Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$19.95

This resin and PE set provides the rear part of the radial engine, firewall, MG-131 machine guns, gun breech cover with detail inside and out, 2 ammunition containers, one engine mount, one engine mounting bracket, one cylindrical engine part of unknown function, and one PE sheet containing numerous detail parts for this unit. The instructions are very detailed and clear on how the whole thing is supposed to go together.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$18.95

Scale Aircraft Conversions celebrated their Silver Anniversary last year, and now have over twenty-five years of supplying resin and white metal parts to model builders. This is the seventh landing gear set from SAC that I have reviewed, and once again, they have provided an excellent metal option for kit-supplied landing gear. This set is intended for the 1/48 scale Horton Ho 229 flying wing that was released by Zoukei-Mura last year (kit 3 of the 1/48 scale Super Wing Series). The purpose of this replacement set is to provide stronger landing gear that is adjustable if necessary to obtain proper angles. Even with no previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no issue installing.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$19.95

This resin and PE set includes the major cockpit interior, side panels, rear cockpit deck, 2 forward instrument panel covers for mounting the gunsight, rear headrest, two piece instrument panels, and a control stick. The PE sheet provides painted instrument panels, seat belts, rudder pedals, and misc. parts. Clear film for the gunsight is also included. Instructions are complete and highly detailed, providing location and color information. This has more detail than the one provided in the kit, and makes a useful addition to this kit. Some trimming inside the fuselage is required, but this is clearly explained in the instructions. Recommended.

My thanks go to Eduard for the chance to review this wonderful set.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.95

This kit provides three resin exhaust stack units for the FW-190A-8 kit. These snap into place just like the ones provided in the kit, and the only difference is that the Brassin units are drilled out, appearing to be exhaust stacks rather than solid tubes. Highly recommended.

My thanks to Eduard for the review set.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$24.95

History

The Focke Wulf FW-190 series of fighters served as one of the two major single engine fighters used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Introduced after the Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighter, the FW-190A powered by a radial engine was in many ways a better fighter, although it was inferior in performance to the Messerschmitt at high altitudes, a disadvantage solved by the introduction of the Jumo powered FW-190D later in the war. The radial engine FW-190 became standard not only in fighter units, but also in close support units, especially on the Eastern Front. It was more heavily armed and armored, and its wide track undercarriage made it easier to fly, cutting the accident rate dramatically, compared to the Bf-109.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.95

A word of caution up front, if you read my previous review on the 1/72 scale AIM-4D release by Eduard, this is going to seem very familiar. If you missed this review, then please enjoy what follows.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Aerobonus
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$14.99

Aires and Aerobonus fill another gap with a Soviet pilot in a K-36 ejection seat meant to be added to Trumpeters very large 1/32nd Su-27. The set includes five well-cast resin pieces - two arms, the head/helmet, the top of the ejection seat and the seat/pilot figure.

Preparation is simple, remove the parts from the casting blocks and add the top of the seat and the two arms. There were small amounts of putty at the arms- I used Squadron white putty smooth with lacquer thinner. The head can be kept separate for painting if you like, or glued in place.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Academy Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$64.00

Academy has rereleased the Accurate Miniatures 1/48th scale B-25B in Doolittle Raid markings and it is a welcome sight as this kit was getting rarer as the days passed. Inside the box, you get all the plastic parts associated with the initial release as well as a decal sheet covering all 16 planes. The parts are well molded and even 12-15 years later, they are flash free and excellent. The clear parts are superb also.

I will forgo the history as most are well aware of the raid by Lt. Col. Doolittle and his pilots and there are many excellent references and even some fun movies referring to the raid. I have wanted to build this kit for a while ever since trading it off to a friend a while back and jumped at the opportunity to build it.

Review Author
Robert Head
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$12.95

I am bringing you guys the AIM-9J Sidewinder in 1/48th scale from the Eduard Brassin line. I have not worked with Eduard’s resin line ever up to this point, and I can honestly say I'm impressed! The Sidewinder Missile does not need an introduction from me, seeing as they have been around for 60 long productive years, with the J model being used in the early 70’s as an Air Force production model.

These missiles come in a clear plastic package with multiple foam inserts to protect the product and keep them still.

There are a total of 28 resin pieces consisting of: 4 missile bodies, 1 resin block with the clear seeker heads, 4 blocks containing a set of fins per missile, and 1 block containing seeker head covers. There is one photo-etched fret and one decal sheet.

Book Author(s)
Managing Editor: Mick Davis
Review Author
Frank Landrus
Published on
Company
Cross & Cockade International
MSRP
$39.10

Annual Subscription (4 issues): £ 27.00 ($39.10) plus shipping

The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Spring 2016, features a water-color painting of two Short Admiralty Type 166 Seaplanes on the cover. The rear cover shows a photograph of Captain Eric John Stephens and his 41 Squadron SE5a along with a photo of Captain Frank Ormond Soden and his captured Fokker D VII of Ltn Adolph Auer (Jasta 40). If you check out the web site link above, you can get additional sample pics of the current issue.

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.