Archives: Kit Reviews
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Platz 1/72 scale X-47B U.S. Navy UCAS
Platz’s 1/72 scale Northrop Grumman X-47B U.S. Navy UCAS plastic model kit took twice as long to decal as it did to paint, and twice as long to paint as it took to build; assembly took one hour. Platz’s design philosophy is to molde good detail but keep the number of parts to a minimum.…
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Meng Models Merkava Mk.IIID
FSM reviews the 1/35 scale plastic armor kit Meng Model’s 1/35 scale Merkava Mk.IIID plastic model kit is molded in gray-green plastic. The parts show good detail, with crisp recessed lines, sharp bolts (especially around the add-on armor), and well-textured mold seams. The stowage rack rails and grab handles are scale thin.
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HobbyBoss 1/35 scale Hungarian 38M Toldi I
HobbyBoss has produced the first plastic model kit of the T38M Toldi tank in 1/35 scale. It is molded in light yellow styrene with the individual track links provided in light brown styrene. A sheet of photoetched metal is also included. The overall detail is good, but I had to deepen shallow panel lines so…
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Zvezda 1/350 scale Russian Imperial Navy battleship ‘Sevastopol’
This is a review of the Zvezda 1/350 scale Russian Imperial Navy battleship Sevastopol plastic model kit. Zvezda’s Sevastopol comprises 432 parts on eight sprues molded in light gray plastic with better-than-average detail. Four clear parts provide windows for the conning station. A decal sheet and paper flag sheet are included for the Sevastopol only. You…
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Hasegawa 1/72 scale Eurofighter Typhoon II
A review of the Hasegawa 1/72 scale Eurofighter Typhoon II plastic model kit. Molded in sturdy, light gray plastic, the kit has 215 parts, including 17 for a stand, four for a pilot, and enough pieces for 30 missiles and three drop tanks. There is a lot of plastic in the box, an extensive decal…
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AFV Club 1/35 scale M42 Duster
AFV Club’s 1/35 scale M42 Duster is the first all-new plastic model kit of this subject since Tamiya’s release in the early ’70s. Cleanly molded in dark-olive plastic, it features turned-metal gun barrels, metal recoil springs, vinyl one-piece tracks, and photoetched-metal gunsights.
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Platz 1/72 scale T-33 Shooting Star
Platz’s 1/72 scale T-33 Shooting Star plastic model kit has interesting features, such as a split fuselage, detailed interior, and markings for five Japanese air force aircraft.
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HK Models 1/32 B-25 Mitchell
HK Models has done a fine job reproducing the B-25 Mitchell in a 1/32 scale plastic model kit. It is injection-molded in medium gray plastic and loaded with details from four 70-part engines, a complete bomb bay with six 500-pound bombs, and .50-caliber guns with separately molded barrels.
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Takom 1/16 scale Renault FT-17 light tank
Following a current trend toward larger scales in plastic models, new manufacturer Takom debuts with a 1/16 scale Renault FT-17 French light tank. Entering World War I in 1917, it was the first production model with its main armament in a fully rotating turret. Many countries used or copied it (the United States built it…
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Eduard 1/72 scale Bf 110E
Eduard’s 1/72 scale Bf 110E plastic model kit is a gem that outclasses previous releases in this scale. Surface detail is exquisitely rendered, and there is lots of photoetched metal. Decals provide five sets of markings. A canopy mask also is part of this “ProfiPACK” kit.