Paleocraft Model Kit reviews are written by Mike Fredericks the publisher/creator of Prehistoric Times Magazine. For more information about Prehistoric Times Magazine click on the icon above to be taken to their website. To order a back issue in which a Paleocraft review appears, click on the icon of the specific magazine issue to link to information on how order.
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue
# 35
"Paleocraft is a new name to the prehistoric model kit world and a welcome addition. Paleocraft proves that not all interesting prehistoric animals are dinosaurs. Paleocraft is out of Oklahoma and offers two incredible prehistoric mammals professionally cast up by Mike Evans of Alchemy Works. I especially like the shiny white resin used. Paleocraft resin Kits is the name of the company and their first two kits include the impressive Woolly Rhinoceros with Calf and the largest land mammal of all time, Indricotherium.
Actually, Paleocraft has been sculpting for some time but this is the first
time its work has become available as 
kits.
And what kits they are! The Woolly rhino is in 1/18 scale making
is about 6 inches long. It comes as a single cast piece save for its huge
horn and tail which need to be assembled onto the model. An extremely
well done kit, it also includes a really nice (and cute) baby rhino
which is positioned under the parent's nose on the base. The base includes
foot prints to show where the figures are to be attached (paleocraft even
drilled holes to allow pinning) and portrays the snowy landscape of the
ice age. Paleocraft really shows the protruding muscles and bone and has
a knack for sculpting realistic fur (something I've tried and found not
easy). To top it off, Mike Evans cast the Rhino virtually seamless
(don't ask me how) so clean up is non-existent.
The Indricotherium (aka Baluchitherium) was an amazing animal that lived in Asia in the Oligocene Era. It weighed over 30 tons which is twice the weight of the largest known mammoth and four times that of the heaviest African elephant of today. Its four foot long head could browse from trees over 25 feet above ground level. Paleocraft's second new release really captures the look of this fascinating ancient mammal. Again it comes as one piece perfectly cast by Mike plus a separate tail and base with scattered logs. Both kits also include curved wooden (pine) base for the resin base to attach to. A neat touch! The Indrico kit stands 6 inches tall by almost 8 inches long in 1/45 scale. Paleocraft obviously closely studied the muscles of similar modern animals because the effect achieved looks great here."
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 37
"Ever since Paleocraft showed us its sculptures in PT's Reader Art column, it has been going full speed ahead creating affordable and extremely beautiful sculptures of prehistoric mammals. Ancient mammals are a subject that PT has always tried to encourage interest in and we sure hope Paleocraft gets enough support from PT readers to continue this series foe many years to come. Paleocraft's latest figure is Andrewsarchus and we just received our amazing review copy.
Andrewsarchus has been a favorite among prehistoric mammal buffs for
many years. This extremely long-skulled predator of the late Eocene of
Asia had large, bone crushing teeth. At over 13 feet
long, it was the largest carnivorous mammal to ever walk on land. Not
only did it have some physical characteristics of a hyena but scientists
guess that Andrewsarchus was most likely a scavenger giving it
a similar lifestyle to modern hyenas as well.
Mike Evans at the Alchemy Works did a fine job of casting Paleocraft's latest in a light gray resin. The approximately 7 inch long figure is in 1/18 scale and includes an 8 inch long, curved pine wood base plus a detailed natural terrain base made of resin to stand atop it The kit is made of the head, body, tail, ground work base and separate tree limb. Mike Evans has been very careful to put the seams in areas of the kit where it can best be removed. This is especially helpful on this kit as Paleocraft has done some fine work sculpting the fur of Andrewsarchus and it would be a crime to loose that detail by puttying over it. I especially like the individual claws that were painstakingly placed in each "toe" of the animal's paws."
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 39
"Paleocraft is really going to town creating its resin cast model line of prehistoric mammals. I don't think I exaggerate when i say that each is a little better than the last. The latest is the ancient "Irish Elk; Megaloceras".
This beautiful prehistoric deer had a strange appearing rack of antlers that grew up to 12 feet across. Megaloceras fossils, although commonly found in modern day Ireland, have also been widely discovered throughout Europe and Asia. Cave paintings portray the ancient deer and prove that it was undoubtedly hunted by early man thousands of years ago in the Late Pleistocene.
