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

Twobobs Decals for F-15C Digital Flanker

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Twobobs Aviation Graphics

Designed to replicate the paint scheme on Sukhoi Su-30 demonstration aircraft, these F-15 markings are for the only aircraft of the 65th Aggressor Squadron to be painted in this manner. My copy of the decals has all three scales represented, 72nd, 48th and 32^nd. The one thing about Twobobs products is the level of research that goes into a product. This sheet is no different.

The instruction sheet is printed on high, full color paper and contains some small photos of the real thing. The instructions provide a listing of the accessories that are available, and not just the ones available through Twobobs. The background of the full color instruction sheet will aid and inspire the modeler. The instructions provide four-view drawings that provide the modeler with an… more

Bf-109E Wheels

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Eduard

When you are building the Eduard 1/48th scale Bf-109s, you are struck by the quality of the plastic parts. But, like any kit, there are limitations that plastic can do. Resin is the answer in many instances. In this case, Eduard, the manufacturer of the kit, does the work for you. This does a couple of things – first, it ensures that the parts are going to fit the kit they were designed for. I like this concept. Secondly, these parts take less time to make a big difference over the kit parts. I’m all about being able to build faster.

Packaged in a sturdy plastic carton are two resin wheels, two spoke assemblies, and one tail wheel assembly. The resin is perfectly cast in light grey and dark grey resin with no blemishes or air bubbles. Also included but hidden in… more

Westland Lynx Mk.88A, HMA 8, Mk.90B

Published: August 16, 2012
Company: Airfix

Airfix has returned to the forefront of modeling with the release of the Westland Lynx family. This release is the naval version of the Lynx. Airfix has also released an Army version. Typical of most naval aircraft, the helicopter can fold its blades and tailboom for storage onboard ship.

This release contains 331 pieces of light blue/grey plastic. My review copy had no flash that I could see. The parts are all packaged in a heavy gauge cardboard top-opening box. The box is packed with the parts and decals. The parts are sealed inside a plastic bag inside the box. Thankfully, the clear parts are packaged in a separate plastic bag. The decals are on a large sheet inside the instructions book, so be careful when opening it up.

The instruction booklet is 23 A4 pages thick… more

F8F-2 Bearcat Exhausts

Published: August 15, 2012
Company: Quickboost

These two piece exhausts are perfectly molded in light grey resin with six very thin exhaust stacks. There isn’t a lot to say in a review about these pieces. They are perfectly cast, drop in replacements for the kit parts and hollowed out to perfection. I know I could never hollow them out as good as Quickboost without ruining most of the tubes. So for that reason alone these are a great investment.

The packaging doesn’t say it but I’m sure you could make these fit your Hobbycraft or Hawk kit as well.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting www.modelchoice.net or your local hobby shop or online retailer.

A-37 Dragonfly Gun Barrels

Published: August 15, 2012
Company: Quickboost

With the release of the Encore (upgraded Monogram) A-37 there is renewed interest in this little dragonfly. The kit is really nice, despite its age.

Perfectly molded in light grey resin these two gun barrels have the shrouded miniguns inside of thinned fairings. The addition of these little jewels will add to the look and aid you from having to clean up a seam on the shroud. This will ensure the shroud is round. You’ll also have hollowed out gun tubes inside of the shroud.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting www.modelchoice.net or your local hobby shop or online retailer.

Punch & Die Set

Published: August 1, 2012
Company: CB Model Products

This latest tool from CB Model Products is one of the best yet. This high precision punch and die set consists of 12 hardened steel punches and a clear acrylic/metal guide plate assembly. There is a desiccant included to help keep the rust off the metal parts. These pieces are contained in a compact plastic case with a nice hint and procedure sheet.

The steel punches are machined with a slight angle. These punches are designed to be used on up .030 styrene. The punches come in .040”, .051”, .058”, .069”, .080”, .088”, .101”, .110”, .119”, .127”, .140” and .151”. That should take care of most needs in 1/72, 1/48, 1/32, and 1/35th scales. You may want to wipe the parts down with some WD-40 and a rag to preserve these delicate parts for the long term.

The acrylic base is a… more

A-26 Invaders- Invading Esquire Girls - Part 1

Published: May 26, 2012
Company: Bombshell Decals

Bombshell Decals came on the decal scene with …well, a bang. Their latest release is based on the Monogram A-26B Invader. The glass nose version was used in Korea and was quite colorful with its overall gloss black paint scheme. The subjects of this sheet are two aircraft which sported Esquire girl nose art.

The decals are printed by Cartograf, so you know they are in perfect register and will respond well with setting solutions. In my opinion, Cartograf decals are the best in the world. The decals are on a single sheet of 5.5” x 8”. You can see the quality in the decals by looking over the Esquire girls. They are perfectly rendered and are some of the best looking pin-ups available in decal form. They have perfect shading and blending to make them exactly like the real thing.… more

Cylon Raider

Published: May 19, 2012
Company: Moebius Models

If you are as old as I, you remember the original Battlestar Gallactica series with Lorne Green and Dirk Benedict. Well, when the Sci-Fi Channel reimagined the Battlestar Gallactica series, there were some changes that upset some potential fans, myself included. One was that Starbuck, Benedict’s character, was now a woman and that was just the beginning. I didn’t watch the series when it first came out and now I regret it. I’ve since bought the series on DVD and have taken a liking to it. If you can just forget the old series, and it is easy to do, then you will absolutely love the new series.

As in the first series, some of the key vehicles are the Vipers and the Cylon Raider. Moebius Models has taken on the task of modeling the new space ships. The Cylon Raider is an homage… more