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Faust

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Everything posted by Faust

  1. One of the fun parts of modelling, I find, is coming across a kit of something unfamiliar. It could be a different variant of a known machine, or something you’ve not seen a kit of before. For me, it always makes me raise my eyebrows and, more often than not, end up purchasing the kit as an excuse to learn more about the esoteric subject at hand. However, after being into planes for over 40 years, I didn’t think there were too many (at least not from the mid-‘30s forward) that I wouldn’t at least have heard of. However, on a trip to a local store, I came across just such a beast.
  2. You know, both the Foxy, and the Eckler, look okay to me. That era of Vette was too slim, too effete looking, if you ask me. The flares gave it some muscle tone.
  3. Media tie-ins are nothing new to the model kit world. Replicas of famous TV and film cars have always been a big thing for model makers, and this practice continues with Round 2’s “Supernatural” 4-door Impala. Howevever, there’s another kind of media tie in that’s a lot less common, and that’s making a famous person’s car into a kit. One great example of this is the “Foxy Vette”, which was a Barris-designed custom Corvette made especially for media darling Farrah Fawcett back in the late ‘70s! This one-off creation was immortalized, kinda, by AMT at the end of that decade, and the
  4. Well, this is a lot more complicated than I had imagined. Since I normally only build 1/72 or 1/76 armour, I thought it would be fun to take a run at a larger kit, and since I love the G6 Rhino SP gun, it seemed a natural target for my endeavours. However, I will admit that I thought even though it was bit that building the Rhino would not be all that complicated. Sure, it had a lot more parts than I thought it would, but I was hoping a lot of them would be able to be bolted on at the end. Joke’s on me! Check out my progress on the Takom 1/35 Rhino
  5. While I’m not all that much of an armour guy, anyone who knows me knows that I do love my Matchbox tank kits. While the Purple Range kits are pretty fun, I do have a particular love of the Orange Range models. Those were the ones that were almost like playsets; you got multiple vehicles and some figures, as well as a bigger, usually cooler, diorama base. Sadly, finding the Orange Range kits has proven somewhat tougher than I’d have thought. Thankfully, though, Revell Germany keeps the repops coming, and every now and then they’ll reissue one of them. It seems like, within a decade
  6. Obviously, the Spitfire is a plane that needs no introduction. It was in production before WWII and continued in production even after the War. It was produced in a staggering variety of variants for a number of roles, and has long been a darling of model kit makers and model builders. Of course, even I have a couple of Spits in the stash, but I’m a particular fan of the bubbletops, and I prefer building them to the more “normal” Malcom-hooded variety of Spit. Now, I also love Matchboxes, so when I got the chance to get my mitts on a Matchbox bubbletop, you KNOW I was all in!
  7. One of the fun parts of modelling is picking a subject that’s a bit different, or outside your comfort zone. Sure, it’s always fun to build a subject you know lots about, but building something unusual usually leads one to finding out a lot of interesting history and information about the subject. Thus, the experience is both informative and enjoyable, and who knows, maybe it even gives you a chance to acquire some new tricks! For me, that’s exactly what happened when I build the old Hawk (nee Kaysun) 1909 Hupmobile that my friend Alan sent me by mail. I have always liked brass-era
  8. Well, it’s summer time, and that means Hobby Shop Road Trips! Sadly, though, with COVID still smacking my home provice around, it’s not quite to that point. Thankfully, though, one of my local shops managed to buy a whole tonne of old kits, so I’ve been able to recreate the experience just by going across town! Over the last bit, I’ve managed to acquire a lot of kits I’d not seen before, including a large number of Japanese floatplanes, as well as some WWII and even some Jets from Hasegawa and Fujimi, primarily. Of course, I also picked up some other weirdness, because why wouldn’t
  9. Economy and responsibility are great traits for a car to have, especially if you’re the kind who doesn’t like to go far or fast, and views transportation equipment as an appliance. For those with that attitude, the Automotive Dark Ages really weren’t that much of a letdown. Uninspiring econoboxes with poor drivability and no style wouldn’t, and didn’t, bother them at all. It showed in the bulk of the products on offer in those days, too. However, for those who wanted some joy out of their driving, something more was needed. Sure, muscle cars were dead, but there’s a lot of wiggle
  10. You're likely right about that, roym! That's a long way from T/A Country, that's for sure! I just can't believe they'd rip off the T/A so badly when trying to make a Camaro cool. Of course, it makes sense, since the Camaro needed all the help it could get...
  11. Everyone who knows me knows I love loser cars. From Chevettes to Omnis and EXPs to Pacers, if it’s ugly or weird, I want it. However, that doesn’t just go for models. It goes for all kinds of replicas, including 1/43 replicas from Europe. Now, to North American tastes, many European cars of the ‘70s and ‘80s are pretty weird and, in some way, kinda loser-like. Sure, they’re not all like that, but thank goodness for French die-cast maker Solido, who sure seem to know how to pick the runts of the litter! To celebrate making it to 350,000 hits (almost, but close enough as of writing
  12. Glad you liked it! I had fun poking at this plane's less-than-finely-tuned aerodynamics. 🙂
  13. When it comes to Cold War interceptors, the Mig-25 and F-106 are probably two of the most famous. Terribly fast and pointy, these erstwhile bomber-killers exemplified all that was high-tech and paranoid at the same time. Sadly, they weren’t much good for much else, although the MiG had a more diverse portfolio by far. There were other, lesser-known and less adaptable aircraft though, that also stood ready to defend their homelands. One good example is the Sukhoi Su-15 Flagon family. These twin-engined, polished metal lawn darts plied their trade for a surprisingly long time, and a
  14. Wow, I guess I'm an influencer now! 🙂 In all seriouslnes, though, it's a pretty darned cool kit. It has some small issues I'm finding, but by and large it's fun and quite simple. Be aware that the fit of the vertical fins calls for some putty, and that the landing gear legs are more fragile than they look - at least the rear ones are. Other than that, I think you'll find it's a pretty fun build. It does need noseweight, though! I crammed some shot up beside the cockpit, in the front of the wing edges. Works great! Enjoy it!
