Thanks once again to Aires for providing IPMS/USA the opportunity to review yet one more of their excellent cockpit sets.

Included are 10 resin parts for the cockpit tub, seat, instrument panel, and a control stick; there are also a couple smaller resin parts to represent the whiskey compass on the forward canopy framing. A photoetch fret is included to provide realistic seat harness components, including buckles, etc.

The product is well packaged, protected and includes the instrument decal sheet measuring 2 ¾ inches x 2 ¾ inches and a 1 ¾ x 1 ¾ thin clear plastic sheet for lenses. Explanations for the 33 World War One instruments are indexed on the instruction sheet which is very simple. The decals are very high quality with superb registrations and vivid sharpness even under magnification. This product works well with Microscale and Tamiya decal solutions. Care should be taken when using Solvaset, too much can almost melt the smaller ones.

Sadly, I could not apply these to a 1/32 scale WW1 aircraft, because I don’t own any. But this would be a dandy excuse to start into them. I did use some of them on another project I’m involved with. A scratch built 1/9 scale science fiction fighting suit. These worked great and gave the interior a nice retro industrial look.

The two decal sets are in clear register, well printed and of great use to the aircraft modeler. Those that scratch build their own instrument panels will find these immensely useful. As one who builds a lot of resin kits I can see these being of great benefit there as well. They also will enhance a kit instrument panel going over the raised detail. Lastly, the gauge decals also include a small rectangle of clear, thin plastic so those with a punch and die set can make their own glass covers for the instruments.