The Italeri 'Gulf War Anniversary' boxing of their Mirage 2000C which includes decals for a UAE RAD version but none of the required parts

Welcome to the 580 Modellers review page.  Although it will naturally tend to concentrate on build reviews, where our aim is to be informative and tell you like it is, there will also be reviews of 'stuff' we think will generally make the whole process generally easier and more enjoyable.  Thus we will include reference books, aftermarket resin, decals and the like as well as clever tools and other bits.

To be honest we grow weary of kit reviews that tell you nothing about the buildability, foibles, shortcomings, absences and challenges of successful completion.  A review which includes a procession of inanities such as 'I made up the cockpit', or 'I then glued the wings onto the body' or 'I then masked and painted the tail' is considered to be of little use to anyone.

There is always more to tell and we can do this for you because we are beholden to no one and several of the 580 crew have been significant magazine contributors in their time.

Further, despite there being more kits out there than episodes of 'Friends', surprisingly few actually get reviewed as it tends to be the same kits from the same manufacturers getting reviews all the time.  We also find too many reviews, are quite frankly, sycophantic and thus of dubious worth.  Consequently, we purchase all the kits and bits we review with our own hard-earned cash and find that this allows a most unique, open and honest perspective.   We have no hesitation telling you whether anything you are considering purchasing is good, bad or indifferent, every review ending with an answer to the question “Should You?” as we believe that to be the acid test.

For kit reviews, each will provide some detail of what is in the box and the options on offer, as well as any insight into what can and cannot be modelled.  Our aim is to give some guidance on how the model is finished but without excessive detail as we really have no intention of it becoming a ‘how to model’ guide.  Further, our preference is not to bulk out our reviews with lots of images, because actually we don’t think in this instance ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.

Reviews will stay on the website for at least of couple of months, with new reviews being regularly added.  However, once our page limit is reached the oldest reviews will be removed to make way for new.

We sincerely hope you like, appreciate and enjoy what we offer and find that it is of value to you in deciding whether to purchase and complete one of your own.  If you want to disagree, voice an opinion, or just give thanks then please feel free to contact us at 580Modellers@gmail.com.

Geoff Cooper-Smith, Site Editor