What's New on the SMAKR web site

WHAT'S NEW ON SMAKR

SMAKR - Scale Model Aircraft Kit Reviews!!

Email: [email protected]

This page is updated every time SMAKR is - telling you exactly what has been added to or altered on the site. A running total of reviews is shown in brackets after the first one in an update. At the end of the month the previous month's updates are summarised into a paragraph and archived to the What's New Archives page as a chronological record of SMAKR.

An "Information Requests" page has answers to many commonly asked questions. Mark has an extremely busy schedule of commitments juggling full time work, business, young family, studies, sport, country life and a myriad of other personal things that many generic email questions cannot always be answered. Please take a moment to see if your answer is on the attached page before sending in your email:

Some pointers that may assist:

SMAKR is a Kit Review site, NOT a hobby store - Please do not ask me for kits!!
I'm in Australia and live in a regional area - so I cannot assist with knowledge on kit stocks and hobby shops in any Australian city, let alone the UK, Europe, USA, etc
There are no free kits or samples given to SMAKR. We are arguably the most unbiased review site on the net as all contributors including myself purchase and build our own kits. That's how we like it so our assessment is as honest as possible.
This is NOT an online magazine or a PAID subscription service. Please refer your questions elsewhere or get into modelling forums (more hobby heads are better than mine!). SMAKR operates purely for the love of the hobby to publish kit reviews. I do not scan boxart, instructions and do not offer an unpaid service of any kind. I already give up a lot of time, effort and money managing this site for everyone. I love doing it!!
YES - SMAKR has pages dedicated to Tips, Humbrol Cross Reference Chart and Opinion on Kit Manufacturers - these can be accessed through the reference section.
SMAKR makes NO MONEY from this site - all banners etc are Fortunecity's alone in order to have a free web hosting service. Yes, I do intend to run SMAKR from its own web hosting service over the next ...?? years ??!!
If you want your email read make sure you put in a meaningful subject line. I literally get hundreds of SPAM and VIRUS emails every day and anything that is suspect is immediately deleted. DO NOT use "hi", "query" and DO NOT leave the subject line blank as these will go straight into the deleted items folder. If you're not sure what to put then write "Kit Review query". Sorry, I just can't reply to every email I receive, but I DO read all that appear to be genuine emails to me.

Please see NEWS Page for SMAKR position on warning imposed against this site by Google.

6 April 2012

Happy Easter everyone.

Unfortunately this will the only update for the next couple of weeks - just a very busy time at the moment. The next update is anticipated around Anzac Day.

KIT REVIEWS (1218+) - Matchbox 1/72 Hawker Fury - Stephen Foster - a bit of a blast from the past and I think one Steve may have retrieved this one from the loft upstairs and has done a good job of resurrecting a golden oldie!

- ARK Models 1/72 GAL 48 Hotspur Mk.II Troop Glider - Carlos Giani - something a little different and definitely unique! Apart from the apparently atrocious instructions this kit may not be as challenging as you might first think, and Carlos has done his usual terrific job on this one.

- Trumpeter 1/32 English Electric Lightning F.1A/F.3 - John Armstrong - we don't get many big scale model kit reviews on SMAKR, so when comes through it's pretty special. This looks like a beauty for large scale modelers. Wait until you see this one, the pictures alone nearly made me drop tools and convert to larger scale!

INBOX REVIEW (695) - Amodel 1/72 Borovkov-Florov I-207 - Carlos Giani - in the words of Carlos - "hey its Amodel...". Without Amodel I don't think we would ever see these types of subjects that they are so good at providing but of course they will be a challenge to build, and this one doesn't appear to be any different!

3 March 2012

KIT REVIEWS (1217) - Italeri 1/72 Grumman EF-111A Raven - Myself - apart from a dreadful forward fuselage to main fuselage fit, this was a really enjoyable kit and comes out reasonably well at the end. As usual the Italeri colours are not the best accuracy wise so I used a bit of poetic license. This one incorporates some photos too.

INBOX REVIEW (694) - Hobbycraft Canada 1/72 Arado Ar-234C - Fred Boucher - A fairly elderly one by today's standards and as we have come to expect from Fred, a really great pictorial review of what you can find in the box on this one. As with the last inbox review, it covers components of fit as well.

I've also added the correct boxart to Steve's recent review of the Roden 1/72 Albatros W.4 late version that Steve has supplied.

February updates archived

26 February 2012

INBOX REVIEWS ADDED (692+) - Airfix 1/72 Fairey Swordfish Mk.1 - Carlos Giani - They say you shouldn't shop when you are hungry... think of that version of this kit.... something pretty special from Carlos here with the new tool Airfix kit that has just hit the stores! What a massive improvement over the old offering. Carlos has included plenty of pics including close up parts... so will let them do the talking.

