Sommaire pour September 2019 de FineScale Modeler

When Italeri delivered a fine 1/72 scale EA-6A (No. 051), the early twoseat electronic warfare/electronic countermeasures version of the Intruder, the kit stirred my interest. Once I started the Electric Intruder, I never looked back. Even in 1/72 scale it’s a big model, so its separate folding wings were a nice option that would allow me to save space in my showcase. However, gluing those folded wings in place would elevate my stress level late in the build as I could have used three hands! Still, I wanted a folded-wings version, and this would build into a sharp Intruder. Here’s how it went. Starting the build I started by assembling the 4-part kit seats, 1, then tried EA-6B seats from Aires (No. 7629), but they were too short, 2. Luckily,…

Older armor kits often require a little help in order to stand out. Often you’ll have to add what’s missing and update what’s needed most. One of the ways I like to revive old armor is by dressing it in new, thinner skirts. While most kit-provided skirts are thick and clean-looking, period photos show them as thin, mangled, uneven strips of metal. Believe it or not, one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to re-create this look is with yogurt lids! Two or three foil caps per model should do. To demonstrate this technique, I’ll use a kit released in 1987 — a 1/76 scale Fujimi Sturmgeschütz III Ausf.G, stationed on the Kursk front in 1943. See, if you eat healthy then you can model more!…

The Hawker Tempest was an update of the Typhoon that incorporated a re-designed wing, a fuel tank relocated to a stretched forward fuselage, and tail fillet to stabilize these changes. Eduard’s all-new Tempest (this isn’t the same Tempest kit Eduard first released 20 years ago) provides a great reproduction of this beast. It includes clean moldings and fine recessed surface details. There’s also a full fret of photo-etched (PE) parts - and you’ll use it all! Unused plastic parts, including a second prop and spinner, tires and hubs, and rockets, point at other versions being released. Ed: Since FSM received this review sample, Eduard has offered the Series 2 variant. Construction was absolutely straightforward. In the cockpit, the seat with PE belts, cockpit floor, rear bulkhead, and joystick go together…

Up-arming the successful T-34 with an 85mm anti-aircraft gun gave the Soviet Union a tank capable of taking on German Tiger Is and Panthers. While Italeri has previously re-boxed Zvezda’s T-34/85, this is an all-new tool that replicates the Zavod 183 Mod. 1944 variant. Features include interior details for the engine, fighting compartment, and turret, optional link-and-length or vinyl tracks, photo-etched (PE) screens and straps, and markings for four vehicles. The build starts with the lower hull. I painted the interior and exterior before installing walls and suspension. The engine comprises just the upper half with valve covers, intake, and radiator tops. Since it will be visible on the finished tank through the screens, louvers, and posable hatches, I painted it and applied a dark brown wash. Next came the…

Italeri’s “World Architecture – the Most Famous Monuments” series features some interesting subjects, but the latest addition is a big one even in 1/500 scale. It’s The Colosseum as it appeared in 82 AD at the height of the Roman Empire. In its heyday, the Colosseum looked very much like a modern football stadium. However, instead of football players, the kit provides four gladiators as well as a lion and a bear to entertain the crowd. The “stadium” portion is an impressive one-piece molding resembling a Tupperware container. Clever design work simulates the numerous statues present in alcoves around the arena’s exterior by printing them on heavy cardstock. The walls consist of twenty sections molded with sturdy mounting posts for the base and pins designed to hold the cardstock backdrops…

Model companies are always trying to find something no one else has made, thus the many so-called “paper panzers” on the market. Now MiniArt rolls out a Soviet ball tank or “Sharotank.” This vehicle is fictional, but a captured German ball tank is in Russia’s Kubinka Tank Museum. The plastic here was less brittle than previous MiniArt kits I’ve built, and I only broke one part removing it from the sprue. The kit’s directions do a good job of calling out the proper color for most small details and give color recommendations for nine paint brands. The tank consists of an inner frame containing an engine, crew seats, and track rollers. This is sandwiched between two half spheres that contain the armament, ammunition, radiator, and fuel cells. Construction starts with…

