Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Book Author(s)
Amaru Tincopa and Santiago Rivas
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Specialty Press
MSRP
$56.96

During the 1920 and 1930’s most Latin American countries started developing air routes and air services; at the same time that their own armed forces started developing their air arms.That fledgling market brought intense competition from industrial countries, including Germany and Italy, which landed significant contracts for both military and civilian aircraft.

This book is organized into 16 chapters, basically one chapter per country, plus a handful of special chapters like “Visitors” (i.e aircraft not operated by Latin American countries but that made special visits to Latin America), Axis Airline Services, Survivors, etc. In this section is where the only Japanese aircraft in Latin America is found.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Roden
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$59.99

Roden’s 0-1 was developed “Under the radar” for many of us; we learned in early announcements of its forthcoming release, and due to world events were concerned that we might never see the kit released. However, the kit has finally appeared, and we now have a large-scale bird dog in hand.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$9.95

The Triple Ejector Rack (TER) allows aircraft to carry three weapons on a single pylon, thus increasing the weapons load that an aircraft can carry instead of a single weapon per pylon as was common in World War II and Korea. The TER attaches directly to the weapons pylon and allows the carriage of up to three of the same weapon, primarily bombs, on that weapons station.

The United States has used TERS since the Vietnam War and they still a common sight on US aircraft along with many NATO air forces. The bombs are attached to the TER by mounting lugs and are stabilized by adjustable sway braces on the TER.

Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$16.95

Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Scale Aircraft Conversions adaption of the Roland C.II landing gear in white metal for the 1/32 Wingnut Wings kit. The set contains left and right landing gear legs, a center axle and airfoil section, plus a replacement tail skid. These are direct replacements for the ones found supplied with the kit with just a little more detail. Overall this is highly recommended for stronger landing gear with added detail and is a great addition to the Wingnut Wings kit.

I would like to thank Scale Aircraft Conversions for another great offering in metal landing gear and IPMS USA for the opportunity to review this item.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$16.95

Product provided by: Ross, CEO of SAC

Thanks to Ross at SAC for sending us another of your expansive line of metal landing gear (with extra bits for the engine mounts, nice!). Thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it to me.

Once again, a SAC upgrade to the basic kit plastic! The set consists of 5 parts: Two main struts, one tailwheel leaf-spring strut with tail wheel fork, and two engine mounts.

Roden kits suffer from one problem; the soft plastic used is just not up to the task of holding up a model. In this kit’s case, it is worse because the gear is already spread at an angle like the majority of Cessna products, which means the real thing is a shock absorber (try landing on one with too high a sink rate and be bounced back in the air, experience here).

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$18.00

AoA (Angle of Attack) decals: Been around about a year, and now we know they are focusing on Vietnam War subjects … We sincerely appreciate this new decal manufacturer sending IPMS/USA their latest releases for review! (…and the usual thanks also to IPMS USA Reviewer corps leadership for sending these my way...)

This set is extremely useful in that it includes a bunch of USAF and US Army stencil and non-stencil markings, in both blue and black, in this case sized for the Roden 1/32 O-1/L-19. You have many options for use, and these are well researched and provide (1) different choices for YOUR model, and (2) provide an alternative to the (frequently) not-so-good kit decal performance.

A set of airframe stencils in included for one model, along with national insignia. When done, you’ll have a lot of numbers and USAF/US ARMY notations for use on your 1/32 snakes and Hueys… at least that’s my plan, as the old Revell kit decals are looking a bit worn in the box.

Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$14.95

Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Scale Aircraft Conversions

adaption of the Mirage F.1 landing gear in white metal for the 1/72 Special Hobby kit. The set contains two main landing gear legs, a nose gear leg and two additional struts. Overall this is highly recommended for stronger landing gear, ability to adjust the white metal to where you need it, and added detail. This is a great addition to the Special Hobby kit. I would like to thank Scale Aircraft Conversions for another great offering in metal landing gear and IPMS USA for the opportunity to review this item.

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.38

Quickboost has produced a replacement prop for the Trumpeter and ICM 1/48 scale Mig-3 kits. The resin replacement is a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include a separately cast spinner, post and blades with a cast resin assembly tool for inserting the blades at a consistent pitch. There is no modification required to the kit to use this prop assembly.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) and shots of my completed Trumpeter Mig-3 “Early” indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate and “crisp” blade representation of a Mig-3 propeller. The kit parts have the brown spinner cap, and the Quickboost prop assembly spinner is gray. Note, however that using the tool will cause the prop blades to be installed at the incorrect rotation pitch. My web research found that Mig-3 props rotated clockwise (when viewed from the front of the aircraft), as depicted in the kit’s propeller assembly.

Review Author
Timothy Gidcumb
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.95

Recently I was given the opportunity by IPMS USA to review Scale Aircraft Conversions adaptation of the F-16 Light landing gear in white metal for the 1/48 Kinetic kit.

The set contains the aft gear bulkhead along with the retraction struts. The nose gear includes a separate nose gear and its retraction strut and oleo scissor.

This set is for the light versions of the F-16 (-1 to -20 versions or the F-16A/B variants).

Also included in this set is a nose gear door landing light, and an altered main gear bulkhead, which makes the installation of the main gear easier.

These are a direct replacements for the ones found supplied with the kit with just a little more detail.

Overall this is highly recommended for stronger landing gear and added detail and is a great addition to the Kinetic kit.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Master Details
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$14.95

Product provided by: Master Details via the reviewer’s wallet

Master details produces and distributes an expanding range of pilot figures and details for 1/32 scale projects; for now their focus is on the HK B-17, but they have other items in their lineup including an HE-111 Cockpit for the massive Revell kit.

In this case, the pilot figure is an early Vietnam-era U.S. pilot with four different heads cast in metal (One with just the helmet and chin strap, one with the visor up and oxygen mask in place, and one with the visor down and oxygen mask in place, and one with visor down and no oxygen mask), an oxygen hose for the mask in metal, and seven resin body parts including two legs, and four separate arms, with a torso. The kit also includes a unit patch decal sheet for the shoulder patches frequently displayed on the flight jackets of the time.