Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$3.70

This set replaces parts A8, B11 and B12 from Kitty Hawk Kit number KH80115. The detail quality is to the normal high standard of the Quickboost products. As usual there is no flash or other imperfections. The parts, once removed from the mold base, are ready to install. The parts will make a great improvement on the kit parts, which have no fine details as these do. A great price for such fine additional details for this kit.

Thanks to Aires/Quickboost for providing the review sample.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$3.70

This set replaces parts 28 and 30 from Kitty Hawk Kit number KH80115. The detail quality is to the normal high standard of the Quickboost products. As usual there is no flash or other imperfections. The parts, once removed from the mold base, are ready to install. The parts will make a great improvement on the kit parts, which have no fine details as these do. A great price for this kit with such fine additional details.

Thanks to Aires/Quickboost for providing the review sample.

Book Author(s)
Paul Lucas
Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
Company
Guideline Publications
MSRP
$16.71

I am a “History of the Battle of Britain” enthusiast, and as an offshoot of that enthusiasm I am a follower of all things “RAF”. When given the opportunity to review Guidelines Publications new “Camo & Markings” book I jumped at the chance.

As an enthusiast of the “historical aspect”, I found this publication to be superb. As a scale modeler I found this book to be an excellent reference for colors and markings of the RAF. You will not be disappointed!

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Modelling
MSRP
$7.08

As Gary Hatcher states in the editorial, the dust is settling from the transition in editors and they are striking a balance between modelling, reference and history with modelling having the lead. This edition is chocked full of detailed articles on all types of planes.

The lead article is a test shot build of IBG's RWD 8 PWS by Karl Robinson. The final results are great and as this is their first aircraft, Polish manufacturer IBG comes out strong with this kit and bodes well for the future. Karl shows off his rigging skill as well.

Richard Mason previews Revell of Germany's 1/72 C-54 Skymaster with shots of the sprue and a history of the plane itself. The kit has a full interior and it builds similar to the RoG C-17. The kit looks great and I can't wait to see it show on American shelves.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Ultracast
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$20.25

Ultracast has issued a figure than can be used in Tamiya's 1/32 F4U-1a Corsair and they picked one of my favorite subject, Pappy Boyington. The kit comes in seven well cast tan resin pieces- two arms, two legs, torso, head and chin strap. The castings are excellent with minimal to no mold lines. And the sculpt is by Mike Good and is superb.

I started the build by freeing the pasts from the casting blocks with a razor saw. A few scrapes with the back of a knife and the seams were gone. I added the arms and the legs and had small gaps. I used Squadron white putty to fill in the seams and smoothed with a lacquer thinner. Once dry, I primer with Alclad gray primer.

I started with the flesh which is only the face. I have started using Scale 75 paints and really like them. I built up layers over a base coat and probably over did the creases some. The eyes are meant to be slits like he is looking into the sun and I could got them a little narrow.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) was developed to replace the AGM-45 Shrike and the AGM-78 Standard ARM. Unlike the Shrike and the Standard ARM, the HARM was designed from the outset as a SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) weapon, not an adaption of an existing weapon. The HARM system includes the missile, the LAU-118 launcher and HARM specific avionics in the launch aircraft. HARM has the ability to detect, acquire and select a radiating threat and once launched operates in a “fire and forget” autonomous capacity, freeing the launch aircraft to maneuver or to attack another target. The HARM proved its lethality during operations over Iraq during both Desert Storm and Desert Fox. It was used by the F-4G, A-6, A-7, Tornado and the EA-6B and is currently carried on the F-16CJ, F-18A/C/D/E, EF-18G and other aircraft.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$18.95

Tamiya’s Wildcat has been around for a while and it is an excellent kit. Scale Aircraft Conversion has produced a set of metal landing gear to use on the kit. The set includes all the gear parts including the portions up inside the nose. A new tail wheel is also included. The metal parts are well made and are drop in replacements for the kits parts, but are made of metal. The metal is stiff but retains its malleability. Some cleanup will be needed to free it from the molding sprues and I recommend a razor saw for this work.

Several modelers have asked me “why metal gear”? I agree, that this kit is not particularly heavy and my answer is twofold. First, have you ever lost a part? I have and while you can get the parts for most kits, getting these sturdier parts is much easier and it may be cheaper that the alternative of buying an entire sprue to get a part or two.

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

The GBU-10 weapons system consists of a Mk.84 2,000 lb. bomb coupled with a laser guidance system. The Paveway II guidance system replaced the Paveway I system beginning in the early 1970’s and features a simpler but more reliable seeker and pop-out wings in the tail fins to increase the bomb’s performance.

Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$13.00

The Mk. 20 Rockeye II (also known as the CBU-100 cluster bomb) is an American designed cluster bomb. The Rockeye II is intended for use against armored targets and each canister includes 247 anti-armor bomblets. The Rockeye was first used in Vietnam and has been steadily modified and improved over the years since. The Rockeye was used extensively by American forces in Desert Storm to attack Iraqi vehicles.’

Book Author(s)
Bert Kinzey, art by Rock Roszak
Review Author
Rob Benson
Published on
Company
Detail & Scale, Inc.
MSRP
$9.99

Thank you to Bert Kinzey and Rock Roszak for bringing back a tremendous resource for the modeler, this time in digital format. Thank you to the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to test out this new and exciting method of researching colors and markings of my favorite jet of all time, the F-14 Tomcat. A very significant plus of this updated version is that the entire history of the Atlantic F-14 squadrons through Tomcat Sunset is now available in a single publication.