WHAT'S NEW ON SMAKR

SMAKR - Scale Model Aircraft Kit Reviews!!

SMAKR Home  |  What's New ARCHIVES  |  Submissions  | Information Requests   
News  |  Links  |  Reference Corner  |  Site Info 
1/72 Reviews  |  1/48 Reviews  |  INBOX Reviews  

Email:   smakr1@optusnet.com.au  

This page is updated every time SMAKR is - telling you exactly what has been added to or altered on the site.  A running total of reviews is shown in brackets after the first one in an update. At the end of the month the previous month's updates are summarised into a paragraph and archived to the What's New Archives page as a chronological record of site updates. 

 

Before you send me an email requesting information/assistance, please note the following answers to commonly asked questions.  SMAKR answers further questions "Information Requests".  Due to a busy schedule of commitments and the volume of emails I do get, sorry but I generally won't respond to questions which are answered here.

 

Please see NEWS Page for SMAKR position on warning imposed against this site by Google. 

 

5 February 2010

KIT REVIEW (1047+) - Special Hobby 1/72 Brewster Model 339/Buffalo Mk.I - PETER LLOYD - first up we extend our thanks to Peter for taking the plunge and writing a review for SMAKR - welcome aboard!  Although the Buffalo is well catered for in 72nd, this option allows for one of the earliest Buffalo versions to be produced, but like always with short run kits, requires some modelling skills to put together, but enough to make the project well worth it. 

- Idea (Hobbycraft) 1/72 Avro CF-105 Arrow - myself - the arrow is one of those planes that never, but most certainly should have, been a production fighter.  It's history is controversial and it was way more advanced than anything else for its time and could have been the first "third generation fighter", from which many other projects such as the SR-71 owe tribute to.  Only in recent years the mystery why it was cancelled has become a bit more common knowledge - those pesky Soviet spies!  Since this was an aircraft destined to be in the USAF I couldn't help but try a what-if scenario.  The kit itself is good but as often the case, has a few points of accuracy to deal with.

INBOX REVIEW (633) - MPM 1/72 Hispano Ha-200 Saetta - Carlos Giani - As always from Carlos a great insight inside another MPM kit and parts and decal images also provided.  Could provide a few challenges but certainly one for the hobby collection that features a bit more than the common variety of Mustangs etc!

next update planned - mid February

27 January 2010

KIT REVIEW (1046) - Revell & Matchbox 1/72 Mystere IVA - myself - this is two kit reviews in one, as I review both the Revell and Matchbox releases of this great early jet age aircraft.  Of course they are both heralded from the Matchbox kit and have the same molds, so it was fun doing them in different liveries.  The decals may sway you on which kit you build!

INBOX REVIEW (633) - MPM 1/72 Arado Ar-95A/W - Carlos Giani - this is the floats version of the same kit reviewed some time ago by Paul Wherran and Carlos has done a great job as always in providing us with an excellent insight into what the kit may build up like, and this floats version might provide a few challenges!  Images of parts etc are also provided by Carlos.

next update planned - early February

20 January 2010

I hope everyone had a great break, festive and holiday season and are refreshed for the new decade!  Quite unbelievable how quickly time goes nowadays, and rather sad as well.  This year shapes up as a very busy one for me, now with a more permanent home for my model building at long last, I hope to churn out a few this year, intertwined between a raft of business, study and work commitments.  But as always will continue to update SMAKR and provide you with more reviews this year.  If I haven't replied to an email or review you have sent in, it hasn't been received, as I did a huge email purge over the break and this also ended up purging everything on the server to be downloaded.  Something I am very adept at doing!  So you may want to resend. 

All the best to you and your family and lets hope this year is a peaceful and fun one!  Keep going with the hobby.....!

KIT REVIEWS (1044+) - Amodel 1/72 I-302P - myself - I have almost completed four models already this year, and this one is the first. Right off the bat something a little different.  A small model of an aircraft I didn't know very much about at all until I started doing some research during the build.  An interesting subject indeed of an aircraft that could have been Russia's first jet.  Short run but not a very hard model to do.

