Paul R. Brown
Reviews By Author
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MiG-29UB Izdelye 9.51 Zoom setPublished:
To assist in training pilots to fly the MiG-29, the Mikoyan OKB developed a two seat trainer of the aircraft. In order to minimize differences in the handling characteristics between the single seat and two seat aircraft, Mikoyan modified the front fuselage by deleting the fire control radar and modified the nose to accommodate the second cockpit. The MiG-29UB retains much of the MiG-29A’s combat capabilities, including its impressive maneuverability, but its air-to-air weapons are limited to heat-seeking missiles and cannon fire. The MiG-29UB is operated by most air forces that fly the MiG-29. This set it designed to be used on the MiG-29UB kit released by Trumpeter last year. As a Zoom set, it is printed in full color and provides parts to upgrade both front and rear cockpits… more |
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Brassin IRIS-TPublished:
The IRIS-T (infra-red imaging system - tail / thrust vector controlled) is a heat seeking missile developed by a consortium of European countries as a replacement for the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The program was led by Germany, but included other NATO countries such as Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Spain and the IRIS-T has been exported to several countries such as Austria, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. The IRIS-T became operational in 2005 and is carried on the Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, Tornado and the Gripen. The set includes two complete IRIS-T missiles, 2 seeker covers and 2 sets of different launch rails – 2 LAU-129’s for the F-16 (and presumably the F-18, Eurofighter and Tornado) and 2 Lavett RB99’s for the Gripen. Each missile consists of 6… more |
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Eurofighter Landing Gear (Hasegawa)Published:
The set is designed as drop in replacements for the kit landing gear parts for Hasegawa’s recent 1/72 scale Eurofighter/Typhoon. The set consists of 6 white metal parts, a nose gear strut, two main landing gear struts, the nose gear retraction strut and two retraction struts for the main landing gear legs. As with all of SAC’s sets, the castings are excellent. There was a slightly raised casting seam on some of the parts, but this is easily removed with an Xacto knife. The three retraction struts are cast together on small runner, but they are easily removed, but exactly where the casting plug ends and the part begins is not always clear, so I kept the corresponding kit parts nearby for consulting. Be very careful removing the nose gear retraction strut from the runner as it is… more |
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USN F/A-18E VFA-143 Pukin DogsPublished:
While many other kits of the F/A-18E have been released in 1/72, Academy’s recent release is a continuation of its recent focus on enticing new people to the hobby. It is not a snap-tight kit with all the negative connotations that often has, nor is it a “normal” model kit. Like several of its other releases last year and this year, this kit is for the most part a push-fit kit, however, it showcases some of the best model engineering I have seen as many joints where the parts fit together are exquisite and most of them vanish once assembled. The kit is comprised of 6 sprues of grey plastic, a clear canopy and individual moldings of the front fuselage, the lower aft fuselage, the nose and an ejection seat. The kit includes two different styles of vertical tails. The ones on the… more |
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MiG-29 Landing GearPublished:
Earlier this year Zvezda released a new kit of the MiG-29 (9-13), known as the Fulcrum C under the NATO naming standards. The kit has since also been released under the Revell label. Scale Aircraft Conversions released a replacement set for this MiG-29 kit. The set is comprised of five parts, two main landing gear legs, a two piece nose strut, and the nose strut retraction actuator. The two side braces on the lower part of the nose gear strut are well molded but will require care in removing them from the casting tree as they are easy to bend since they are so thin. As with Scale Aircraft’s other sets, the parts are drop in replacements for the kit parts. As shown in the photographs, the replacement parts are identical to the kit parts, but will add some rigidity to the landing… more |
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Su-33 Flanker D Landing GearPublished:
Shortly after Trumpeter released its new Su-33 Flanker D kit, Scale Aircraft Conversions released a replacement set for the kit landing gear. The set is comprised of five parts: two main landing gear legs, the nose strut, the nose strut retraction actuator, and the scissor link for the nose gear strut. As with Scale Aircraft’s other sets, the parts are drop in replacements for the kit parts. After removing a slight molding seam on the parts, I polished them using a wire wheel in my battery operated Dremel tool at low speed. This works very well and results in a nice uniform finish to all of the parts. Assembly of the parts mirrors that of the kit parts, however, I discovered that I need to straighten out the scissor link as it was bent a little to one side. I… more |
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Aussie Eight Dual Combo - Spitfire Mk. VIIIPublished:
The Supermarine Spitfire is one of the iconic fighters of World War Two. Entering service at the beginning of the conflict, it was continually upgraded and improved throughout the war. As Japanese Navy air attacks on Darwin demonstrated, the Royal Australian Air Force needed a high altitude fighter to supplement its low altitude fighters, such as the Curtis Kittyhawk (P-40). After reviewing the projected performance of the Spitfire Mk. VIII, the Australian government requested delivery of Spitfire Mk. VIII’s to fulfill this role. The RAAF eventually received over 400 of this version of the Spitfire and operated it in several theaters. Eduard released a dual-kit of the Spitfire Mk. VIII in Australian service several years ago as part of its 1/48 Spitfire series. Earlier this… more |
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MiG-25PD/PDS (Foxbat E) - Pitot TubePublished:
This set provides a replacement nose pitot for the MiG-25 PD and PDS “Foxbat E” interceptor. The instructions do not list what kit the set is designed for, but the only MiG-25 PD/PDS kit in 1/72 scale that I am aware of is the ICM kit (recently released by Hasegawa under its label too). Unfortunately, I have the Hasegawa kit on back-order, so I was not able to compare the Master Model parts to a kit part for this review. The set consists of just 2 brass parts which make up the needle-like nose pitot of the later interceptor versions of the Foxbat. As shown in the photographs, both brass parts are very nicely done and as with Master Model’s other sets, I am sure they will be a huge improvement over the kit pitot. The instructions tell you to drill a .6 mm hole in the tip of the… more |
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MiG-25 Pitot tube (all versions except PD/PDS)Published:
This set provides a replacement nose pitot for the most of the variants of the MiG-25 Foxbat, other than the PD and PDS “Foxbat E” interceptor. The instructions do not list what kit the set is designed for, but there are a number of different Foxbat kits available from as Hasegawa’s initial offering based on the MiG-25 that Viktor Belenko flew to Japan, up to more recent offerings from ICM and other manufacturers. I had a MiG-25PU already underway, so I used that kit as a comparison kit. The set consists of just 3 parts, 2 brass parts and a resin part that includes the various vanes and hooks present on the actual pitot tube. As with Master Model’s other sets, both brass parts and the resin part are very nicely done and as shown in the photographs, they are a huge improvement… more |
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Seatbelts RAF (Early)Published:
This set is another of Eduard’s new “Steel” seatbelt line. The set is intended for early WWII RAF aircraft and includes three sets of shoulder harnesses and four sets of lap-belts. There is no explanation for the extra lap-belt set, as the instructions only show installation of the full set of belts. Each harness set includes just four parts, a left lap-belt, a right lap-belt and two part shoulder straps. As I had one of the new Airfix Hurricane Mk. I kits in my to-do pile, I decided to try out the set on it. The Airfix cockpit is really well designed and looks great. I used a micro drill to open up the slot in the seatback and at the top of the armor back plate. Some photographs of Hurricane seats show the “y” portion of the shoulder harness going through the slot in the back… more |