Thank you very much to the generous folks at SAM Publications for providing these titles for review. Thanks are also due to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me the opportunity to research and learn more about the iconic P-51 Mustang, a pivotal aircraft from World War II forward. These books are outstanding in quality and value. I highly recommend them, not just for the model builder, but anyone with an interest in aviation history.

There seems to be a different philosophy between Europe and the US. In Europe, the modeling community seems to want to have every little detail and everything opened up. In the US we tend to add detail but not in every single little access panel.

This set is designed to allow you to open EVERY single access panel on the Spitfire. The instructions show you how. It is up to the modeler to decide which ones to open. There is no panel that is left undone.

There are templates to help remove the plastic panels on the kit. There is a new cockpit access hatch and a radio access panel. Some, but not all, access panels have detail on the inside so when the panel is posed open whatever is inside can be seen.

Eduard also provides teardrop templates so you can use heated plastic and make new light bulbs. They are in various scales.

This is a combined review of Master Model’s two optional turned brass barrels (20mm Hispano), and Browning tips and fairings for the Eduard Spitfire Mk.IXe and Mk.XVIe:

• AM-48-102 - Spitfire Mk.IXe/XVIe early version (conical fairings).
• AM-48-103 - Spitfire Mk.IXe/XVIe late version (rounded fairings).

I love, love, love the Eduard Spitfire series of kits. The kit has impressive detail to say the least. Sure there are some things that could be improved with aftermarket. One of those things is the armament.

Master has been producing some of the best turned metal barrels and pitot tubes in the world. These sets are in keeping with that reputation.

This is the third set of 1/72 decals from AOA Decals. The decals are printed by Cartigraf of Italy, look very nice, are clear, in register, and work very well. These decals are spaced very close together so use a really good pair of decal scissors so you don’t accidentally cut the one next to it.

The first test for decals, that I use, is to apply the walkway markings because they are long and straight. If they are really long you can cut them apart and mate them up again but that wasn’t needed here. These went on properly with no problem at all. I was very impressed with the ease and smoothness with which they could be applied. They came off the sheet well and I was able to move them into place once I got them on.

I recently built and reviewed Brengun’s USN Tow Tractor (BRL 144025) used on aircraft carriers. One thing that I said was missing was the tow bar to allow the tractor to move the planes around the deck. So here it is.

The entire kit is a single resin cast and a single PE fret. The resin parts are the bars for the tow bar. The PE is the connectors to hook the assembly to the tractor at one end and the aircraft at the other.

Assembly Preparation

The assembly is both easy and difficult. The easy part is that there aren’t a lot of parts, and they are logically set up. The difficult part is that the PE parts are all very small and easy to lose. One way I overcome this difficulty is using a jeweler’s apron, which anchors to my workbench at one end, and the other end has a loop which is around my neck. This way if I drop a part, it usually falls into the apron, where it can be recovered. The carpet monster is bereft.