- Jach 1/72 Heinkel He 176 - Carlos Giani - another bit of an esoteric subject for today's update coming from Carlos who has put together this tiny little aircraft.  One of those kits, you would like to have a bit smaller fingers for, but it is an important aircraft that helped the Komet project lift off the ground so to speak.

INBOX REVIEW (632) - Amodel 1/72 Sukhoi Su-15TM Flagon F - myself - when I started this inbox review a couple of days ago, I was oblivious to the fact that there were already a couple each of inbox and fully built reviews of this kit already on this website. Oh well, thems the way things fall, so here's my spin on what's in the box for what it is worth.

next update planned - end of January/early February

12 January 2010

SMAKR is currently enjoying a bit of time off and away from updates at the moment.  After building a room and hosting Christmas at home, we are now moving items in to that new room, and I am building kits again with a more permanent set up!  Your webmaster has four kits on the go at the moment and has rediscovered the "stash", with the first one being one out of left field and shortly to be reviewed on SMAKR.  This is all taking a bit more time than initially envisaged, and having endured five consecutive 40+C days of furnace like heat not much has been done.  Stay tuned SMAKR will be updated over the next few weeks!

22 December 2009

May I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and joyous season - hope that Santa leaves a generous pile of plastic under the tree!  

This will be the last update until after Christmas and with family down to spend Christmas and New Year's with us (for a change) not sure when I will get a chance to slip in the next update, but will be back in 2010 if not before!  Oh how the years pass quickly! 

KIT REVIEWS (1042+) - Arii 1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-46-ii Dinah Trainer - myself - ah a pretty old mold I remember from my young days visiting newsagents, and presumably a reboxed LS model.  In the days when the box and parts within meant you could actually build something different from the boxart, which is exactly what I did!  The traditional looking Dinah was what I was after! All apart from the engines this kit was a doddle and a good bit of nostalgia. 

- Zvezda 1/72 Sukhoi Su-37 Super Flanker - myself - I was a bit surprised to find myself reviewing the first of any Flanker kits for SMAKR, which means I will have to build another!  This was a pretty tough project but one of those when you come out the end thinking, yeah it was worth it.  Hrvoje recently (end of November) had a go at a Zvezda kit and his sentiments on his experience with build was exactly my thoughts whilst building this one, so at least I know others will have a challenge ahead of them as well and it is not just me! 

INBOX REVIEW (628+) - Airfix 1/72 Martin B-57B/RB-57E Canberra - myself - a fairly oldish kit by today's standards and I am not sure why I even got it to be honest as apparently the Italeri kit is streets ahead. But a quick look inside this kit seems to indicate a typical Airfix project ahead, may not be overly accurate if it is converted from their Canberra B.I series kits though.

- Matchbox 1/72 Boeing Vertol CH-47D/HC.1 Chinook - myself - now I really do NOT know why I bought this kit off ebay, one of those impulsive things thinking "I wanna Chinook... I wanna Chinook!" without remembering there are far superior Italeri and Trumpeter kits out there. Oh well, I got it and all the more better for you the reader so you can get an idea what is in it, and I can't really see myself keeping...er I mean... building it for a while!

- Trumpeter 1/72 North American/Rockwell RA-5C Vigilante - myself - a much vaunted aircraft that was kitted not too accurately by Airfix and Hasegawa so it was nice to see Trumpeter put one out.  But they got the grand-daddy of them all from Airfix, the phantom rivetter, except he has gone with the technology and engraved the rivets on this one!  Otherwise - and apart from a couple of flaws - looks a beauty in the box.

- Trumpeter 1/72 BAC Lightning F.1A/F.2 - myself - Well I have saved the best for last!  I started dribbling from the mouth when I managed to get this kit relatively cheaply off an internet based store, and was still insanely salivating when the postman knocked on the door and handed the parcel over.  I have long wanted an early mark Lightning kitted accurately and crisply, and with this kit I think we got it.  What a beauty, but I have never known those early Lightnings to carry Red Top AAMs Mr Trumpeter (especially a 1961 bird before the missile was invented!)!

