Helicopter Crew Vietnam

Published: March 28, 2020
Company: PJ Production

Figures in 1/48^th scale, in particular helicopter figures, are like hen’s teeth. So when a new set comes out I am all over it. The latest of these releases is from PJ Production out of Belgium.

Packaged in a small end opening box, with a ziplock baggie inside of that, are three pour blocks of light grey resin and a tiny M-60 machine gun. The small M-60 is loose in the baggie so be careful you don’t lose it when opening the bag. There are no painting instructions inside, but the cover photo of the finished figures is adequate for the job.

The three resin figures represent two pilots and one door gunner. This would seem to indicate that it for a Loach since they sometimes flew with a crew of three and Hueys flew with a crew of four. All the figures have chicken… more

Bf-109G-10 WNF Photoetch

Published: November 13, 2020
Company: Eduard

The Eduard OVERTREE and Weekend Edition kits are really nice kits, but I think they benefit from having the pre-painted photoetch added to the model. I personally love the pre-painted photoetch. There is detail printed on them that I could never be able to replicate with a paint brush.

Packaged in the typical resealable package with a card stock protective backing is one fret of pre-painted PE. This single fret contains many essential interior parts, but the biggest impact would have to be from the seatbelts, shoulder harness and the instrument panel. Besides these key parts there are photoetch deflectors for the engine exhausts, as well as, some other panels and rudder pedals. These parts are all important. There are oil cooler faces as well. Personally, I don’t use them as I… more

MH-60L Masks

Published: January 31, 2020
Company: Eduard

I hate to mask canopies and helicopters, especially transport ones, have plenty. I am a huge fan of pre-cut masks. Building the Kitty Hawk MH-60L was a lot of fun.

The Eduard masking set offers masks for the front windshield, overhead panels, pilot doors, window sliding doors, chin bubbles, cargo doors, and wheels. You also get masks for the landing lights. This is really a complete set which will help in making this kit.

The masking set comes in a typical resealable package with card stock inside, which protects the masks. The masks themselves are precisely cut from Kabuki tape. This is the best material for the compound curves. There are two sheets, the one is for the sliding cargo doors, and the other has masks for all the other pieces. You will have to add masking… more

Best of the Best - Top Gun

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: Fightertown Decals

Ok to start off, WOW! Now that I got that out of the way Fightertown Decals always produces great sheets with multiple marking options. This one is one of the best yet. This was previously released but this set has been adjusted to fit the Tamiya kit, as well as, any other F-14/F-18 kit, and this sheet even includes some new aircraft.

‘Top Gun’- the movie, has produced more dreams in the minds of little kids of my generation than any propaganda movie ever. I know I was in love with the high speed, low level flying and the good story. Okay so it wasn’t believable, but it was a good story. Anyhow the aircraft, especially the F-14, was the actual star of the movie. With the new Top Gun 2 being made currently the interest is sure to grow again, even if Maverick will be flying an F/… more

Tomcats at War-Pt 2 - F-14B/D Bravo Delta Showboats

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: Fightertown Decals

Navy jets can be boring in their all grey color schemes, however, that is not always the case. The CAG birds tend to get the full color treatment, hence this sheet and the title of Showboats. These aircraft sported all kinds of markings at different times in their lifecycle.

With the release of the Tamiya, and now the AMK F-14 Tomcat kits, there is a need for some colorful markings for them. Fightertown Decals has the answer for those markings.

Fightertown Decals has produced decals for 14 different aircraft. Well that isn’t quite true. They provide markings for eight aircraft at different timeframes to show 14 different marking options. Fightertown produces some great looking Tomcat decals. This sheet is no different.

Included in the large ziplock bag are three… more

Anti-Slip Paste

Published: October 15, 2019
Company: Mig Productions

The anti-slip surface on tanks and airplanes are a unique feature and often not represented, especially on airplanes and helicopters. In the past the ways to replicate this were barely passable. Well that has now changed.

Ammo by Mig Jimenez has released not one but, three different versions, of this anti-slip paste. Of course, there are different scale models and so there are different ‘scales’ of this new paste.

The first anti-slip paste is in sand color for 1/35^th scale. These would be used on vehicles like the M1 Abrams and Bradley fighting vehicles.

The second paste is designed for 1/72 and 1/48^th scale models, in particular airplanes can benefit from this paste. The ‘grit’ is a finer one that is typical for airplanes.

The… more

MiG-21F-13 Decals

Published: February 3, 2020
Company: Iliad Design

The MiG-21F-13 was the first operational version of the fighter. It was used throughout the Soviet sphere of influence. It was used in the deserts of the Mideast to the Jungles of Vietnam. Trumpeter’s kit of the F-13 is a really nice kit but the kit decal options could use some updating. Enter Iliad Design and this sheet.

Packaged in a ziplock bag is a single sheet of instructions. Printed on a double-sided page are seven aircraft from around the world in full color. The instructions show left side profiles and upper plan views. There are descriptions and FS callouts for each aircraft.

The decals themselves are very well printed. I’m not sure who printed them. They are thin on the sheet and it perfect register. The colors all look accurate. There are no stencils… more

Tomcats at War-Pt 3- F-14B/D Bravo Delta Haze Gray Decals

Published: December 29, 2021
Company: Fightertown Decals

The F-14 Tomcat, was a movie star and retired way too soon. This beautiful fighter led a long and distinguished career and sported some unique color schemes. At the end of its service life it was predominately shades of gray. That doesn’t mean it was a dull collection of markings, just the opposite. Some of these grays made for some colorful markings.

Fightertown Decals has been producing some great decals for the F-14 Tomcat and this sheet is no exception. Included in the marking options are 6 Squadrons with 16 marking options. There are at least four different variants of grey paint schemes on these subjects.

The decals and instructions are packaged in a large Ziplock style bag. The instructions are printed on high quality bond paper in full color, on three double… more

AH-64 Apache Wheels Set

Published: October 12, 2019
Company: Reskit

This set is designed for any 1/48 AH-64 kit. Included in a self-sealing package with a card stock backing. There are no instructions included in the kit. Five dark grey resin pieces are on four pour blocks. They are blemish free. The set includes two main wheels, one tail wheel and two small parts that look to be a additional wheel retention nuts.

The detail is exquisite throughout. There is a flat spot on the bottom to represent the weight of the aircraft. It is easy to overdo but Reskit has got it down perfect. Actually the tail wheel could even be flatter. The circumference tread is nicely deep and perfectly formed. The brake assemblies are beautifully rendered as well.

These wheels are significantly better than the kit offerings. They are perfectly formed and… more

P-40B Warhawk Cockpit Set

Published: July 21, 2019
Company: Aires Hobby Models

The new Airfix P-40B is an excellent example of the iconic fighter made famous by the Flying Tigers. The kit is nice but there are some things in the cockpit that need to be ‘fixed’. Aires has released this new cockpit set for the kit.

Inside the typical Aires blister pack are 21 pieces molded in light grey resin. My example was flawless despite damage to the blister package. The set also has a small fret of photoetch that includes the instrument panel and seatbelts. A film of acetate is also provided for the instruments.

This set will require some thinning of the sidewalls to get it to fit properly. But once you get past that, the set fits together simply and easily. The parts breakdown is very similar to the kit breakdown. The pour stubs are easy enough to remove.… more