As age creeps up on me, I find that 1/35 scale is getting a bit small for my eyes and hands. So, you can imagine my enthusiasm when 1/16 scale armor kits with interiors came onto the market. One of my favorites has been Takom’s Renault FT. Building several of these spurred me to consider converting one into the M1917 Six-Ton Light Tank, a U.S. license-built near copy of the FT. At first glance, it seemed an easy project; after all, there are just a few minor details to change, right? Well, not really. Aside from obvious differences — armor around the driver’s head and a relocated muffler — many rivets and smaller details were in different places. In addition, the driver’s controls and seat, engine, ammunition racks, and other…

This oddity of a vehicle, the LKW BÜssing-NAG 4500, was a prime mover and heavy recovery truck used by the Germans in World War II. It was modified with a Bilstein 3-ton crane and performed engine changes and other heavy work. I'm not going to lie, this Azimut Productions’ 1/35 scale resin kit (No. 35029) was challenging from the start. The parts were warped and required a lot of cleanup. However, the pieces, including white metal and photo-etch (PE), featured excellent detail that I was excited to show off. I’m glad I put the work into it, because what started off as a pain ended as the unlikely winner at several contests. Admittedly, I shelved this truck numerous times due to the warped resin. But I’m glad I finished it…

Us modelers use various materials that can be harmful to our health. Nowhere is this more apparent than when using an airbrush. The fine mist of paint that we want for a smooth paint job also disperses the chemicals into the air. Without proper precautions, such as a vented spray booth and a suitable respirator mask, those can affect our health. The same problems occur during cleaning with some of the solvents being particularly unpleasant and unhealthy. For example, lacquer thinner is more harmful to our health than water-based solvents. But we should limit exposure to any solvents as much as possible. In order to confine cleaning solvents, I devised an effective airbrush-cleaning station that is inexpensive and easy to make. Using found materials, mine cost well under $1. To…

Hurray for Panda Models! The M1296 Stryker Dragoon IFV is its first foray into the Stryker family, and the release is timely. This is the latest Stryker upgrade, adding a 30mm Bushmaster cannon in a turret, and the first of the real vehicles was just delivered to the troops at the end of 2018. Detail is crisp, especially on the upper and lower hulls, but there is a small amount of flash on some parts. All of the hatches have detail on the inside, but there are some nasty knockout marks that must be addressed. Vision blocks, light lenses, and optic lenses are molded in clear plastic. Tires are molded in hard vinyl and have good sidewall detail. In addition, a sheet of photo-etch (PE) is included and contains engine…

Developed as a replacement for Germany’s aging Marder APCs, the Schützenpanzer Puma comes in two versions, the basic “a” model and the up-armored “c” model. Originally there was to be a “b” version but it was dropped when the “c” model came in under the max weight for rail transport. The additional armor of the “c” version simply bolts on the basic Puma allowing easy conversion between the versions. Ryefield Models’ Puma represents the up-armored “c” variant. Molded in tan plastic, it features excellent detail. Especially nice is the delicate nonslip texture on many of the hull panels and the finely detailed add-on armor. Other features include individual-link tracks, clear plastic periscopes, lights, sensors, and armored glass for the rear hatch. A small photo-etch (PE) fret provides small details as…

McDonnell’s first shot at a supersonic, radar-equipped fleet-defense interceptor, the F3H Demon was handicapped by the development of its powerplant, the infamous Westinghouse J40. A redesign with a better engine resulted in an adequate fighter, but it was bettered by its contemporary, the Vought F8U Crusader. Eventually, Demons were replaced by the iconic F4H Phantom in the early 1960s. Sword’s new kit surpasses earlier efforts by Emhar, RAREplanes, and Airmodel. It features fine, recessed exterior detail, a good cockpit with choice of resin ejection seats, two-piece canopy, Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles, and a pair of drop tanks. The decal sheet in this boxing provides markings for two Demons. A second boxing with different decals is labeled as the F3H-2N/M and contains identical plastic parts. Assembly starts with choosing one of…

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift cargo plane designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in Ukraine in the 1980s. Powered by six turbofan engines, the single finished Mriya is the heaviest aircraft ever built with a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tons and a 290-foot wingspan. Even in 1/144 scale, it is a big airplane — over 2 feet in wingspan and slightly less in length — so set aside some major display space. Packed in a large box, the parts are nicely molded with fine panel lines and little flash, however, there are some sink marks on the main fuselage. The upper and lower wing parts are fragile near the trailing edge, so be careful handling them. The kit also provides two sheets consisting of 55 decals…