 

20 December 2009

KIT REVIEW (1041) - Airfix 1/72 Douglas AD-1/A-1J Skyraider - myself - I have built better and far more detailed kits than this Airfix olden era kit.  But it was still a fairly simple project within most modellers grasp, and the boxing I scored stood the time well. 

INBOX REVIEW (627) - Hobby Boss 1/72 Grumman FM-2 and F4F-3 Wildcat - Hrvoje Safhauzer - as the link indicates this is an inbox look at two kits by Hrvoje, obviously sharing common parts but slightly different outcomes.  As with the build review of the MS.406 this kit looks like it is going to be a nice little project!

And just a quick note to advise readers that Hrvoje's recent Revell He -111 review is actually a reissue of the old FROG kit, with many thanks to Gary Phillips, Brian Baker, Brian Manning and Simon Skinner all more or less saying the same thing.  And also a quick note that Hrvoje's He-111 is actually a He-111P-4 conversion from the H-4 kit.  I haven't been able to add this information to the review just yet, but will do so over the forthcoming days/couple of weeks.

16 December 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1039+) - Hobby Boss 1/72 Morane Saulnier MS.406 - Hrvoje Safhauzer - Hrvoje has put this nice little Hobby Boss kit together based on a subject of his local country, the Yugoslav MS.406 C1 Partisan version, with a comprehensive slice of history which makes for interesting reading also.

- Revell 1/72 Fokker E.III coverted to B.I - Steve Hedworth - a challenging but rewarding project for Steve as he set about effectively turning a monoplane into a biplane, using a classic kit of the 60's.  Really comprehensive account of things makes for a great read, and if you are thinking of doing your own conversions with an overflowing spares box, may be this one will inspire you!

Richard Stracey has provided box images of the recent Hobby Boss Mig 15 kits which I have added to respective reviews.

Finally, Carlos has added a generous addendum to my decade old review of the Airfix Hampden.  I remember that kit being very challenging and one of my first problem/unsuccessful builds after I started SMAKR in 1998.  I have tidied up the review a bit with headings and in addition to his addendum comments, Carlos has added photos of his model as well as the kit parts.  Gee, it was interesting to read how I wrote reviews and built kits way back a decade ago!  Sad too in that so much time has passed!!

12 December 2009

As some of you know we are building a new room at home, hence the lack of updates over the past few weeks... and unfortunately weeks to come (but regularly check the site as I am squeezing them in whenever I can - and I do appreciate being sent reviews to publish!).  The room's finished being built but still a few things inside to do, and we are slowly but surely getting there, including upgrading our backyard.  Thanks for your patience and apologies for not responding to emails (other than reviews) - just a really busy time.  On a great note... I am looking forward to finally finding a permanent place to build kits!  I anticipate the room being finished and things back to normal by about February.  But please keep visiting the site and sending in reviews as I will update this site from time to time and have a couple of reviews of my own still to add from my own builds!

KIT REVIEWS (1037+) - Revell 1/72 Heinkel He-111H-4/H-6 converted to P-4 - Hrvoje Safhauzer - not too sure of the origins of this kit, and it appears certainly not to be Hasegawa or Matchbox that Revell have released in the past, making things a little difficult when you are buying their kits!  Nonetheless Hrvoje has put together one if his usual excellent articles.

- Revell 1/72 Eurofighter EFA/JF-90 - Paulo Ivo Teixeira - as Paulo mentioned in his email, this kit probably predates the aircraft so quite a few accuracy issues are prevalent, although surprising what Revell did actually seem to get right. At least the kit appears to go together quite well as Paulo explains in another of his great reviews including a really interesting and comprehensive history on this aircraft.

28 November 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1035+) - Zvezda 1/72 MiG-31B Foxhound - Hrvoje Safhauzer - one that needs a bit of work, something I can certainly relate to after recently building (and a review forthcoming) a Zvezda Flanker kit.  This one looks pretty speccy when finished though.

