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Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$14.00

THANK YOU to our friends and suppliers at Aires for another improvement set, in this case for the Roden He 51b series biplane (which was also released by Eduard in a double set along with their ME-109 for the 1936 Spanish civil war. And thanks also to the reviewer corps leaders for making this set available to me to review….

This set provides two stabilizers and two elevators.. The detail provided is an improvement in that the stab has a recess for the elevators, and the elevators are rounded on the front. The stabs and fin have drill locating holes in them so you can prepare for rigging; only requires a bit of microbit work and they are ready to install. The rib and fabric detail appears a bit more refined, so you don’t have to sand them down to make them look better.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$13.95

More metal gear from Ross at SAC; another winner… THANKS VERY MUCH for sending IPMS USA another of your expansive line of metal landing gear, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on to me to review….

This is the SAC-standard metal landing gear improvement over the kit plastic. Roden, bless’em, makes kits nobody else does. WE NOW HAVE A 1/144 C-141B thanks to them! Buy them up so they can finance other models (Hint: a decent 1/144 C-5A next we hope… the “R” re-engined version with the CF-6 can come later!)

I’m impressed with this kit; fit is ok, few locator pins, but the exterior is definitely the right aircraft with the right appearance. The engine intakes are very well done, with positive installation for the nacelles into the wing. The ‘141B is a simple aircraft. I’m going to contemplate making an interior for this kit, as the clear cockpit windows scream for detail instead of a flat area painted black. We’ll see…

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$2.60

THANK YOU to our friends and suppliers at Aires for another improvement set, in this case for the Roden He 51b series biplane (which was also released by Eduard in a double set along with their ME-109 for the 1936 Spanish civil war. And thanks also to the reviewer corps leaders for making this set available to me to review….

This set provides two gun barrels with a center web for directly replacing the kit items. The detail provided is an improvement in that the gun barrels are (1) more scale in size than the kit items, and (2) have microscopic holes drilled in the front of the barrels, as well as cooling holes, so they look like functional gun barrels.

Quick installation: Remove the parts from their pour stub, clean up with a sanding stick, and superglue the barrels in place. I had to clean out the gun deck holes in the upper cowling of a small amount of flash, but it worked out ok. Not much to say here other than paint and move on!

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
MSRP
$9.23

Rubber tires on models have always been a problem for me, largely because of the unstable nature of rubber and vinyl. I’ve had numerous tires (and treads) crack with age, melt plastic hubs, or otherwise wreak havoc on lovingly-made models which I’d hoped to remain pristine for years.

That being said, I must admit that Trumpeter’s 1/32nd scale Sturmovik comes with a very nice set of rubber tires. They feature a detailed and realistic tread and certainly look good in and of themselves. So why purchase the Aires set?

First, they ARE resin rather than rubber. Consequently, they will last over time much better than the rubber tires, which will outgas and eventually fail in one spectacular manner or another. That’s just the nature of the material, alas.

Second, they have been crafted with a very nice flattened area that reproduces weight on the tires realistically. The rubber tires simply don’t reproduce this feature as well.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

The stunning good looks and performance of the Pratt & Miller Corvette C7.R were only surpassed by the performance of this incredible racing machine. A true race car, this triple threat vehicle only shares it outer skin with the Corvette as nearly everything else is custom made to handle the rigors of long endurance racing propelled by a 491 HP engine.

This review covers the skill level 4 (ages 12 years and older) new tooling release of the 2015 Corvette C7.R 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-4304. There are White, clear, clear red, metal axles, soft black tires with waterslide decals. You get a superbly detailed race car body with a racing chassis, safety roll cage and separate, but simplified, motor. This is a specific vehicle special subject kit and a historically accurate rendering of the 2015 C7.R. Final dimensions are approximately; Length: 7”, Width: 3½”, Height: 2”.