- Airfix 1/72 Hannover CL.IIIa - Fred Boucher - from new tool to... well almost as old as the subject! A classic older one from Airfix which I know a couple of readers out there will really appreciate and read with pleasure! This one though is sort of a cross between an inbox and build review, with Fred having made a great start on some sections. He's provided the usual lovely scale of photos to see what the box hides beneath...

18 February 2012

KIT REVIEWS ADDED (1216) - Roden 1/72 Albatros W.4 - Steve Hedworth - this is where the inbox reviews should be listed first, you get a treat today with an inbox look from one reviewer and a built review from another. Steve has built up a superb little number here and see if his build experience matches Dick's predictions!

INBOX REVIEW ADDED (691) - Roden 1/72 Albatros W.4 - Richard Stracey - many apologies to Dick for the delay in this article he sent in a few weeks before Xmas! But finally up. Dick has had a look at a nice little number from Roden and fans of WW1 aircraft will find his inbox look a great insight, and a great perspective to add to Carlos and then when you are ready for the next stage, read Steve's review above!!

And Hrvoje has just added a small addendum to his Revell (Trumpeter) Antonov An-2 Colt Inbox review covering the boxart, decals and a few comments of the original Trumpeter boxing, added to the bottom of his article.

4 February 2012

KIT REVIEWS ADDED (1214+) - AML 1/72 Fiat G.50 Biposto - Carlos Giani - this is a newer released kit from the G.50 with different layout of parts but as Carlos found it still brought with it a few short kit run traits to deal with. Still he did a great job with the challenges faced!

- Azur 1/72 Liore-Nieuport LN-411 - myself - here's my take on a kit that has already been reviewed a couple of times on SMAKR, but I enjoyed the build and it does provide an opportunity for a striking scheme.

29 January 2012

Welcome to 2012 and we are now back up and running as per usual with SMAKR. Most things haven't changed much but you will notice a few cosmetic differences, just to make the site a little more interesting. Unfortunately sun, surf and sand has kept me well and truly occupied, so the Fencer hasn't progressed at all since Xmas but hopefully soon will be back in the swing of modelling again.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed articles over the past month and hence that is why today will see a pretty sizeable update for the site. All reviews received up until Australia Day (26 Jan) have been published with this update, so please let me know if you sent one in that isn't here. This is the largest single update for SMAKR and will be the only update this month, as things will return to more normal updates from Feb.

KIT REVIEWS ADDED (1206+) - Huma 1/72 Messerschmitt Me-309 - Myself - yes I built this one a few months ago now, just a little slack on the article writing. A nice little limited run number this one, and easier than first thought. Nice also for me to review a kit not already reviewed on SMAKR for a change :-)

- Frog 1/72 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat - Don Kranz - continuing Don's theme of old time modelling, here is an early 70's kit which was a pretty good one for its time and builds into an acceptable replica.

- Airfix 1/72 BAe Concorde - Erwin Bovyn - Fantastic to welcome Erwin back to the pages of SMAKR as a returning reviewer. Anyone who is interested in aircraft other than military will enjoy Erwin's article on building this beast!

- Revell 1/72 Fokker E.111 - converted to Pfalz E.V - Steve Hedworth - As has been his trademark Steve has pulled apart another Revell E.III kit and produced a stunning little replica of the Pfalz E.V and takes us through a step by step easy conversion.

- Monogram 1/72 G.D. F-16XL Fighting Falcon - Paulo Ivo Teixeira - The bat winged viper finds its place on SMAKR with another excellent review and article from Paulo, a few small issues more from an accuracy point and decal sheet but as I often do, because prototypes not always an inspirational design, a what if Israeli bird has emerged from Paulo's work.

- Airfix 1/72 Hawk 81-A-2 - Roy Poulter - Always an absolute delight to welcome a new reviewer to the pages of SMAKR, and many thanks to Roy for adding another quality review to the site. This kit is the new tooling Airfix Hawk from the P-40 family and again Airfix has produced a lovely new number at a great value price. The Flying Tigers feature in this artcile.

- Revell (Matchbox) 1/72 Supermarine Walrus Mk.I - Carlos GIani - yes this is the old venerable Matchbox kit and as always Carlos has put together a fine article and finished model, this one featuring an eye catching silver French example!

- Tamiya 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I - Jon Hudak - last but definitely not least is my great mate from the states who has added a spitfire to his collection and why not start with the first mark! The finished product Jon has put together looks superb also.

And to finish off today's big update with many thanks to Dick Dembroski, boxart has been added to recent Frog A-20 Boston and Huma Fw 44 Stieglitz reviews.

All updates since October last year have been archived.

Previous months/years updates can be found in the what's new archives link below

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