The AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pod is used by the US Air Force, the Air National Guard and several US allies. The pod is a modular design that can be configured to address a variety of threats. It is cleared for use on the F-4, F-5, F-16, F-111, A-10, F-15 and C-130.

This set depicts the deep version of the ALQ-131 pod, often seen on an outer wing pylon of an A-10 or sometimes a C-130. The set is very straightforward consisting of the pod, two mounting lugs and a decal sheet.

Quickboost, an Aires Resin division, continues to produce quick and simple resin upgrades for a wide variety of subjects. The detail parts are crisply cast and often add to or correct kit items.

This review covers replacement propeller blades for Hasegawa’s 1/32 Fw-190D-9. In overall dimensions, length and width, the kit and resin parts are very comparable with maybe .001 difference in length. The portion that differs is at the propeller base. The kit part starts to widen just a few millimeters from the base whereas the Quickboost parts taper more gradually and better match online profiles of the actual blades.

The Missile

The V-2 was the first operational ballistic missile. It didn’t use an aiming system as such but was launched in the exact direction of the target. The engine was cut off when the missile was at the correct speed and altitude to allow it to coast to the target. The 2150-pound warhead could do a large amount of damage, and, unlike the V-1 there was no way to intercept a V-2. A V-2 was also the first vehicle to go into outer space, reaching an altitude of 100 km. (62 miles).

The V-2 was a “vengeance” weapon, to answer the Allied bombing of German cities. The main targets were London, Antwerp and Liege. Over 3000 V-2s were launched against these cities.

The Kit

This kit is mostly resin, with some PE details for the launch stand.

If you have the Roden or Eduard 1/48 Gloster Gladiator, Aires has come through with this very nice item to add a little crisper detail to it. The wheels are nicely molded and, with the masks that are provided, easy to paint. I highly recommend these to anyone with this kit.

I would like to thank Aires for providing this fine detail set and to the IPMS for allowing me to review them.

Tony Buttler was born in 1956 and joined High Duty Alloys in Redditch in 1974 as a metallurgist. For nearly 20 years he was closely involved in the testing of aluminum and titanium airframe and engine components for many of the world's most important airplanes. It was during this timeframe that his interest in military aircraft grew into a passion. Since 1995, Tony has been a freelance aviation historian, and is well known for his Secret Projects series of hardbound books with Crecy Publishing. He has also written many titles for the Warpaint series of monographs as well as many articles for most of the popular historical aviation magazines.