Gaahleri is a company that burst onto the North America scene first back in 2023 with a new line of airbrushes that quickly became very popular among modelers and artists. I received a Gaahleri Mobius this past Christmas, and it has quickly become my new go-to airbrush. When I found out they were releasing the new Kaleido Colorworks paint line, I had to jump on the chance to check them out.

What’s Inside the Box

The set I am reviewing here is the 24 Mecha Colors set and features vibrant colors, as well as bottles of thinner and cleaner. The box is a lift-off and inside everything is well protected with foam inserts. The paints are water-based acrylics and are factory pre-thinned for immediate use. According to their documentation, the paints are powered by RapidAir™ Technology, which addresses common water-based paint issues, such as beading, uneven coverage, and sagging, by applying in a smooth, sheet-like layer. The set includes the following colors:

Background

From Review Insert

The formation of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division was inspired by Finland's success during the Soviet Union's invasion in 1939, where Finnish ski troops effectively used winter terrain to overcome Soviet armored divisions. Recognizing the strategic value of such a unit, Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole, founder of the National Ski Patrol, lobbied for a similar division in the U.S. Army. His efforts eventually led to the formation of specialized mountain warfare troops. In 1941, the War Department authorized the formation of experimental ski patrols, and by 1942, the 8Zth Mountain Infantry was created. Recruited primarily from skilled skiers, this unit was stationed at Camp Hale in Colorado. The 10th Light Division (Alpine) was formed in 1943. Later renamed the 10th Mountain Division in 1944, it became a critical component of U.S. mountain and winter warfare capability.

For us, geriatric modelers fixed on detailing some of the venerable kits of our youth, Scale Aircraft Conversions can be exceedingly useful in a number of circumstances. For many, this may be as simple as replacing fragile styrene components with sturdier metal items. In other cases, some extra features are added.

The set for the Hawker Typhoon Mk. 1b of classic Revell fame is a good example. This pack features both main landing gear legs as well as the tailwheel fork, replacement radio mast, and a nice set of 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannons without the early shrouds. In terms of modifications, the two-part tail wheel fork has been rendered into a single piece, and the shroudless cannons are a very nice alternative to the kit items. I’d been thinking of attempting this modest conversion myself anyway, but these eliminated the need for scratch-building.