Revell has come out with an all new tool kit of this iconic late 1960’s funny car *, with the offset engine, hood, and chassis all faithfully reproduced in the kit. Based on the reproduction of the actual car, the kit consists of 90 parts, with chrome, body, and clear parts bagged separately from the others. The new mold is impressive: the fiberglass body is a spot on reproduction of the ‘Mini- Charger’, and the chassis frame is delicately molded in one piece with a fully detailed offset cockpit and roll cage. Details are crisp, fit is Tamiya-like, and the model looks great when completed. Rated a “3” in terms of difficulty, experience with small parts is a must. I built the major sub-assemblies: body, engine, chassis frame, suspensions, and cockpit following the 9 page instructions. Here are my notes and comments:

Are you wondering what to do with all your Hasegawa/Airfix Hurricane Mk I’s? Well wonder no longer, because Aviaeology's new sheet on the subject solves that problem for you. Vital Storm part 2 is a follow-up to the previously reviewed Vital Storm part 1. Aviaeology provides well researched decals on eight subjects including three alone for Ian Gleed's mounts. Each subject is complete with narratives on time period and painting suggestions. The instructions and diagrams are provided on three photo copied sheets, but an email request to Aviaelogy will get you a promptly sent color PDF of the instructions which will prove helpful. I especially appreciate the listing of books and accessories that could further aid the modeler in his quest to build the perfect Hurricane. Listed below is a breakdown of the subjects.

Ultracast has added a 1/32 scale RAF Battle of Britain pilot to their growing line of resin figures. With the recent releases (and rereleases) of numerous 1/32 scale Spitfire kits, it’s not surprising that this manufacturer has chosen this time to offer a kit that builds into an appropriate figure for this aircraft.

Five light cream-colored resin parts make up this kit and, as with all other offerings from Ultracast, the parts are beautifully cast and bubble free. As the photo below shows, the kit provides the main torso, head (with flying helmet and goggles), left and right arm and legs that are attached to pour blocks by thin connecting sprue that are very easy to remove and clean up. Overall, the details are crisp and the proportions are believable. The flight uniform, boots, helmet and goggles are well sculpted and face is exceptionally well rendered.

Brief History:

The Junker Ju-87 was developed as a dive bomber for a design competition in the United States in the early 1930’s. Ernst Udet was a leading WWI ace who was part of the new Luftwaffe and had a strong influence on the aircraft performance requirements that the companies had to meet. In 1936 three German aircraft companies competed for a dive bomber. The Ju-87 was most impressive, executing an almost vertical dive and pulling out of it with ease. The competitor He-118 had separated from its propeller and gear box, which was the deciding factor to award production for ten Ju-87A-0 aircraft. The B-2 version used the Jumo 211Da engine with a pressurized coolant radiator, larger propeller and rear pointing exhaust stacks to increase speed. A small propeller mounted on one or both strut boots created a sound during the Stuka’s dive that came to be a psychological effect on people below within hearing range.

In the Box:

Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s Beatnik Bandit was introduced to the automotive public as the May ’61 cover of Car Craft magazine. The second in his series of show cars, it became popular as it toured the custom car show circuit in the early 60’s. In the next years, “Big Daddy” Ed Roth continued to improve the breed of custom show cars with his creations. The “Fiberglass Wonder” is now permanently housed in Reno, Nevada in the National Auto Museum.

This kit was originally released in the 60’s and has been re-released multiple times. In this incarnation, there are 128 parts, some of which are not called for in the instructions. The kit includes a detailed chassis and suspension, with a blown V-8 engine. The bubble top is hinged and the front wheels are positional. Molded in solid white and clear plastic, there are also numerous chrome-plated parts and soft black tires. The decals are for the authentic Ed Roth designed paint scheme.