Category: In Box Reviews

  • Academy UH-1Y Venom In Box Review

    Academy UH-1Y Venom In Box Review

    I’ve recently been collecting various 1/35 scale Helicopters (emphasis on collecting not building 🙁) and when I saw that Academy was releasing a new tool 1/35 UH-1Y Venom I have to admit, my interest was piqued. When this kit showed up at my LHS, there was no chance I could turn it down and couldn’t help myself from picking it up. Let’s see how it stacks up!

    Kit features: 16/20

    At first glance I felt that the features included in this kit were lacklustre however after thinking it over I feel like this was a harsh initial assessment. Some armament is included on the two sprues for Academy’s earlier AH-1Z kit in the form of rocket pods. This does allow the Venom to be fitted with either Lau-68 (smaller) or Lau-3 (larger) pods. On its surface, this seems like a fairly uninteresting fact however, I particularly like the inclusion of the larger Lau-3 tubes. These are rarely seen on Venoms and it could have been easily justified to leave them off. Academy’s inclusion of them is helpful for people who don’t want to have to go out and buy a separate pod to recreate a fairly unique load out. Also included is a fairly small PE fret (surprisingly so considering this is a 2025 release) along with pre-cut masks for the clear parts. Also of note is the fact that the kit can be built with its rotors stowed and includes the required bracing to do this. Considering that 1/35 helicopters often have large rotor diameters, this is a good option for those who don’t have a lot of space for completed models. Overall, I’m fairly satisfied with the features and accessories included in this kit but nothing really strikes me as a luxury addition besides the mask set. Academy looses some points on the small PE fret and lack of figures, but gains them back with the aforementioned masks and inclusion of niche loadout options.

    Quality of Molding: 50/50

    The quality of molding achieved in this kit is by far and away its greatest strength. The level of detail achieved here is incredible. Positive rivets are next to crisp panel lines with well defined shaping. This kit is next to Tamiya’s F-35 series in the terms of the detail that was achieved here. Of particular note is the tail boom, unlike other kits, this part is a single cylinder with the typical excellent detail on the outside. I don’t think I’ve seen a part this well made before. There’s no improvements to be made here so a perfect score is warranted.

    Instructions: 11/20

    The instructions are fairly basic, and do the job with few additions. They are the fold out, not booklet style and weirdly enough, were split up into two separate sections in the kit I got. I also noticed that there are a few places where the original Korean text was not translated into English, notably on Step 8 when joining the two fuselage halves together. There is a large caution warning with Korean text, but no English. Every marking option has it’s own colour profile in its’ separate booklet but on the whole, the quality here really doesn’t live up to the kit’s details.

    Miscellaneous: 7/10

    The kit includes 5 markings options which I feel like is a perfectly acceptable amount. Since Venoms are largely painted the same way, each scheme is pretty much identical, only varied by unit specific insignias. The decal quality is also fine with no big issues noticed.

    Total: 84/100

    If I had to sum up this new Venom, I’d say it’s basic in the areas that are less important, and outstanding in the crucial areas. It’s very clear that Academy spent a lot of time working on the tooling for this new release and the effort shows. Where Academy looses points is on the instructions and basic approach to the kit features. Ultimately though, The detail in the plastic is what’s most important to me and it’s where the Venom shines.

  • Tamiya F-35C Lightning II In Box Review

    Tamiya F-35C Lightning II In Box Review

    I knew when going into this review that Tamiya’s F-35C was going to be a serious challenger for the best kit I’ve ever reviewed. Both the A and B variants have recived critical acclaim since their releases in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Back in 2020 I rated Meng’s Jumbo Sherman a 92/100, will Tamiya’s latest lighting take that crown?

    Kit Features 17/20

    Tamiya’s F-35 offers some really nice features, some of which are unique to the subject matter here, a stealth aircraft. Modellers are offered a wide range of options to choose from in depicting thier own F-35. The canopy, wingtips, ladder, weapon bays, gun pod, arrestor hook, and fuel probe are all optional accessories to the modeller. I was also surprised to see RCS enhancers included in the kit, these are little nodules added to the exterior of the F-35 to increase its radar cross section to civilian radars. These are examples of small additions that really show how much effort went into designing this kit. The kit includes a nicely molded pilot figure along with helmet specific decals. Also included is a healthy amount of ordinance so that the model can be built in “beast mode”. Other manufacturers might skimp on the included weapons (considering that this IS a stealth aircraft) but Tamiya is not guilty of this here. The kit features various paper masks for the canopy and other parts, although you will have to cut them out yourself. Masks for the RAM panels are not included however and decals are provided instead. For modellers wanting to paint their own RAM panels the lack of masks will be felt as it’ll take some time to mask off the fine details.

