Cockpit Detail Set – Instruments

Published: June 13, 2013
Company: Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements

Airscale provides some excellent aircraft instrument dials, but until now you had to cut them out and add them to kit instrument panels. Well, now you can build your own instrument panels with the aid of their new bezels.

There are 46 distinct shapes, but that doesn’t mean there are only 46 pieces on the single brass fret. There are multiple bezels, allowing you to do anything you need to do when scratchbuilding an instrument panel. Don’t think that it stops there. While marketed for the instrument panel, they can be used for numerous other things. The sky is the limit.

There are US, German, RAF, and WWI instruments represented on the fret. The parts are arranged in 9 rows with each style of bezel labeled with a letter on the instructions. The instructions are printed in… more

Bf-109F-4 Self Adhesive Detail Set

Published: June 13, 2013
Company: Eduard

It is no secret that I love the Zvezda Bf-109Fs. They are remarkably well-engineered kits and the most accurate Fs on the market. There are only two pieces of aftermarket that I use for them, Vector’s correction set and the Eduard Zoom set.

This Eduard Zoom set includes a single fret of self-adhesive pre-painted photo etch. The components are all for the cockpit area. The amount of detail that Eduard puts into the instrument panels and placards is amazing, far superior to anything I can do with a paint brush. A clear acetate piece is included that has the gunsight reflectors on it.

The instructions are straightforward and easy to understand.

All is not perfect with the Zvezda kit, such as the instrument panel. It could be better. It has just the relief of the… more

Bf-109E Tools and Boxes

Published: June 13, 2013
Company: Eduard

Inside the Ersatzteiliste (parts manual) for the Bf-109E is a special tools section. Before now, if you wanted to add this to your diorama, you were limited to scratchbuilding it, and then you still had to find the tools to fit. Eduard has made this a lot easier.

Contained on a single brass fret is a roll of tools, a special tool kit, and all the tools for both. The first assembly sequence is a tool roll which can be looped over the wing. There is a second one that is all folded up. These are both perfectly formed and textured to give that canvas look. The tools fit along a canvas strap. It might be easier to add this strap from tape, but the PE part is quite adequate. As a personal aside, my thought is to use the Eduard PE part as a template to cut the “… more

Bf-110F Nachtjager

Published: May 25, 2013
Company: Eduard

The Bf-110F was a transitional aircraft. It was put in place with the failure of the Me-210. It was an interim until the G-2 could be produced in numbers. Only 500 were made, divided between night fighters and fighter bombers.

Interestingly, Eduard elected to release the F as a weekend edition. This is the first time that the Bf-110F has been available in any scale that I know of. This cardboard box is so jam-packed with plastic it is surprising to me that it costs so little. Because of the transitional status of the real aircraft, it had features of the older E model and the newer still-to-come G model. Eduard’s parts break down shows this transitional parts listing, necessitating the parts from each of the earlier releases. There are a lot of extra parts because of it, even… more

Ta-152C Correct Cowling

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Quickboost

The Hobby Boss Ta-152C is a really nice kit; however, they made one really big mistake. They made the forward cowling with the incorrect oil cooler. It should have an annular oil cooler design. This is difficult to make in plastic, but in resin it is easy. This set will change the whole look of your kit’s nose.

Molded in light grey resin that is perfectly formed and blemish-free on a moderate pour block, the cowling has the annular cooler molded perfectly inside the cowling. The cowl flaps are molded closed. This may be not to some builders’ likings. I think it is fine just the way it is.

If you want to make your Hobby Boss Ta-152C an exceptional kit, you will need this engine cowling. This will address the biggest issue with the Hobby Boss Ta-152C in a simple, effective… more

P-51B/C Mustang Shrouded and Unshrouded Exhausts

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Ultracast

Ultracast has been producing some of the best and easiest to use aftermarket items for years. Well, they haven’t changed their key for success.

• Ultracast 48238 Shrouded Exhaust, $4.85
• Ultracast 48239 Unshrouded Exhaust, $4.85

The latest releases are designed to be added to the Accurate Miniatures P-51B/C Mustang kit. What can you say about these little gems? In both sets you get two banks of exhaust stacks molded in light cream-colored resin. The exhaust ends are hollowed out perfectly. They are beautifully cast and are easy, drop-in replacement for the kit parts. Just remove the parts from… more

Messerschmitt Bf-109E Stabilizer

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Quickboost

It is no secret that I love the Eduard Bf-109E kits. Having built three of them in various forms has provided me with some insight on these little gems. One thing that would be nice is the ability to articulate the elevators, as is frequently seen on the real thing. I can never get this to look correct to my eye when I do the work.

Quickboost has the answer. Molded in a light olive drab resin, this set comes in four parts – two horizontal surfaces and two elevators that already have been modified with beveled surfaces that allow the modeler to articulate the control surfaces without issue. The detail on the parts is exactly as good as the kit parts.

If you do articulate the controls, don’t forget to offset the stick in the cockpit as well. Down elevators mean forward on… more

Kawasaki Ki-100 Decals Part 1

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Lifelike Decals

The recent release of the RS Model Ki-100 Otsu and Kou kits has prompted Lifelike to release a new sheet of decals for these aircraft.

The instructions are typical for Lifelike, with two A4 single-sided sheets printed in full color. The exterior sheet has three-view drawings and the references used to determine the color schemes. The interior sheet has the left side profiles and the references used to determine the markings. The history of the pilot is discussed in brief, adding a nice dimension to the markings.

The best thing about Lifelike is that they are not afraid to say that they don’t know something if it isn’t known. I like this approach. They also have made good on new information on their website and, where appropriate, they have printed new decals and provide… more

Kawasaki Ki-84 Hayate Decals Part 2

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Lifelike Decals

The Ki-84 Hayate was the premier Japanese fighter of the war. It also sported some really colorful markings that are a natural for an airplane modeler.

The instructions are printed on two single-sided A4 sheets in full color. Five aircraft are included in the decals. The exterior sheet has the three-view drawings and the references used to design the decals.

The decals themselves are printed by Cartograf and are very colorful. They are in perfect register and thin. In my opinion, Cartograf is the best decal producer in the world. I’ve used all kinds of setting solutions on them and they perform flawlessly. The decals not only include the aircraft markings but also some stencils.

The first Hayate has never before been seen in print, let alone as a decal. The… more

Hawker Typhoon Tail Wheel Well

Published: April 23, 2013
Company: Ultracast

The latest item from Ultracast is designed for the Hasegawa Typhoon. The kit tail wheel well is an empty area, nothing like the real thing. This little resin item takes care of that. This piece is molded in a light cream-colored resin with no blemishes or bubbles anywhere. It is so nice there is no need to do anything but sand off a very small bit of resin flash, then simply insert it in the tail wheel recess. The well is suitably deep and provides an easy attachment point for the tail wheel.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Ultracast for the review copy and IPMS for the review opportunity.