This has got to be the best time to be a modeler of modern Russian aircraft. I remember as a helicopter pilot in the Cold War, it was virtually impossible to find photos of aircraft let alone weapons systems. Advanced Modeling is the latest from the Russian manufacturers to represent missiles and bombs. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to review this company’s products. All I can say is wow!

In model aircraft, especially 1/72^nd scale, the pitot tubes are very fragile. Limitations of plastic also means that they tend to be overscaled. Even being overscaled the pitot tubes are fragile. Then there is the trouble of the mold lines on the part and keeping them round while removing it. If you are like me that means I can’t do it justice, especially in this scale.

Protected by card stock backing, the parts are contained in a ziplock baggie. Inside of that baggie are two separate ones. One contains the turned metal parts and the other a piece of resin. Each brass piece is packaged separately. This means that you can’t get them messed up. The resin piece is a piece of art in itself. The light grey resin is simply gorgeous. The resin is protected by a foam capsule and the parts are held in place with tape that ensures it doesn’t get damaged. It is very tiny so care must be taken when adding the part to the turned metal barrel.

• QB 32 176 - Fw-190D-9 Mimetall Gun Cover - $5
• QB 32 177 - Fw-190D-9 Early Gun Cover - $5

The late war production machine in Germany required that many smaller manufacturers of parts be decentralized. As such a situation developed different manufacturers modified parts as necessary to ensure they meet production quotas. This is the situation with the FW-190D-9 forward cowlings and gun covers.

Packaged is a familiar self-sealing package, these gun covers are molded in light grey resin with no visible flaws. They are drop in replacement for the kit parts. Simply remove them from the resin pour stub and add to the model.

Master Model has been producing some exquisite pitot tubes, gun barrels and static discharge wicks. So it is natural that they continue that success with new barrels and pitot tubes.

The latest offering is for the Su-25 Frogfoot, the Soviet version of the A-10. Eduard, KP and Monogram have the Frogfoot in their inventory. This set is different than some others that I’ve had to deal with from Master.

Contained inside the ziplock baggie are three brass pieces which are beautifully turned brass. Each brass piece is packaged separately. This will ensure the parts are flawless when removed from the package. In another self-sealing baggie is a very fragile resin vane that contains a bunch of separate shapes from the pitot tube. This piece is protected by a foam piece and held in place by some tape which completely protects it. The resin piece is a piece of art in itself. The piece requires no clean up and is perfectly cast.

AIM-7E Sparrow’s are semi-active radar guided missiles and there were 25,000 of the “E” series produced and used extensively during the Vietnam era by all branches of the services. Eduard has produced a wonderful replica of the AIM-7E in their Brassin line in 1/32^nd scale. The set includes parts to build four complete missiles which can be painted in three different paint schemes (which changed over the years). There are four main bodies and four sets of the front fins all cast in gray resin. Lastly, there is a small photoetch fret which gives depth to the rear missile motor. There is also a full set of nicely printed decals.