Right On! Replicas

Right On Replicas, LLC SnapShot Review 20150513*
USS Intrepid & USS North Carolina 1:1200 Scale Lindberg Model Kit #HL419 Review

Review and Photos by Doug Cole

This Lindberg Table Top Navy Value Pack includes two complete ship model kits.  It features the USS Intrepid Carrier (CV-11) and the USS North Carolina Destroyer (BB-55).  The Intrepid was a highly decorated Essex Class Navy carrier launched in 1943.  It saw action in WWII, the Cold War and Vietnam and also provided recovery operations for Mercury and Gemini space missions.  The USS North Carolina, launched in 1940, was the first new style battleship to enter WWII. It was engaged in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and won 15 battle stars.

 

For the modeler: This review covers the Lindberg Value Pack # HL419. This is a Skill Level 2, for the intermediate builder. It is a 1:1200 scale kit and is released under Round2’s Table Top Navy Series. The North Carolina kit has 37 parts and the Intrepid has 49 pieces, both molded in grey styrene plastic.  Each also includes a one-page instruction sheet and a waterslide decal sheet. The kits are well detailed at 1200 scale and can be assembled as either a waterline or full hull version.  Also included is a seascape platform for a waterline diorama.  Overall dimensions are: USS Intrepid, Length: 8½” and North Carolina, Length: 6¾”

 

The Models:  Each model is molded on a single tree and there is minimal flash on the parts.  The decal sheet has sea camo motifs for both models and additional deck decals for the Intrepid.

Construction begins with the lower hull section (omit this out if you’re planning a waterline display) which has mating tabs at the base so carefully line up the two halves and glue the edges in a couple spots with some slow setting tube glue then fill the seams with superglue and an accelerant.  When dry, paint the hull with some anti-fouling red. Next, carefully assemble the two halves of the upper hull section in the same manner making sure all the edges match up. Tape off the lower edge of the upper hull and paint a 1/16” black line around the base. There are some seams on the hull sections that you should clean up and fill with some putty.

You can leave the upper sections unpainted or use an ocean gray here and on all of the other parts on the trees. If you’re building the full hull version, use a slow setting tube glue to mate the lower and upper hull sections together.  Use some rubber bands to keep them in place and set aside until dry . The decks are next. Paint the North Carolina’s deck tan and the Intrepid’s deck ocean blue. After they’ve dried assemble the superstructures first with all their parts and add them to the deck surface.  The two halves of the Intrepid’s superstructure have pronounced ejector pin marks (on the inside) so trim those off to ensure a good mate.  There are some visible seams on the superstructures that you may wish to fill with putty and clean up also.  Add all the other parts to the top decks with some superglue starting around the superstructures and moving outward.

Paint the sides of the ships and the top deck of the carrier with a coat of Pledge with Future Shine floor polish to help prevent silvering of the decals. Now apply the decals using plenty of water to ensure proper placement.  I started with the ocean camo decals.  To install them, I cut them into three smaller sections along some natural vertical lines to help reduce wrinkling.  Match up the edges and use some decal setting solution to soften them up for better conformance to the surface features. If there are any gaps or areas (like the sides of the deck structures on the battleship) that you want covered, use some matching sea camo paints to add that detail.  On the carrier deck use plenty of water to allow the decals to float into the correct position.  Then dry off the excess with a paper towel or soft cloth. Carefully, turn the ship over and set it into a stand that won’t damage the topside details and add the props and rudders with some gel type superglue.  Touch those up with the hull red paint.  Paint the display stands black or place the waterline model on your sea surface diorama and you can display the ships proudly.

Overall: This set is a bargain as you get two complete kits in one box.  The detail is very good and the decals are excellent. Assembly goes well because all the parts fit together very nicely.  There is a little warp in the decks but when mated to the hull sections they straighten right out. Sectioning the ocean camo decals will aid installation.  Some parts are very small. Thick superglue and a pair of tweezers will help with placement.  There are some parts without positive contact points but the instruction’s diagrams make placement pretty clear.  Using a silver pencil or fine tip marker to pick out details on the battleship will enhance the look of that model too.  I can’t find anything bad to say about this kit. The ships built easily and look great and I think you’ll like them too.

