Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
January 10, 2024
Company
ICM
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$113.00

ICM has provided this great new release for review, in 1/48 scale model of the Ki-21-Ib Sally Japanese Heavy Bomber from the early years of WWII. The Sally first flew in late 1936 and went into production in 1938 with both Mitsubishi who designed it and Nakajima. This version is the second production version and was widely used over China and for bomber crew training in Japan.

  • Six light gray sprues
  • One clear sprue
  • One decal sheet
  • One instruction guide

The detail quality is excellent in every way with this kit.

The assembly is quick and easy.

The assembly starts with left hand side of the main fuselage. There are few ejector pin marks that should be filled/cleaned up on both halves of the fuselage.

Book Author(s)
Theo Van Geffen, Gerald Arruda
Review Author
Damon Blair
Published on
January 7, 2024
Company
Key Publishing Ltd
MSRP
$25.00

Republic’s F-105 Thunderchief (also known as the Thud) was developed in response to a requirement for a fast, single-seat fighter aircraft capable of carrying an atomic weapon. With an internal bomb bay loaded with an atomic weapon, the F-105 initially stood alert in Europe, under the control of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). A short time later, F-105s sat on alert in the Pacific Air Force (PACAF), stationed in Okinawa and Korea. The F-105 soldiered on for just over a decade after the Vietnam War, before being retired from service.

With 150+ photos spread over 96 pages, this book emphasizes the Thud’s pre-Vietnam and post-Vietnam service. There is a brief development overview of the Thud, and a chapter on the Thud’s service in the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), with squadrons and missions, including the “Victor Alert”, standing nuclear alert.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
January 7, 2024
Company
Lifelike Decals
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$10.99

Lifelike Decals has released this sheet of decals for Zero fighters to correct what it describes as erroneous sizing of Hinomarus in some manufacturer’s kits. Their website states:

We noticed that some Zero kits decals etc. do not have correct size Hinomaru marks, so we released “Hinomaru for Zero” sheet separately.

The Hinomarus come it three distinct types - with the white surround (both wide and thin); without the white surround; and with green overpainted surround, with enough Hinomarus for a half dozen different aircraft. The decals are thin, with minimal carry-over of the carrier film (approx. 1mm). They come off the paper quickly, were easy to adjust into place, and reacted well to Solvaset decal softener to conform to surface bumps and panel lines. Printed by Microscale, they are all in perfect register.

Review Author
Bill Kluge
Published on
January 7, 2024
Company
Lifelike Decals
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$19.99

These two new A6M decal sets from Lifelike represent a bonanza of marking options for the Zero builder. Part 1 (48061) contains markings for 14 aircraft: 5 Type 21s; 2 Type 22s; 4 Type 32s; 2 Type 52s and 1 A6M2-N Rufe. The specific aircraft include:

Review Author
Rick Reinert
Published on
January 4, 2024
Company
Hobby Boss
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$53.99

Introduction

This is a new tooling of the Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC introduced in 2023. This is the second of four planned releases by Hobby Boss of their Hurricane series. The following comes directly from their website:

The Hawker Hurricane was a combat aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s, designed by the British aircraft manufacturer Hawker Aircraft Ltd. The Hurricane was one of the principal combat aircraft that defended the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain. This fighter plane played a pivotal role in the Second World War, primarily serving with the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force and Soviet Air Force. The Hurricane was mass-produced, with over 14,000 examples manufactured from 1937 to 1944.

Review Author
Chris Martin
Published on
January 4, 2024
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$27.00

Summary

This updated 1/48 decal sheet supersedes 48-006 and now includes additional options from 32-023 (VA-65) and 32-027 (VA-75). Five Navy squadrons are covered with multiple options for each squadron.

New full airframe data/stencils provided for one aircraft; however, additional data/stencil sheets are also available to purchase separately, see 48-023.

Decals also included for MERs and fuel tanks.

What’s in the Bag

7 total double-sided 8½ x 11 glossy sheets

  • 1 introductory sheet
  • 3 sheets for stencil placement
  • 2 sheets with upper surface views
  • 3 sheets with side views
  • 1 sheet with accuracy modifications for the Hobbyboss kit
  • 2 sheets with marking notes for each scheme

Three decal sheets

Review Author
David Horn
Published on
January 1, 2024
Company
Werners Wings
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$20.00

Werner’s Wings has been around for some time and is known primarily for rotary wing subjects offering resin, 3D printed details and decals in 1/32, 1/35, 1/48 and 1/72nd scale. Their attention to detail rivals all other resin and decal companies on the market and that can be attributed to the owner, Floyd Werner, who retired from the US Army as a Cobra attack helicopter pilot and continues flying the Cobra with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation. Thanks to Floyd’s personal experience with rotary aircraft and his connections in the aviation community, reference material he uses can be trusted to be the most authentic.

Review Author
Mr. Paul Dunham
Published on
December 28, 2023
Company
Special Hobby
Scale
1:72
MSRP
$20.70

Special Hobby’s short-fuselage P-40K kit was first issued back in 2018. I am glad to see it re-issued in 2023 (you can never have too many P-40s). The kit includes three runners of gray plastic, one of clear parts, a resin antenna and mount, decals, and instructions. Runner ‘B’ has lots of parts for other P-40 versions, so be careful that you use the correct ones. The parts and decals are individually bagged to prevent damage or loss. The kit comes in a sturdy top-opening box, so it should be safe from crushing even if it winds up at the bottom of your stash. Markings are provided for three U.S. and one Soviet P-40. Color call outs are provided for Gunze Sangyo Mr. Color and Aqueous Hobby Color paints.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
December 28, 2023
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$26.00

AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48024) that updates and supersedes their own #48-001 and #48-006 sheets covering USMC A-6A, A-6B and KA-6D Intruders during the Vietnam War, including markings for an astonishing 19 aircraft spanning the period 1966 to 1973.

There are markings for:

  • VMA (AW)-224 Bengals, based on the USS Coral Sea during 1971-72
  • VMA (AW)-225 Vikings, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1969-71
  • VMA (AW)-242 Batmen, based on Da Nang, South Vietnam 1966-70
  • VMA (AW)-533 Hawks, based on Chu Lai, South Vietnam (1967-69) & Nam Phong, Thailand (1972-73)

All the aircraft are in the high-viz camouflage of the era. Some of the airframes had black noses, while others had white. Some of the aircraft also had colorfully painted rudders -you have decals for the rudders or you can paint your own using the decal as a template for home-made masks.

Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
December 27, 2023
Company
AOA Decals
Scale
1:48
MSRP
$20.00

AOA Decals has released a decal sheet (#48022) that updates and supersedes their own #48-007 sheet covering A-6 TRAM Intruders during Operation Prairie Fire (Libya, 1986) and Desert Storm (Iraq, 1991), including markings for five aircraft in the Libya strikes and four aircraft in the Iraq strikes.

Provided markings are:

  • VA-34 Blue Blasters, based on the USS America, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-55 Warhorses, based on the USS Coral Sea, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-85 Black Falcons, based on the USS Saratoga, for the Libya strikes (1986)
  • VA-35 Black Panthers – based on the USS Saratoga, for the Iraq strikes (1991)
  • VMA(AW)-533 Hawks – based at Sheikh Isa base (Bahrain), for the Iraq strikes (1991)

All the aircraft are in low-viz camouflage with the main difference among them being the squadron markings and any individual marking for the airframe.