Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Albatros Productions, Ltd.
MSRP
$11.00

Every two months, Albatros Productions publishes Windsock Worldwide, a bi-monthly softcover, 8.25” x 11.75", 32 pages full-color publication that provides sustenance for the growing number of modelers interested in WW I aircraft. Each issue includes a featured subject (usually accompanied by accurate 3-view drawings), along with a variety of well-researched information on other aircraft. You'll also find news and reviews of the latest kits, aftermarket details, decals and publications. In the latest issue, Editor Ray Rimell continues to do what he has been doing for more than 26 years…provide WW I modelers with an almost endless wealth of detailed information about the flying machines of the Great War.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$7.50

The recent release by Monogram of the AC-47 ‘Spooky’ Gunship was unexpected and a welcome addition for Vietnam era modelers. While essentially the same kit as released in the 70s there was an additional sprue for the armament and peculiar parts for the AC-47.

Quickboost has come up with two conversion sets for the AC-47. This one is for the minigun barrels and the other is the ammo boxes for the miniguns. There are four minigun barrels included in this set. They are remarkable in their detail. The six barrels are beautifully rendered in light grey blemish free resin. The one remarkable thing about these pieces is the end with hollowed out barrels. It is amazing that Quickboost was able to get them to be so visible. These parts are simply added in place of the kit ones. Unlike the kit ones these will require no cleanup and are perfectly round

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$6.50

Designed for the Italeri Ar-196, these new exhausts are molded in light grey resin and are absolutely beautiful. There are two exhausts that have thinned hollow ends which would be difficult to obtain on your own. Well at least difficult for me. Removal from the pour stub is simple enough and then it is just a matter of painting and installing. The exhausts will add to the look of your model.

While designed for the Italeri kit, I’m sure that with very little work you could use this on the MPM kit as well.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Quickboost for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting them at www.quickboost.net. Let them know IPMS/USA sent you.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Quickboost
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$4.99

The Tamiya P-47D, whether the Razorback or Bubbletop, is a great kit, but the intercoolers are non-existent and are see through. Quickboost fixes this in an easy and inexpensive way.

Molded in light grey resin, these two exhausts are just inserted into the model and this will prevent the "see-through" effect, offering a more accurate look to your model. The inexpensive price tag will make this a requirement for this great kit.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Quickboost for the review copy. You can obtain yours by contacting them at www.quickboost.net. Let them know IPMS/USA sent you.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Eagle Editions Ltd.
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$15.00

Eagle Editions is notorious for everything Luftwaffe and their expertise is world renowned so this latest release from them is very welcomed.

This sheet features four FW-190As, three A-3s and an A-2 and is also available in 1/32nd scale for the new Pacific Coast Model. Printed by Cartograf the decals are thin and respond well to any setting solution, this single sheet is quite colorful. I’ve used the Microscale system, Gunze Mr. Mark Softer and Walther’s Solvaset on Cartograf decals before without any problems. The decals are printed in perfect register and contain the markings for the four aircraft and stencils for one complete aircraft. My sheet contained swastikas but overseas buyers may or may not receive them depending on your local laws.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Dutch Profile Publications
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$18.97

This is a Dutch product, dealing with some Dutch aircraft using the orange triangle marking during the early part of World War II. Two, the Dornier DO-215B-2 and the Brewster B340 Bermuda, were apparently ordered but never delivered, so they become part of the “What If?” category, much like Luft 46. The others, including the DeHavilland DH-85, Ryan STM, Martin B-10, Consolidated PBY-5, and Douglas DB-7, were actually delivered and used, at least at the beginning of World War II. Some of the Ryans, by the way, were evacuated to Australia in 1942, and I had the opportunity to fly in one of the survivors, then privately owned, while I was in Sydney in 1962. Therefore, I’ve got to build that one when I get another MPM kit.

Review Author
Andy Renshaw
Published on
October 13, 2010
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$39.55

For those resin aftermarket aficionadoes among us, Aires never fails to satisfy. Set #4454 provides a full resin cockpit for Hasegawa’s F-16D kit. Though the Hasegawa kit is not the latest kit available, it is still a good kit and by some accounts more accurate in shape than other offerings. The kit does suffer from a very basic cockpit, so this is where the Aires set will dress it up nicely.

The set comes in the common blister back and comprises of fourteen resin parts, two of which are extra control sticks. Also included is a small photo-etch fret with a dizzying amount of tiny parts and one printed acetate for instrument dials. As to be expected from Aires, everything is finely cast with no bubbles or imperfections.

Review Author
Floyd S. Werner Jr.
Published on
October 12, 2010
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$25.00

The Academy Spitfire Mk.XIVc is a really nice kit but it is let down by the cockpit. Aires rectifies that with this new set. Molded in light grey and tan resin that is blemish and bubble free the amount of detail is impressive. The casting is flawless and some of the undercuts are really deep. I don’t know how they can do it. Besides the 12 pieces of resin there is a film for the instruments and a fret of photo etch. The breakdown is logical and well thought out.

The hardest part of the whole conversion will be the need to thin down the side kit sidewalls. Everything else is just as simple as removing the parts from the pour stubs and assembling them. The resin parts are precisely made and look fantastic. If you have this kit you’ll want this interior.

Simple yet effective, this interior will add immensely to the Academy kit.

Highly recommended

Review Author
Scott Hollingshead
Published on
September 25, 2021
Company
Master Model
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$5.50

In case you have already perused my review on the Master F-14 Alpha and Angle of Attack probe, this review was an added bonus when I voiced my interest to the Reviewer Corps. Unlike the Tomcat with a broken probe, I did not have a Viper in need of repair, nor did I have one assembled to add the parts to, but of course, I did have one or two sitting in my stash (there may be more, but please do not tell my wife). For the purpose of this review, I compared the Master set with what is provided in the Monogram release of a few years ago, which is actually a Revell Germany kit (according to the sprues anyway).