Mike Klessig

Jan 6, 2025 | finescale.com | Mike Klessig

There aren’t many cars that have defined the Porsche brand more than the Porsche 911. Although the GT3 RS (992) version is vastly different and much more capable than its predecessors, the basic design and styling of its roots are still evident. The rear-mounted flat-six engine now produces 525 HP. Extensive use of carbon fiber and lightweight design give the RS outstanding performance. Given its popularity, it’s unsurprising that the 911 has been well-represented in model kit form.

Nov 20, 2024 | finescale.com | Mike Klessig

Anyone who has watched the James Bond franchise is familiar with the Aston Martin DB5. It is the only car with a recurring role and special modifications, like the passenger ejection seat, bulletproof rear shield, and retractable machine guns, made quite an impression during the car’s film debut in Goldfinger. Long hoping for a new Aston Martin DB4 or DB5 kit, I was excited to hear about the Revell 1/24 scale Aston Martin DB5 James Bond 007 Goldfinger plastic model car kit.

Nov 13, 2024 | finescale.com | Mike Klessig

Produced from 1962-65, the Giulia Spider 1600 featured a larger, more powerful engine than the earlier Giulietta. The twin-cam, in-line four was available as the stock 92 horsepower motor depicted in the Italeri 1/24 scale Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 plastic model kit and a two-carburetor “veloce,” which made 112 horsepower.

Nov 6, 2024 | finescale.com | Mike Klessig

The F-35B Lightning II differs from the other variants in that it is capable of short takeoff and vertical landing, thanks to the lift fan located just behind the cockpit and a rotatable jet nozzle at the back. This multi-role single-seat fighter entered service in 2015 and made its combat debut in 2018 in Afghanistan. Building on its 2023 release of the A model, Tamiya has issued the 1/72 scale Lockheed F-35B Lightning II plastic model aircraft kit with everything opened up for display.

Sep 12, 2024 | finescale.com | Mike Klessig

With the ever-increasing environmental regulations and concerns about toxicity, many of the lacquer and enamel paints we’ve known and loved are getting harder to find and more expensive. Acrylic paints have been around for almost as long, but until recently, most still used a solvent base, at least for scale modeling. Water-based acrylics are newest to the neighborhood and are gaining popularity for being odorless, non-toxic, easy to clean up, and, above all, good performance and ease of use.