Reviews of scale model detail sets.

Review Author
Will Kuhrt
Published on
March 13, 2023
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/18
MSRP
$24.95

The BBI 1/18 F/A-18 Hornet is a fully-painted and detailed plastic display model and belongs to the “Elite Force” family of products. This is not a traditional plastic model kit nor is it a toy. These are prepared display models intended for the serious collector.

This SAC landing gear kit is a replacement for the BBI Hornet’s main landing gear. Because the canopy, all control surfaces and the landing gear are all functional-you can extend and retract the landing gear—they are prone to breaking.

This replacement set is very sturdy and for the scale, it has good basic detail.

Thank you to Scale Aircraft Conversions for supplying this sample, and thank you for IPMS for the privilege to review it.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
March 7, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.30

This set is designed to provide replacement engine nozzles for Revell’s 1/72 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Dauntless kits. The package includes two complete nozzle sets consisting of the flameholder section, the exhaust tube and the nozzle.

As expected with Brengun, the resin parts are well cast and sharply detailed and are intended to be a complete replacement for the kit’ engines. As with any resin set, the first set is to wash the parts to remove and release agent residue. I then used a razor saw to remove the parts from the casting stubs. I have always struggled with this step as I can never quite seem to keep the blade straight all the way through, so I end up having to do some remedial sanding to even the parts up after removal.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
March 7, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.00

As the US Army Air Forces P-51 escorts ventured farther over Japan they required more fuel. Enter the 110 gallon drop tank. Similar in design to the 96-gallon tanks formed from stamped aluminum halves pinch joined at the seams, these larger tanks now held 660 lbs. of fuel. The sway braces used on the standard pylons were not up to the task. Fixing this problem took the form of plywood braces cross tied over the tank to each other. To keep the tanks hanging in the direction of gravity, the height of each was cut to account for dihedral of the aircraft’s wings. Brengun has duplicated this system in this kit. Resin cast tanks are detailed with photoetch parts and decals are provided for the stencils.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
March 4, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.30

This set is designed to provide replacement engine nozzles for Revell’s 1/72 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Dauntless kits. The package includes two complete nozzle sets consisting of the flameholder section, the exhaust tube and the nozzle.

As expected with Brengun, the resin parts are well cast and sharply detailed and are intended to be a complete replacement for the kit’ engines. As with any resin set, the first set is to wash the parts to remove and release agent residue. I then used a razor saw to remove the parts from the casting stubs. I have always struggled with this step as I can never quite seem to keep the blade straight all the way through, so I end up having to do some remedial sanding to even the parts up after removal.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
February 23, 2023
Company
Red Fox Studio
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$12.70

I don’t think I’m alone in the feeling that when building an airplane kit, the most challenging aspect (at least in terms of painting) is inevitably the cockpit. And within the cockpit, the most challenging aspect is almost always the instrument panels. Over the years I’ve developed a pretty steady hand at this kind of work, but that doesn’t mean I actually enjoy it. It’s usually with a sigh of relief when I can set down an instrument panel with a full paint job on it.

Red Fox Studios, a company out of Hungary, has come up with a product line that I am now head over heels in love with. They are releasing a series of detail sets which include not only full-color instrument sets for various aircraft, but fully three-dimensional instrument panels at that, with every instrument and button fully realized. I have literally never seen anything like them before, and I am mesmerized.

Review Author
Paul Bradley
Published on
February 22, 2023
Company
Red Fox Studio
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.00

Red Fox Studios are a new company to me. Based in Hungary, they are a producer of resin upgrades and decals, including a range of 3D instrument panel decals, of which this review item is one.

Designed for the Kinetic 1/48 F/A-18C Hornet kit, this product has a plastic, non-flat surface with a 3D effect. It is best glued with cyanoacrylate, but PVA or other glues can also be used. The product can be washed with both oil-based and acrylic paints. It can also be minimally bent or sanded.

Having started the kit, I first painted and decaled the pilot’s cockpit using the kit-provided decals. I used setting solution to help these settle over the kit’s nicely-moulded in detail. These looked OK and would have been perfectly suitable under a closed canopy.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
February 22, 2023
Company
Hauler Brengun
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$11.25

Hauler has provided another addition to the 1/72 aircraft weapons arsenal with these World War two Depth Charges and bomb rack.

The detail quality is great. Be very careful when removing the fin end of the Depth Charges as they are very fragile, and I broke one. The parts once removed from the mold base are ready to assembly. There is also a small Photo Etch sheet with some very delicate parts that need careful removal and added to the assembly

The Assembly is quick and easy. The final part is painted Olive Drab and looks great as an addition to any 1/72 Aircraft

Thanks go to Hauler/Brengun for providing this kit to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
February 22, 2023
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$19.25

Hauler has provided another addition to the great Diorama releases with this Bedroom Furniture set. The set includes a double Bed, two bedside units, a Wardrobe, two table lamps and two telephones.

The detail quality is great. The parts once removed from the mold base are ready to assembly.

Be careful when removing the side table lamp as they break easily. Also be careful not to drop a telephone on the carpet it will never be seen again as I found out!

The Assembly is quick and easy. The final part is painting them how every you want and looks great as an addition to any diorama.

Thanks go to Hauler for providing this kit to review and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it for them

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
February 4, 2023
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$11.30

Brengun continues to expand its line of accessories this time with a photoetch set for the Revell 1/48 Focke-Wulf Ta-154

The fret includes a single fret focused on details for the cockpit of the aircraft with a photoetch seat, seatbelts, instrument panel (including a piece of clear film used for the dial faces) side console details and gunsight.

In addition, this set includes the dipole from the radar antenna and other radar-altimeter and navigational antennas.

Replacing the plastic parts by this PE set will provide a more-to-scale looks, while simplifying the overall assembly of the radar antennas given that the dipoles and braces are a single piece. Well done Brengun!

Recommended.

I would like to thank Brengun and IPMS/USA for the review sample.

Review Author
Michael A. Turco
Published on
February 4, 2023
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$22.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) is a Texas based company that has been marketing resin and white metal parts for scale model aircraft for well over 20 years. In perusing their website, it’s hard to find an aircraft kit for which they don’t make a metal landing gear set. There are currently about 228 available sets in the 1/48 scale jets list alone. I’ve used them at least a half-dozen times in the past and they have proven to be of high quality with excellent fit.