[Kit Review] Gunpla Builder Parts - 1/144 MS Figures 01 -

This arrived while i was in Istanbul what i think has been the the most welcome release from the builders part some 1/144 mobile suit figures consisting of pilot, crew and even a Sayla Mass. You get 2 of the sprues above which adds up to quite a nice selection on figures for your dioramas.

Look at the detail! Less than 2cm in height with the squares behind a centimetre each.

The 2 standing still and what i feel somewhat most awkward looking posed figures from the set, the male on the left to me along with the rest of the pilots look very generic for the Gundam universe, if painted the way you want could be Zeon or Federation. But the female pilot looks just like it should be Christina MacKenzie from War in the Pocket.



Directing a MS crew, left looks perfect for a 08th MS Team diorama while right could be any one year war spacecraft.



Will be modeling and painting these soon.
Ian

[Kit Review] Revell 1/144 - F-16C Fighting Falcon -

The new Revell 1/144 F-16, an awesome new addition to the Revell 1/144 scale range and completing their Teen series jets after first the F-14s, F-18s and last years F-15. Taken quite some years after the DML Dragon kit 20 years ago to get a new 1/144 Viper and for some reason i knew that Revell would be the first to release a updated more accurate version.

Quite a few parts for somewhat of a smaller jet compared against other revell kits., things to notice is the amount of weapon's usually lacking or just enough on most Revell kit, the part of the fuselage for the cockpit is separate from the main body which i reckon would suggest a future 2 seater (but like the Refale, Typhoon and Strike Eagle yet to appear) and the multiple parts of engine nozzles, canards and wings to make initial production F-16A and the later F-16C. Canopy has the bubble effect.



Never seen a Revell cockpit with this amount of detail before along with the great panel lines.



Best injection plastic ejection seat ive ever seen! Amazing improvement over the earlier F-14, F-18 or even the recent Typhoon.



Close-up on the 2 of each, jet nozzles, canards and tail wings. Also GBU's which Revell not made before, always used DML ones before.



All those assess panels on the fuselage which the F-16 is lacks on alot of the previous Vipers all present and looking good. Really detail cockpit too, even has separate control panels.



Not over the moon on the decal choice and with this being the only option instead of the a extra set for usual grey/grey scheme lets the kit down a little but at least all the important marking are separate unlike the F-15 where the marking are Incorporated into the tiger patterns.

Still very sharp crisp decals designed by Daco, who produced a decal sheet with every F-104 Starfighter in the Luftwaffe and also have some Dutch F-16 decals available.



Only this one livery to choose from, a very bright Viper as per the box art. Not a fan of this schem, with Revell only gaving you this one option to model, Revell's F-14A and D, F-18, Refale, Typhoon, and Hawker Hunter all came with 2 option to model usually a high viz like this one and a normal low-viz combat version, damn shame.



Except for the decal option i reckon this kit is going to be beauty to built, looking forward to building mine and itching to start on the best F-16 released so far. Got to wonder what Revell will choose next?
Ian

[Kit Review] RetroWings - 1/144 Air intakes for Revell Harrier GR7

Had this little conversion kit in my stash for over a year waiting to be used on a build. This is one of RetroWings first conversion kit which over the last year has rapidly expanded.

Fits like a glove, very easy with no problem at all.

Cockpit is very bland on this at the moment, after seeing this close-up i will defiantly start from scratch to build up a more detailed one as it my tribute the the British Harrier.



Nice little conversion so that you can have the air intakes open just to add a little detail.
Ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - BAe Harrier GR Mk.7 -

Been a year since the RAF Harrier was mothballed so thought its about time i modelled this legend of a aircraft.

Usual great quality from Revell on there affordable 1/144 kits, the GR.7 specific sprue is the small one at the bottom right.



Nice panel lines and bumbs.



2 decals options, both RAF. Surprised by the lack of aftermarket  decals for 1/144 RAF Harriers available, none that is.



First set of marking is for a Flight Commander RAF Harrier.



Quite like this scheme with the bomb tally below the cockpit.



Already built the US version of the Harrier so know what to expect and can improve on the previous build.
Ian

[Kit Review] - Trumpeter 1/144 - Northrop YF-23 -

Bought a bunch of of 1/144 Trumpeter kit recently and this is the first one i want to model. Always thought the YF-23 looked alot cooler the the YF-22 with its small wings and long neck, really unique looking flyer.

