Keith Pruitt
Reviews By Author
|
Bf-109E Seat with Safety BeltsPublished:
Quickboost is known for producing drop-in replacement parts for many model kits. The seat in the Airfix 1/72 Bf-109E is very basic, with a hint of the harness molded on the surface. While it is acceptable for a fun and simple build, it does leave something to be desired in the level of detail. The Quickboost replacement seat is well-molded and incredibly detailed. The seat is slightly thinner than the kit part (perhaps more to scale), the seatback has a raised cushioned area, and the harnesses are intricate (including the buckles and hardware) and are draped realistically in the seat. Once the pour stub is removed, the seat fits neatly into the attachment on the cockpit floor. For an easy upgrade to the kit, and almost a must for the super-detailers, the Quickboost Bf-109E Seat would… more |
|
Bf-109E Gun BarrelsPublished:
The limitations inherent in the injection molding process for model kits always tends to create some scale details that are soft and less than realistic. The gun barrels in the Airfix 1/72 Bf-109E kit have some issues in that the cowl guns are molded as part of the cowling surface, and the wing guns have sprue attachments points that will make removal and cleanup difficult. Quickboost provides an alternative with its resin gun barrels. The barrels are molded with the attachment at the base of the unit, which provide clean sides and only a bit of cleanup when removed from the pour stub. Installing the wing guns would be simple, as they will be a drop-in replacement, but the cowling guns would have to be filed off and holes drilled for those barrels to be attached. This would be an easy… more |
|
Bf-109E ExhaustsPublished:
Exhaust manifolds on small-scale aircraft rarely look very realistic. The moldings are representative of the exhaust, but are usually finished with solid ends where they should be tubular, like the ones on the full size aircraft. While some styles can be drilled out, the process is time-consuming and tedious to perform. If the exhaust is anything other than round, this process does not work, especially if the exhaust opening is a flattened oval shape or square shape. The Airfix Bf-109E has the latter style, a square shaped exhaust opening for each of the 12 engine cylinders. Quickboost has been well known for some time for producing high quality molded resin replacement parts for models, solving many of the issues with inaccurate or limited details. The kit exhausts are molded… more |
|
Hitler’s Eagles: The Luftwaffe 1933-45Published:
When I requested this book for review, I was expecting a book of profiles of various World War II German aircraft. It was a great pleasure to discover that this book is actually a detailed history of the Luftwaffe, covering not only the organization and aircraft, but also the men, strategy, and tactics that made the air arm of the Third Reich the formidable war machine that it was. After the end of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles deemed that the Germans were prohibited from having any land- or sea-based air forces. While the Allies felt this was justified, Germany believed the policy was too strict. Covered in the first chapter of the book, the process used for getting around the restrictions of the treaty is well explained, in which German industry developed aircraft for… more |
|
Blue Moon Over CubaPublished:
Fifty years ago, the world stood at the edge of the abyss and stared nuclear annihilation in the face. During a two-week standoff, there was a very real chance that the US and the USSR could initiate a nuclear World War III over missile sites placed in Cuba. For the most part, written accounts of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October, 1962, are told from the diplomatic or political point of view. These usually involve President Kennedy and his advisors struggling to find a diplomatic solution to persuade the Soviets to remove the missiles that were being placed on the island nation of Cuba, just ninety miles from the southern coast of the United States. Blue Moon Over Cuba offers a different perspective…one from treetop level at high speed. It is the story of Operation Blue Moon… more |
|
F-102 Delta Dagger Pitot TubePublished:
Master Model from Poland has produced another winner with its 1/48 F-102 Delta Dagger Pitot Tube. Turned from brass, the metal part is beautifully detailed. The metal part would also add needed strength in a weak area, considering the usual ease with which plastic parts can be broken. Additionally, using a metal pitot tube will eliminate the need for removing the mold marks commonly found on the plastic part. The package states that it fits all 1/48 F-102 kits. Whether the build is from a standard kit, or some type of resin conversion, this part should work well as intended. Installation, as with all Master Model metal detail parts, is quite simple. The modeler would remove the molded plastic kit part, drill an appropriately sized hole in the plastic radome and glue the metal… more |
|
RF-101B Voodoo Pitot TubePublished:
Master Model from Poland has once again scored a hit with its 1/48 RF-101B Voodoo Pitot Tube. Turned from brass, the metal part has excellent detail and should be much more durable than the plastic kit part. The increased detail of this metal part, combined with the inherent weakness of plastic parts, would make this an outstanding choice for replacing the kit pitot tube. While the package states that it fits all 1/48 RF-101B kits, the only one that has been released, outside of possible resin conversion sets, is the Monogram kit from 1986. Whether the Monogram kit or a resin conversion is used, this part should work well as intended. The Monogram kit mentioned has the added disadvantage of having the pitot tube molded with one of the radome halves, which jeopardizes the part even more… more |
|
F-14B/D Weighted WheelsPublished:
Aires has long been known for extremely nice resin detail parts. For several years now, under their own name brand and in the Quickboost line, Aires has produced replacements for kit parts that have an outstanding level of detail, exquisite molding, and excellent ease of use. Wheeliant is the most recent line added to the Aires brand, and it easily meets the standard set by the company’s previous products. One of the recent releases is the Wheeliant F-14B/D wheel set. The set includes main and nose gear wheels, with separate weighted tires, and a length of wire to use as brake line for the finished model. The separate wheels and tires make painting a breeze…there is no need to fiddle around with masking tape or purchase an aftermarket masking set to paint these parts. The tires… more |
|
Early Allied Jet Instrument Dial DecalsPublished:
Almost every scale aircraft modeler will eventually want to move up from just box stock builds into more advanced, more detailed models. Aircraft instrument panels are a key element in upgrading a cockpit in any scale, especially if the canopy is attached in the open position. Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements produces a line of instrument dial decals, including its Early Allied Jets set. The 1/48 set includes decals for the instruments that can be found in US and British jet aircraft, such as the F-84, F-86, F-100, F-104, F9F, Meteor, Vampire, and Hunter. Included are airspeed indicator, artificial horizon, gyro magnetic compass, altimeter, and many more. The decals are printed in high resolution, and feature exquisite detail. The instructions feature a numbered key… more |
|
European Cart, Buildings & Accessories SeriesPublished:
Description: Kit includes parts to build a four-wheeled, wagon-style, horse-drawn farm cart. The box art is nicely done, but is the only painting guide for the kit. The back panel of the box includes a sprue map and exploded-view assembly instructions. No decals are included. Inspection: The kit includes two sets of identical sprues, with a total of 52 parts molded in light gray soft plastic, including bottom, sides, front and back panels of wagon body, suspension pieces including front and rear axles, hitching beams and turning mechanisms for front axle, as well as four spoked wheels, seat bottom and backrest, and various hardware. There is no visible flash on any of the parts, but mold separation lines are present on all of the… more |