B.J. VAN DE MAAT RIJSSEN, OVERIJSSEL, NETHERLANDS B.J. modeled a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16A with Hasegawa’s 1/48 scale Fighting Falcon. A plethora of resin parts were added to the cockpit, intake, exhaust, and Sidewinders. A reconnaissance pod is positioned on the centerline station. He painted with Vallejo, Revell Aqua-Color, and Alclad II paint. Decals are from DACO. BRAD SHINN HATFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA Brad dropped the flaps and slats on Otaki’s 1/144 scale L-1011 in Delta livery. Some fanciful camera work placed it outside on the tarmac. KENNETH MOUTON HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA Lots of details were scratchbuilt on this 1/48 scale Roden Pilatus Porter aircraft. Kenneth added headphones in the cockpit, hinge points on wings, static dissipators on the wings and tail, scratchbuilt landing gear struts, and turned an aluminum spinner…

One of the earliest jet fighter designs, de Havilland’s Vampire is pretty well-known and reasonably well-represented in the modeling world. However, the re-engined French version made by SNCASE, the SE 535 Mistral, is less well-known. Azur-FrRom is known for re-boxing Special Hobby kits with new parts and decals for French versions. To make the Mistral, 11 injection-molded plastic parts were added to Special Hobby’s Vampire, along with a nice resin ejection seat. All the marking options are essentially the same — silver overall — with either red or yellow trim. A nice sheet of decals with comprehensive stencils provide the major markings, but the builder is on their own for the trim. The instructions were clear about which parts to replace for the Mistral, but they were less than clear…

The Flettner Fl 282 Kolibri (Hummingbird) was the world’s first helicopter to be used in a military role. It was first flown by the Luftwaffe in 1941 and featured an open-air cockpit and intermeshing rotor design. MiniArt’s Fl 282V-23 is the first plastic kit of this scout helicopter in 1/35 scale. While the lower part count makes for a fairly quick build, beginner builders will have to be careful of the rather fiddly and fragile plastic. The silver lining is that the thinness of the parts makes everything look in-scale. All the plastic has been molded in light gray. Included in the box are 13 photo-etch (PE) parts and five different marking options. Construction began with the rear section of the airframe, where the engine and transmission live. These components…

Armed with fore- and aft-firing machine guns and a plethora of grenades and other droppable weaponry, the Halberstadt CL.II was a nasty opponent. A two-seat combat aircraft, the CL.II performed what we would today call battlefield interdiction and escort duty for other two-seaters. Wingnut Wings’ latest 1/32 scale release, the Halberstadt CL.II (Late) provides modelers with optional engines, weapons, radio, and generator positions. The kit includes five paint schemes, all of which use pre-sized lozenge decals for the upper and lower wings. Four of the five options require the modeler to apply stippled paint over the final camouflage colors — a technique explained in the Hints section of the Wingnut Wings website. In true Wingnut fashion, the interior comes fully detailed, including optional photo-etched (PE) cooling jackets for the machine…

I had never heard of a 1/48 scale Percival Proctor, so figured this Dora Wings kit was worth a look. The box art is a nice painting of the Royal Air Force Proctor Mk.III (L2766) from the collection of the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. The decal sheet provides markings for this aircraft and four others, including another RAF, a USAAF liaison plane, and two post-war aircraft in Dutch and Danish service. The 106 plastic parts are cleanly molded with little or no flash and surface detail looked appropriate for the scale. With the exception of the canopy and the cowl with the engine installed, parts fit was excellent. The 12-page instructions include a brief history, parts maps, and 21 assembly steps. No color callouts are included. Assembly begins with…

I’m a longtime modeler, so when Carroll County Public Schools in Hillsville, Virginia, received a grant to add an intercession program in the fall and spring semesters, I got an idea. I wanted to teach my students to build models. The intercession program is enrichment classes where teachers pass along their personal knowledge on subjects they enjoy. Modeling was my first choice. I organized the classes into three-hour sessions for three days. There were two sessions a day and we would build an Academy 1/72 scale P-40B Warhawk. I began with an in-box review of the kit. We went over parts, instructions, and decals, and I showed the students how plastic models are made. Next, we learned to remove parts from the sprue with sprue cutters, clean the parts with…