History

The Royal Aircraft Factory RE-8 was one of those airplanes that never attracted the attention it deserved, mainly because it wasn’t a fighter that attracted a lot of press. It was, however, a very basic, fundamental design, one intended for observation and reconnaissance duties over the front. I had always been under the impression that the RE-8 was a rather unimpressive plane, but after reading Paul Hare’s account of its development, I have come to the conclusion that it was really a fundamentally sound airplane for the tasks assigned to it. During the time period it was in operation, it acquitted itself honorably, with its pilots and crews often getting the best of higher performing German fighters. Certainly, taking photos of the trenches wasn’t as glamorous as shooting down enemy planes, but it was a very necessary job, and it doubtless saved thousands of British infantrymen’s lives due to its activities.

As a modeler afflicted with AMS, the one aftermarket detail that I have the greatest weakness for is a resin cockpit. This is especially true for jet cockpits, where I find it difficult to duplicate the detail. So when Aires made this cockpit available for review, I was excited, having a Kinetic F-16D on the shelf. In general, I find Aires cockpits to be very detailed, pretty accurate, and durable during fitting. However, the sets have a reputation for being ill-fitting. My experience to date has been positive, with the sets I have reviewed fitting as advertised or requiring just a little work. This set snapped that trend.

Since 2003, when MiniArt released their first kit, they have become quite a diverse company, with kits ranging from figures to tanks, with most of their emphasis on designing kits either to enhance dioramas or stand alone.