The AIRES Mig-15bis engine replacement is a model kit in and of itself. It replaces the 3 part “engine” of the Eduard 1/72 kit. The AIRES kit is made up of 30 resin and 19 photo etch parts. The kit gives you a complete Klimov K-1 engine! The resin is fantastic with great detail and is very easy to remove from the pour plugs. The photo etch is very fine but has strength, so it doesn’t feel flimsy at all.

Build-wise this engine goes together very well and the instructions are pretty easy to follow. The only thing they don’t provide is a list of colors to paint the parts. There are many photos though on the web of Klimov K-1s, so it isn’t too hard to find the color scheme, but it would be nice if they told you what colors each part needed. I used Alclad aluminum, burnt iron, steel and, dark aluminum along with Model Master flat black.

This item from Quickboost is a direct replacement for the control stick for Trumpeter F-105 kits and should be compatible for their D and G models. They should also be useable on the Hasagawa or Monogram/Revell kits. Three new sticks are provided in the package. The detail is a bit finer than the Trumpeter version but they are a bit fragile. As you can see in the pics, I broke off one of the grips just while handling it for the pictures. So use some care when you are removing the sticks from the runner and the flash from the stick itself.

No instructions are provided as they are a direct replacement for the kit part.

So, just be a little careful and you will have a nicely detailed stick for the pit.

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review kit.

Mirror Models has released a full plastic kit of the Artillery Tractor T-20, which saw service with the Finnish, German and Russian and Romanian Armies (Decals provided for the first 3 armies).

This kit has over 450 plastic parts and it includes some small PE details. The tracks are of the “individual link” style. I don’t think they will “click” to each other; rather glue should be used in each link.

The kit includes a complete engine, engine bay, firewall and transmission. There is no “hull”, it is built from individual pieces, and so careful alignment there will be needed. Once the engine and engine bay plus basic hull is completed, assembly moves into the interior, with nicely detailed seats for the artillery gun crew.