This set from Aires replaces the stabilizers on the new Airfix kit. The control surfaces are separate so you can easily model them deflected up or down. A quick check of pictures of the real plane shows them slightly deflected down, occasionally deflected up and just as often with no deflection at all so it is up to you. The detail on the parts is slightly higher than the Airfix parts but if you are planning to model your kit with them not deflected I would probably stay with the kit parts. I did a quick check and the engine fits inside the cowling with no modifications needed.

No instructions are provided as they directly replace the kit parts.

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

Master Model of Poland produces small brass parts for detailing models, be they aircraft or ships. They have parts for aircraft in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72, and 1/144, mostly pitot tubes, refueling probes and gun barrels.

This product is a single pitot tube for a 1/144 F-104. The instructions are quite simple. 10 Cut off the kit pitot. 2) Drill a hole for the brass part. 3) Install the brass part, using CA glue. 4) Paint the part.

This pitot was particularly welcome because the Revell F-104 I built a while back didn’t have a pitot. So I was able to skip step 1. That doesn’t mean I could completely pass it, as I had to use a sanding stick to flatten the point on the nose cone so the drill wouldn’t slip every time I tried to drill the hole. Also, a .3 mm hole is pretty big, considering the size of this part. I stepped down to a .15 mm drill, and it was actually a little large.

This Master Model set provides a quantum leap over the respective parts in the eighties era ESCI, Matchbox, Monogram, and even the nineties era Tamiya series of 1/48 kits. This set is specifically for 20mm cannon barrels without flash hiders. If you are looking for a set with flash hiders, Master, again, is to your rescue as they have released their set 48-128 that features the four 20mm cannon barrels with flash hiders. As it is, this set gives you two muzzle versions of the 20mm cannon barrels sported by the Douglas Skyraider.