Lifelike Decals from Japan has issued a 1/32^nd scale set titled “Part 3- Big Beautiful Doll Special” which covers six versions of Col. John Landers famous P-51D. The set actually starts with markings when he was a major and then Lt. Colonel and then finished with Colonel so it has markings showing the progression of his career.

A quick bit of history, Col. Landers had 14.5 kills making him almost a triple ace, starting with P-40’s then P-38’s and lastly the P-51. This set only covers the P-51’s and there are two specific planes with multiple markings. The markings in the set cover the following aircraft:

CMK has produced a very nicely detailed resin radio compartment set for the 1/72 Special Hobby P-40E/Kittyhawk kits. The supplied items include the sidewall, radio parts, a tool bag and misc. panel assemblies. Although made for the Special Hobby P-40E/Kittyhawk kit, with some prudent sanding to fit, the set should be adaptable to any of the 1/72 P-40E/Kittyhawk kits currently on the market. I dry-fitted to my Hasegawa example (see photos).

Be sure to wash the parts in soapy water to remove mold release agents and prime prior to using your favorite modeling paints.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to the IPMS Reviewer Corps and CMK for the opportunity to review this item.

Scale Aircraft Conversions has produced replacement gear for the Airfix 1/48 scale BAE Hawk T.Mk.1/Hawk 100 kits. The white metal replacements are an exact-cast drop-in replacement for the kit plastic parts. I have reviewed several of these replacement gear packages, and purchased many more on my own. I have always found them to be at least equal, and usually superior to the kit parts in detailing, with the added benefit of superior strength.

The supplied items in this issue include the two main gear strut and actuator assemblies, and the nose gear strut and axle assembly. Some other SAC packages include replacement main gear wheels, as well, but not the case here. You will need to use the kit wheels or other replacements for your build.

The Aircraft

When the Luftwaffe came to Junkers Aircraft in the mid-1930s, the concept they were looking for was a schnellbomber (fast bomber) which would be faster than a fighter or interceptor. When the prototypes were built, the fast part was true, but as time went on, the fighters got faster. The Ju-88 was used as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance aircraft, heavy fighter, and at the end of the war, as a flying bomb. It was certainly versatile and performed very well for its crews.

The newest version of the Minicraft Ju-88 is for the A or early C model. The A was the bomber version, with a glass nose for the bombardier. The C version was originally a heavy fighter or fighter/bomber, with the glass nose replaced by a solid nose containing a 20mm cannon and three 7.62mm machine guns, all firing forward. The C retained the rear-firing machine guns of the A model and the bomb racks under the wings.

Brief History

The Yakovlev Yak-28 is a swept wing, turbojet-powered combat aircraft used by the Soviet Union. Produced initially as a tactical bomber, it was also manufactured in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, interception, and trainer versions, known by the NATO reporting names Brewer, Firebar, and Maestro respectively. Based on the Yak-129 prototype first flown on 5 March 1958, it began to enter service in 1960.

The Yak-28 was first seen by the West at the Tushino air show in 1961. Western analysts initially believed it to be a fighter rather than an attack aircraft—and a continuation of the Yak-25M --and it was designated "Flashlight". After its actual role was realized, the Yak-28 bomber series was redesignated "Brewer".