- AML 1/72 Goppingen Go-9 - Carlos Giani - an important and not overly known piece of history from Dornier before WW2 that also shows AML has improved its molds. 

22 November 2009

Phew cooler weather, temperatures are less than half than a few days ago.  But with it a massive amount of rain - talk of one extreme to another!

KIT REVIEWS (1033) - Xtrakit 1/72 De Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2/D.3 - John Armstrong - looking for a kit of this hard to find aircraft, this is a limited run kit but could be just what you are after! 

- Redstar 1/72 Anatra Anasal DS - Steve Hedworth - something a little different from the WW1 era and one that gave Steve a few challenges as well as having a bygone era heritage!

20 November 2009

A little bit of time to spend on SMAKR thanks to not being able to do anything else until today!  We can get some hot summer temps as many of you know, 42C (108F) is the upper scale, and we get a few of those days each summer.  But yesterday's temp of exactly 45C (114F) in SPRING is ludicrous.  That's an extreme for summer. Records no longer broken but smashed, just what is in store for us over the next four months?

The heat has set us back with the projects we have around home, so time to get stuck into them as finally we get a bit of a cooler period (although the temps still well above average) particularly over the next 3-4 weeks.  But still time to sneak in another update :-) 

KIT REVIEW (1032) - Italeri 1/72 Bell AH-1W Super Cobra - myself - a nice little kit this one, enjoyed putting it together and the finished product certainly looks the part! 

INBOX REVIEW (626) - Revell 1/72 Lockheed F-22A Raptor - myself - reputed to be the best of the molds for this aircraft in this scale, probably because Revell engineered this kit rather than other manufacturers updating their YF-22 molds.  Note that I will add the boxart to this kit in a forthcoming update.

18 November 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1031) - Airfix 1/72 Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV - myself - in a nutshell, my take on a kit that has been reviewed a few times already on SMAKR!  But looks to me this kit is well and truly past its "use by" date. 

14 November 2009

Well we got past Friday the 13th.....!

Our home based project is moving ahead in leaps and bounds which is great but it is also meaning I am not getting much time for R&R or SMAKR.  Bear with me as I know a couple of you are sending in reviews etc.  Please remember also I am on dial up internet so any emails you send me over 5Mb are automatically deleted off the server.  From my log report it appears two 5+Mb emails were sent in the past week, if it is from you, please make filesize smaller and resend. Sorry for the hassle.

Talking of hassles, there must be something in climate change.  In November the record was 3 days over 40C in the same month. We have only had two days under 35C this month and the majority of others 40C or above.  Breaking heat records left right and centre!  November is supposed to be spring for us....!

KIT REVIEWS (1029+) - Hobby Boss 1/72 MiG-15bis Fagot - myself - two obviously very similar reviews for you today with the building of essentially the same kit with different parts for the single seat and two seat version.  Throw away the Airfix kits as this really looks quite good as a finished product.  Still some question marks over accuracy but a nice looking model nonetheless.  Not really for beginners but at least Hobby Boss provide spares for the small parts!

- Hobby Boss 1/72 MiG-15UTI Midget - myself - obviously in the same mold as the kit above, but also nice to build something a little different than Soviet bloc examples.

7 November 2009

KIT REVIEW (1028) - Hasegawa 1/72 Nakajima Ki-43-ii Hayabusa (Oscar) - Hrvoje Šafhauzer - a solid staple of modelling from Hasegawa which means probably in most WW2 modellers collections.  Hrvoje has done something a little different by finishing it in French markings.

Hrvoje's last review on the MiG-21 has been updated with some better replacement photos.  I've also added boxart to the recent Tamiya X-35 JSF Inbox review.

1 November 2009

As mentioned in last week's update, some work commitments and a massive home project has taken me offline for a while (will be a number of weeks).  This won't prevent updates to SMAKR so still send in your reviews, but please understand there may be quite a few days between updates and I will not be very efficient in answering emails or will be able to deal with queries.  The home project should... in time... allow me finally to have a permanent home for my models, yippee!