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2015 All rights reserved. *All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands. Follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations for any product mentioned here.

Right On Replicas, LLC SnapShot Review 20150511*
1966 Ford Galaxie 500 1:25 Scale AMT Model Kit #904 Review

Review and Photos by Alan Mann

The Galaxie is a full-size car built by the Ford Motor Company for model years 1959 through 1974. The name was used for the top models in Ford’s full-size range in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race. In 1962, all full-size Fords wore the Galaxie badge, with “500” and “500/XL” denoting the higher series. A new model was introduced for 1966; the Galaxie 500 7 Liter, fitted with a new engine, the 428ci Thunderbird V8 and was a response to a demand for a more street friendly engine than the racing-built 427. After withdrawing from NASCAR competition in 1957, Henry Ford II decided it was time for Ford to get back on the track and become competitive in 1961. Once the decision was made to get back into factory-backed stock car racing, those first phone calls went out to the Holman & Moody race shop in Charlotte, North Carolina. Late in 1965, Holman & Moody driver Fred Lorenzen tested the viability of a custom 427 SOHC motor combination at Daytona. When it was determined that a SOHC Galaxie would be uncompetitive against Hemi-powered Dodge and Plymouth intermediate race cars, Ford decided to boycott the NASCAR Grand National Series shortly after the 1966 season began. As a result, few races were contested by 1966 Galaxie stock cars. By the time Ford decided to lift the factory ban late in the 1966 season, most Ford team drivers were driving the smaller, slippery “half chassis” intermediate Fairlanes, and so ended the era of big 427 Galaxie stock car racing.

For the modeler: This review covers the Re-release (Re-Pop) of the AMT 1/25 scale 1966 Ford Galaxy 500 by Round2 under the AMT brand. This is one of the “Retro Deluxe” kits with Vintage box art and bonus goodies! The kit is Skill level 2 for the moderate builder. There are roughly 140 parts molded in White, Chrome, Clear and Clear Red and has Vinyl tires with metal axles. You can build this as a Stock, Custom or Race car and is considered a 3n1 kit. The motor has multiple options and is quite detailed. Using a simple wired distributor greatly enhances the engine bay appearance. The chassis is quite detailed and has multiple exhaust options. The interior detail is typical of the period with a solid tub and interior details. You get a full Race version and all Stock parts for assembly. The body looks straight with minimal mold lines and crisp exterior badges. This is kit is designated as a 7 Liter but would not be so in the Race version. You get a full set of Street tires with Tampo Print whitewalls, a full set of Goodyear Blue Streak race tires and a set of Drag M&H Racemaster tires with Tampo Printing. The decals are a generic race team style with period sponsors and number 6 car decals. Authentic race team version decal sets can be found online by s number of vendors to replicate your favorite driver. The kit decals are typical of the high quality decals Round 2 has released as of late. The instructions sheet is a re-creation of the original and can be confusing with all the options, as they are all denoted on the same assembly sequences. Take your time with the instructions, they have explanations but you must read the whole assembly sequence and omit the excess parts for your version. Overall dimensions are: Length: 8”, Width: 3-1/2”, Height” 2-1/4”.

 

