Reviews

Review Author
Tom Moon
Published on
Company
Bronco Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$42.95

This kit is a representation of the 25 pdr field gun used by the British Army during WWII. The original design was for a field gun designated as Mk II. It replaced two WWI field guns. In 1943, an anti-tank round was designed for the gun and a muzzle brake was required due to the higher muzzle velocity. This was designated as Mk II/I if modified, and Mk III if built from production. This gun served with all British and Commonwealth forces during WWII, Korea, and into the 1990’s.

This is a multimedia kit but the use of the PE is required, there are no optional plastic parts. Please be aware that some of the plastic parts are very, very small and will take a steady hand to get them off of the sprue without damage. And, when they are off the sprue, these minuscule parts do their very best to hide or get lost in the carpet or even on the work table.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
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
Walt Fink
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$24.95

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 look.

Revell’s kit is a re-issue of the 1993 Monogram offering, but the “2 ‘n 1” boxing means it now includes customizing parts such as lake pipes, a tubular grille, spinner hubcaps, fender spotlights, and decals. The continental kit and fender skirts are still included and can be used on either the custom or the stock version.

Review Author
Steve Collins
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$13.50

Aires is probably the best known provider of resin aftermarket accessories. Well, they’re certainly the most prolific. And I still haven’t figured out how they make the detail so fine. I’d almost swear they have little one-inch tall guys making this stuff. This set is an exhaust for the F-16I Sufa kit from Hasegawa. The set consists of five finely cast resin parts, two to make up the exhaust petals, one for the exhaust chamber, one for the aft compressor blades, one for the engine ring on the fuselage and one photoetched piece to represent the flame holder of the afterburner.

Review Author
Steve Collins
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.00

Once again, Quickboost offers us an upgraded set of propellers for a current kit, the Hasegawa B-24 in 1/72 scale. The bag includes four sets of propeller blades and spinner and an alignment tool for assembling the props. Each set of blades and spinner includes four blades, but, of course, you only need three. If you’re like me, you’ll probably appreciate the extra parts (they don’t call me "Ol' Ten Thumbs" for nothing).

As you can see from the attached photos, the hubs provide just that little bit of extra detail over the kit parts. The tool guarantees the blades will be set at the correct angle when you assemble them to the hub.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
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
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$6.50

1/72 model aircraft builders, like 1/48 model aircraft builders, now recognize that not all Quickboost detail parts are grey resin. Some are yellow, red and blue! Among the latest releases from Quickboost are sets of multi-colored aircraft recognition lights. This one, set #QB 72 338, is sized for 1/72 scale models. It includes three sprues; one each of transparent yellow, red and blue resin, which contain three small cylinders that will fit typical bezels found on most 1/72 scale aircraft.

After carefully drilling out the lights that are cast on the underside of an aircraft’s wings or fuselage with a drill bit that matches the diameter of these little castings, just fit each of the cylinders in their corresponding hole and anchor it with a drop of future, epoxy, or superglue. It should make an easy job of enhancing the detail in that area of any kit that does not include clear parts to do the job.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.50

Not all Quickboost parts are grey resin. Some are yellow, red and blue! That’s right…among the latest releases from Quickboost are sets of multi-colored aircraft recognition lights. This one, set #QB 48 407, is sized for 1/48 scale models. It includes three sprues; one each of transparent yellow, red and blue resin, which contain three small cylinders that will fit typical bezels found on most 1/48 scale aircraft.

After carefully drilling out the lights that are cast on the underside of an aircraft’s wings or fuselage with a drill bit that matches the diameter of these little castings, each of the cylinders can be placed in their corresponding hole and anchored with a drop of future, epoxy or superglue. It should make an easy job of enhancing the detail in that area of any kit that does not include clear parts to do the job.

Review Author
Gary Telecsan
Published on
Company
Dragon Models
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$56.99

I was looking forward to building another Smart Kit, and I wasn’t disappointed when the RSO and PaK 38 arrived. These are wonderfully engineered kits and very realistic. Thirteen sprues and one chassis make up the 321 light grey plastic (3 are clear) parts which greet the lucky modeler upon opening the sturdy box, along with 29 photoetched parts and 144 smart tracks. 58 of those parts on one sprue will be used to build the PaK 38, 13 parts are not used, and one entire sprue is just for the optional Winterketten tracks stored on the RSO. The remaining parts are for the RSO, and you can build the wooden framed version or the metal framed one. The gun can be built in 3 ways: set up for firing, set up for towing on the RSO, or set up for hand towing and positioning using the optional 3rd wheel.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$84.99

This is a ‘teaser’ or preview of a full-length article to be published in the IPMS/USA Journal and in the IPMS/USA review website at a later date.

Hasegawa’s rendering of the P-47D Bubbletop in 1/32 scale is impressive, both in size as well as in engineering of the kit. It provides you with 169 parts including optional clear parts for an open or closed canopy. Parts are free of flash without ejector pin marks in any external surface. The final size of the completed model is 346 mm length by 392.5 mm wide. You better make sure it will fit your shelf or display case before you buy it.

Some of the best engineering features of this kit include main wing spars and interlocking tabs for the tail surfaces. That would help ensure perfect alignment of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces to the fuselage. In a model with a wingspan of over 1 foot, it is a very nice feature to have.