Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
Company
Meng Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$39.95

For those who have been longing to add an early F-102A to their collection, or just a more modern release of a Delta Dagger in 1/72 scale, I would highly recommend gazing in the direction of this new release by Meng. The kit goes together well with only a few minor seams needing a light application of your filler of choice, and will not challenge modelers with some experience in dealing with small parts. Options for this kit include open or closed canopy as well as weapons and landing gear bays, and extended and retracted missile rails. There are also AIM-4C and D Falcon missiles to select from when arming your plane. This was my first experience with a kit by the newcomer Meng, and I will have no hesitation in purchasing their kits in the future.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.99

The two-seat MiG-21U, US, and UM family each has a uniquely shaped pitot tube with guide vanes. Master Model represents this pitot tube quite accurately.

This set comes with two turned metal barrels and a fret of six vanes. You only need four vanes. The metal barrels are designed to be slipped into each other. The absolute crazy thing is the small mounting holes for the vanes that are drilled in the outer metal barrel.

The instructions recommend that you add the outer portion with the vanes after the model is completed to avoid damage. Sounds like good advice. The vanes are very small. Foresight is appreciated – Master Model includes two extra vanes just in case the carpet monster needs to be fed.

Master Model produces the best pitot tubes in the industry. Between the strength and the scale thickness, you will immediately see the need for these pitot tubes on your MiG-21.

Highly recommended

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.99

The MiG-21PF and PFM are represented in model form by the Academy kit. This pitot tube is quite simple compared to some of the others in the MiG-21 family.

The set is simple in that it has a single turned metal barrel. The pitot tube is scale thickness, but the thing I like the best is additional strength of the brass tube. The instructions are quite basic and show the proper angle of the pitot tube in relation to the fuselage. A simple .6mm hole in the kit will prep the model for the turned metal pitot tube. Then, it is just as simple as inserting the pitot tube. Painting instructions are included.

This pitot tube is typical quality from Master Model. Its strength and scale thickness make this a required addition to your MiG. Just be careful you don’t poke yourself with the tubing.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Master Model for the review sample and IPMS/USA for the review opportunity.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.99

The Eduard MiG-21bis is a very nice kit right out of the box; however, the pitot tube could be better. There are limitations that plastic can’t overcome, not even with the best injection molded technology. Even so, the pitot tube sticks out so far on the MiG-21 that it’s bound to be broken off in handling. Besides, you can get a scale thickness with brass that you couldn’t get any other way.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$40.00

Designed for their Fw-190D-9, this beautiful upgrade set from Eduard is for those who want to show off the detail under the forward cowlings. Featuring six light and dark grey resin pieces, everything is perfectly formed and blemish free. The guns are hollowed out at the ends and the cooling slots are opened as well. There is also a small fret of photo etch that holds seven pieces of nickel plated parts – six cowl fasteners and one windscreen oil cleaning pipe. The oil cleaning pipe will require the most care, as it is very, very thin.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eagle Editions Ltd.
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.50

The Tamiya He-219 is the standard for 1/48th scale models of this airplane. However, marking options have been a little sparse for this kit. Eagle Cal has released a new sheet that covers the three basic paint schemes seen on the Uhu. This set is released in conjunction the Eagle Cals 1/32nd scale decals covering the same aircraft. The 1/48th scale decals cover the A-0, A-7, and the A-2 versions. To build the A-0 and A-2 versions, the modeler would be advised to get the Vector resin conversion set, also available from Eagle Editions.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
AMS Resin
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$8.99

The diminutive A-37 Dragonfly by Monogram/Encore is a nice kit, but the engine intakes and exhausts leave a little bit to be desired. One way to fix this is to hide the see-through with these covers from AMS Resin.

Molded in light grey resin, these four pieces are beautifully formed. They simply have to be painted red and added to the intake and exhausts. You may want to add Remove Before Flight tags which aren’t included but readily available. Because they are tapered, these are easily added after the model is done so if you already have a built kit, don’t fret, you can add these at any time.

These simple plugs are easy to add, inexpensive, and they do what they are designed to do, cover the intakes and exhausts.

Highly recommended

Thanks to AMS Resin for the review set and IPMS/USA for the review opportunity.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.95

It comes as no surprise that I love the Eduard Fw-190A series of kits. Having had the pleasure of building quite a few of them, I have often remarked at the quality of the decals. These decals are printed by Eduard and typical of Eduard’s quality; these decals are actually as good as any other aftermarket decal in the world. They rival the quality of Cartograf.

The stencil decal themselves are all contained on a 4” x 3 ¾” decal sheet. The decals are crisp, perfectly printed, and in perfect register. They are suitably thin with minimal carrier film. One of the nice things is that the decals have wing walk areas in grey and black. There are options throughout the sheet, like the two different versions of black and two white versions of Nicht anfassen on the sheet. The landing gear servicing stencil is also provided in two styles.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$9.95

Eduard’s Bf-109E is a very nice kit. One of the nicest things about the kit is this additional decal sheet. Printed by Eduard, the actual sheet is a 3” x 4” sheet of decal film. There are decals for one complete airplane with all the stencils being included. You get three Nicht anfassen decals for the ailerons in white and black. I thought that there should be at least one more for the elevators but Eduard indicates that they are carried on the elevators so that may be an error on my part.

The instructions are on a double-sided half A4 page sheet and are very clear in showing you where the decals belong. Remember that sometimes the stencils were oversprayed and not every aircraft carries every stencil. I really liked that Eduard provides you with red and black wing walk areas.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
Company
Trumpeter
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$38.99

It seems amazing to me that Trumpeter is the fourth model company to market a 1/48 scale plastic kit of the Supermarine Attacker F.1 (the others being Classic Airframes, Falcon, and Magna Models). Amazing because this aircraft’s single most significant reason for mention in the history of aviation is the fact that it was the Fleet Air Arm‘s first jet fighter. It was not particularly successful in that role…it was just the first.