Ultracast is one of those companies that we AMS modelers can’t live without… Thanks up front for this excellent set, and to IPMS USA for sending it my way…Now to figure out which Mossie I’m gonna build…

These, like the previous set reviewed a few weeks ago, are simple replacement items for the Tamiya wheel and tire sets in their Mosquito kits. As previously done, I have assembled one of each, the Tamiya kit item on the left, and the Ultracast wheel/tire on the right.

Again, small details matter. There are no wheel spokes on this set, but the tire radial lines and it’s excellent “Offset Z” tread stands out. No seam filling; just carefully removing the tire from the pour stub is required. The tire “weight” is simulated in a subtle way, not overdone like others.

Thanks again to Ross at SAC for providing IPMS USA this review set, one of what must be by now hundreds of sets he provides for the modelling community. I’m a prolific convert to them!

The Italeri B-57 series, released in the late 1980’s, was a serious jump forward for the modeling community. The only other kits at the time were modified from existing British Canberra kits with the “fish bowl” canopy. The introduction of the B-57 with it’s front and back canopy for the U.S. variants was most timely.

The only problem with the kit was the nose gear was a bit too far extended for ground operation, as the B-57 has a “nose down” attitude when at rest, loaded or not. In order to correct this, one had to cut part of the oleo out, and re-glue the gear together with epoxy or superglue. Some even resorted to installing a pin through the strut, which worked well.

Aerobonus, a new company (new to me, anyway) under the Aires umbrella, has come up with a novel approach for providing flight crew for modelers who want to add a little more life to their aircraft. In these new, very highly detailed sets, the ejection seats are molded with the pilots in them, eliminating the usually imperfect fit of trying to place pilots into empty seats.

Each issue of Scale Aircraft Modeling follows a basic design and format. There are usually two Feature Articles, an Aviation in Profile piece, industry news and a series of Compact Build Reviews.

The Feature articles for this issue covers a Ex-Adversaries Reunited and A Model 1/72 Mil-Mi-10 Heavy Lift Helo. The Ex-Adversaries build is Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire Mk Vb and FW190A-3 built in after war markings of the Turkish Air Force. The build covers weathering and construction and uses TigerHead decals for the markings. .

The other Feature article takes A Models 1/72nd Mi-10 which is super detailed. This build, by Brain Wakeman, makes the entire issue. First, he started with a limited run kit which presents issues for modelers. Second, there is a fair amount of scratch building and advice and making gems of limited run kits. in the end, the kit is eye-popping and his 500 hours of effort shine in the photos.

• Aerobonus; Wing pylons for F-4B/N/J/S (U.S. NAVY version); # 480055; $8.95
• Aires; F-4B/N Phantom II wheel bays; # 4579; $21.95
• Aires; F-4B/N Phantom II auxiliary air intake; # 4578; $12.95

Aires has released several nice detail sets for the new Academy F-4 series, and these three sets go a long way to enhancing the look of the Academy kit. With each of these pieces, as with all Aries work that I’ve ever come across, the engraved lines are petite and the detail is crisp.