The IAR-80 & IAR-81 - Airframe, Systems, & Equipment

Published: February 21, 2012
Book Author(s): Radu Brinzan
Company: SAM Publications

I’ve loved the looks of the I.A.R.80 since the LTD model came out. There is something about the look of the airplane that makes it look like the Hughes racer. It is sleek and sexy and relatively unknown in the western world.

Prior to this book, there have been very few references available on the I.A.R.80. There was a book published in Rumanian, and later French, I.A.R.80 – The History of an Unknown Fighter, which is very good. I have a copy and the photos make it worth the price of admission. However, I can’t read it. This book by noted Rumanian aviation historian, Radu Brinzan, fixes that.

This softbound book contains 128 pages of high quality paper. The photos are mostly black and white, with a two page color section. The photos are high quality and will prove very… more

Bf-109 V-13 Conversion

Published: November 13, 2020
Company: Werners Wings

• Werners’ Wings Bf-109 V-13, #32-V13RS, $45.00
• Eduard Bf-109E Over the Balkans Peninsula, #1156, $89.95

I was given the opportunity to review the Eduard 1/32nd scale “Bf-109E over the Balkans Peninsula” and since I’d already built the Eduard kit I thought why not use it to build the V-13 Record Setter. Luckily for me, IPMS thought why not as well.

Eduard Kit

Before I get to the conversion, let me talk about the Eduard kit itself. Having built the first E-4 kit that Eduard came out with, I thought I would be seeing the same thing. I was wrong. There were some issues with the first kits, especially with the wheels, canopy, and slats. Well, thankfully, Eduard… more

Focke Wulf Ta-152C-0 Exhaust

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Quickboost

The HobbyBoss kit of the Ta-152C-0 is the first all-injected version of this prototype aircraft. If you are like me, you can never consistently open the ends of the exhaust stubs to make them look realistic. I’m thankful for Quickboost, as they have some of the best examples that are easy replacements for the kit items and have the look I’m after.

This set contains two exhaust stubs molded in light grey, blemish-free resin. Removal from the pour blocks is simple enough. Just add paint and add to the kit. Really simple and effective.

Highly recommended.

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

Soviet S-25-OFM Air-to-Ground Rocket

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

AeroBonus is a specialized company from Aires that concentrates on Soviet wing stores. The latest release is a couple of air to ground rockets. Molded on four pour blocks with some exquisite detail, these unique looking rockets are quite impressive. There are two mold blocks with the rocket bodies. The other two are warheads on one and tail units on the other block. I really liked the rocket flutes on the tail which are petite and perfectly cast. Quickboost uses light grey resin that has no imperfections. Removal is easy and assembly will represent no problems, even to beginning resin users.

Also included in the Aerobonus releases are decals and, unfortunately, this is where the set is let down a little bit. Every version I’ve had the pleasure to review has had the decal stuck… more

Soviet S-25-L Air-to-Ground Rocket

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

Soviet underwing armament is quite unique looking when compared to the US equivalents. These rockets are no exception. Perfectly cast on four light grey resin blocks, with a block of clear resin “nose cones” and decal markings, these are some really nice additions to your Soviet aircraft.

The resin is flawless. Two of the pour blocks are the rocket launcher bodies. The other one is the rocket motors with some exquisite detail, especially the rocket flutes. The final grey piece of resin is the unique shaped-charge warhead and control fins. The fins will require care to prevent them from flying off, as they are very petite but realistically thin. The clear pour block has the rocket tip for these particular rockets.

The decals are printed perfectly. However, they get stuck… more

MiG-21PFM GP-9 Cannon Pods

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Quickboost

The Academy Mig-21 kit is a nice kit. However, the parts breakdown of certain pieces is a pain. This is apparent especially on the kit gun pods. The kit part has a seam right down the middle which will be difficult to fill. The kit pod also has minimal detail and some shape issues. The Quickboost resin cannon pod has exquisite detail. The vents and fasteners are perfectly represented, but the best feature is the drilled-out gun barrels. I’m sure I could not drill them as well as Quickboost because these things are so small that I’m sure I would have just made a mess of it.

The single piece is molded perfectly in light grey resin. Removal is quite easy and adding it to the belly is easy enough as long as you don’t cut off the mounting stubs. The Quickboost pod has a more… more

Me-262A-1/U-5 Gun Barrels

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Quickboost

Hobby Boss seems to be producing almost every version of the Me-262. The upgunned U-5 version is a nice looking kit. However, cleaning up the gun barrels is a pain. Also pains to maintain are the roundness and drilling out the center hole. Quickboost addresses both of these issues.

This is a small set, cast perfectly in a light grey-green resin which contains the two cannons that are direct replacements for the kit parts. They are perfectly round and have the barrel thinned out. It is simple and easy.

Highly recommended.

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

Soviet KAB-500L Laser-Guided Bomb

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

Seeing laser guided bombs in action seems to be a staple of the western news stations. What we don’t get to see is the employment of the Soviet equivalent. Well, of course the Soviets have the same technology.

These bombs are molded on a single light grey resin pour block with two large bombs and the laser guidance warhead. There is also a very small clear pour block with the laser detectors. Aerobonus also provides you with decals for the bombs. In this case, they were perfect and did not stick to the protective paper.

Removal of the bombs from the pour blocks shouldn’t prove too difficult as long as you take care on the bomb fins. Because the laser trackers are separate, you can articulate them if you’d like.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Aires and IPMS… more

Ju-87B/R Stuka Propeller with Tool

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Quickboost

I like the Italeri 1/48th Ju-87 Stuka, but the one thing that bothers me is the shape of the propeller spinner. The kit item is too bulbous and blunt. Quickboost comes to the rescue.

The set consists of three pieces of perfectly cast light grey resin. The first one is the actual spinner, which is correctly shaped with just a small pour stub. The next part is actually three parts, the propeller blades, which are suitably thin and perfectly shaped. The third piece is the propeller jig for setting the prop blade angles and drilling the center mounting hole.

Overall this is a really nice and easy to use set that will fix the biggest problem with the Italeri kit. The prop jig will ensure that everything is the same length and same pitch.

Highly recommended

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F-16 Fighting Falcon Control Stick

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Quickboost

The controls on the F-16 have a variety of switches and buttons on the control sticks. Plastic can only replicate this so far, plus on the kit parts there are mold lines. Quickboost has cleaned this up and added some really crisp detail.

Molded in light grey resin, you get four control sticks that are perfectly cast. Adding them will be simple enough, as there is a casting stub on the base. Really, all these little gems require is a good painting.

Highly recommended.

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