    Quality of Molding: 50/50

    I’m hesitant to give any category a perfect score on any kit, but considering that this kit (and the rest of Tamiya’s F-35 lineup) features arguably the most impressively molded part in all of modelling there’s just no way I can justify anything less than a perfect score here. I’m of course referring to the weapons bay.

    The quality of the modelling isn’t just limited to this area however as each and every part is intricatley detailed from the cockpit to the RAM panels. The detail is just so fine and impressive, it’ll be a real joy to see these parts painted up.

    Instructions: 19/20

    These are the most substantial instructions I have ever seen from a Tamiya kit and at first glance they guide the modeller through the build effortlessly. Make no mistake, This is a complex kit and not one I’d recommend for beginners. With the amount of options that the builder has in completing this kit, it’s not a surprise that they are filled with “Do this if A, Skip B, See steps 35-45, attach parts in numbered order.” That said, these are as clear as clear can be for indicating the significance of your choices in the build. The colour profiles included are hugely impressive and nothing like I’ve ever seen in this hobby. Included is a massive 1/48 sized poster detailing the “A” markings with full colour sheets for the rest of the 5 markings. In all the kits I’ve built I’ve never seen such impressive colour profiles included in a kit, they stand in as some serious wall art!

    Miscellaneous: 9/10

    A whopping 6 marking options are included in the kit, 2 Marine and 6 Navy jets. The F-35 is a pretty boring aircraft when it comes to markings so Tamiya has done their best here, you get some colour in one option but the rest are fairly similar, not that this was unexpected. The decal quality is excellent as well with very clear printing. The decal thickness may be another issue however.

    Total: 95/100

    Tamiya’s F-35C is undoubtedly at the apex of the hobby right now, and for good reason. It’s by no means something I’d recommend to a beginner, as there is a number of small parts and keeping focused on a specific aircraft and loadout might be a tall order for somebody new to the hobby. In all other areas however this kit excels.

  • T-Rex Studio Tiger I Feifel filters (Type B) In Box Review

    T-Rex Studio Tiger I Feifel filters (Type B) In Box Review

    As part of my upcoming Tiger I build (more info soon) I picked up one of T-rex studio’s latest releases, 3d printed Feifel filters. Although often associated with the Africa Korps’ Tigers, early variants did occasionally have the later variant fitted on before being phased out in mid and late variants. Seeing as I’ll be building a Kursk Tiger, I picked up a set to try out on the build.

    I’ve been a massive fan of T-Rex Studios for a while now and find that their products are very well detailed and can add a lot to the model, their tracks in particular are excellent in my experience. This is the first aftermarket accessory I will have reviewed and won’t be tallying up scores as seen in my other kit reviews as there’s too much variability between different aftermarket products for a score to be relevant.

    Inside the box you don’t get a whole lot, just two large pieces inside of a plastic bag. There are no instructions or any other documentation of any kind, not that you’d need it as assembly should be minimal. To their credit, T-Rex does have detailed photographs on their website detailing how the final assembly should look attached to the model.

    Detail is excellent and there are no layer lines visible to the naked eye (sometimes common on 3d printed parts). Only upon taking high resolution images and zooming in do layer lines become apparent however they are not visible to the naked eye. It is apparent that these parts were printed with a very high resolution 3d printer.

    Overall I’m very happy with the quality of these prints, I’ve always had good experiences with T-Rex products and I’ll continue to consider them for my builds.

    Thanks for looking!

  • Tamiya Somua S35 In Box Review

    Tamiya Somua S35 In Box Review

    Box art of Tamiya’s Somua S35

    Out of all the French-designed tanks of WW2, the Somua S35 is undoubtedly my favourite. I’ve been meaning to build Tamiya 2015 release of the S35 for quite a while now and my recent trip to Japan was the perfect incentive to pick one up at the Tamiya Plamodel store.

    Kit Features: 12/20

    Tamiya kits are rarely stocked to the brim with nice features but this kit is better than most. Included is one figure and most surprisingly, snap together tracks. Also included is a nice chain, something I’ve never seen before in a Tamiya kit. It’s only a modest amount of features included but to be fair, this is a modest kit. Tamiya is doing more than they need to here for sure, they could have just included standard rubber tracks or molded the larger sections together on other releases. It’s a nice touch having snap together tracks included out of the box. I also like that a figure was included as well. There isn’t a ton of selection of French armour figures so the figure is definitely appreciated.

    Quality of Molding: 42/50

    Any new-tool release by Tamiya in the last 15 years has fantastic molding and the Somua is no exception. The cast texture on the turret and hull is perfectly replicated and I’m not really sure if I’ll be making my own or not, the out of box texture is that good. Molding details are sharp and crisp and will look excellent under paint. of particular note is the rear engine deck where small amounts of cast texture make way for the exhaust vents, It’s impressive that the armor texture is still visible in such small areas. Also included is a tarp made up out of three pieces which are excellently molded and indicative of the kinds of results modern injection molding can achieve. Overall there is no readily apparent drawbacks to the molding, the only that I could see was that some of the belts and buckles are molded onto parts and the detail could just be described as “average”.

