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.

F-16C Barak Block 40 Cockpit Set

Published: January 21, 2012
Company: Aires Hobby Models

I love the looks of the F-16 and, in particular, the Israeli versions with its unique paint schemes. This new set by Aires is for the Kinetic’s F-16C Barak Block 40.

The majority of the cockpit set is the five molded resin pieces, with four of them in light grey and one in light caramel. The detail is exquisite, especially the one-piece cockpit tub with ejector seat rails and side controls. How were they ever able to mold and pull that? I have no idea, but it is some of the finest casting I’ve ever seen anywhere. This is the typical quality that I’ve come to expect from Aires. Well, even if your control stick is broken off, Aires provides you with another one, so don’t fret if it is loose in the packaging.

Also included is a fret of nickel that has the ejector seat… more

WWII USAAF ETO Fighter Pilot Figure

Published: January 19, 2012
Company: Ultracast

I’ve come to expect that Ultracast puts out some of the finest figures available anywhere. This latest release is just that. Sculpted by world renowned artist Mike Good, this piece is typically perfect. Molded in light cream-colored resin, the castings are blemish-free and perfectly cast. All the pour blocks are easily removed.

You get a body with a very thin film between the legs that is easily removed. The pose is very natural looking. You get a single arm for each side that is keyed to ensure alignment. The other thing is that they fall on a natural line so you can paint them separately if you’d like. The left hand is nicely molded with a cigarette between the fingers.

You get a choice of two heads, one with a flight cap and one with the flight helmet. The last piece… more

Bf-109A thru D Models - Book with Decals

Published: January 19, 2012
Book Author(s): Mariusz Tukasik
Company: Kagero Publishing

Kagero’s Top Drawing books offer the modeler a good reference for rivet patterns for those so inclined. Also, they are great references for those trying to accurize a kit.

This book contains six view drawings, top and bottom plan views, left and right side profiles, and front and rear views of all four aircraft types, A-D versions in 1/72nd and 1/48th. The 1/32nd scale drawings are actually on a separate foldout and only include the B-1 and D models. There are also some detail drawings of internal items, such as seats and instrument panels included. Cross section drawings are provided for the scratchbuilder as well. There is also a small drawing that shows the external differences.

If it was just drawings and riveting diagrams, then it wouldn’t be from Kagero. Besides… more

Battle of Britain Part III - Book with Decals

Published: July 4, 2020
Book Author(s): Maciej Goralczyk, Janusz Swiation, and Arkadiusz Wrobel
Company: Kagero Publishing

If you are looking for a definitive account of the Battle of Britain, this is not it. If you are looking for inspirational paint schemes and the decals that go with those schemes, then this is your book.

Kagero has always released really nice books with interesting paint schemes and this one is no different. There are eight aircraft depicted, six Bf-109s, one He-111, and one Bf-110. Descriptions of each aircraft and its pilot accompany the three- and four-view full color profiles. The descriptions are written in English and Polish. Each description gives the color callouts and a little bit of history of each pilot who flew it. Particularly interesting is the He-111, which has tail and fuselage artwork. The 109s all show unique paint schemes with the description documenting the… more

Bf-109E-4 Interior Self Adhesive Set

Published: January 19, 2012
Company: Eduard

The Eduard Zoom sets are simple and very effective. The detail on these parts is quite phenomenal.

This set contains a single fret of self-adhesive pre-painted photo etch. Some people question whether using these pre-painted pieces is actually modeling. My opinion is I don’t care. They can replicate detail that I can’t even begin to obtain and it saves me time. So it looks good and takes next to nothing to install. I’ll be using them as long as they make them. The gun sight reflectors are included on a clear acetate sheet.

Besides the instrument panels, this set includes seatbelts, rudder pedals, map case, oxygen cover, and various switches. All this detail will be easy enough to add and will enhance the look of your cockpit with the minimal amount of work.

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Ta-152 Interior Self Adhesive Set

Published: January 19, 2012
Company: Eduard

Often times, when building a model, I want to do nothing more that spruce up the cockpit area. That is where the Eduard Zoom sets come in.

The sets, such as this one, typically contain one fret of self-adhesive, pre-painted photo etch. The detail that is included on these pre-printed parts is absolutely fabulous. It is much better than anything I could ever paint, even on my best days. Besides the instrument panels, you also get the seatbelts and rudder pedals. You will need nothing else to make an award-winning cockpit.

Also included in this set is a clear acetate sheet with the gun sights printed on it.

Adding this set to your model will require nothing more than sanding some detail off and adding the photo etch. Simple, effective, and realistic looking.… more