Roger Rasor
Reviews By Author
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Spitfire Mk.V ExhaustsPublished:
Quickboost has added a highly detailed set of resin exhaust pipes for the Hobby Boss 1/32 scale Spitfire Mk.V. They are packaged in the typical Quickboost branded poly bag and are molded on a single casting block. They feature hollow ends and show no signs of flash that would need to be dealt with. They can be removed easily from the casting block with a razor saw blade or No. 11 blade and the cut edge can be cleaned up if necessary with a sanding stick. Because they are resin, they need to be attached with super glue or epoxy cement. Although the package indicates these parts are recommended as easy drop-in replacements for the kit parts in Hobby Boss’ #83205 and #83206 kits with very little adjustment to the mounting tabs, they should work well as detailed replacements for the… more |
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Windsock Worldwide, Vol. 28, No. 1 - January/February 2012Published:
Each quarter, WW I aircraft enthusiasts begin to pace back and forth, nervously waiting for the latest issue of Windsock Worldwide to show up in their mailbox or at their local hobby shop. Now, that may sound like something of an exaggeration, but is an understandable occurrence if it should happen, because Ray Rimell’s labor of love has come to be recognized all over the globe as the single best source for information about WW I aircraft model building. The latest issue, Vol. 28, No. 1, is no exception. It is stocked full of what enthusiasts and model builders are hungry for. The front cover previews what is contained in this issue. Beginning with a full-bleed photo of New Zealand-based Vintage Aviator Ltd.’s beautiful Fokker D.VIII reproduction, readers are prepared for a… more |
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Bf-109E-4, Part 2Published:
If I could be granted a do-over at this point, I’d take the opportunity to pay closer attention to the engine-to-firewall attachment when I put those parts together. Everything appeared to me to be OK at that point in the assembly, but it turns out that a very minor bow in the right side engine bearer that I really wasn’t paying close attention to was just enough to affect the alignment of the engine’s prop shaft hole and the opening in the front of the engine cowling when I got the cowling pieces closed up. It was minor, but just enough to shift the prop and spinner off center. The lesson here is to be careful to dry fit all of the components that comprise this area if you are going to build your model with the engine cowling closed. (If you are building it with the cowl panels off, a… more |
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US Aircraft Recognition LightsPublished:
1/72 model aircraft builders, like 1/48 model aircraft builders, now recognize that not all Quickboost detail parts are grey resin. Some are yellow, red and blue! Among the latest releases from Quickboost are sets of multi-colored aircraft recognition lights. This one, set #QB 72 338, is sized for 1/72 scale models. It includes three sprues; one each of transparent yellow, red and blue resin, which contain three small cylinders that will fit typical bezels found on most 1/72 scale aircraft. After carefully drilling out the lights that are cast on the underside of an aircraft’s wings or fuselage with a drill bit that matches the diameter of these little castings, just fit each of the cylinders in their corresponding hole and anchor it with a drop of future, epoxy, or superglue.… more |
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US Aircraft Recognition LightsPublished:
Not all Quickboost parts are grey resin. Some are yellow, red and blue! That’s right…among the latest releases from Quickboost are sets of multi-colored aircraft recognition lights. This one, set #QB 48 407, is sized for 1/48 scale models. It includes three sprues; one each of transparent yellow, red and blue resin, which contain three small cylinders that will fit typical bezels found on most 1/48 scale aircraft. After carefully drilling out the lights that are cast on the underside of an aircraft’s wings or fuselage with a drill bit that matches the diameter of these little castings, each of the cylinders can be placed in their corresponding hole and anchored with a drop of future, epoxy or superglue. It should make an easy job of enhancing the detail in that area of any kit… more |
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Bf-109E-4, Part 1Published:
If asked to name a fighter aircraft that served in WWII, most everyone will mention Messerschmitt before they begin counting on their second hand, and they generally are referring to the Bf 109. The Bf 109 actually earned its iconic position in the late 1930s, when the E model entered service with the Legion Condor in Spain, and then went on to etch its place firmly in history during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. It’s no surprise, then, that the E has been marketed in all popular scales by almost every plastic model kit manufacturer. Now Cyber Hobby (AKA Dragon) has added one more to the list of kits to choose from when interested in building a Bf 109 in 1/32 scale. The Cyber Hobby kit is labeled Bf-109E-4, with box top art featuring Adolf Galland’s aircraft and… more |
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Spitfire Seat with Safety BeltsPublished:
If you have a 1/32 Spitfire kit that would benefit from the addition of a well-detailed seat that comes with realistic safety belts, Quickboost has an answer. Quickboost has added exactly that to their 1/32 resin detail part line, and this seat provides a significant level of extra detail that most current other offerings don’t. As the photo below shows, in addition to believable safety belts, Quickboost’s version provides a row of flare cartridges along the front edge of the seat and a detailed seat-adjusting lever along the right side. The part is molded in Quickboost’s familiar gray resin and is packaged on a casting block. The quality of the molding is flawless, with no bubbles, pinholes or flash to remove. A razor saw blade can be used to remove the part from the… more |
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MiG-3 CockpitPublished:
It seems that when a new kit hits the market, it quickly is followed by a flood of aftermarket detail sets. Fortunately, Aires understands that kits purchased today may not reach the workbench for some time, so they also continue to release aftermarket sets for kits that many of us have in our stash (or that we have not yet added to that inventory). Set #2158 is a glowing example of that. Trumpeter’s 1/32 MiG 3 kit has been on the market for a few years now, and Aires recently released a highly detailed mixed-media cockpit set to add considerable detail to that kit. The detail in this set’s resin components, as is normal with Aires sets, is crisp, delicate and complex enough to make the MiG’s cockpit quite convincing. Those parts are cast in Aires’ typical gray resin and, as usual,… more |
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Bf-109E Tail WheelPublished:
Quickboost has added an item to their aftermarket detail part line that will be welcomed by those who like to build Tamiya’s beautiful 1/72 Bf 109E kits. While a lot of attention has been focused on wheel bays, propeller hubs and cockpits, Quickboost has release a pair of resin tail wheels that are designed to replace those found in the Tamiya kits. They are direct replacements for kit parts and the detail is crisp and delicate. However, they go one step further. They correct one of the complaints about the kit…they are thicker and slightly larger than the kit’s undersized tail wheel. The comparison photo below shows the difference between the Quickboost part and the kit part. The castings, like all other Quickboost resin parts are blemish free, pin hole free and offer no flash… more |
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F4U-1 Corsair Cowl FlapsPublished:
A recent addition to Quickboost’s growing line of aftermarket detail parts is this nice resin part that will add detail to the front end of a Corsair built from one of the Tamiya 1/72 F4U-1 kits. Quickboost’s #72 320 is a replacement for the kit’s open cowl flaps but, as the photo below shows, it provides considerably enhanced backside detail. Since it is designed to replace the kit part, it is easily installed during the assembly process without the need to cut or modify the kit. However, with some work, it also may be adaptable to other F4U-1 kits on the market. The part is molded in Quickboost’s familiar gray resin on a casting block. The quality of the molding is flawless, with no bubbles, pinholes or flash to deal with. A sharp #11 x-Acto blade or razor saw blade is the… more |