Verlinden Saddam Statue, A Review, Sort Of...

I'll never learn. After the VERY disappointing T-55 "drop in" engine, and the equally horrible T-62 upgrade, I thought I was through with Verlinden. So last week I bid on their Saddam Statue, since the $14.99 starting bid was a steal compared to dtazzygirl's current starting bid of $32.99. Won said item for $14.99, with no complaints whatsoever to the seller. So I warily opened the kit today. Lots of air bubbles around Saddam's torso (the kit, not the dude) but no problem, I can fix that. Skeletal left hand. Again, who looks that close? Bottom of coat squared, coat on real statue rounded. No big deal again. If you're not looking at photos of the statue while looking at the kit, you'd never know. Plaque on statue base crooked. No way to fix that without removing it and scratchbuilding a new one. Still, I'm thinking, I've built several models from AEF, I can handle this. So I assembled it with no problems. The parts DO fit well at least. Then my wife says "That's a cool statue of Stalin." Same wife (I only have one at this point) who leaves the room every time I turn the History Channel. Thinks Lenin was the Beatle who got shot. I looked at the statue, and I'll be damned. She's right! Obviously this isn't some leftover item from the end of the Cold War. But COULD they have recycled the head, I wonder? I'll be the first to tell you, I couldn't sculpt a figure to save my ass. But damn, this IS Stalin's head. So, in the inimitable style of Cookie Sewell, I'll say... Recommendation: Highly Recommended, for those looking for a 50's era Stalin Statue, this thing is da bomb.