In my opinion Paleocraft is really
putting its head on the chopping block by creating sculptures of animals
so similar to modern day mammals. I mean, none of us have seen a dinosaur
for comparison when we give a critical look to the latest T-rex or Stegosaurus
sculpture. Prehistoric mammals, on the other hand, aren't so drastically
different than animals we can see in zoos or in the wild giving us good
reference for our critical eye. As I think you can see in the photos,
Paleocraft has nothing to worry about. The Megaloceras looks every
bit as good as sculptures of modern elk and deer available today.
Megaloceras comes with a resin base of rocks and strewn branches. The animal itself is cast in one piece (plus the two separate antlers). Mike Evans has done it again with his amazing casting abilities. The seam is truly next to invisible which is nice as the fur is tough to duplicate erased by sanding. The fur is very realistic, by the way. The tiny hooves are super sharp and the face is minutely detailed. Give this model a different set of horns and you would have a beautiful modern day elk model kit. The Megaloceras sans base is about half a foot long.
Again we applaud Paleocraft for not only doing a great job of recreating these extinct animals but for having the originality to offer us models of animals no one else produces."
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 41
"The latest in Paleocraft's inventory of prehistoric mammal resin kits is also our featured prehistoric mammal this issue: Megatherium, the giant South American ground sloth. Everyone is exclaiming over the absolute museum quality of Paleocraft's pieces and I'm here to tell you that i am a sworn member of that club. Their mammals are just beautiful and seem to only get better. I fell in love with his Irish Elk in our last review and now his Megatherium is my second love.
Posed up on his back legs feeding from small tree (w/tongue fully extended),
"Meg" is really gorgeously portrayed with very life-like hair
representation. All details of its head and limbs are very realistic and
smoothly finished. The kit stands over 7 inches tall on its pine base.
"Meg" comes with separate arm pieces that fit so well, they
stay in place without glue. 
The trees are made up of several pieces
that fit so well, they stay in place without glue. The trees are made
up of several pieces and are designed to have lichen or dried plant matter
attached to them to keep your Meggy fat, dumb and happy. The feet and
tail fit tightly down into the base in supplied "footprints".
Paleocraft interestingly gave the Meg only one toe claw on each foot (reminds
me of a sauropod) and he assures me that the research showed this to be
accurate. All parts fit together amazingly tight. Very nice! Buy this
model and if you aren't happy, you're welcome to send me an "angry
letter". I'm not losing any sleep sweating over receiving those letters,
though. I know you'll treasure this piece as much as I do."
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 43
"Suuuuuuuey! Calling all prehistoric pork fans! Paleocraft's latest is
a fantastic model kit of the extinct pig, Dinohyus. This amazing
ten foot razorback was the huge terror of the Miocene. Paleocraft's incredible
interpretation was also the hit kit of the Mad Model Party convention
in Southern California recently. Mike Evans of the Alchemy Works beautifully
cast Dinohyus in one piece save for its separate tail. Paleocraft
adds this to its wonderful line of prehistoric mammal resin kits. The
detailing of this 1/18 scale kit is extremely from all of the 
individual fur tufts to his shaggy mane to his cloven
huffs below. The head is so life-like with beady, little eyes, nasty teeth
and bony extensions jutting out of its jowls. Dinohyus is portrayed
trotting along in a charge. Included is a rocky resin base with separate
tree limb plus wooden pine under base. Fred DeRuvo of Modeler's
Resource Magazine was so impressed with this kit that he immediately
bought a copy and is preparing an article about its construction in his
mag. So, look for that."
Review as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 45
"My next review is of Paleocraft's new Paleo Bison, another prehistoric mammal, one that was the ancient ancestor to our modern day bison. This 1/20 (about 7' long) scale resin model kit includes detailed, realistic ground base with pine wood base underneath.
