The F-16 Falcon has been around for quite a few years now and it never ceases to amaze me just how many new and interesting ways they have found to mark it. Caracal Models has produced decals for one very interesting and cool set of markings. This sheet provides markings for the specially decorated 2014 flagship F-16C (87-0247) belonging to the 482FW based at Homestead AFB. Complete markings for the spectacular shark decoration and stenciling is provided on the decal sheet. The toothy mouth even sits next to the intake!

Inside the package, you get an excellent reference-sheet indicating just which F-16C to use (Block 30 with GE Engine and a MCID big mouth intake), color call-outs and stencil locations, and the web site for location of the masking templates if you might prefer painting the markings.

Revell’s PBY-5A Catalina has been around for 20 years now and I’ve seen quite a few built. It looks large and impressive when finished. The kit comes in two styles - the “-5” which has no wheel wells, and the “-5A” which does. Eduard has released sets for the PBY-5A which allow improvements to the entire airframe. This set (#49697) addresses the cockpit and interior.

The set comes with two beautiful photoetch frets. One is colorized and includes a multi-part instrument panel, a full set of seat belts, and various panels and boxes for the cockpit. The second is not colorized and includes replacement parts for the cockpit floors, the nose gunners floor, replacement rudder pedals and linkages, ammo storage racks for the waist gunners area, and again, various boxes and panels.

Review

Airfix has released a Jet Engine kit, part of their line of “Engineering Models”. This is an interesting kit, as it intends to explain the basics of how a jet engine operates and it introduces the modeler to some very basic electrical skills.

The kit is molded in red, white, blue, clear and silver plastic. It requires no paint and it actually is put together using (dare I say?) screws rather than plastic glue! It even provides you with a screwdriver.

There are about 50 parts which are well molded and the parts themselves require little clean up before assembly. The instructions guide you through the electrical connections of a handle, starter button and mini-electric motor/blower which actually spins the engine.