KIT REVIEW (1027) - Academy/Minicraft 1/72 Mikoyan MiG-21F Fishbed - Hrvoje Šafhauzer - a simple but basic kit that Hrvoje mentions it's apparent Hasegawa legacy when it joined up with Minicraft, and seems Academy benefited in order to release its own kit.  As usual an in dept analysis of the kit and a few photos (some problems with Hrvoje's flash so apologies for blurry pics) to cover the article!

October updates archived

25 October 2009

As alluded to in yesterday's update, today's is a nice chunky one for SMAKR readers but will be the last one for a week or two due to some work commitments away from home and some serious home based projects.  I won't be in a position to respond to emails too much, so bear with me.  Where I can I will throw in an update or two during the period, but might be a few delays on those sent in.

KIT REVIEW (1026) - Revell 1/72 Albatros D.III - Steve Hedworth - a comprehensive account of this jurassic but simple Revell kit - Steve has also sourced some tips from a modelling magazine and finished off a kit in a striking and colourful sworl pattern that's worth a look by itself!

INBOX REVIEWS (623+) - Supermodel 1/72 Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete - Richard Stracey - here's one from three decades ago from one of those companies many of us seasoned modellers really wish were still around!  Dick has provided us with a nice account of what we can expect out of this kit, which if I recall correctly was the only mainstream injection mold of this cute aircraft.

- Hasegawa 1/72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (Finnish A.F.) - Hrvoje Šafhauzer - another great inbox look from Hrvoje on a very attractive looking alternative subject scheme of a popular kitted aircraft.  A photo of the contents and a great rundown as usual is covered.

- ICM 1/72 Polikarpov I-1 - Carlos Giani - a fascinating little subject from this ukranian firm and Carlos has provided us another great insight into a kit a bit from left field that tries hard to be mainstream!

24 October 2009

KIT REVIEW (1025) - Azur 1/72 Arsenal VG.33/39 - Carlos Giani - another early Azur offering which probably needs a few kits under ones belt to put together.  Carlos tried to emulate the very interesting colour scheme using Tamiya masking and takes us through what he says was a bit of a disaster - but have a look at the photos, it is pretty spectacular as well!

INBOX REVIEW (622) - Pantera (Heller) 1/72 Fieseler Fi-156A-1 Storch - Carlos Giani - Pantera have produced, shall we say, some rather challenging kits in their time but this one does not look like an original, but the classic Heller kit of the 70's.  Carlos takes & shows us through the Pantera offering.

The next update in a day or so (presuming Fortunecity file transfer programs are working and I can access my site!) will be a reasonably large one and will also be the last update for a week or two.  Some work commitments outside my town and then some home improvements may keep me off air for a while and I will probably not be able to respond to emails - just letting you know in advance.  And also letting you know, obviously if there isn't an update by Monday, Fortunecity gave me problems and today's will be the last one for a little while.

21 October 2009

KIT REVIEW (1025) - Modelcraft 1/48 North American F-82E Twin Mustang - Brian Manning - this is one of those kits that has been much maligned out in the modelling community, and there are a range of different reviews (all saying it is bad) out there.  So did Brian think any different...?

INBOX REVIEW (622) - Italeri 1/72 Grumman KA-6D Intruder - Carlos Giani - another nice little preview from Carlos on a kit I still very very often see on hobby shop shelves.  So how does it look in the box?

19 October 2009

KIT REVIEW (1024) - Airfix 1/72 Northrop F-5E Aggressor  - myself - something a little different in terms of subject and a very easy kit to put together, enjoyed this weekend project!

INBOX REVIEW (620) - Heller 1/72 McD.D F-15A/B Eagle - Carlos Giani - I believe this may actually be a reissue of the Airfix kit when the two companies formed an alliance under the Humbrol brand.  Carlos provides us with a nice run down, and it is typical 70's type of technology for an 80's kit, and might have a few fit problems, but also might go together nicely like the Revell version!