Paleocraft's sculpting abilities are becoming legendary (winner of PT Picks
Best Model 1999) and the work on the latest piece is certainly 
no exception. This bison looks very similar
to modern buffalo but with immense "Texas Long-Horned" style
horns. Paleocraft does a convincing job of detailing the skin with woolly
areas around the head and shoulders and finer hair on the hind areas.
Eyes, ears, muzzle and hooves all look great making a very fine representation
of this rarely portrayed animal. Paleo Bison is posed ready to
charge in an action stance. Casting was beautifully accomplished by Mike
Evans at Alchemy
Works who made the two horns and tail as separate resin pieces to
be attached."
Reviews as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 47(Current Issue)
"Paleocraft (PT Picks sculptor of the year 1999) sent not one but three
new kits for review from their new saber-tooth cat series. The first is
the most well known and everyone's favorite, Smilodon fatalis,
the saber-toothed cat; (our official fossil here in California). When
I took my copy out of the box, my first impression was of the 'drama'
the sculpture portrays, Paleocraft's Smilodon has the look of some
of the early 20th century paintings of this animal with its mouth open
as wide as it will go to best show off its incredible canines. Often thought
by
science to be to delicate for killing large animals,
an interesting documentary on the discovery channel recently showed how
these teeth were used to dig straight into the cat's prey and then pull
up as the jaws closed to rip the meat powerfully and most efficiently.
Scientist have also discovered that many species of the saber-toothed
cats have lived and become extinct over the eons in a cycle and that it
is possible that modern cats may someday evolve back into saber-tooths.
Smilodon, which is well known from the Rancho La Brea tar pits
in Los Angeles is shown advancing and roaring (yawning?) in Paleocraft's
sculpture and is just fantastic. (this raised lips/wide open mouth pose
is called the Fleshmen Gesture and is actually used by males during courtship).
Smilodon has been extinct only about 10,000 years. Over 1200 individuals
have been discovered at La Brea giving scientists a very good picture
of this big cat. You will be hard-pressed to find a better representation."
"Barbourofelis was a large toothed nimravid with huge upper canines. The nimravid cats were separate family from modern cats. They were lion-sized and lived in the Oligocene and Miocene. Paleocraft's sculpture opens its mouth in a snarl. Fur detail on all three cats is so minute and detailed, I honestly don't know what kind of tool Paleocraft could have used to accomplish this effect. Come time to paint, these will be a dry brusher's dream!"
"Megantereo
n
is Smilodon's likely ancestor. It was a felid, dirk-toothed cat,
a widely distributed genus similar to saber-toothed cats. It was about
leopard size, powerfully built and lived about three million years ago
in Africa and Eurasia and then North America shortly after. Paleocraft
poses is about to leap. The resin sculpture is about 6" long, highly
detailed and realistic. It would look great in a diorama with one of Paleocraft's
other prehistoric mammal sculptures as a victim. The three kits are all
in 1/10 scale, one piece casts (except for the Barbourofelis which
has its fangs separate), come with beveled wooden bases and are nicely
priced."
Reviews as seen in Prehistoric Times issue # 51(Current Issue)
"The second
group of three saber-toothed cats is ready from the extremely gifted hands
of Paleocraft Company and PT's got'em! The three include Thylacosmilus atrox the jaguar-sized
marsupial saber-toothed cat found in Pliocene deposits in Argentina, Machairodus
giganteus, the enormous saber-toothed cat of late Miocene North
America and Homotherium latidens , a lion-sized
saber-toothed cat from Pleistocene deposits found in many areas of the
world. all three cats were very muscular hunters with powerful jaws that
easily pushed their saber-like canines into prey. Paleocraft has very
realistically and dramatically portrayed each of these
beautiful cats which average about 6 or 7 inches long
in 1/10 scale. A couple of these resin kits need their fangs or tail glued
on but are one-piece scul
ptures
for the most part. These are dream kits for painters as you can really
do some fine work with their color giving each a spotted or camouflaged
pelt. Paleocraft has a full page color Ad in the most recent issue of
PT showing you how nice these cats can look and giving you all the pricing
and contact information for the Paleocraft company. These are very original
and exciting prehistoric animals to be offered by Paleocraft so get them
while you can."