Model Reviews
Last Updated: February 26, 2002
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Mini-Review Precision Models - WWII
German Artillery Pieces in Resin
By: Bob Collignon
Precision makes a full range of Wehrmacht field artillery pieces
from 88mm to 210mm in 1/35 scale resin. They also make an equally
extensive range of gun accessories, shells, shell wrappings, fuzing,
travel trails, etc. There's enough stuff to make detailed and
convincing gun vignettes.
All castings are very clean with minimal casting plugs. Boy,
I HATE them. There is some slight warping on the long pieces like
trails and recuperator rails, but straightening them is easy.
Barrels are cast in several pieces, so no warping there. The amazing
thing about the small castings is how much detail they have. Most
important, each piece is cast pefectly.
These artillery pieces can be expensive. Full kits retail
at $100 - $200, but I've seen them at shows (Nats most recently)
for about 1/2 price. The smaller detail sets cost as little as
$10 - $12 and are just as beautiful. I highly recommend the Precision
models artillery and accessory line. The guns look great towed
behind something.
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Mini Review - Ryton Press Books
By: Bob Collignon
Ryton publishes a series of monographs dealing with WWII German
armor. The series currently includes 4 books: (1) Tiger I; (2)
Tiger I and Strurmtiger in Detail; (3) Panther and (4) Shutzenpanzer.
All are written and illustrated by 2 formidable names in armor
publishing: Uwe Feist and Bruce Culver.
Each book is done in Squadron style large horizontal format,
very heavily illustrated with black and white and color photos
and drawings. The photos are both WWII vintage and of museum vehicles
around the world. Feist usually includes a beautiful color illustration
or two.
The books are very much geared toward the super detailing
modeler, with lots of vintage and contemporary detail photos and
excellent line drawings. My only complaint about the series is
that the history and descriptions of the photos and drawings is
sometimes a little thin. I find myself wanting a bit more information.
Overall this is an excellent series of books. At between $50
and $100 they are not terribly overpriced for heavily illustrated
books of this quality. If you can afford them, get them now, because
each one sells out fast, very fast!! In fact, all are now sold
out by the publisher, but some distributors and retailers still
have stocks. Squadron is advertising "Tiger I" as "found
stock" for the first edition publication price of $80.
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