    Instructions: 15/20

    Typically Tamiya’s instructions are slightly better above average but fairly basic. While Tamiya does include an instruction manual that fits this description, also included is a fairly extensive full colour pamphlet that goes into detail on the history of the Somua S35. I also really like that each marking option gets colour profiles. It’s far more often for only a single option (usually the box art) to get colour profiles with Tamiya releases and I like that they did all three. Only thing missing in my option is the backgrounds of the various marking options. Tamiya only tells you what unit each vehicle was a part of and nothing else, no year or location of any kind is provided.

    Miscellaneous: 6/10

    Included with the kit are three options for markings and seeing as the Somua was a fairly colourful tank I like that they included these three. I do feel however that there was an even wider range of schemes the Somua appeared in and a fourth even more pronounced scheme would not have been out of the question. That said, the marking options are still good and have given more than the bare necessities to the modeller

    Total: 75/100

    Recent releases from Tamiya (within the last 10 years) have been reliably solid kits and this Somua is no exception. Some nice ammenities in the form of snap together tracks and a figure only help to further increase its score which is largely held up by the immaculate surface detail. Also worth considering that Tamiya is really the only game in town all things considered when looking at the S35.

  • AFV Club In Box Review Sd.Kfz.251/22 Ausf. D “Pakwagen” In Box Review

    AFV Club In Box Review Sd.Kfz.251/22 Ausf. D “Pakwagen” In Box Review

    Out of all the random vehicles I’ve been meaning to build, a Sd.Kfz.251/22 or “Pakwagen” has been randomly near the top of my list for a while now. I’m not really sure why, it looks well proportioned I guess and was one of the more useful late war vehicles the Germans came up with. This is the first AFV Club kit I’ve picked up and got it for $70 CAD. Let’s see how it shapes up!

    Kit Features: 18/20

    AFV Club kits have a reputation for being detailed and this one includes a lot for the builder. Included is a small fret of photo-etch, a brass gun shield and a metal barrel as well. Also included is a generous amount of small arms (4x Kar98K, MG34, MG42 and a MP40) along with personal equipment that would have been owned by the vehicle’s crew. Rubber tracks are included but I will say that these tracks are the best rubber tracks I’ve seen and very well detailed. I also like that it includes the vehicle tools molded *without* clamps, a very welcome addition. Only points missed out on is the absence of any kind of figures but otherwise This kit is off to a good start.

    Quality of Molding: 41/50

    As expected, AFV Club’s Pakwagen has a high quality of molding with one exception. In looking over the spues the detail is quite high, with the stand outs being the driver’s seat and crew bench (molded with leather texture), the crew weapons, the gun cradle with all the rivet details and the exterior locker details. While these areas are the standouts the entire kit really is very well detailed and very intricate that an intermediate to experienced builder will be able to flesh out. The only exception to this is the welding detail. The stock welds look extremely faint in some areas and will need to be re-done, no question. All in all however I’d say that I’m not disappointed by the detail present in this kit and considering the comparatively low price of the kit compared to some 2024 releases the welds are not the worst thing in the world and I’d still say the Pakwagen has high detail.

    Instructions: 8/20

    The instructions definitely are where AFV Club opted to save some money in the fact that they really are nothing special. A short blurb on the front about the history of the vehicle and standard line drawings, nothing special. No colour at all and the profiles included really are nothing special, In fact I’d say the profiles exemplify the “cheapness” of the instructions, no colour callouts (on the profile page) and tiny profiles. Spelling mistakes are also present.

    Miscellaneous: 5/10

    Included are decals for one vehicle based out of the “western front” which let’s be honest is a huge cop out. The singular saving grace for the markings is that they include division markings and stencils, along with license plate information. I like it when kits include these types of markings because often times vehicles have a lot more organizational markings than just some numbers and a cross/star and adds to the realism of the final subject. In one of my early drafts of this review I initially failed AFV Club’s Pakwagen but thinking about it more now, the inclusion of the division stencils is just enough to warrant a 5/10 score. The quality of the tracks also helped increase this score as they are excellent.

    Total: 72/100

    AFV Club is shamless for some of the corners it cut while putting together this kit but on some level it’s understandable? I have no doubt this kit will end up looking great, the detail is there and a experienced builder will take advantage of it. Experienced builders put research into the vehicles they build and because of this AFV Club was clearly ok with not putting as much information behind the markings they chose for this subject. This is in stark contrast with a manufacturer such as Eduard that will not only provide a highly detailed kit but also information about the person who operated the real life vehicle. Add on the fact that this wasn’t a $90 monster and some of the errors are forgivable.