Brian O''Donoghue takes a look at another release from Phoenix Models, this time of a Checkpoint.



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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Thanks for the review.

I've built MiniArt vacuform stuff so I'm not adverse to the medium but frankly I'd rather scratchbuild something than use this kit... But the photos are useful for reference.

Cheers,

Christophe

Hi Christophé, the tower is nice but the barrier and blast wall less so. But for those who find scratch-building too much of a step it is ideal. For me the base along with the other sets are quite useful.

We had a few of these around my COP. They model looks a little squat, but I'm sure they came in many sizes. IT need the steel ladder rungs inside to complete it.

Cheers Rob, now that explains what it looked like inside. I had wondered if it was a ladder. Do the towers have a trap door or just an opening on that top level?

Ours only had an opening, and a fall would have been serious because they didn't stagger the openings as they could have. We had occasion to haul some heavy stuff up, with little help. There was rope, but rather useless if you're the first guy up. No trap door, but certainly could have been covered with a sheet of plywood. And it only had the rungs, like on a boxcar - no side rails.
I'm away on "business" right now but can post up a few photos when I return home.

Hi Rob, thank you for the info. It almost sounds like that the tower was designed by the military top brass..... Yes I think that any further images would be very welcome.

When you get back home after work you can either upload them here or email them and I can add them to the review.

Stay safe buddy!

Further images it shall be!
As shown kit depicts round roofs and floors, which I did see, but the square roof and floor seemed far more prevalent, at least in my neck of the woods. (Syrian Border)The squared ones are included as an option.









This is our corner of the Iraqi base we were on:



I stated earlier that our ladders had no side handles, and I know that some towers were that way. However, the photo below and another further down show a complete ladder:



Railroad tracks outside our house (the warehouse) ran straight from Syrian border 200m away. Trains would come by and dudes could be seen jumping off of it. House in photo had windows that looked right into our compound. Good thing we trusted that family. Steel door in photo separated us from the wild west.





Another view outside of our house. Iraqis manned the square tower:



Again, note ladder, and lift rings for the base. Similar lift rings were on the roof pieces.



A nice detail to add - I assume these holes are for lifting the sections:



Another Iraqi tower on our COP. It must not have had an interior ladder:

Hi Rob,

Now they are seriously useful photographs, thank you very much. I prefer the 'traffic' cones/stones in use in your photographs. Much safer than the ones we encountered in Bosnia..... mainly anti-tank mines!

It could be easy to add a 'middle' section to add height tot he supplied tower.

Cheers & stay safe

Brian