Not many part but what there is looks good, hope those big parts fit together nicely as that basically the build. Decals look fine, have 1999 copyright on them, wonder of the kit is that old?



From what ive looked at the panel lines are nearly all present and quite accurate. All the trumpeter kits i bou8ght have the same sort of panel line, just like sweet and revell have there own unique style of lines, trumpeter's seem to be quite deep but a little soft.



Typo i reckon, YF-22 was the Lightning II. Scheme you can do is "Grey Ghost" but reckon you can use the decal to do the other prototype "Black Widow".



Looking at the kit think this should be an easy build, easy to assemble and a really easy paint scheme unless i choose a "what if" pattern.
Ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - F-5E Tiger II -

A new kit to me which is an older one bought of ebay, a very similar looking kit to the Alpha Jet quality wise, which must have been released about the same time with the same amount of detail on the sprues. One of the first fighter from the Northrop family which share alot of similarities with the F-16 and F-16, especially notice the wings on each.

All looking detail wise and a nice base for the cockpit with maybe even to much detail added with extra panel lines present and also the weapon pylon on the end of the wings are wrong, need to be spun so that the larger edge is facing out.

Decal are high quality but unfortunately looking a bit old over 10 years i guess.



Panel detail great with what ive come to expect from revell even for an older kit and really like the grill detail.



One of the schemes is for one of those Swiss Air Force birds which have some of there air base cut into the mountains and where to save space have some hanging from the inside of these artificial caves using mountain roads as runways. Always fascinating to see.



Got to dig those U.S. aggressor schemes copying foreign patterns, mostly older USSR colour, this one looks like its based on those really nice soviet navy Su-27 cold blue colours.




Really like to model the same scheme as the box art, an U.S. Marine aggressor but the decals are old even though there super decal per box front and instead will model an aggressor from the U.S. Navy Sundowners using MYK decals which will be a first.
Ian

[Kit Review] - FE Resin 1/144 - Grumman F9F-8T Cougar -

I bought this as a companion to the OzMods F9F Panther, the Cougar being a updated more modern swept wing version against the Panthers straight wings also got the 2-seater trainer for more variation. Wonder of this one of the Navy/Marines first ghost grey birds replacing the old dark blue?

Same as the other FE Resin kits ive bought before, all the main panel lines present i can tell.

Very nice resin casting hardly any bubbles present and lots of space to add cockpit detail, with the amount of parts present looks like it should be a easy build. I really doubt the skinny resin landing gear will be able to take the wight of all that resin and with the 2 vac-foam canopy's provided might have one of them open.

Used YKraft decals before, quite delicate, hope i can get those shark teeth applied straight off.



Got to give these parts a bath in warm water with a small drop of washing up liquid, this is to remove any mold releasing agent left over from casting the resin which could ruin the paint app, read that you should also do this with injection kits to.
Ian

[Kit Review] - OzMods 1/144 - Grumman F9F Panther -

First kit from OzMods which ive been eyeing for sometime, never built a Ozmods kit before but looking forward to having ago at building this little beauty. Really find the Panther a real eye pleasing jet.

Was quite surprised by the packaging, since this kit comes with vac-foam canopy it would need more protection but arrived all the way from Australia perfectly intact.

All the sprues are quite detailed and seem to be blueprint perfect, not sure it you can see in the photo but has the best seat ive ever seen on a non ejection seat plane, really looks slick. When it comes to vac-foam canopy 2 is always a plus and nicely done white decals.

Since this a small run injection kit by a small company providing a fantastic kit which most of the large manufacturer would never release i can easily write off the flash on the sprues, knife and sandpaper will easily get rid of that.



Think you can model this as one of the jets from "The Bridges at Toko-Ri"
Ian

[Kit Review] - Academy 1/144 - Su-25 Frogfoot -

Kit which ive had I'm stash for over a year and reckon its about time it was built. Think this is the only Su-25 available in the scale and luckly its a fairly decent kit.

Been doing some research on her and there is a lot of choice when it comes to paint schemes, like alot of the soviet era jet they where sold to alot of country's with so many different marking to choose from. Probably go with the red star

Fairly fine sprues with nice amount of detail, all the main panel lines are present with a few needed to be added and most of the shape looks correct.