Covered in this Review:  This is a great re-release and it is good to see it come with the 3n1 options. The one issue is that the ability to create an accurate Grand National car from a top of the line Stock version is hindered by the fact the chrome details are molded onto the body. While overall the body is correct the Grand National cars did not have all the chrome trim. While this is a simple fix by just removing the trim on the sides the wipers are more difficult. That being said this is a great build. The motor has Stock, Custom and Race options and the details are fairly crisp. Wiring the motor is not difficult and adds a little extra detail that finishes off the engine. The interior tub is slight of details. This was normal with earlier AMT kits of this period and it is difficult to detail the door panels. The other interior details are crisp though. You get parts for the Stock and Race versions of the interior. A simple roll cage is about all that is used in the race version. The chassis has nice details molded into it. The kit suspension is typical of the time when metal axles were used and simply inserted through the chassis. The tire selection is great and the Tampo-printed whitewalls are of good quality. The body was straight but the panel lines are a bit shallow and can get lost under paint if care is not taken. Other than the hood, the body is a one piece unit which eases painting overall. The decals are very thin in this kit, so take extra care not to rip them as you place them. Use a good setting solution or extra water when placing them on the body. Also give a little extra float time for them to move off the paper backing more easily. Final fit is good and the finished build is solid. The instructions are not difficult; and if you read the written directions building each version is laid out fairly well. Round 2 includes some neat extra goodies in the box also. There is a Mini-Box you can cut out and assemble as well as a single sheet Paint Matching Guide to ease painting. Overall this was a very straight-forward build that went together with ease and no issues. There was not much flash at all and mold lines were minimal. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this a 9.

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2015 All rights reserved. *All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands. Follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations for any product mentioned here.

Right On Replicas, LLC Step-by-Step Review 20150506*
Tommy Ivo’s Showboat with Figure 1:25 Scale Revell SSP Model Kit #85-1285 Review

Review and Photos by Alan Mann

“One is good, two is better, then Four Fire Breathin’ Nailheads Oughta Be TERRIFIC!” Said Tommy Ivo back in 1961 when he built one of the wildest drag cars ever to hit the strip. FOUR 454 cubic inch motors IN ONE CAR! 32 cylinders, or 1,856 cubic inches, and with 2,000 horsepower this four wheel drive car ripped up the strip with 4 M&H 9.00X15.00 slicks, covering the quarter at over 170 mph in 9.14! Tommy Ivo is an actor and drag racer, who was active in the 1960s racing community. The 4-motor car, christened “Showboat” debuted on July 23, 1961 at the San Fernando drag strip in the San Fernando Valley. Although it wasn’t Ivo’s most winning creation, the four-engine “Showboat” is probably his most famous machine. The quad Buick Nailheads were linked in pairs, making them essentially V16s. One pair drove the rear wheels and the other, turned backward, powered the fronts. “It was such a heavy car,” Ivo says. “If you hit a bump, it hurt! It wasn’t like those light flexi dragsters.” Still, it put on quite a smoke show. At the time, it was reported to have cost $13,000 which was a lot of money back then.

For the modeler: This review covers the current Re-release (Re-Pop) of the TV Tommy’s Showboat from Revell, Kit #1285. This is a Skill Level 3, for advanced builders, 1/25 scale kit and is a Limited Production release under Revell’s Selected Subjects Program (SSP). The kit has 214 parts molded in White and Chrome with Vinyl tires and Metal axles. You get a fully painted Resin figure included with your build. The Instruction Sheet is in typical book format as with all Revell’s newer releases. A small decal sheet is included. The motors are highly detailed and assemble in multiple stages; a majority of the build is for the motors. The frame is simple and straight forward. There is no interior being a drag car. The body is in multiple parts but easy to assemble. The tires represent a good replica of what was on the real car based on reference photos. Overall dimensions are: Length: 6-3/4″, Width: 2-11/16″, Height: 1-11/16″.

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; abrasive choices; complete paint and adhesive selections and applications; intake stack construction; engine assembly and detailing; wiring all four motors properly; exhaust header construction; engine wiring diagram; making personalized license plates; decal preparation and application; proper engine alignment and placement; making wired distributors; front/ rear axle assembly and detailing; detailing and building the frame/chassis; removing unwanted copyright script; preparing the body panels for paint; assembling and detailing the parachutes; assembling the steering gear; clarifying attachment points; axle orientation; correcting warped parts; using setting solutions for form-fitting decals; test fitting; detailing the tires for realism; chassis construction and detailing; mounting the body to the chassis; detailing the dashboard; are all fully examined in this 19 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 $3.95 USD.

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

Right On Replicas, LLC ©2015 All rights reserved. *All registered trademarks are the property of their respective brands. Follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations for any product mentioned here.