The Jagdpanzer 38 (Sd.Kfz. 138/2), also known as the Hetzer was a light Tank Destroyer of the German Wehrmacht in World War Two. Featuring heavy frontal armor for a light tank, 60 mm sloped 60 degrees and armed with a 75 mm gun it was small, fast and easy to produce. Exactly what a country in a losing war would need. Based on the Czech Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) with modified running gear it also proved to be quite reliable, something that couldn't been said of it's brothers in arms: the Jagdpanther and Jagdtiger.
Review: Academy 1/35 USMC M50A1 ‘Ontos’
The M50A1 Ontos (Greek for 'Thing') was a light, mobile anti-tank vehicle intended for Airborne units. Armed with 6 M40 106 mm Recoilless Rifles it could fire at an target in rapid succession, thus ensuring a hit. When the Airborne units lost interest the US Marine Corps picked up the project and were quite happy with it in the Fire Support role, for obvious reasons.
Review: Revell 1/72 Junkers Ju 87 G/D Tank Buster
After reading Hans Ulrich Rudels somewhat controversial book 'Stuka Pilot' in which he chronicles his time as a Stuka pilot, flying a little over 2.500 combat sorties and killing 519 tanks, damaging the Soviet battleship Marat, sinking a cruiser and destroyer and 70 landing crafts and 800 plus vehicles of any kind. His Stuka of choice was the Kanonenvogel (Gun bird) but he also flew nearly 500 sorties in ground attack versions of the FW 190.
Review: Tamiya 1/24 FIAT 500F
The original Fiat 500 was the Italian answer to the VW Beetle: a small, economic and affordable car for the people. Launched as the Nuova 500 (New 500 in Italian) in 1957 as a successor to the pre-war Fiat 500 Topolino ((Mickey) Mouse). The car was a great hit in and outside Italy. Small, cheap and good looking it was perfect for the time and provided lots of people with mobility.
Review: Mister Craft 1/72 Fieseler Fi-156 C-1 ‘Storch’
The Fieseler Fi-156 Storch, (English: Stork) is a light observation- and liason plane developed by the German Gerhard Fieseler Werke (GFW) in Kassel and was best known for the Stork and the V-1 flying bomb. Development on the Storch started in 1935 after a request from the Reichs Luft Ministerium (RLM). The Storch itself was … Continue reading Review: Mister Craft 1/72 Fieseler Fi-156 C-1 ‘Storch’
Review: Trumpeter 1/72 M113ACAV ‘Armored Car’
If the 'Armored Car' in the title of this review rustles your jimmies: I'm sorry. In what seems to be real Chinglish, Trumpeter probably mistook Armored Personel Carrier for 'Car'. But at least they are consistent with it: it's on every M113 kit in 1/72 scale made by Trumpeter. And there are quite a few.. … Continue reading Review: Trumpeter 1/72 M113ACAV ‘Armored Car’
Review: Revell 1/72 Arado Ar 196 A-3
The Arado Ar 196 A-3 was a reconnaissance aircraft. Starting development in 1936, the Arado company won a design contest for this type of aircraft and became the standard reconnaissance on Kriegsmarine ships and was used for spotting ships and submarines. The kit First the bad news: This kit is based on the old Heller … Continue reading Review: Revell 1/72 Arado Ar 196 A-3
Review: Italeri 1/72 Hs-129 B-2
The Henschel Hs-129 is one of those little known aircraft outside the circles of Luftwaffe/WW2 historians and gamers. I didn't know this type existed until a model of it was released in War Thunder. Work on this slow, well armed and armored aircraft started in 1939 after lessons learned in the Spanish Civil War. The Luftwaffe realized that an ground-attack aircraft armed with cannons could be very effective.
Review: Trumpeter 1/72 T-34/76 Model 1943
The T-34 is one of the legendary tanks that came out of the 'Great Patriotic War', its appearance on the battlefield was quite a shock to the Germans who had no immediate answer to this well armed, armored and mobile tank. Due to it's simplicity it was easy to produce, train crews for and easy … Continue reading Review: Trumpeter 1/72 T-34/76 Model 1943
Review: Tamiya 1/35 M561 Gama Goat
The M561 Gama Goat was a 6x6 amphibious cargo truck designed for the jungles of Vietnam. Intended for use during the Vietnam War it was well known for it's outstanding performance in climbing and rough terrain. It would go where almost no other US truck could go. But it was hard enough to drive on the road that it required special training, wasn't really amphibious, loud and hard to maintain. But it does make for an interesting little kit.
