Reviews of products for scale ship models, including submarines.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
May 9, 2023
Company
ICM
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$18.00

ICM has provided this very unusual subject matter for review, the KFK Kriegsfischkutter in 1/350 scale, and which is also produced in the larger 1/144 scale. The KFK was manufactured in large numbers as it was a very versatile platform for marine operations. It was used in every German WWII theater of war.

Kit Contents

  • One light grey sprue
  • Instructions

The detail quality is excellent.

The assembly is quick and easy.

The hull can be built as a waterline version or full hull, which is what I selected. Then the super structure and deck parts are assembled. I selected to paint the kit while building as it was small and easier to do that way. The kit shows the railing but does not supply material/thread, so I used easy line. There is also a small plinth base to mount the ship in the full hull configuration.

This is a great little kit and I really enjoy building it, it will make a great addition to a small diorama.

Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
April 30, 2023
Company
Gold Medal Models
Scale
1/700
MSRP
$19.00

Thanks to Squadron Hobbies for the Gold Medal PE set and IPMSUSA staff for handling the request and publishing this review.

Bottom Line

One of the original 1/700 PE sets for WW2 IJN aircraft carriers, designed to complete at least one carrier and having specific parts for 12 carriers. GMM IJN Carrier PE set is basic, supplying generic railings, antenna masts, 3-bladed aircraft props, flight deck nets, inclined & vertical ladders and two Type 22 radars for any IJN aircraft carrier, as well as specific details for older kits of Akagi, Amagi/Katsuragi, Hiryu, Junyo, Kaga, Ryujo, Shinano, Shokaku/ Zuikaku, Soryu and Unryu from early original-molds Aoshima, Fujimi, Hasegawa and Tamiya kits. Still serviceable for more recent IJN carrier kits, including Hiyo, the sister carrier to Junyo which appeared later.

Review Author
Michael A. Turco
Published on
April 30, 2023
Company
Hobby Boss
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$309.99

Report 2: Midway through Construction

This second report covers the build from Steps 26 through 48 of 64. It is essentially the assembly of the upper decks prior to attachment of the stacks and their associated appurtenances.

Through this point in the build, most of the parts fit exceptionally well, to the extent that some can be press fit together. When you encounter one that doesn’t fit as well, like the life raft stacks, it makes you wonder if you are doing something incorrectly. The life rafts did not stack up evenly when placed one on top of another, so I used more glue than usual and clamped them in place after assuring they were parallel. Although good overall, one drawback of the tight fit is that a mere paint layer could interfere with making a tight joint or may require a pinhole to be reamed out before being able to attach a part.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
April 22, 2023
Company
Gallery Models
Scale
1/200
MSRP
$829.99

Building a battleship, especially one this large and complex, can easily appear overwhelming. So, as with any large model project, its easiest to tackle it as a series of subassemblies. That’s more or less the way the instruction sequence is arranged, and it simplifies painting, if nothing else (I found out the hard way that the Tamiya spray can and the bottle lacquer are not the same shade of Kure Grey - too different to use the two together). So everything on this model is painted from the bottle through the airbrush. Otherwise, the Tamiya lacquer goes on beautifully.

Review Author
Michael A. Turco
Published on
April 12, 2023
Company
Hobby Boss
Scale
1:350
MSRP
$309.99

This is the first of three reports on the Hobby Boss 1:350 USS Missouri model kit. Two subsequent reports are planned, the second report at approx. the mid-point of the build and the third upon completion.

The USS Missouri was the third Iowa class battleship built for the US Navy and was completed in 1944. It is famous for being the ship on which the Japanese surrender was signed to end WWII. It was an impressive vessel, and this model captures its splendor.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
January 14, 2023
Company
Squadron
Scale
1/350
MSRP
$70.00

Loren Perry’s recent retirement and subsequent closing down of the Gold Medal Models photo etch line produced many long faces in the modeling world, particularly in the model shipbuilding community. For many of us, Gold Medal photo etch was, and is, the “gold standard” for ship detailing sets. When Squadron Hobbies purchased Gold Medal Models remaining stock, and announced resumed production of Gold Medal sets, there was, as they say, much rejoicing.

Book Author(s)
Kerry Jang
Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
January 12, 2023
Company
Seaforth Publishing
MSRP
$28.95

If you’re even just a passing fan of classic sailing ships, you should be familiar with the unforgettable H.M.S. Victory, the famous ship-of-the-line that Lord Nelson commanded at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. More readily recognizable by the novice than even the U.S.S. Constitution, this ship has been a subject for virtually every major model maker in the last century, manufactured in metal, wood or plastic.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
December 17, 2022
Company
Gallery Models
MSRP
$830.00

Initial Construction

Now that I had the kit in hand, I had to once and for all decide into what time frame to build it. Most of the parts you need to build the ship at any point in her career are in the box, but much of the build will be determined by what point in time you choose to place the ship. I finally decided to depict Yamato during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October, 1944. I had good references that showed her differences at various points in her service history, with illustrations highlighting in particular her deck and superstructure arrangement of small and medium caliber weapons.

Book Author(s)
Witold Koszela
Review Author
Luke R. Bucci, PhD
Published on
December 15, 2022
Company
Stratus
MSRP
$52.00

The author, Wikold Koszela, has written 25+ books on warships – mostly British, United States and German battleships/cruisers, and modern Polish and Soviet Navy warships. Twelve of his publications are in the Kagero Top Drawing series. For this and other books, Witold also supplied the line and color drawings, and they are top quality and very helpful for modelers. I could not find additional information on Witold.

What You Get

You get a hardbound book, 11.875 X 8.5 inches (A4 size), 136 pages – not counting the covers and blank pages fore and aft. Unlike the 1st Volume, there is no 3-D photos or glasses. Cruisers of the Third Reich Volume 2 is loaded with 141 B&W photographs, nine tables and 24 line drawings. The last two pages of the book have four color plates, showing starboard and overhead profiles of Nurnberg, Admiral Hipper, Blucher and Prinz Eugen. After one Title and Table of Contents page, the book is arranged by ships:

Book Author(s)
Witold Koszela
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
December 9, 2022
Company
Kagero Publishing
MSRP
$24.95

The HMS Furious started its service with the Royal Navy towards the end of WWI, converted from a “great light cruiser” as it combined a flying-platform (for take-off) and one very heavy gun of 18-inches. In the interwar years it was modified and the flying platform was extended to allow both for take-off and landing, including a brief period in which the take off and landing platforms were installed but the superstructure was still in place. Eventually the superstructure was removed and reinstalled on the starboard side, the funnel was rerouted to the side and in this configuration the carrier saw service during WWII mainly with the Home Fleet and in Norwegian waters.