Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$2.66

Quickbost has produced replacement parts for the Eduard 1/72 Fw-190 kits. The resin replacements are a simple drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include two replacement ribs with finely detailed brace locks, which are not present on the kit parts. There is no modification required to the kit to use these details.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate view should you have the occasion to closely inspect the underside of this exquisite kit. Note the additional detail on the locking mechanisms in the resin part over the kit’s parts.

Highly recommended.

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

Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$10.95

Aires Resin has produced a set of replacement horizontal and vertical stabilizer parts for the Eduard 1/72 scale Fw-190A kits. The resin surfaces are a superbly detailed drop-in for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include a firm greenish-grey resin casting block with the horizontal stabilizers attached. A side by side evaluation (see photos) indicates identical replacements that will provide poseable control surfaces for this exquisitely nice little kit from Eduard. As always, check your reference photos.

You won’t need to do any surgery to the kit to use these beautifully cast pieces in your build. The moveable surfaces could do with a quick swipe and wipe of Tamiya surfacer, and then ultra-fine sandpaper to tone down the prominence of the rib detailing and provide a more realistic fabric surface.

Review Author
Ron Bell
Published on
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.50

If you’re like me, you hate masking canopies/windows. The advent of the canopy mask has made it possible for me to attempt many kits that I otherwise would never try due to large expanses of glass. But even in the case of kits with relatively limited glass, they certainly make life a lot easier.

Hauler Brengun is a Czechoslovakian model company that produces a whole series of accessories for their own kits such as resin detail parts, masks and oddly enough, replacement canopies for their own kits. The subject of this review is their set of masks for their Typhoon IB (car door) kit. Included are a set of masks for the canopy, masks for the wheel hubs and finally for the wing landing lights. They are made out of the same type material as Tamiya masking tape. They have a good level of tack, not too low or high, and can bend around curves if required. Let’s break this down to the three areas covered (pun intended)

Review Author
Chad Richmond
Published on
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.00

NOTE: 32-012 MSRP is $11.00

When I received these decals, I had the greatest of intentions to do a review of the decals actually applied to my finished Trumpeter A-4E. Best laid plans are often exactly that, and I have to apologize for this not being that type of review. My poor A-4E is still sitting on the side of my work area crying to be finished. Life and time often get in the way of our modeling dreams and goals.

These decals, printed by Cartograf, are some of the finest I have ever seen and you actually get a bonus in having AOA decals 32-012, Skyhawk Airframe stencils, included with the purchase.

Book Author(s)
Steve Ginter
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
Company
Ginter Books
MSRP
$21.95

This book comes in the now familiar red cover with type photo and follows the series normal format. The XB-46 was one of four entries into the competition for a jet-powered medium bomber. They were along with the XB-46; the North American XB-45, Boeing XB-47 and Martin XB-48. Boeing was allowed to use swept-wing research captured from the Germans on their design.

Of the other three straight winged designs the XB-45 was the winner and received a production order. That being said Convair’s XB-46 was one of the most beautiful and elegant straight wing jet designs ever conceived. The long thin 113 foot Davis wing and 105 foot cylindrical fuselage combination was most aesthetically pleasing.

The book begins with the development of the design and construction. Paying strict attention to the details, including a full range of cockpit detail photographs, other crew position area as well as aircraft systems from pneumatic to fuel to weapons to engines.

Review Author
Damon Blair
Published on
Company
Airscale Model Aircraft Enhancements
MSRP
$13.50

If you build modern aircraft in 1/48 scale and are frustrated with some of the details that seem to be lacking on the instrument panels, this product will help you add more details to those instrument panels.

The package consists of one photo-etched (PE) brass sheet with a large number of instrument bezels, ejection seat handles, mirrors, switch panels, warning/caution light panels, and multi-function CRT interface bezels. Put these bezels over instrument decals, and a very realistic instrument results.

Besides just adding details to an aircraft instrument panel or modern fighter cockpit, these bezels and other components can be used to scratchbuild a completely new panel or panels. The ejection seat handles can be used to enhance either a kit ejection seat, or an aftermarket ejection seat.

Book Author(s)
Jay A. Stout
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Casemate Publishers
MSRP
$32.95

This book covers the military service history of Elwyn Righetti, a fighter ace and the higher strafing fighter ace from the Eight Air Force with 27 victories. In addition to that he destroyed over 600 enemy locomotives, including over 170 in just a period of 2 days!

Righetti was fascinated with aviation since an early age and learned to fly when he was young. He was a naturally gifted pilot and as such he was made an instructor after qualifying as a pilot with the USAAF. He spent most of the war in the States, training cadre after cadre of pilots. He arrived to the European Front in late 1944 and was put in charge of the 55th Fighter Group.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.95

When you purchase an overtree kit, Eduard also offers an ‘minimalist’ photo etch to upgrade it. The LEPT set normally includes just a pre-painted fret, but in this case there are actually two frets. One pre-painted that is primarily for the cockpit, and the other is a brass fret.

Packaged in a ziplock baggie with a card stock stiffener, this set is just the right amount of detail that is needed for the kit. These are things that I would want to add, Eduard just helped me out. The first fret is the pre-painted fret. It is designed primarily for the cockpit. It has the pre-painted instrument panel, which I absolutely love, along with other pre-painted parts. This fret also has the seatbelts. Some people have complained about the ‘pixelization’ of the pre-painted parts. I don’t find that an issue under a coat of flat clear. The clear coat causes the pixelization to disappear.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$6.75

This set provides replacements for the two nose mounted pitot tubes and the 30 mm gun barrels for Su-17/20/22 kits. The set is designed for the Modelsvit series of kits, but as I had an Italeri Su-22M-4 kit in the stash and Modelsvit kits are not seen often in my neck of the woods, I used the Italeri kit for comparison.