Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
October 14, 2021
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$20.00

Aires has continued in its release of enhancements for the family of Trumpeter MiG-23 kits. Here is a look at what is now available for the cockpit. The first set, a multimedia KM-1 Ejection seat can be used not only for the MiG-23 but also the MiG-21. The other two sets are each unique to a specific variant of the MiG-23, the ML and the MF. Each of these sets is up to the standard that we expect from Aires.

Review Author
John Lyons
Published on
August 10, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$32.95

Eduard has put together another nice PE kit. This kit comes with two PE sheets with a total of 77 parts.

The first sheet has parts 1 to 36 for the cockpit control panels, foot pedals and seat belts. Each part has been pre-painted and has self-adhesive glue on the back. The etchings look sharp and the colors are correct for the scale.

The second sheet has parts 37 to 77 that include the armor plating and side wall details, along with some of the small control handles and interior details. Altogether, the two sheets replace most of the interior of the cockpit with PE.

Got to say, I wish I had this kit when I made my 109 a few months ago, it would have been a very nice upgrade. So I guess I have to build another one to take advantage of these items.

Highly recommend it to all detail lovers! This kit will bring a smile to your face when see the details on your finished masterpiece.

Review Author
John Lyons
Published on
August 10, 2011
Company
Eduard
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$22.95

This is a very nice PE set; it has 25 parts on the tree to enhance the cockpit of your 109E-1/E-3. The control panel and seatbelts are pre-painted. The details on the control dials are aligned and have the correct color.

This would be a great upgrade to the Eduard Bf-109E-1/E-3 weekend kit.

I would like to thank Eduard and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to conduct this review.

Review Author
Dick Montgomery
Published on
August 10, 2011
Company
Twobobs Aviation Graphics
MSRP
$13.00

Two Bobs products are well known for their high standards and this decal is no different. The decal sheet is quite extensive, with Low Vis insignia, tail codes, and sundry fuselage markings. The decal sheet is accompanied by two full color camouflage guides for thirteen different "Egg-Planes". A set of the markings was used as a test sample and applied to a scrape wing which was cleaned and prepped, and then primed with a gray primer.

As is the case with all of the Two Bobs decals I've applied, the test samples went on smoothly and easily. The test samples worked well with Micro Sol, Micro Set, and Solva Set, displaying no difference in adhesion over panel lines using any of these three common setting solutions.

Thanks to Two Bobs for the review sample. This product is highly recommended.

Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
August 10, 2011
Company
Afterburner Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$20.00

Wow, the team at Afterburner Decals has been busy! If you like modern US Navy aircraft, then you are no doubt familiar with Afterburner decals. These latest two decal sheets will not disappoint. Colorful and artistic, the schemes provide some of the latest markings being flown on the family of Super Hornets that are now dominating flight decks on both the East Coast and the West Coast. Between the two, the East Coast CAG aircraft have the edge in color and artwork. The fact that the instruction sheet backgrounds are Blue and Gold, is a nice touch of detail.

Book Author(s)
Tim Mason
Review Author
Chuck Bush
Published on
August 10, 2011
Company
Hikoki Publications
MSRP
$56.95

Tim Mason had a forty year flying/Royal Air Force career. Since his retirement he has written three books on the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment. The Seaplane Years is the third of those books. (Editor's note: The book is subtitled - A history of the Marine & Armament Experimental Establishment, 1920 - 1924, and Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, 1924 - 1956)

The book opens with an interdiction by Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, followed by an Introduction and Acknowledgements.

The first three chapters cover the three facilities used for testing from 1920 to 1956. Of special interest to modelers will be some of the pictures found here. There are a few good diorama ideas tucked into this part of the book. The meat of this book for scale modelers will be found in Chapters 4 and 5.

Review Author
Charles Landrum
Published on
October 6, 2022
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$16.50

On the underside of the F-4 Phantom and the British variants are two doors astride the centerline which open outward. These two small doors always open when the landing gear extended to provide extra cooling air to flow to the engines. The underside of the wing in all of the Hasegawa kits has these doors molded open, revealing the hollow void of the fuselage. Now in fairness, when the model is displayed on its landing gear, especially with stores, the emptiness is not that noticeable. But if you are a modeler who does not like open voids, Aires has a solution. This particular set is designed for the Spey powered British Phantoms, but Aires offers them for the USN and USAF variants as well; I am unsure of the differences if any.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$7.25

Thanks once again to Quickboost for providing IPMS USA review items; I’m always amazed they find more to detail out, even on the most complex of today’s models…

In this case, Quickboost provides a simple replacement for the closed kit drogue chute housing. Three parts; two clamshells, and one drogue chute container. I painted the two clamshell doors RLM 02 on the interior, a medium green on the outside, and yellow/tan on the chute. Detail is superlative; there are even actuator cables and a lock loop on the back of the chute container. (yep, it looks like an ear of corn). Inside the clamshells are open bays and rivet/cable details. You could spend hours doing this from scratch; someone at Quickboost did!

Book Author(s)
Publication Staff
Review Author
Ben Guenther
Published on
July 4, 2020
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$11.00

This issue of Windsock’s bi-monthly magazine begins with a five page article on German Halberstadts B.Is captured and used by the Russians in 1915-16 including color 4-view drawings. Next, in the continuing Modelling Master Class by Lance Krieg, is Chapter 5, part 1 on struts and rigging. These five pages cover struts, the different types of materials to use, but also various rigging knots and how to make brass turnbuckles. This reviewer always finds new ideas to use from reading these articles.

With this issue a new series of super-detailed color profiles begins, here the subject is the Macchi M.5. A report and photos on Skysport Engineering where a new Avro 504 K is being built to original specs then follows. Next, there are several pages on "Dawn Patrol", a WWI flying model display team that flys 1/3 scale RC models including a 25 foot span Gotha G.V.

Review Author
Phil Pignataro
Published on
August 9, 2011
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72 & 1/32
MSRP
$3.50

We’ve come a long way in aircraft modeling when you can find a company dedicated to making after market pitot tubes for specific subjects in different scales. Way back when, a straight pin instead of a kit piece was “advanced modeling.” My review is for both the 1/72 and 1/32 versions of this product. Master has provided us with an exquisite, turned-metal replica of the BAe Hawk pitot tube. It perfectly captures the two stage taper and bulged end of the real thing. Though you can easily see this in 1/32 scale, it is also the same for the 1/72 scale copy.

Master made it easy for us modelers to mount the replacement pitot tube since there is a peg protruding from the back of the pitot that fits into a hole on the model. Just add some CA glue, insert the part, and you’re all set. The package includes a small sheet showing the size drill needed for the hole and the location for the new part.