For anyone building a 1/32 Eurofighter Typhoon, Aires’ latest release is a must-have. Anyone who has worked with Aires resin parts knows they are at the top of the industry for resin aftermarket parts. I recently had the opportunity with IPMS to review their resin cockpit set for the EF2000A, and the set was such a vast improvement that I jumped at the chance to see their new wheel bay set. Now, I should note, the set is recommended for the Revell EF2000 kit; however, I am comparing it to the Trumpeter kit. Now, Trumpeter kits are usually known for high detail and quality, but the Aires resin parts are far superior. The set comes in standard grey/beige resin and includes the nose and main gear bays and new door actuators. The bays are molded as one-piece, drop-in replacements for the multi-piece kit bays. The detail is amazing and, in a comparison to photos of the real thing, it seems Aires got every detail captured in resin.

Aires is probably the best known provider of resin aftermarket accessories. Well, they’re certainly the most prolific. And I still haven’t figured out how they make the detail so fine. I’d almost swear they have little one-inch tall guys making this stuff. This set is an exhaust for the F-16I Sufa kit from Hasegawa. The set consists of five finely cast resin parts, two to make up the exhaust petals, one for the exhaust chamber, one for the aft compressor blades, one for the engine ring on the fuselage and one photoetched piece to represent the flame holder of the afterburner.

1/72 model aircraft builders, like 1/48 model aircraft builders, now recognize that not all Quickboost detail parts are grey resin. Some are yellow, red and blue! Among the latest releases from Quickboost are sets of multi-colored aircraft recognition lights. This one, set #QB 72 338, is sized for 1/72 scale models. It includes three sprues; one each of transparent yellow, red and blue resin, which contain three small cylinders that will fit typical bezels found on most 1/72 scale aircraft.

After carefully drilling out the lights that are cast on the underside of an aircraft’s wings or fuselage with a drill bit that matches the diameter of these little castings, just fit each of the cylinders in their corresponding hole and anchor it with a drop of future, epoxy, or superglue. It should make an easy job of enhancing the detail in that area of any kit that does not include clear parts to do the job.

This is a ‘teaser’ or preview of a full-length article to be published in the IPMS/USA Journal and in the IPMS/USA review website at a later date.

Hasegawa’s rendering of the P-47D Bubbletop in 1/32 scale is impressive, both in size as well as in engineering of the kit. It provides you with 169 parts including optional clear parts for an open or closed canopy. Parts are free of flash without ejector pin marks in any external surface. The final size of the completed model is 346 mm length by 392.5 mm wide. You better make sure it will fit your shelf or display case before you buy it.

Some of the best engineering features of this kit include main wing spars and interlocking tabs for the tail surfaces. That would help ensure perfect alignment of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces to the fuselage. In a model with a wingspan of over 1 foot, it is a very nice feature to have.

History

The Douglas DC-3, with its numerous aliases, was probably the most famous and influential transport airplane ever made, and a case can be made for even more praise than that. First appearing in the mid-thirties, it became standard equipment for nearly all major airlines until the outbreak of World War II, and then the plane was mass-produced in very large numbers as a military transport. It was also produced in the Soviet Union and in Japan. DC-3s were very common sights at airports postwar as they continued in airline and corporate service for many years, and many are still flying throughout the world. A current aviation enthusiast who is unfamiliar with the DC-3 has to be a rare breed, as the plane is still famous today.