With the release of newer modern-era Soviet aircraft, such as the MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25 and others, there is a market demand for a figure to stand beside the aircraft for scale appearance. Until now there has been a very limited selection. Aerobonus answers this call with their simple, but effective, figures.

The latest release is a winter-dressed pilot. He has his helmet on and his hands in his pockets. The figure’s head is tilted up slightly, as if looking at the cockpit or an overflying aircraft. The pilot figure comes as a one-piece molding that is flawless. I don’t see any mold lines that need to be cleaned up. Just a simple cut at the feet and this figure is ready for paint. The painting instructions are printed on the back of the packaging insert. The painting instructions are very basic, with a simple drawing calling out generic colors like white, black, and gray-blue. That said, the callouts are adequate for the figure.

I like sci-fi and weird designs, so this Hasegawa Vanship, from their Creator Works series, was right up my alley. I had never heard of this model, however after a quick Google search, I found out that it’s the “fighter” ship for a hotshot pilot from the 2011 anime series Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing, a follow up to the 2003 anime series, Last Exile. I did find the series on Comcast’s Infinity and watched a couple episodes to try and get some context. Obviously, I need to see the rest of the series but the first few shows were good, so when I get time I’ll finish the rest.

Thanks to Ross at SAC for yet another outstanding metal gear set; IPMS USA continues to appreciate the support from your contributions!

This set is, again, a simple drop-in replacement gear the new 1/32 Italeri F-104G/S. The set contains the entire main gear beam as one casting, with a nose gear; both are perfectly cast and directly upgrades the kit parts.

Installation is super easy; use superglue and press the SAC gear in; they fit perfectly, and impress with strength and “peace of mind” with attaching wheels/tires to the axles.

As usual, SAC landing gear are an excellent investment. As the kit plastic is a bit soft, the F-104 nose gear, being of the offset fork variety, will over time flex and you will have the toy-tricycle look to the nose. The main gear probably will also splay out… With SAC metal gear, the problem is solved, as the metal will hold up.