  15. Highly advanced German jet bombers have made it across the Atlantic and now threaten New York! Space-age technology years ahead of the Allies allows the Luftwaffe to strike back! America’s nose bloodied! Hitler’s new fighting jets open a terrifying new front in a truly global war! War Cabinet sent reeling! If those sound like headlines from a pulp fiction novel, dime-store boy’s annual or some kind of alternate history movie poster, then you’re pretty much on the right track. However, it’s also an accurate depiction of the box art on one of my favourite mo
  16. Yeah, the Stranraer wasn't exactly the highlight of the Supermarine lineup, and its limited service meant it was quickly overshadowed. Still, it's a neat plane (kinda) and it's certainly the poster child for why I love Matchbox. Literally no one else makes it as a kit, yet here is a model, and it's not even a short-run. It was a full-on production kit, just like a Mustang and a Corsair.
  17. I guess it’s true – it’s always the ones you least expect! When I bagged a tonne of Matchbox kits a month or so ago, and I asked everyone to vote on which they’d like to see reviewed first, I figured it’d be something relatively famous, and weird only in it’s being a Matchbox. Something like a Spitfire or Tempest or Panther, even the Prowler. Nope. I mean, there were some weird ones in there, with the Siskin and BAE-125/Dominie, so I was thinking maybe that would be the most popular. Nope again. I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised when it was the bi
  18. Even seeing their faces? 🙂
  19. It’s not a surprise when companies try to associate themselves with what’s “new” and “cool”. While modelling in the 2020’s might not be quite so fixated on this, there was a time when modelling was a more general hobby and companies did try to ride the coat tails of profitable and hoped-to-be profitable enterprises. There are lots of kits of vehicles from famous TV shows produced from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, so it really comes as no surprise that Monogram also decided to produce a kit from the much-hyped “New Monkees” TV show that aired in 1987. Sadly, Monogram’s bet didn’t pay off
  20. I agree with you both as far as the boxes go. There are some Matchbox subjects I don't really care about, but I wanted the box art, and it was worth it. The He-111 is a perfect example. That kit is garbage, but the art... well worth the $14 it ended up costing me. 🙂 I wondered about the Shinden Kai - I'd never seen one before. I am very lucky to have snagged it, yeah. It'll look good with my Katsudoris and my Ki-100-II with the turbocharger. Did you see, Janman, my Matchobx tank collection (which has since grown) and articles on my site? I agree, those tanks are fantast
  21. If there’s one thing I love about going to hobby shops, it’s seeing some of the old stuff that’s for sale there. Most shops carry the newest and shiniest, but a lot of them also have a section for old collections that have been bought, and that’s where I love to hang out. With all the current travel restrictions, hobby shop runs have been off the table for a while, but thankfully, a local shop came to the rescue with a buy of 1,200-odd old kits!!! Of course, my heart leapt at the prospect, and I wasn’t disappointed! Among these time-travelers were boxes of Matchbox ki
  22. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing for old kits and obscure subjects. However, I also have a thing for cool robots, and if you stick a cannon on its shoulder or a beam shield on its arm, chances are good I’m going to buy it. Now… what if you have an old kit, that also has a beam shield??? Yeah, you KNOW that’s going to get me excited! And, it just so happens Bandai must have known that too, since they reissued a bunch of F-91 and Silhouette F-91 kits a couple of years ago. The first one I had a chance to get to the bench was the 1/100 Cluster Gundam. This has a special place
  23. If it’s one thing I normally don’t associate my modelling interests with it’s 1/35 armour. I’m just not that big into armour that I want to spend the time and money on large-scale tank kits. Normally, I just get the COBI (Polish Lego) tanks and build them if I want a big tank. They’re fun and easy. I’m also not super-attached to or enthralled by any armoured vehicles. Well, okay, there are a couple, but they’re darned few . One, however, that I definitely have a thing for is the South African G6 Rhino SP Gun. I love things with six wheels, I love oddballs, and what is odder than the
  24. Some kits are a lot more work than you think they’re going to be. Sometimes, it turns out to be worth it, and other times it turns into a bloody nightmare you can’t wait to be done. Then, just once in a while, both happen, and a nightmarish kit turns out okay in the end. A perfect example of that is the 1/72 Zvezda Mig-29SMT. It’s a beautifully detailed kit, but it’s shockingly overengineered, and like Dio says in “The Devil Cried”, it’s not “smart, just clever”. It fought me almost from the get-go, but I will say that, now that it’s done, it does look pretty darned good.
  25. Interwar military vehicles are not something that a lot of model makers pay much attention to. Unless they saw action in WWII, the various transitional armoured and mechanized vehicles of the Pre-WWII period are pretty much forgotten. In many cases, modellers can’t even get kits of these types of vehicles. A perfect example is the awesome Morris Commercial D/CD. This half-car, half-truck six-wheeler was used as a staff car by the British from the late ‘20s, but is virtually unknown today. As a result, if you want a replica of this cool, but obscure, vehicle, you’re somewhat out of
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