The Ship Modeler's Review List Online has returned! After an absence to implement system upgrades, the Review List (presently at version 6.9.2-3) is back online.

The Ship Modeler's Review List Online, also known as “DAVE's, RAJENDRA's, JOE's, et al's list of SHIP KIT REVIEWS”, is, to quote from the website, “an ambitious (perhaps futile and/or insane) attempt by various members of the model ship community to catalog and review every plastic and resin model ship kit of all time”.

The List is a non-commercial site, available to modelers for free. It is written by and intended for ship modelers to improve the hobby of ship modelling by making it easier to select good kits, and to provide information on how to fix some of the problematical ones. The List is an “Old School” resource without any pics or video elements - just text. Here’s a couple of typical reviews:

Trumpeter

Gato 1941 (USN SS212) {05905} [1/144] (WW2) FH
GOOD. Trumpeter’s 1941 Gato represents the sub in its initial, as-launched configuration with the enclosed conning tower navigation bridge, light topside armament, and smaller number of drainage holes along the hull sides. Released back in 2006, the kit was a welcome successor to the1950s Lindberg Gato and the 1971 Revell Gato class sub which had been the only mainstream options available in larger scales up to that time. Trumpeter’s kit is superior to both of them in all respects. Plus, in 1/144 scale (26.5 inches) it is larger too, making for an impressive but still manageable display piece. The sub is on target dimensionally and scales out accurately with correct, crisply rendered detailing throughout. Assembly design is straightforward, and fit is good. The full hull is split conventionally along the keel, with the foredeck and aft upper casing as a separate piece. Surface detailing on the hull is sharp and credible, especially around the forward torpedo tubes and on the decks. The conning tower is accurate with open portholes forward and well executed internal bracing and deck surfaces. Smaller detail parts such as the hatches, cleats, roller chocks, searchlight, RDF mast, periscopes, and ship’s bell are first rate. Oddly, Trumpeter also included a 21-part internal pressure hull including decks, bulkheads, and doors which, once sealed up and set in place, is completely invisible.
Although molding throughout the kit is fairly clean, there is the slight mold misalignment typical of Trumpeter ship kits which renders small parts such as stanchions, periscopes, and gun barrels out of round, and thick sprue attachment points further complicate clean up. Also, the inner conning tower sides have several visible ejector pin marks. Armament consists of a 3-inch/50 deck gun and a .50 cal. MG which, although acceptable, are not particularly detailed for this relatively large scale. The shapes of the bow/stern planes and rudder, though right in outline, are indifferent in hydrodynamic section with blunt trailing edges. The bow planes are designed to be workable, but the two hinge halves that mount each of them are so weak the planes are best fixed either up or down. If shown deployed, actuator arms must be added as they are not included in the kit. Decals include large white numbers “212” for the conning tower sides as well as national ensigns and jacks both straight and waving (with the correct 48 stars too, a detail not always seen in kits manufactured outside the U.S.!) However, the smaller hull numbers for the bows (shown on the box art) are absent, as are the small white draft numbers and “GATO” lettering the sub carried on her stern when launched. These markings were all painted out once the war started, though, so these omissions aren’t really much of a problem.
The best Gato available when first released, Trumpeter’s sub has to some degree been eclipsed by a number of even better larger scale options that have appeared since then. Riich Models’ 1/200 scale Gato, for example, has superior molding and detailing, and Revell’s magnificent 1/72 scale Gato has become the gold standard for USN fleet sub kits – although the enormous model can be a challenge to display! Still, even considering these newer choices, Trumpeter’s Gato remains a worthwhile kit that builds without fuss into an accurate and attractive fleet boat. (TR) Review dated January 30, 2015.

Gato 1944 (USN SS212) {05906} [1/144] (WW2) FH
GOOD. This kit is the late war version of the Gato with cut back conning tower, more weapons, and increased number of drainage holes along the hull sides. The kit is identical to Trumpeter’s 1941 Gato except for new hull parts with additional drainage vents and a new sprue with late version conning tower with two 20mm Oerlikon guns. (TR) Review dated January 30, 2015.

Consisting of personal reviews of hundreds of kits by dozens of experienced ship modelers, the Ship Modeler's Review List is a unique and invaluable resource on plastic and resin ship model kits from the dawn of plastic ship modeling to the very latest releases. Intended to include all plastic and resin model ship kits, it is still far from complete - contributions from all are welcome!

The List may be accessed at http://www.modelerjoe.net/shipmodellist.html