Archives: Kit Reviews
-
HobbyBoss A-6E Intruder
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/48 scale plastic model aircraft kit. HobbyBoss’ detailed A-6E kit is packed with features and options, including: posable canopy, radome, tail hook, ram air turbine (RAT), wingtip speed brakes, slats, flaps, rudder, and crew ladders.
-
Kitty Hawk P-39 Airacobra
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/32 scale plastic model aircraft kit. Centered around a nose-mounted 37mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and powered by an Allison engine behind the cockpit, Bell’s P-39 was unique. Although outclassed by the Zero and Bf 109, the Airacobra helped hold the line early in World War II until new…
-
Italeri Dassault Mirage IIIC
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/32 scale plastic model aircraft kit. Despite its size Italeri’s big-scale Mirage will fit snugly on a 12″ shelf, thanks to the delta fighter’s narrow wingspan. Opening the box presents you with a bunch of gray sprues, a thick instruction book with color four-view drawings for the six marking options, a…
-
Airfix Heinkel He 111P-2
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/72 scale plastic model aircraft kit. Airfix’s new He 111 features fine recessed surface engraving, nice interior detail, and includes lots of additional parts for the cockpit, wheel wells, bomb bay, and the gunner’s cradle for the dorsal gun position.
-
Airfix Wildcat
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/72 scale plastic model aircraft kit. Don’t confuse this Wildcat with Airfix’s ancient mold from the 1960s. This new Wildcat has beautifully executed recessed panel detail, a good cockpit, complex landing-gear structure with separate parts if you want to pose the gear retracted, a well-formed engine and prop, fine decals, and…
-
MPC Space: 1999 Eagle
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/48 scale plastic model sci-fi kit. For many years, the only models were MPC’s 1/72 scale kit — re-issued several times by Airfix and AMT/Ertl — and an Imai offering in 1/110 scale. There has been at least one resin 1/48 scale Eagle. The original miniatures were 1/24 scale, chosen for…
-
Horizon Models Mercury spacecraft
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/72 scale plastic model spacecraft kit. Newcomer Horizon Models’ Mercury spacecraft provides duplicate 25-part injection-molded sprues and photo-etched frets along with a single comprehensive decal sheet.
-
Eduard Fw 190A-8
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/72 scale plastic model aircraft kit. This is one beautiful offering from Eduard! The surface detail on the injection-molded parts rates as some of the nicest I’ve ever seen. A fret of 36 optional pre-colored photo-etched (PE) parts can be used to enhance the model. There’s also a set of 13…
-
Trumpeter HEMTT M983 tractor
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/35 scale plastic model tractor kit. One of many special purpose HEMTTs (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck), the M983 tractor is used to tow components of the MIM-104 Patriot missile system. Molded in light gray plastic with clear lights and windows, the kit includes a small photo-etched (PE) fret and eight…
-
Trumpeter MIM-104 Patriot launcher and radar trailers
FineScale Modeler reviews the 1/35 scale plastic model launcher and radar trailers kit. Trumpeter surprised the modeling world with its release of the Patriot SAM System, which includes the M901 launching station and the AN/MPQ-53 radar set. It’s a large box with 38 sprues and several individual gray plastic parts, clear plastic lights, three photo-etched…