Quickboost has issued a replacement "tail wheel" for the Kinetic S-2 tracker. It really isn't a tail wheel, but rather a tail skid. The parts are three – a tail wheel, the skid, and the piston. It is well cast in Quickboost’s gray resin. You separate the parts from the casting blocks, sand the minimal attachment points, and assemble the wheel by adding the separate tire.

One thing to note in the comparison photos is how blob-like the kit parts are – almost no detail whatsoever. The kit part is molded as one piece, lacks any wheel hub detail, and will also need filling as there are definitely some sunken-in areas.

If you are building this kit, this part is a must-have! It is recommended, especially due to the low cost and improved detail. My thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this excellent item.

Another addition to the Quickboost line for the Kinetic S-2F Tracker is a replacement set of engines. The set comes with four parts – two engines and two holders. They are cast in familiar gray resin and are perfectly molded.

The installation is simple. Assemble the nacelle as per kit instructions. Sand down the backing ring so it slides into the opening, paint it up and glue the engine in place, and then the cowling, and you're done.

One thing noticeable in the comparison pictures is that the Quickboost engines are missing the rods connecting the valve covers and engines. They are easily made, and if you add ignition wires you have a superb upgrade.

In summary, this is a more detailed simple upgrade which is cast perfectly and fits very well and is very visible on the finished kit. A couple simple push rods and you're there. These are definitely recommended. My thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the chance to review them.

Adding to the Quickboost line of 1/32nd scale ejection seats is this latest offering for the Trumpeter F-8 Crusader. The seat, cast in their normal gray resin, comes in two pieces. The main body and the pull ring are both perfectly cast, and the pull ring has a resin protector cast in front of it. To assemble, cut the bottom plug off the seat, trim the pull ring and attach it, and paint it up. As with all Quickboost seats, the belts are molded in and have a nice draping effect to them. I included several shots of the seat plus a shot of the kit seat and the Aires seat. The kit seat is styrene and does have a set of PE belts, and for a kit seat is pretty nice. The Aires seat is, not surprisingly, very similar to Quickboost's, but the belts are multiple PE parts, as well as some seat detail. In looking at the seats, either the Aires or Quickboost are much better defined and accurate.

Background

The recent new release by Airfix of the North American P-51D Mustang is a great detail addition to the modeling community for this iconic aircraft.

The Product

This latest release from Quickboost features a complete set of resin Exhaust-Type II exhausts for the P-51D Mustang from the Airfix new mold series of P-51D/K and Mustang Mk.VI kits. The quality of the resin casting is flawless and bubble-free. The tips of the exhaust pipes are hollowed out.

Assembly

These are simple drop-in parts that replace your kits parts. The locating stubs are replicated exactly where the kit’s parts are. Since these parts are made of resin, the modeler will need to use a cyanoacrylate adhesives (CA) super glue. If building with minors, exercise caution.

Albatros Productions publications, particularly their Winsdsock Worldwide and Datafiles, are indispensable reference materials for any serious modeler of World War One aircraft, and also for anyone with a deep interest in the history of aviation history.

The May/June 2013 (Vol.29, No.3) issue is their latest release of the Windsock Datafile line. The magazine consists of thirty-four pages (including covers) in medium thickness glossy paper. Other than the back cover and inside back cover, there is no advertising. The rest is all wonderful content. Production quality is excellent.

The cover shows pictures that hints towards the content inside; TVAL’s beautiful new Albatros D.II, a screen shot from the flight simulator Rise of Flight, an image of a 1/24 LVG C.VI, and a newly released resin figure.

Contents include: