Faust

No worries, man. Just wait until I build the rest of my collection! Well, the A7M and Ki-100 at least, but likely the Buffalo and Helldiver will get built too, assuming I don't replace them with better kits, like Matchboxes. :)

Sometimes, things don’t work out in real life like they do in theory. Anyone who’s ever designed something and seen it built has likely experienced this. It happens all the time, and in the field of aviation history, it’s a very common occurrence indeed. One perfect example was the “Norm”, a Japanese floatplane recce bird deployed in only very small numbers in the Pacific theatre of WWII. The designers of the Norm had all kinds of great ideas for it, and it should have been a success. However, despite counter-rotating props and (technically) jettisonable floats, the E15K1 was just one of those cases where theory and reality were at loggerheads, and reality won. The few Norms put into service experienced all kinds of troubles, and most were shot down. Equally plagued with troubles is the ANCIENT Farpro Japan kit of the Norm. Yeah, if you know me, you knew that I’d be busting out another Farpro at some time! Well, here it is! This ancient dog needs about 400 pounds of putty and elbow grease to even get it looking like a plane, let alone half-arsed. However, with some patience and work, it can be made to look acceptable, even against much more modern and forgiving kits. Check it out below, and save yourself the pain of building it yourself. I mean, that’s what I’m here for! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/farpro-japan-1-72-e15k1-siun-norm/

When it comes to Sci-Fi, I’m more of an anime guy than anything else. I grew up watching Astroboy, Battle of the Planets and Robotech. There’s always been something about the realness and completeness of Japanese designs and the universes they inhabit that inspire me to build plastic models of them. However, I am also interested in Star Wars, and have become more so in the last decade than I was before. Thankfully, during this time, the number of quality kits from the Star Wars franchise has grown, and the old MPC offerings have been truly put out to pasture. Most recently, Bandai has begun to market very nice, gorgeously moulded kits of some of the designs from both the classic and newer movies. These take the Star Wars modelling experience to the next level, and I felt I should at least try one to see what they were like. Of course, I chose a rather odd example: the 1/144 U-Wing/Tie Striker set! Despite being small and simple to build, this multi-kit set is a pretty nice piece of work. Check it out below! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/bandai-1-144-u-wing-and-tie-striker-out-of-box/

I don't mean the kit is bad in any way, but it seems that FineMolds gets all kinds of hype, and, well, this one just wasn't worth it. It's passable enough, like most Tamiyas and Hasegawas I've seen. I've never been blown away by any of their kits, personally, given the price-per-scale ratio. I'd rather have Academy kits and, for all their engineering problems, Zvezdas are good for the price too.

I’m sure we’ve all run into those kits that we thought were going to be fairly simple, only to realize that they’re a lot more involved than they first seemed to be. That’s been the case for the last couple of cars I’ve built, as I’ve tried to overcome dodgy instructions and a lack of reference material regarding stock versions of the vehicles. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that MPC’s Pinto wagon, rereleased in its late-run “Pony Express” form by Round 2 is any different. However, it’s not just the engine that’s wrong on this one, it’s the whole Cruising Wagon rear end! (You know, the whole reason most of us likely bought the kit?). It’s not Round 2’s fault, though. It’s all MPC laziness, but with some dedication, it can be made to work out in the end. Check out all the blood, sweat and tears that I’m having to put into this thing at the link below. Just a word of warning: if you want to build an authentic Pinto wagon from this thing without a lot of work, stick to the windowed version! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2018/07/04/pinto-update-2-body-issues/

I have their Ki-61 (I don't know what version... there's always some Otsu or Kai or -II or something on the end, I just know it's a Hien/Tony) and I feel it's the same as the -110. For $10, I'll take it (which I did) but for more than that... naw. I'm not a 109-hound either, but I swear the nicest ones I've ever seen are the Academy 1/72. Holy moly! Great detail, super, super fit and very fine, yet easy to assemble. I think Academy doesn't get enough love. Maybe because there's no 1/72 T-50 Golden Eagle yet...

Hey Steve! It seemed to me these things were just lauded all over the place when they came out, or maybe I just remember it that way? I just seem to recall people going gaga over getting a FineMolds kit, and I just don't get it. I didn't know it was actually an offshoot of Hase.... that's interesting! That's possible, about the engine nacelles. Because there's no photos of the completed kit on the box (something else I hate), I won't really know until I build it. Of course, if it's a bit small, I won't really care. The stab thing, though... that bothers me. I guess it's good I got this one cheap!

While many of my built WWII Luftwaffe planes are, in fact, “What-Ifs” or Luft ‘46ers, I do have a goodly number of actual Luftwaffe hardware in my stash as well. One type that I’d been eager to get a nice kit of was the Me-410, since it’s an unusual looking plane, as well as having something of a loser heritage that I just can’t resist. I had a 1/48 Monogram years ago, but it was so big that I sold it to make some room. Since then, I’ve not seen a small kit of the -410 that I’ve wanted to get. That was until I ran into the Fine Molds one at a local show. For the price, I figured I could treat myself and get a nice kit of a cool, and real(!) plane. Check out my out of box review below in case you’re thinking of snagging one yourself. However, just like the Luftwaffe, I wouldn’t get your expectations unjustifiably high… https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/fine-molds-me-410-a-1-b-1-out-of-box/

Yeah, I agree. However, it also looks like a Fiesta, so I guess there are only so many ways to make a tiny econobox, at least in the early '80s! I'm pretty sure this car is smaller than a rabbit, though. In fact, I think the 1/20 Rex is about as big as a 1/25 or 1/24 Rabit!

For those who grew up in the ‘60s or ‘70s, big cars were just the norm. For those, like me, who grew up in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, large cars were still quite plentiful, but they weren’t being replaced as they died. No, instead, we got to see them replaced by much smaller, imported cars, with transverse engines and none-too-exciting two-box hatchback body styles. At the time, these newcomers looked positively ridiculous in comparison. However, most of us never knew that things got much, much smaller than that! Given that I love everyday cars, weird cars and loser cars (or at least those that suck due to inherent non-excitingness), it’s not a surprise that I have a goodly number of weird kits in my stash. I’m also a bit of a 1/20 lover, although I’ve never built one, I have a lot of them, and I’m always on the lookout for more. Thankfully, I managed to find one that isn’t going to suck up much shelf space! If you want small, quirky and outright laughably non-aggressive, check out my recently acquired 1/20 Subaru Rex Combi! Don’t tell me I don’t bring you the weirdness in spades! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/1-20-aoshima-1981-subaru-rex-combi-out-of-box/ ]

A lot of people feel like they should root for the underdog. Well, if that was the case, then the Japanese stable of WWII tanks would be getting love like no tomorrow! Of course, that’s not the case, and it fact I didn’t know much about Japanese tanks, other than that they were largely inadequate, until I picked up the old Fuijimi 1/76 Shinhoto Chi-Ha at a show. It was the same scale as my Matchboxes, and it looked weak and unloved, so I thought why not. Just like Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree, I thought if I gave the little guy some love he might turn out okay. Given that this is only my third tank, I actually am rather pleased at how it ended up. If you’re a fan of obscure and ineffective military hardware, follow the link below. Given that I’m pretty new to armour, I’d be very appreciative of any comments you guys have! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/fujimi-1-76-type-97-kai-shinhoto-chi-ha/

A lot of people feel like they should root for the underdog. Well, if that was the case, then the Japanese stable of WWII tanks would be getting love like no tomorrow! Of course, that’s not the case, and it fact I didn’t know much about Japanese tanks, other than that they were largely inadequate, until I picked up the old Fuijimi 1/76 Shinhoto Chi-Ha at a show. It was the same scale as my Matchboxes, and it looked weak and unloved, so I thought why not. Just like Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree, I thought if I gave the little guy some love he might turn out okay. Given that this is only my third tank, I actually am rather pleased at how it ended up. If you’re a fan of obscure and ineffective military hardware, follow the link below. Given that I’m pretty new to armour, I’d be very appreciative of any comments you guys have! [/b] https://adamrehorn.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/chi-ha-038.jpg?w=380[/img]

I have that Dinah Trainer, but as an Arii! I also have the Mania Babs. Both are really nice, even more impressive when you consider how long ago they were made, and what their competition looked like!

Wow... now that is some sketchy glue (?) if ever I've seen it! None of my FROGS have come with anything like that, at least not to my knowledge! I don't remember seeing anything like it, so I'll have to keep my eyes open. Of course, all mine are second-hand, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone threw out that little tube. What good is that little glue supposed to do you anyway? Sheesh. Thanks for the fun pic!

It’s not just unusual subject matter that always attracts me to a kit. Even I tend to like some of the more famous subjects in aviation history. However, it’s always nice if it can be a bit of both; fairly well-known, but still a bit outside of the ordinary. This is not easy to do for WWII aircraft, which tend to either be famous or forgotten. One plane, though, that does manage to straddle the line is the Yokosuka D4Y, known as the “Judy” in Allied code. I’ve always liked the Judy, both in its inline- and radial-engined forms, and like the Seiran, it always looks to me like a heavy fighter rather than a bomber. Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I was reviewing just another Judy. Nope. I managed to come across something of an old and unusual kit this time; one of the old (1960’s, I believe) LS models in the conveniently not-in-scale-to-anything size of 1/75! Just the box art on this thing is worth the price I paid! Check it out, and prepare to be amazed at what LS could do a half century ago, and be saddened by how far other kit makers still have to go to catch up. https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/ls-models-1-75-yokosuka-d4y2-suisei-judy-oob/