17 October 2009

INBOX REVIEWS (618+) - Azur 1/72 Heinkel He-60 - Carlos Giani - this is Azur's first ever produced limited run kit, and even in the images that Carlos supplies it shows - one for those who like a bit of a challenge I would think!

- Revell 1/72 Fiat CR.42 Falco - Richard Stracey - fantastic to welcome Dick back to the fold with an inbox review of this rather Jurassic period kit nowadays but still probably worthwhile getting your hands on if you can.  Dick is living overseas and very difficult for him to contribute but he reads SMAKR pages a lot and often comments on kits and reviews, so it is great he keeps in touch.  On this note Dick has also provided a small addendum to Carlos recent review of the Supermarine S.6B regarding construction accuracy of the floats.

9 October 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1022+) - Special Hobby 1/72 Lockheed C-60 Lodestar - Carlos Giani - Carlos has put together another great review article of a kit which is limited run in name but almost mainstream in nature.  An important historical aircraft!

- MPM 1/72 Republic XP-47H Thunderbolt - myself - it's funny, there are plenty of mainstream and popular aircraft and kits alike which have yet to be reviewed on SMAKR, but here is the third review of this limited run kit and aircraft!  I enjoyed this project in spite of a few frustrating moments from one of MPM's earlier offerings.

INBOX REVIEW (617) - Tamiya (Italeri) 1/72 Lockheed-Martin X-35 JSF - myself - another reboxed Italeri kit with Tamiya box, bags and instruction sheet but overall looks like another fairly simple modern day aircraft.  As usual Italeri's researchers need a bit of a kick up the proverbial, but I look forward to putting this aircraft together down the track.

I've fixed up a couple of problems with the site over the last couple of updates, including Steve Hedworth's images and the link to the AH-64 review, so they should all be working now, any probs please let me know.

7 October 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1020+) - Tamiya 1/48 Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk - Brian Manning - great to see both Brian and a quarter scale review return to SMAKR.  This is another beauty from Tamiya - well engineered, fit and everything else!

- Eastern Express (Toko) 1/72 Aviatik (Berg) D.1 - Steve Hedworth - many modellers say that the only decent thing eastern express have done is rebox some Toko kits - and this is one of them.  Steve backs up with another great insight into his build experience of this kit, a couple of photos, although a touch fuzzy, still show off his excellent finished work.

INBOX REVIEW (616) - Revell 1/48 Eurofighter Typhoon - Brian Manning - Brian backs up his quarterscale review this update with a look inside what appears to be a winner from Revell.

4 October 2009

KIT REVIEWS (1019+) - Airframe 1/72 Phoenix D.1 - Steve Hedworth - Steve provides us with his recollection of building this interesting vacform kit which provided a few challenges along the way!

- Airfix 1/72 Vickers Wellington B.III - Carlos Giani - this mold is certainly showing its age and I think disappointed Carlos a bit but he was still able to churn out a very good result and has also included an open letter to Hornby reflecting probably what many modellers are thinking too.

INBOX REVIEW (615) - Special Hobby 1/72 Lockheed Model 9 Orion - Hrvoje Šafhauzer - well it has been a very long time between drinks for inbox reviews on this website and it is fantastic to see Hrvoje put one together on this vintage Special Hobby kit of an interwar important historical aircraft, which will no doubt prove to be a bit of a challenge for most builders!  I'll have to dig up some recent purchases myself and start ticking over the inbox count too!

Finally, Phil Chapman has added some ripper photos to his recent Airfix Spitfire PR.XIX review for your enjoyment including one close up of the nose art, and the new look Airfix boxart!

2 October 2009

KIT REVIEW (1019) - Hobby Boss 1/72 Hughes AH-64A Apache - myself - the first 72nd review of this important chopper and the Hobby Boss kit is a nice one!

August/September updates archived.

 

SMAKR Home  |  What's New ARCHIVES  |  Submissions  | Information Requests |  News  |  Links  |  Reference Corner  |  Site Info 
1/72 Reviews  |  1/48 Reviews  |  INBOX Reviews