Decals are simple like all soviet jets, go quite a few red star decals in my stash so should be able to pick a scheme i like.

 

Most of the detail present, a new panel line along the wing needs to be added i think and maybe replace the air-brakes at the end which are not quite the right shape.



All looks correct with the panel lines except some small access panels which are missing.



Paint schemes for the same bird as the box art, haven't found a scheme that ive wanted to model yet but notice that nearly all these Frogfoot's have camouflage patterns, must be because there ground attack jets.



Except for a whole new cockpit can't see this being difficult to build.
Ian

[Kit Review] - RetroWings 1/144 - Cockpit Detail Set for Revell 1/144 Luftwaffe Alpha Jet -

One of 3 cockpit details sets from RetroWings for the Revell 1/144 Alpha Jet, this being the Luftwaffe set and the other 2 French and Belgian Air forces, main difference is the ejection seats.

Great little set this  just like the one for the Hellcat and a real great update for the rather plain one supplied with the kit. Comes with 2 sets of ejection seats so that you can model both version in the Luftwaffe the early and later ones. Also got a sweet new front dashboard which really easily fits into place right on top on the existing model after removing a small bump, it simple but super effective at suddenly adding alot more detail.

Dry fitted the cockpit and tried to bring out the excellent detail with some brown wash, as im posting this ive already fitted it into the cockpit and it fits a charm.



Next is to  give it a clean and then painting begins, for such small parts with alot of tiny details its amazing that or the enitre set there on only one bubble! Easily fixed.
Ian

[Kit Review] - RetroWings 1/144 - Tail correction kit for Revell 1/144 Alpha Jet

Second RetroWings resin set for the Revell Alpha Jet, this one to correct the "banana effect" present on all Revell Alpha Jets.

Smart design for this, all that's need to to assemble the fuselage then cut along a horizontal panel line and fit this new tail. All panel line present and correct, brown wash really brought out the detail on this one.

Will probable keep the original tail canard and only replace the banana fuselage, the Alpha i will be modelling has a flat top to the tail while this has a curved top.

Ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Dassault Breguet / Dornier Alpha Jet -

The original release of the Alpha Jet by Revell which includes the "banana effect" which really should have been fixed with the recently released "Patrouille de France" version.

This will be the one i model, prefer the green plastic and some of the detail is a little sharper.

Exact same sprues as the blue Alpha, either the mold was fresh or the darker plastic but im sure the detail is better on this model. Notice the "banana effect" on the tail end fuselage.



Detail does look more pronounced, maybe just because of the darker plastic.



This will be the scheme i will model, the RAF style Alpha Jet's bought from the Luftwaffe by British defence contractor Qinetiq original kept all German marking but replaced the German cross with RAF roundels.



Next review Retrowings cockpit detail set.
Ian

[Kit Review] - Revell 1/144 - Alpha Jet "Patrouille de France" -

A recent re-release of a Revell kit which was becoming hard to find, the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet.

Nice little kit you to the usual Revell standards except for a real lack of decent cockpit and a strange banana effect on the tail. Checking against line art this is almost perfect and it molded in a blue, a first for me. Notice the end of the fuselage, the tail points up, the strange "banana effect".



Most the panel lines are present and correct, for an older kit from Revell i was surprised that the detail of the panel lines is still on par with there newer kit, but the newer kits have better interior detail and are design to be assembled easier.



Only one scheme to paint "Patrouille de France" but you can model all the 10 of them. Revell needs to release a 1/144 Hawk like this "Red Arrow" style.



Decals, white on light blue not the greatest for taking a photo of, like how all the white markings can be decals, makes it easier to paint.



Noting going to model  the scheme myself but was i a model shop and never like to leave empty handed.
Ian

Platz 1/144 - F6F Hellcat - WiP 1 - RetroWings cockpit detail set painted

The retrowings cockpit set all painted up and ready for the 2 pieces of the fuselage to be glued together and then of course most of the detail hidden .

I brush painted it and reckon the next time i paint a similar sort of resin set i will use airbrush so eliminate all of the brush strokes (but does give it a sort of "used" look).

I dried fitted the pieces first, then gave them a wash to remove any residue on the resin, painted, given a dark wash and then used a little tamiya weathering master. Really nice little instrument panel, every gauge had been painted.

Wanting to have a open canopy now.
Ian