Right On! Replicas

RoR SnapShot Review 20131029* 
Type 90 Japanese Tank 1:76 Scale Scale Fujimi Model Kit #76033 Review

Review and photos by Lonny Dyer

This is the main battle tank of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. It was fielded in 1990 to replace the type 61 and type 74 tanks. The design is very similar to the US M1, the German Leopard and the British Challenger. In fact, they all use the same German built 120mm smoothbore gun. The main difference is that the type 90 has a full autoloader for the gun system so the crew is reduced to 3 men. The type 90 is also smaller so that it can negotiate the rugged home terrain.

For the Modeler: Available at larger retailers and online model stores this is the Fujimi Type 90 Japanese Tank kit #76033 in 1:76 scale. It is a skill level 3 kit and requires patience but it’s packed with great detail. Upon opening the box I found the kit was contained on three sprues consisting of 87 parts molded in light grey, a decal sheet and the instructions. The instructions consist of a photograph depicting general part locations but the little bit of written instructions are in Japanese. The first step is assembling the 3 pieces that make up the lower hull, which takes careful alignment to complete. Allow this to dry before you attempt to install the road wheels. Do not install the drive sprockets (#37 &38) until you are ready to add the multi-piece track, or your track may not align in the slots of the sprockets. The next step is to assemble the 3 pieces of the upper hull; again careful alignment is required for a clean fitment. I installed the track using Testors tube glue by attaching the 4 smaller pieces of track to the large upper piece and the formed it over the idler wheels and the drive sprocket before the glue set.  Now add the bottom track pieces and glue together and let dry. The turret goes together easily when following the instructions. I painted this kit’s camouflage using olive drab and dark earth and the track is rust and flat black.

Conclusion: While the small size 1:76 can frustrate even an experienced builder, overall this kit goes together very easily and fast.  Once the painting is done you get a very realistic looking tank model that doesn’t take up a lot of shelf space. The only problem I had was with the track where I had to remove some wheels to get it installed.

*Right On Replicas. LLC thanks ATM Hobby for supplying this kit.

 

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2013 All rights reserved.
*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.

RoR Step-by-Step Review 20131028* 
Smokey & the Bandit ‘77 Firebird T/A 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-4027 Review

Review and Photos by Tom Schaefer

One of the first movies I remember seeing in a theater was “Smokey and the Bandit”, and from that day on the movie has been in my top five favorites. Well, not so much the movie as the gleaming black Pontiac that was the star (in my opinion). From the moment Burt Reynolds drove black beauty out of the back of that semi, I was hooked. 

For the Modeler: This is a Revell 1977 Pontiac Firebird Smokey and the Bandit 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-4027 Review. This skill level 2 kit includes 89 parts, molded in white plastic, with black vinyl tires, clear plastic windows and light covers. For years if you wanted to do a model replica of the “Bandit T/A” you were limited by lack of correct decals and a kit without the right parts. While both Monogram and MPC provided kits, neither had the right “Blackbird” decals and both lacked detail. Then a couple of years ago Revell came out with a pre-painted kit, which was nice, but where is the fun in a pre-painted kit? Finally, they released that kit in real model form….That’s right, this kit is NOT the old Monogram kit…it is the new, very detailed, extremely well engineered, correctly decaled, Bandit T/A.

Covered in this Review:  If you want to perfect your build; basic construction; preparing parts for better finishing; alternate assembly sequence suggestions for fit and ease of finishing; complete paint and adhesive selections and applications; engine detailing; test fitting; suspension construction and detailing; detailing the instrument cluster/console; identifying and repairing seams; handling small parts for trouble free finishing; removing unwanted chrome; engine assembly and finishing; detailing the interior; removing the molded trademark scripts; gold detailing; headliner finishing; detailing the grill and taillight bezel for realism, are all fully examined in this pictorial 14 page, full-color Step-by-Step review in PDF format.

  

100% money back guarantee!

Click the Buy Now link below to purchase the full Step-by-Step review for $2.95 USD.

 

 

                                                                 

 Important – You MUST click on the “Return to Right on Replicas, LLC” link after you’ve made your purchase to download your review in PDF format.

  

 

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2013 All rights reserved.

