FW-189 Masks

Published: November 13, 2020
Company: Eduard

The Great Wall FW-189 is a really nice kit but one thing you notice about the airplane is the large expanse of windows around the cockpit. The whole procedure of masking the canopy would just about kill me and take hours of work. Now, if you are like me and like to get on with the painting, anything that will make canopy masking faster and easier is just what I’m looking for.

The Eduard masks are designed from “Kabuki” tape. This means that they are made from a really pliable tape that you can visually see is down around the edges, just like Tamiya tape. Besides all the windows and because this sheet is so large, Eduard also gives you masks for the wheels. If my counting is correct, there are 93 individual masks included on this large sheet. Can you imagine having to cut that… more

Air War over Khalkhin Gol - The Nomonhan Incident

Published: May 15, 2012
Book Author(s): Vladimir R. Kotelnikov
Company: SAM Publications

There are many little battles that led up to the Second World War. Some you know about most of them, but many, such as the battle over Khalkhin Gol, you know nothing about. Some of it has to do with the location, the China/Russian border in Mongolia. This is a unique look at this early air battle between the Russians and the Japanese.

Fought over barren hills and plains, the story of the Khalkhin Gol battle is marred by inconsistent data from the Soviet and Japanese sides. The Soviets call the battle the Nomonhan Incident. Both sides say the other attacked first and, despite the best research, we will probably never know who did what first. What is known is that early Soviet and Japanese Army fighters and bombers met up and had some fierce battles.

These battles were… more

Fw-190A-7

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: Eduard

The FW-190A-7 was one of the last versions that Eduard had not covered directly, the other being the A-9. You could always build one from their Royal Class kits but never as a standalone kit. Well, Eduard has stepped up to the plate and has hit another home run.

I’ve built the A-5, F-8, A-8, and D-9, so I have some experience with this series of kits. That said, this kit is just as good as those kits and why shouldn’t it be? It contains the same parts.

The kit contains six sprues of RLM 02 plastic with minimal flash. One sprue of clear parts, two frets of photo etch, one of those being pre-painted, and a set of masks rounds out the parts. Of course, there are two decal sheets which contain markings for four aircraft. The instructions are printed on high quality paper… more

Spitfire Mk.I/Ia, IIa Fishtail Exhausts

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Quickboost

Quickboost has always helped out the modeler by providing hollowed-out exhausts and other drop-in replacements for kit parts. This latest addition is the fishtail version of the Spitfire exhausts. It is molded perfectly in light grey resin with perfectly hollowed-out exhaust stacks. The fishtail would have made it near impossible for me to do that same amount of detail.

Like all of the Quickboost items, clean up is easy and you just have to replace the kit part. Easy, inexpensive and perfectly cast.

Highly recommended.

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

Spitfire Mk.I/Ia, IIa Rounded Exhausts

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Quickboost

Quickboost has always helped out the modeler by providing hollowed-out exhausts and other drop-in replacements for kit parts. This new addition is the round exhaust version of the Spitfire exhausts for the Airfix kit. They are molded perfectly in light grey resin with perfectly hollowed-out exhaust stacks. The tiny exhausts are perfect, far superior to anything that I could do with a pin vise and Opti-visor.

Like all of the Quickboost items, cleanup is easy and you just have to replace the kit part. Easy, inexpensive and perfectly cast.

Highly recommended.

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

M197 20mm Gun Barrels

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Master Model

If you know me, you know I flew AH-1F Cobras in the US Army for over 10 years. The weapon system that was on the nose was the 20mm M197 Cannon. To say I was familiar with the subject of this review would be an understatement.

Master provides you with three exquisitely turned metal cannon barrels and associated clamps. Also provided is a small photo etch fret that contains the various clamps, such as the mid and end-barrel clamps and locking devices.

I could not believe the level of detail that the barrels contain. Every facetted side and a hollow end exhibits superior quality. There is absolutely nothing missing from these barrels. They are perfect miniature barrels. Perfect.

The only thing you have to do to these is assemble them and replace the kit barrels. The… more

M61A1 Vulcan 20mm Rotary Cannon

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Master Model

The latest gun used by the Air Force to arm its fighters is the M61A1 Vulcan. This cannon is a 20mm rotary type used on every fighter from the F-104 onward.

This little gem contains six turned metal barrels, metal mid-barrel spacer ring, and end barrel clamp spacer. There is also a fret of photo etch which has the cooling fins and barrel clamps.

The hardest parts will be assembling the cooling fins on the end barrel clamp. After that, it is gravy and more realistic than anything that plastic can do.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Master Model and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

F-105 Thunderchief Pitot Tube

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Master Model

One of the easiest things to do with an aircraft model, at least for me, is to knock off the pitot tube, especially on the nose of my models. Well, thanks to Master Model Poland, that won’t be a factor anymore.

This turned metal pitot tube is perfectly formed with the proper taper. Mounting it is as easy as replacing the kit one. Drill a hole and that is it.

I can’t find anything wrong with this upgrade. You won’t find a better product of this delicate item. This, as with all the Master items, is manufactured to exact specifications and it looks absolutely perfect.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Master Model and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

Instrument Dial Decals for Early Soviet Jets

Published: February 10, 2020
Company: Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements

Interested in adding an air of realism to your instrument panel? Well, the easiest way to do that is by using instrument faces. You know you can’t paint them as good as Airscale can print them. Well, at least I can’t.

The latest offering from Airscale is aimed at the latest release of Soviet aircraft. There are no fewer than 31 different instruments represented. Many of the instruments are duplicated so you can use this sheet on a number of models. The fidelity of these sheets is beautiful.

Besides the decals, you also are given a small clear acetate sheet to replicate the glass dial faces. This will require a punch and die set, but it is a nice touch.

How to use the Airscale decals is up to you. You can punch them out and add them as a typical decal on the… more

F-14A Tomcat Exhaust Nozzle – Varied Positions

Published: April 29, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

The F-14, now retired from Navy service, is one of my favorite airplanes. Blame “Top Gun” and “The Final Countdown”. Who can forget the immortal line, “Splash the Zeros!”? Anyhow, the Academy F-14 is a nice kit and much cheaper than the Hasegawa kit. There are a couple of options for those wanting to add more detail. Aires provides three separate options for the turkey feathers – closed, open and varied positioned. This review is for the varied positioned offering.

The F-14 exhaust section can be seen in any of the positions, which is why Aires offers the varied set. Normally, while sitting on the ground following the shutdown procedures, the nozzles are controlled hydraulically. During the shutdown, it is normal for the right nozzle to be closed and the left one opened. It… more