Review Author
Tom Moon
Published on
November 18, 2011
Company
Cyber-Hobby
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$54.95

This kit represents a field modification of an SdKfz 10 Halftrack to mount the 3.7cm PaK 35/36 in the bed. The AT gun basically just had the wheels removed and was placed in a specially designed cradle in the bed of the halftrack. The sprues are from the halftrack kit (new) and the 3.7cm PaK kit (old), along with the special sprue for the mounting of the gun. There are Magic Tracks for the tracks and, if you are careful, they will moveable and will allow for a good representation of the track sag. There is one sprue of clear plastic and one small fret of photo etched parts.

Step 1. This step builds the drive sprocket, idler wheel, and the two front wheels. It has been noted elsewhere that the drive sprocket is undersize in both the diameter and the thickness. After I built a run of the track I found that the drive rollers are too wide and, to get the tracks to fit, I had to sand off a little of the drive rollers on both sides.

Book Author(s)
Hans Seidler
Review Author
Marc K. Blackburn
Published on
November 18, 2011
Company
Concord Publications Company
MSRP
$18.95

Concord Publishing has continued its series of illustrated campaign histories. This volume focuses on the siege of Sevastopol from 1941-42. Dimitry Zgonnik has four full color illustrations that highlight the uniforms of German soldiers during this campaign.

Beginning in the fall of 1941, the 11th Army, under the command of Erich von Manstein, was given the objective of capturing the Crimean Peninsula, which, by default, meant neutralizing the Soviet fortress of Sevastopol. After several attempts in the fall of 1941, the Germans failed to capture Sevastopol. In the spring of 1942, Manstein was able to eject the Soviets from the Crimea and besiege Sevastopol. Many buffs remember the Crimean campaign because of the Germans use of the Super gun Gustav which was used to reduce the Soviet fortifications. After a bloody siege, the city fell. The book does not include a map of the campaign, so you will have to look elsewhere to follow along.

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
John R. Lee
Published on
September 19, 2021
Company
Minicraft Model Kits
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$12.99

The kit comes in a sturdy top opening box – great for holding the parts as you work on the model. There are thirty-eight light grey plastic parts and two clear sprues, one being from the Minicraft C-47/DC-3 kit that uses only the Astrodome part. The small decal sheet (1¼” by 4½”) manages to include three schemes, one Navy (the only named aircraft) and two Marine.

As I found the PBJ with the radar nose interesting, I decided to make that one. With a little research I found a right rear-quarter picture of the aircraft in the Osprey Combat Aircraft #40 “PBJ Mitchell Units of the Pacific War” book on page 82. This picture and others in this book show that many of the PBJ’s had no fifty cal. package guns on the fuselage sides, so one of the first jobs was the removal of these guns.

I appreciated that the glass nose on this radar-equipped aircraft was painted blue, saving a lot of tiny window frame painting.

Review Author
Ed Kinney
Published on
November 15, 2011
Company
Fisher Model and Pattern
Scale
1/32

Paul Fisher has continued to expand his stable of exceptionally well done aftermarket products. These are, without exception, beautifully mastered and flawlessly cast in cream colored resin. No warps or pinholes (no surprise there). The four new items are shown in the images. Many thanks to Paul for the review samples. Please visit his website for these and many other quality Fisher Model products.

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
November 14, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

Quickboost has added another resin aircraft accessory to their aircraft line. This time it is the tail cone and tail wheel to convert the Hasegawa Brewster Buffalo F-2A-2 into a Brewster Buffalo 339. It is up to their usual standards; molded in grey resin, smooth, seamless, and bubble-free. One thing of note is that they are really easy to remove from the mold block because of a nice perforation.

The Brewster Buffalo 339 was an export version of the United States Navy Buffalo F-2A. The 339 was modified from the naval version to have a lower rpm engine and a larger tail wheel and cone. It was sold to Finland, France and Britain to help bolster their aircraft at the start of World War 2.

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
November 14, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

Quickboost just keeps adding to their line of resin aircraft accessories. Another addition is for the Revell F-22 Raptor. It is up to their usual standards: molded in grey resin, smooth, seamless, and bubble-free. One thing of note is that they are really easy to remove from the mold block because of a nice perforation.

The control lever and throttle that come in the Revell kit look okay and would make an acceptable model. The Quickboost replacements really look a lot better when compared to the kit parts. They are very easy to install and they just fit right in. in 1/72, these parts are very small but it is a great relief to know that, if you just fed the carpet monster your kit parts, you are able to replace them. The Quickboost set comes with two sets of control levers and throttles just in case you want to do another kit or give the carpet monster another snack.

Review Author
Mike Hinderliter
Published on
November 14, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

Quickboost just keeps adding to their line of resin aircraft accessories. The latest addition is for the Spitfire. This time they have put out the correct antenna for the top of your Spitfire instead of the usual straight stick that comes in so many kits. It is up to their usual standards: molded in grey resin, smooth, seamless, and bubble-free. One thing of note is that they are really easy to remove from the mold block because of a nice perforation, but still be careful because they are very small and delicate.

In addition to the little “nubs” at the top, the antenna has a recessed groove in the side. Having never seen a Spitfire up close, I don’t know if it’s 100% accurate, but it sure looks good!

This set comes with 3 antennas, which is nice because you can add one to the kit you’re working on and update a couple of other Spitfires you’ve built previously.

Review Author
Roger Carrano
Published on
November 13, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$21.75

Eduard has recently come out with a few new items for the Nashorn by AFV Club. This particular photo etch kit is plainly called “Nashorn” and it incorporates interior and exterior items to enhance the already fine kit which AFV Club released. The stock number for the AFV kit is AF35164.

This PE fret will enhance parts such as the floor, hinges on some of the stowage boxes, handles on the hatches, antenna mounts, small hold-down clamps for accessories and tools which are stowed on the outside of the vehicle, and newly formed boxes for tool storage. These features are all designed and made with the typical Eduard engineering found in all of their products which most definitely adds the finishing touch. All of the items included in this kit add subtle improvements, but when compared to an OOB assembly, the difference can be noticed.

Review Author
Rob Benson
Austin Smith
Published on
November 13, 2011
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$16.95

Looking at the Box

Austin (age 7): I think the kit looks pretty neat and stuff, awesome. I like the pictures on the sides. It was made in 2011 by Revell Snaptite.

Rob (actual age 53, behavioral age debatable) : The box is 9.5 x 6.75 x 4.5 inches and is lavishly illustrated. The Diablo is described as “a wild and fast mid-engine exotic sports car with four-wheel drive.” I wince at the thought of working on a 5.7 liter engine with 48 valves. I guess if you can afford one of these cars, you can afford a mechanic and the insurance.