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Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.
Package

Hurricane Mk. I Control Surfaces
Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$7.00

Aires offers model builders a way to add some extra detail to their 1/72 Hurricane Mk.I by posing the horizontal tail surfaces is a natural deflected position. This aftermarket set (#72310) provides four resin parts that replace the two kit parts (shown in the photo below). By providing separate elevators and stabilizers, Aires permits the builder to position the movable control surfaces at any angle...often slightly drooping when the pilot leaves the control column pushed a bit forward as he exits the aircraft on the ground (which means the modeler should also position the control column slightly forward). As a bonus, the Aires parts are more accurate in shape than the kit parts and provide better detail.

Packaging

English Electric Lightning Landing Gear
Review Author
Keith Gervasi
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$12.95

This is the Scale Aircraft Conversion (SAC) replacement landing gear set for the new tool Airfix EE Lightning kits and I must say that it is a very nice set. I took pictures of the kit parts and SAC parts side by side and as you can see they are pretty well detailed. You do have a little cleaning up to do because of mold seams but this is true with the kit parts also. Having built one of these already, it will be nice to have the metal nose gear for a little extra strength (due to the weight in the nose) on my next one.

The detail on the parts is pretty good and should look very nice after painting. One thing to watch out for is that one of my pieces was a bent a little and had to be straightened out but really was not difficult to do. I highly recommend this set for anyone that is building those kits.

Thanks go to Scale Aircraft Conversions for supplying this for review, IPMS for letting me do the review and all of you for reading it.

Package

Bf-109 G5-G14, K Armament Set
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$8.00

With the release of the new Revell-Germany Bf-109G-6 and G-10 there is some nice little updates that are available. The latest release from Master addresses some areas that are absolutely necessary for a kit, the guns and the pitot tube.

The set includes three perfectly machined brass parts, two MG-131 cowl guns and one pitot tube. What can you say about these items? There is no cleanup. Simply replace the kit guns with these beautiful hollow guns. For the pitot tube you will need to drill a hole but nothing is too drastic. The instructions are easy to follow and explain the correct angle for the pitot tube on the Bf-109.

Beautiful rendition in perfectly formed brass, which will provide strength and won’t require cleanup of mold lines makes this an essential aftermarket addition.

Highly recommended

Cover

RAF Canberra Units of the Cold War
Book Author(s)
Andrew Brookes
Review Author
Jim Pearsall
Published on
Company
Osprey Publishing
MSRP
$22.95

I knew that Canberras had been used in the 1956 Suez Campaign, the 1990-91 Gulf War, the 1995-96 Bosnia affair and the Operation Telic, the 2003 Iraq war. This book showed me a number of facets of the Canberra’s career as the longest lasting RAF aircraft, from the first production in 1951 to the retirement of the PR.9s in 2006. Yes, 55 years. The Canberra replaced Lancasters, Lincolns and Washingtons (B-29s) and was itself superseded by Jaguars and Tornadoes.

There were actually three Canberra missions; tactical bomber, nuclear bomber and photo-reconnaissance.

This book follows only the RAF Canberras, not the American (B-57), Argentina, Australia, Chile, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, India, New Zealand, Peru, Rhodesia, South Africa, Sweden, Venezuela, West Germany, or Zimbabwe.

I learned that Canberras had been deployed to protect Kuwait from invasion by Iraq, but this was in 1961.

Box Top

Lockheed Martin C-130J C5 Hercules, Part I – What’s in the Box
Review Author
Rob Booth
Published on
Company
Italeri
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$125.00

What aviation enthusiast doesn’t have a soft spot for Lockheed Martin’s “Herky Bird”? This successful airframe has been around for decades, and will likely be in production for many years to come, despite recent competition from Airbus and other manufacturers. The aircraft’s history is well known and extensively documented, so, let’s get on with impressions of this plastic version.

Italeri has updated and reissued an exciting new packaging of its C-130 family. This issue (#2746) is based on previously issued fuselage, flying surfaces and interior molding sprues, with a new, updated engine and prop sprue. A new instrument panel reflecting the J model’s glass cockpit is also included on this sprue. This kit will take some time to build, so I’ll give you my initial impressions in case you’re considering a purchase sooner, rather than later.

Package

Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10 Cockpit Set
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$32.00

The Messerschmitt Bf-109- has any other aircraft ever evoked more passion in the model building community? Maybe its nemesis the Spitfire but I doubt it. The modeling community has been blessed with new state of the art models in every scale. The best of these is the new Revell-Germany 1/32nd Bf-109G-10 and to a lesser extent the G-6. Revell-Germany released the Erla built Bf-109G-10, the first time this variant had been available in kit form in any scale.

Brassin Package

MiG-23M/MF Exhaust Nozzle
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$22.95

Trumpeter has been releasing first class kits of Soviet Bloc aircraft for some years now. They have recently been taking on the MiG-23 Flogger and its variants.

The prominent point of any jet is the cockpit and the exhaust. With the limitations of plastic molding we, as model builders, are lucky to have resin parts. If you were going to do anything to spruce up a kit I concentrate on those two areas.

Perfectly molded in light grey resin the Brassin parts are everything that I’ve come to expect from Eduard. The detail on these seven resin parts is impressive to say the least. Of course none of the parts have any blemishes or imperfections that I could find other than my exhaust nozzle was slightly warped. A quick dip in warm water restored the roundness.

Label

MiG-15 and MiG-15 bis Gun Barrels Set, Antenna Base and Pitot Tubes
Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72

With Tamiya release of the MiG-15 and the Trumpeter release of the MiG-15 family the weakest parts of the kit are the guns and the fragile pitot tube. If you are like me and you have a hard time keeping these items round when cleaning off the mold lines then this is for you. There are six exquisitely machined brass pieces included in the set. There is no clean up. Simply drill holes where the parts go, prime and paint.

The best part is a two piece 37mm cannon barrel. The two part barrel is a work of art. Simply insert the one piece into the other. The fit is phenomenal. It gives you the look of the real thing. Something the plastic kit parts can only hint at.

The other two gun barrels are simple and effective. They are the perfectly sized.

The antenna base is unique in this set. It is simply inserted into a drilled hole.

The other piece is the pitot tube. It is beautifully machined and will add the strength and durability that I need on a jet.

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