Brickmania Tiger I Ausf. H Review

The Tiger I Ausf. H German Heavy Tank by Brickmania is a black box edition, a large, detailed and extremely limited kit. Amazingly designed by the leading designer and owner of Brickmania, Daniel Siskind. 

This is a huge kit has equal amount of detail throughout the model. I would say this kit is very accurate to the original vehicle and is up there with the best of the Brickmania kits.  

The instructions are displayed in a high quality booklet. Right at the front of the booklet you have the history of the tank, with images of the real thing. The step by step stages of the build is very easy to do and understand. The booklet itself is better than those provided by Lego with their own kits.

This kit only comes with one exclusive Panzer officer minifigure and one Brickarms' MG34 .

The kit comes with two types of stickers to allow the builder to choose what type of Tiger they want to have. You can have to choose for a Schwere Panzerabteilung 501 or 502.

The stickers are of high quality and not likely to peal off anytime soon. In someway I would say the stickers are better then those done by Lego.

However there isn't just stickers in this kit. You get two of these exclusive printed 1x1 round tiles for the exhausts of the engine.

As I said before you also get interior details which you don't normally get in Brickmania kits. You only get these sort of detail with a black box edition. You get seating for the driver and the gunner. On top of this all of you get the engine located at the back of the tank.

What you also don't see often in smaller kits is suspension. This is because the way to do this at a smaller model is really hard to pull off. With a large model the technique to do this is able to be put in as there is enough space to do so. 

 The only problem I can find with this kit is there are some weak-points which you sometimes get with Brickmania's kits. However, as I normally say to get this type of detail you have to sacrifice stability to achieve accuracy.    

The historical kit comes to $395/£301.60 and it is worth every penny. I have to say that the Brickmania black box edition kits are always expensive but are the most detailed and high quality item which Brickmania produces.

The Weirdest Museums!

A few weeks ago I went into one of the most weirdest museums I have ever laid my eyes on. Now this inspired me to go and find out more about other really weird museums that might be out there. Surprisingly there are a lot. However, there was nothing on the one I went to, the National Poo Museum. Yes you read correctly, a museum about Poo. Now I will go into what they actually have on display and other weird museums below.

The National Poo Museum

Sandown, Isle of Wight.

Now they don't have open excrement simply placed on a shelf for you to examine, they aren't that weird. Each donation which the museum has is clinically displayed within a transparent plastic globe to preserve the specimen in its natural state. Now you can see a wide range of excrement, from human baby to lion. But be sure not to miss the cat poo in a kid's shoe.

Icelandic Phallological Museum
Reykjavik, Iceland.

This museum is the home to 215 penises and other peniles of most of the land and sea mammals found in Iceland. Now if you think I am joking about this, you couldn't be more wrong. But do take a look at their range of items, from the blue wale to mice. The subject matter of the museum is unusual and strange, the museum itself is totally serious. In entering you will be able to learn all about the world of Phallology, the study of penises, and their place in history, art and society. 

Currywurst Museum
Berlin, Germany.

The Germans love their sausages so why not have a museum dedicated to the Currywurst. At the ketchup-red museum display is a multi-scenery exhibit allowing the visitor to experience the sounds of sausages sizzling and smell exotic spices as they go around the rest of the museum. The museum has even recreated a food cart so visitors can go in and imagine making their favorite snacks. 

The Museum of Bad Art
Brookline and Somerville, Massachusetts, USA.

The only museum dedicated to celebrating bad artwork in all its forms. Why go to see quality art when you can see terrible pieces of art which some people may relate to or make them feel talented. As you walk through the galleries you will see artworks with clashing colours, out of proportion figures and lack of talent. So if you are feeling down about your art course, or even think you aren't good enough to make it as artist, then just spend a day here and you'll never worry about it ever again.

Parasite Museum
Tokyo, Japan

This museum is home to over 300 varieties of parasites including a 30 foot tapeworm. On top of this the museum has set up a scientific research center to study the small and the huge of the parasitic world. You might very eat or go to exotic place ever again but at least you will learn something about these disgusting critters. 

Sulabh International Museum of Toilets
New Delhi, India

This museum looks at the entire evolution of the toilet throughout history. The museum as been able to trace the toilet back through history till 4,500 years ago. You'll be able to see all, from chamber pot to Victorian toilet seats. In this museum even the rest rooms are in someway a exhibit.

Museum of Funeral Carriages
Barcelona, Spain

This museum is a basement at the city's Municipal Funeral Services. Here visitors are taken to the dusty basement by a security guard. Down there you can make your way around the exhibit's ornate carriages, some of which date back to the 18th century.

Hair Museum
Avanos, Turkey

This museum was created by Chez Galip, in rural Turkey. The museum is home to his huge collection of more than 16,000 women's hair samples. To make things even creepier the museum is located in a small, dark cave. Don't worry they let you keep your hair on.

Paris Sewers Museum
Paris, France
 

When I say sewers museum, I mean a museum in the sewer. Paris has a network of tunnels were visitors are introduced to the world of sewage disposal from the 13th century drainage systems to the first closed sewers in the late 19th century. Guides talk about the history of keeping Paris clean and for the stronger stomached  visitor you can have a walking tour of the tunnels.

Museum of Broken Relationships
Zagreb, Croatia
 

This museum is revolve around the concept of failed relationships and their ruins. Visitors are welcome to add to the collection with their own experiences and gifts from broken relationships. The artifacts include rings, clothing, Valentine's Day gifts and the occasional fuzzy pink handcuffs. However, I wouldn't go with you other half, as they might just contemplate on the relationship they are already in. 

International Cryptozoology Museum
Portland, Maine, USA
 

Cryptozoology is the study of hidden animals and search for animals who haven't had their existence proven yet. These include Bigfoot and the Yeti. The collection includes specimens and artifacts which relate to mythical creatures. These are hair and poo samples, and native art which supposedly  support the idea of the existence of the creature. Who knows they might even convert you to a believer. 

Museum of Witchcraft
Cornwall, England

Did you know that Cornwall is the home to the largest collection on witchcraft. The museum has categories of everything from devil worship and satanism to the persecution of witches. Visitors can see dipping chairs used to 'prove' a woman was a witch and voodoo dolls, which were used to inflict pain on others. Along side all of this, the museum has a library of over 3,000 books on witchcraft. This is especially great if you are thinking of taking up the art of witchcraft, so this museum is a great starting point for you.

Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments
Amsterdam, Netherlands

This museum is home to over 100 torture devices with the exhibit dedicated to the history of human cruelty. Which is a bit unsettling. The gruesome displays include a guillotine, stretching tables, screws to crush fingers, head and other parts of the body and the Judas chair, a chair of nails. However, the museum does advertise a serious message on that there are executioners still being employed and the death penalty is still exists in many countries around the world today. 

Dog Collar Museum
Leeds Castle, Kent, England

The museum is home to over 100 dog collars. These include a range of different dog collars spanning from five centuries, these include strong collars designed to control haunting dogs, to the fashion item of the 21st century collar. So this is a interesting museum for all dog lovers alike. 

Ice Cream Museum
Los Angeles, USA

Saving the best to last is one of the delicious museums I have ever heard of, the Ice Cream Museum. A brightly coloured environment where your imagination can go wild. From giant ice lolly and jelly bears art work to a pool of sprinkles you can mess around in. The museum's goal is to bring people together and think they do it well, with their exhibits help people have fun, be inspired and gain amazing new memories. Might be on the list of weird museums but should also be on the list of best and awesome museums you must go to.