The P-40B kit from Airfix has been pretty popular because of good detail, accurate interior and a great price. But for those of you who want to add that bit of extra something, this set is for you.

You get eight pieces of nicely cast resin just as we have come to expect from Aires. The pieces fit inside the fuselage behind the cockpit area and are not replacement parts for any kit parts.

Construction looks fairly simple once you cut off the casting blocks. Removing the radio door molded on the left fuselage shouldn’t be too hard, drill a hole and then use files to clean up the corners. The only other modification to the kit is to remove one of the kit alignment tabs on the right fuselage.

Then it is simply a matter of adding the interior piece and the radio parts. Attach the supplied door in the open position after painting and you are done. Test fitting looks like you may not even have to shave down any of the inside fuselage for the interior piece.

The Tamiya kit of this famous tank buster is top of the line but why not add a bit more detail. The Aires set supplies new stabilizers with separate control surfaces which are a direct replacement for the kit parts.

You get four pieces of perfectly cast resin. No instructions are included as these are direct replacements for the kit parts. Just remove the parts from the casting blocks and install. The parts display great detail and they look better than the kit parts.

Online photos show Shturmoviks with their control surfaces down so this will make that simple modification that much easier.

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

Nissan’s Z-Car

Nissan’s Fairlady Z, more familiarly known as the Datsun 240Z in the United States, debuted in late 1969 (as a 1970 model) to wide acclaim. The US market 240Z was equipped with a 151 hp 2.4-liter straight-six motor fed by twin SU-style carburetors. The Z’s four-wheel independent suspension, manual transmission, and light weight made it a very capable sports car package, while its reliability and ease of ownership ensured it was a sports car that could be counted on to start every time and complete every trip.