Faust

The Rufe was very much more successful, but that's not saying a whole lot. The Norm should have been good, but since none of the jettisoning floats worked, it was really just a sitting duck. I agree, Ray, that it is a very pretty airplane. That's why, even though the kit was a total dog's breakfast, I persevered with it. It's too pretty NOT to have on display!

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/

Wow. Just... Wow! I can remember seeing stuff like that at car shows when I was little. Loved them! I CANNOT believe that's a kit! Fantastic work, man, just fantastic. I feel a bit motivated now... not that I can come up with something that good, but work like this gets my modelling mojo goin'!

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/

Hell's Yeah! Now you're talking! I tried buying one of those a while ago and lost out on it. I'd buy TWO of those, at least!

I think the Me-210/410 story, and the apathy of the Luftwaffe to the excellent He-100 family and He-280 are really excellent case studies in how political infighting can really cause havoc with real consequences for a nation's security. Of course, if you add in the blind adherence to the He-177 and the inability until the very end for the industry to focus on a few key projects, and you have a basketful of lessons that ought to be taken to heart by everyone in the military-industrial complex. The ProModeller 1/48 is AWESOME. I had the non-PM version of that kit, and was astounded how good it was. I sold it for a good deal more than I paid, but I kinda wish I hadn't, although in 1/48 a Hornisse takes up more space than I have to give it...

You're right about the insert, is is very Vega-esque. I don't know why Ford did what they did with the Pinto, since they had to have the inside insert anyway. Maybe it was to hide all the crappy welds? This way, they could make a right mess of things and just cover it over with a piece of panel. No muss, no fuss. I'd love to see what rot is under, and indeed written on or stuffed into, one of these panels. We are talking about '70s auto assembly lines after all. I personally like the way Ford did it; it makes the wagon look less cheap. For a commercial-beater, like the Vega, the insert is okay. For the Pinto, though, a more flush side looks more "vanning", and like they cared more.

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/

Oh my God! That thing is coming along great! I can't believe a Monza can look so tough! Fantastic job on the wheels especially! I also love the side light treatment. Great idea!

That Ford van looks awesome! Is it just a re-repop of the "Vantom/Phantom Van" of a few years ago, but with updated decals? The only thing I don't like about the AMT van kits is the lack of interior. This one, though, would be okay, since it's a bone-stock factory package, I believe. I'm waiting for this one, or at least more details! Never enough street vans.

Oooh! Nice call! A nice new Cimmaron kit would be fantastic. C'mon Revell!

I got one for my brother a bit ago, but I'll still looking for another one. I really wish there was a 4-door notchback Cavalier promo! Was there ever a promo based on this Horizon kit, or even a promo for the Omnis at all?

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/

Man, that's not much of a resume...

Dude... that is so ugly it's awesome. I want two. One for the blah-commercial utility version, and one for the rockin' beach van! The Cedric and Chaser I have have that warning too. I don't know why: those to kits blow most Tamiya cars I have out of the water for completeness and moulding.

I can see that, but I have more fun being harsh than kind. Also, I have some of the newly reissued Aoshima kits from the late '70s ('78 Gloria/Cedric and '78 Chaser - I think it's a '78) and they're FANTASTIC. Also, regardless of what it IS, it's being marketed as a kit. So, I think it's better to let people know that it's not a great kit. It is a fun and lame off-the-waller, though! Man, I gotta get me that van. Epic! Oh, and no... the Rex wasn't sold in the US, Peter. At least, not to my knowledge. The Justy was, though, and they do share some DNA!

I can see that, and it has some Ford Fiesta in it too. Thing is, this is smaller than either of those, well, at least the Rabbit, I think.

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/

If there’s one thing I love, it’s loser cars. Anyone who knows me, or has been to my site, knows that building loser, everyday-kind-of cars is a big thrill for me. I love to preserve these little nobodies in plastic, at least, since almost none of them exist in “the wild” anymore. A perfect example of a loser car is the 1980 Pinto Cruising Wagon. In its last guise, Ford’s gutless econobeater van-wannabe is about as sad as you’re going to get. It’s amazing, in a way, that there’s even a kit of this thing, but of course, MPC saved the day by punching out an ultimate Pinto annual. Resurrected by Round 2, the “Pony Express” can be built stock or custom. Of course, I chose stock. However, it’s not all rose-coloured glasses on this one. MPC’s lame horse has A LOT wrong with it, especially in the engine department. It turns out accurizing the motor is a project unto itself! So, if you’ve got a Pinto and you’re wondering if you need to do anything, or you just like to watch me suffer (and who doesn’t?) then check out the link below! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/mpc-ford-pinto-update-1-not-so-wild-horses/

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/

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/

Hi Everyone! I'm not just into American cars, despite what I mainly have posted so far. I also like some unusual Japanese designs, both cool ones and ones that are, at least to me, a bit disturbingly small or ugly. I have, however, a soft spot for those '70s Japanese cars that try to emulate American ones. One such car is the '78 Cedric/Gloria. I just picked up the Aoshima re-release of this kit (a review will come along someday!) and really quite like it. However, it is IMPOSSIBLE to find information on Japanese cars like I can on American ones. Does ANYONE out there have any information on paint and interior colours for these cars? Thanks, in advance!

I looked at some of mine. Bear Bait (1980 Chevette) Made in Canada: https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/mpc-125-1979-chevette-bear-bait/ Wild Breed (1979-80 Mustang Custom) is, I believe, Made in Canada: https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/125-mpc-wild-breed-mustang-cobra-oob/ My Jet Vette Fast 111s kit is also made and lithoed in Canada. It looks like a lot of the line might have been made up here at one point. It's possible that there are others, but I can't dig them all out right now. Just note: Frenchification (love that word!) doesn't mean made in Canada. The Vette Van I have has some French, like "Modele Reduit" on it, but not much on the sides, and it's made in the USA. So is Gold Rush

One of the most difficult things to do when building car kits is getting the finish right. I’ve had a lot of tough times trying to get things sanded and polished to make my cars look right. I’ve tried a bunch of stuff and some of it worked, and some of it didn’t. I thought it was just me that was having a hard time, but apparently that’s not the case. At our local modelling club, we do presentations once a month on different skill sets. I was asked by the club members if I could do a demonstration on how I do car finishes. I was more than glad to share what I’ve found out with my fellow club members. The presentation was even recorded for posting online afterwards! If you would like to check it out and see how I get my Chevettes and Volares looking like I do, please feel free. Any comments, as always, are welcome! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2018/04/15/the-medium-and-fine-and-ultra-fine-is-the-message/

When they said “Everything old is new again”, they weren’t kidding! I just recently went to my local Hobby Toy Central and was shocked to find old Silhouette Formula F-91 kits on the shelves! The last time I saw that was literally 18 year ago! In fact, I figured that these kits had all disappeared and would never be seen or heard from again. To that end, 15 years ago, I took the opportunity to grab one that a student of mine found in Asia when he was home for the summer. I would have placed bets that it was the last of its kind that would be found on this continent when he brought it to me. Well, I guess that was wrong… Still, the timing couldn’t be better, since I can show off my old-new-oldly new new kit (you followed that, right?) and be right on the bandwagon! So, check out my RXF-91 Kai Silhouette Gundam at the link below, and let the retro robot assault begin! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/bandai-1-100-rxf-91-kai/