P-51 Mustang Wheels, Radial Tread

Published: August 17, 2012
Company: Ultracast

The P-51 has so many options that it is hard to keep up with them all. The wheels are one area where you can have diamond, cross hatch, smooth, and radial tread. Don’t worry, Ultracast has them all in their product line.

Just like the rest of the Ultracast wheels, this set has exquisite detail throughout. Some may go unnoticed, such as the valve stem for adding air to the tire. The radial tread is perfectly proportioned and looks fabulous. When I think of radial tread, I tend to think of modern airplane wheels, so if you are going to do a post-war modern warbird, these wheels are essential.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Ultracast and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

Head for the Huey Diorama

Published: August 17, 2012
Company: Master Box Ltd

The latest boxing from the Czech company Master Box is a little diorama in a box. It tells the story of a Special Forces team heading back to the Huey from combat with a wounded comrade. This model just speaks Vietnam.

Molded on two sprues of tan plastic, this model has 131 intricate pieces that build up into five figures. The main characters are three soldiers, one wounded, all hobbling back from combat. The other two are covering the withdrawal. The parts are the best that plastic can do. The faces are a little soft but certainly acceptable and will benefit from good painting. The clothing is tiger-striped but could easily be olive drab. The equipment is nicely done, especially the rifles and grenade launchers. The packs and framework are particularly nicely done.

The… more

F-14 Tomcat Air Intake Covers

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Quickboost

OK this is the neatest set I’ve seen in a while. You are treated to two intake covers, eight grab handles, and a decal sheet. A decal sheet? Yes printed in white lettering you can customize your cover with the squadron designation. I count over ten units before my eyes went buggy. That is a real neat treat.

The intake covers and handles are molded perfectly in light olive resin. The decal sheet has a protective cover that covers the 2.5 x 3.5 water slide decal sheet. Simply assemble the grab handles to the covers. Paint red. And then add the unit decals. You can weather them as you see fit. The real things are plastic and can get abused.

This is a great way to hide the seam on the intake trunking. Another great product from Quickboost.

Highly recommended

… more

F-100 Super Sabre Speed Brake – Late Version

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

The F-100 is an impressive model. I’ve built the 1/32^nd scale F-100 from Trumpeter and I have to tell you that I enjoyed the entire build. I enjoyed it so much that I went out and bought all three versions of the 1/48^th scale kit. It is the F-100D and F-100F that this set is designed for.

The later style speed brake had a cut out to allow its use with drop tanks and ordanence on the center line. This set is so easy to use that you would think it would be a Quickboost product. There is no cutting required. Just substitute the resin insert for the kit ones.

My set was molded in blemish free light grey resin that has beautiful detail. You get the speed brake, speed brake well, two actuators, and the two cutouts. The instructions are very simple and… more

P-40M/N Warhawk Exhaust-Fishtail

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Quickboost

I love Hasegawas P-40s. I’ve built two of them and once you get over the segmented construction they are beautiful models. One extra thing to bring them to life is the exhausts. They are very prominent on the nose of the P-40, especially with the fishtail type.

Quickboost takes care of that for us modelers. What they have done is combine the three parts, two exhaust stubs and the base piece, into a single part. This will ensure that the exhaust stacks are aligned. Something that was a little difficult the way Hasegawa manufactured them. The only thing you have to be careful is that you remove them and don’t mix them up. There are right and left exhaust stacks.

The stacks are on six pieces of perfectly formed light grey resin with hollowed ends and the appropriate weld… more

Messerschmitt Me-262A Radio Equipment

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Quickboost

The Hobby Boss Me-262s allow you the option of having an open radio compartment. The kit parts are okay but they lack the detail that only resin can bring. Enter Quickboost. They provide the two pieces in light olive resin. There are no bubbles or blemishes anywhere. A simple wafer thin backing plate is all that will be needed to be removed. The parts are then added as the kit parts would be. Simple.

So we have an inexpensive, simple, highly detailed part for your model. That is what Quickboost is all about.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

Hamilton Standard 13’ 1” dia. 3-bladed Prop & Spinner

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Ultracast

The F4U-1D, F7F Tigercat, Hellcat and the TBM-3 Avenger all used the same propeller. The Corsair needed the additional clearance for deck handling so the 13’1” Hamilton Standard prop was adopted. If you wanted to depict this or even more importantly, correct the AMT Tigercat props, you had to normally rob them from a Hellcat kit. You don’t have to do that anymore.

In typical Ultracast fashion you are treated to four resin parts, beautifully molded in off-white resin that includes three prop blades and a one piece hub. Construction couldn’t be simpler. Simply remove the parts and insert the props in the hub. The fit will be so good that you will be able to change the pitch until you are happy with them. The casting and the shape are like everything I’ve ever seen from Ultracast… more

Ju-88 Wing Bomb Rack and Loading System

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Profimodeller

On occasion there is just something that comes out that you want to say, “WOW, what a great idea!” This is one of those products and one of those occasions. The wing racks in this package are nice enough but the addition of the bomb loading system is so cool! If you build dioramas this is a set that you must have.

The set provides approximately 50 resin parts molded in light yellow resin that are perfectly cast and blemish free. That said, my two wing rack ejector systems had two sway braces broken off in transit. Not a big deal as the resin pieces are kept in a Ziploc bag. There is a small fret of photo etch pieces as well. A length of wire is included to allow the modeler to “use” the pulley system.

The set is designed with the diorama modeler in mind. You get two bomb… more

Ju-88/He-111 Oxygen System

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Profimodeller

Want something that will set your model apart from the rest? That little something that is unique and adds visual interest? Well, Profimodeller has just the thing for your 1/32^nd He-111 or Ju-88, an oxygen system complete with flak helmets and oxygen masks with straps.

You get four resin pour blocks with a German helmet, mask with hose, and some oxygen bottles. All of mine were perfectly formed and cast out of light yellow resin. A fret of photo etch provides a good amount of detail such as the suspension assemblies inside the helmets. That is the level of detail we are talking about here! Also included in the set is a length of tubing to represent the oxygen lines.

The instructions are printed on yellow paper and are adequate for the addition of the parts. It… more

Ju-88 Tail Wheel with Bay

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Profimodeller

This is the first offering I’ve seen from Profimodeller, who are based in the Czech Republic. It is an ambitious first offering, designed for the Revell-Germany 1/32^nd scale Ju-88 kit. This set is designed to fill in the vast open area of the tail wheel well and give you a better looking tail wheel assembly and replicate the internal structure.

The set is packaged in a sturdy cardboard box with three Ziploc baggies. The first bag contains the resin pieces which are cast in a light caramel color with no noted defects found. One of my parts was broken off the sprue but it proved to be no problem as it broke off where I would have had to cut it anyhow. The second baggie holds a myriad of white plastic styrene strips and tubing. This is simple enough to separate. The… more