*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.

RoR Step-by-Step Review 20131026* 
NASCAR Fantasy T-Bird 1:24 Scale MGRM Model Kit #85-0793 Review

Review and Photos by Alan Mann

NASCAR during the 90’s was on the rise as one of the hottest sporting events around. Television and media coverage let fans get access like no other sport with the drivers being very fan friendly and accommodating. Popularity soared and as a result unlimited collector items were created to appease the fans. By this time in the history of NASCAR all the cars were a general chassis and cage system that was standard for that design model, being Ford or GM as the base, with only minor differences in the sheet metal appearance. But the great thing was sponsorship of the teams and the custom paint jobs that were available to make these cars stand out. With one time promotions, standard paint schemes and individual driver changes on the cars it gave fans lots to collect. And this created one of the biggest booms in the hobby business – NASCAR MODELS!

For the Modeler: This is the MONOGRAM #85-0793 kit depicting the 88 Havoline “Welcome Back Ernie” Thunderbird 1:25 Scale Model Kit #85-0793. Even though the kit is no longer produced you can still find them easily at online auctions. Thanks to the plethora of NASCAR kits on the market and the almost unlimited amount of aftermarket details it is very easy to build any car ever run on the track. And for that matter to create any car you want. The base of this project is the MONOGRAM #0793 kit depicting the 88 Havoline “Welcome Back Ernie” Thunderbird. The kit is built direct from the box with no aftermarket parts.  Unfortunately, because of the standardization in the model industry if you build one NASCAR kit you have built them all for the most part. Chassis:  Monogram used a standard chassis for all kits through most of the 90’s. The only variances are GM or Ford designed chassis elements. Almost no updates were done to signify actual changes in designs of the 1:1 cars. Most teams painted the cage, chassis and framework as a whole and used a single color to match the paint scheme and it was usually flat to diffuse glare in the car. The cage builds frame up and is fairly simple as long as you got lucky with no warped parts as was typical for the era. Engines were generic and loosely resembled what you would find in a real car, with lots of top chrome, which was not realistic. But to ask the manufacturers at that time and you got “Modelers love chrome!”  Suspension was also generic and would fit any kit along the line. Body: The design basics of the bodies were again not updated with specific changes and resembled their 1:1 subject for the most part. Allowances were made to ease the fitment of the never-changing chassis that caused frustration to the detail purists. But it was the 90’s and we just accepted it. The dimensions of the bodies were off but the overall look was ok when built, the sides were too flat, height too tall, shape too square and lines just wrong! But we kept buying and building them!  Decals: This was the one place the manufacturers did work to create the right look. And as most designs were complicated they were done in clusters many times and laid as a sheet on the body. While it did create the proper look of the sponsored car it was unrealistic as the 1:1 car’s decals were on top of the paint and individual: replicating that was near impossible.

Overall: As earlier stated, If you build one 90’s NASCAR kit you have built them all. Over the years I have built dozens and this assembled as typical as the rest. Just take your time on the cage and fit it properly and the rest just falls together. As this was missing the decals I decided to build a fantasy team car. The idea was to use leftover decals and paint from previous projects to assemble a one of a kind paint scheme. I had just built the new 93 Mustang LX as a Florida Highway Patrol car so I had decals for FHP out of the Lindberg Charger kit and the paint from Scale Finishes.  Some Dale Jarrett Interstate Batteries scrap decals finished out the sponsorship and contingency decals.  So I have a fantasy one- time paint scheme Daytona 500 FHP sponsored Dale Jarrett Thunderbird from the 1995 race! The build was easy, as it was an original kit, and typical re-pop issues weren’t important. There was almost no flash and the parts were fairly detailed for the time. The motor is a simplistic block build and other than having too much chrome it was a nice build. The Chassis was straight but typical cage issues plagued the kit, a tad of heat from a blow dryer does wonders on NASCAR builds. Clear parts were good and tires typical basic slicks with that horrendous mold line.  Assemble direct from the instructions and you can build this car fairly easy.  Overall impressions are the same as every other NASCAR kit of its age, some minor build challenges but nothing that the typical builder can’t overcome.

 

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2013 All rights reserved.

*All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands.