There are a lot of really great (and plenty of not so great) model kits, supplies, and tools out there. Stay tuned as I build out my reviews library of some of things I think you should know about.

German WWII Sentry guard shack (Plus Models)
Sometimes the smallest elements are what really make a diorama scene. New technologies have brought a great many new options to choose from, especially in resin. But I had the pleasure of reviewing a kit that wouldn’t have been possible (or at least affordable) even a few years ago. Plus Models 429 Guard Stand is a kit made entirely of laser-cut wood. This set recreates a German sentry box (aka guard shack). Laser-cut from wood, this is a simple, yet elegant approach to recreating the sentry box.

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German 88 Ammo Boxes (Reality in Scale)

Sd. Kfz. 250/1 (Cyber Hobby)
Overall, this is a nice little kit that built up quickly. Over one evening and the better portion of the next day, I was able to complete the model, sans-paint. There is almost no flash (more on this in a second), and seam lines are mostly in good places. The instructions were clear, with a few exceptions noted below, and the kit, despite being fairly simplistic in its part count, doesn’t look half bad at the end.[Read more…]

Realistic Wood Effects (book)
There’s enough good in this book at a relatively low price point to make it worth picking up. It’s terribly sad to see a product with such potential, end up missing the mark so badly based on easy to fix issues. I truly hope they do a second edition with even a basic amount of proofreading and some beta testing of the content with people outside the author base. They are so, so close to awesomeness! A necessary, high relevant book that every modeler would love to have. Sadly, it falls short in the content development department which makes it a highly ineffective book.[Read more…]