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The PZL TS-11 Iskra (English: Spark) is a Polish jet trainer aircraft, used by the air forces of Poland and India. It is notable as the main training aircraft of the Polish Air Force, and as the oldest jet aircraft still in service in Poland.
Eduard continues to amaze with the release of its Bf-109G series of models. They’ve taken the kit and provided you with some impressive detail right out of the box. However, they also have their photo etch line and the Brassin line of resin. It was a natural to add this detail to their kits. The problem was that as you add more stuff the aftermarket stuff would become cost prohibitive. Eduard has an answer for that. They offer options in the BigSin series that bundles some of their sets into a lower cost offering. Same great aftermarket but at a lower cost.
This BigSin set offers the new Brassin multi-media cockpit set, fabric seatbelts, and a photo etch set. There is no part of the model that is not addressed. Let me look at each set separately.
Eduard has four levels of models that they release. The first is normally the Profi-pack with all the plastic, instructions, photo etch, masks, and decals. This is normally followed up by adding Brassin parts that the modeler can choose to add to the kit. The third one is the Weekend Edition which includes the plastic, instructions, and decals. Just a basic kit. The final version, which is normally released just as the Profi-pack is, is the Overtree kits. This is just the plastic parts. It is the least expensive. It does not include instructions, photo etch, masks or decals. The instructions can be downloaded from the Eduard website. So that is taken care of. Now some would think why would they do that? Let’s admit we all have extra decals and may not like what decals come in the kit. Normally when this kit is released there is a small LEPT pre-painted photo etch kit for those that like them.
Iveco is an Italian truck manufacturer that builds some of the latest trucks and commercial vehicles in Europe. Acitoinox is a truck accessory parts company, and plays a big part in the fancy stripes and mirrored finish stainless steel 40th anniversary scheme of this subject.
The Iveco Stralis Hi-Way is a re-issued kit with new decals and adhesive “chrome” dress up “stickers”. It comes in a sturdy box that is well sized for the amount of sprues inside. The sprues are mostly individually bagged and protected.
This truck is beautifully detailed with parts reproduced faithfully to the original - outside and inside. I referred to various internet sites for picture references. The plastic is given in approximate colors of black, blue, white and chrome, so it could be built with no painting.
The instructions are well laid out with photo like pictures, a good parts map and paint recommendations.
OK, let’s build this thing!
A short while ago Hobby Boss released a charming model of a rarity – the Hungarian 39M Csaba armored car, which clearly shares an ancestry similar to the French Panhard armored car of roughly the same vintage. Although Hobby Boss seems to have done well in the overall design of this kit, it is somewhat let down by the soft rubber tires, which fall below the quality of the rest of the model. Ironically, what detail is evident on the tires is soft and inaccurate, and even includes a misspelling!
