. The kit is 1/8 scale and includes Bela Lugosi in the Broadway version of Dracula (it looks like the movie a lot). The kit can be broken down into 4 parts. First is an excellent base with dungeon floor and walls and the door to the dungeon. This includes rock piles, skull, obligatory rodent, lit torch, and an excellent door with its hardware. Second is the figure in a good pose wearing a tuxedo with shoes and gold chains. Third is the cape, which is molded in such a way that it can be added to the painted figure and still drapes naturally. Last, and the most for me, are the head and hands. This is the best likeness of Lugosi around. That includes the expensive resin kits and the collectible toys – this face is every bit their equal.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
January 3, 2012
Company
Skunk Models Workshop
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$39.99

Skunkmodels continues its run of excellent diorama items with a 1/48th scale Nimitz class carrier deck including the blast deflectors. When complete, this will be about 24" x 14" in size. The parts count is large to get an accurate deck with 112 styrene parts and a 5-piece PE set. In addition to this, you can get the PE tie down set which includes over 160 etched tie downs for about $6.00 (and it is worth it). Options include two open or closed hatches, a shuttle for the catapult, and, of course, a positionable blast deflector. Lastly, there are four very nicely molded deck figures.

Review Author
Jeffrey Brown
Published on
December 11, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$26.99

I’m the rookie on the reviewer corps, and I was beginning to think that we rookies get the difficult assignments in order to weed us out. Not so this time. I received the Eduard Wildflowers and Butterflies today, and have already used them and I like them. Don’t worry the review is not going to be that short.

Review Author
Howie Belkin
Published on
November 22, 2011
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$16.25

This kit contains 47 grey styrene parts that will create five “mostly civilian” figures. “Mostly” because two are in uniform. One is a Hitler Jugend (Youth) or HJ, technically a civilian, and the other is an Ordnungspolizei (Orpo) uniformed regular policeman. More on these two later.

Review Author
Jack Kennedy
Published on
November 18, 2011
Company
Ultracast
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$17.95

This is the fifth Ultracast figure I have had the honor of reviewing and I can honestly say that each one is better than the last. This figure of a WWII USAAF Fighter Pilot is no exception.

It is sculpted by my friend Mike Good. He has a world-wide reputation as a sculptor of pilots in every scale and I believe I have painted every one of them.

This piece is cast in tan hard resin in five parts that fit perfectly. The engineering is superb in that the pieces are pegged in such a way that there is no way to fit them wrong. After removing the casting blocks and minor cleanup of seam lines, I assembled the parts and mounted the figure on my favorite working block, a medicine container. I like this method because it affords me a surface to hold onto once the figure is CA glued to it and, after painting, is easily removed from it.

Review Author
Roger Carrano
Published on
October 30, 2011
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$14.50

Tamiya has just released a new set of figures of German Military Police that could be used to enhance any diorama setting, or even a stand alone with a building or street scene. The kit consists of two sprues, one containing the figures and the other containing the accessories which are fairly well detailed. Also included in this kit is a very good likeness of a German Shepherd dog which will add to the realism of the figures.

Review Author
Dan Mackay
Published on
October 24, 2011
Company
Zvezda
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$5.00

The German 20-mm anti-aircraft gun with crew Flak 38 is part of Zvezda’s “Art of Tactics” war-gaming series. You get 20 dark gray flexible plastic pieces with minimal flash; you also get a game card with games stats for the “Art of Tactics” game. The instructions are very well illustrated with four sequences of assembly; even though there is no number sequence you should have no problem figuring out what goes where. The detail is exceptional and the best I’ve seen in this scale for the Flak 38. The two crew figures are up to Zvezda’s usual high standard and have little flash. The kit is designed for snap assembly and can easily be assembled with no glue.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
October 18, 2011
Company
MiniArt
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$55.00

The Product:

The bombed out 2 story building on an abandoned cobblestone street haunted by tramcar poles and rail track is just what the doctor ordered. However other options included are two styles of street lamps, two door styles, picket fencing with gates, ladders, benches, tables, windows with latches, and many other miscellaneous items

Featuring 176 parts with 3 large vacuformed styrene panels that carry the building structures and the base, that measures 14” X 9.5” in size. All the parts are very nice and have excellent detail.

MiniArt offers free building and painting tutorials on their website.

The Build: