Introduced in the latter half of 1944, the Mk. XVIe variant of Supermarine’s legendary design was optimized for low-altitude operations, featuring a Packard-built Merlin 266 powerplant, clipped wings, teardrop canopy, packing a pair each of 20mm cannon and 12.7mm machine guns, and toting either a pair of 250-lb bombs or a single 500-pounder. The Mk. XVI was the last Merlin-powered Spitfire variant to roll off the assembly line, and saw service with the RAF and a number of other nations into the 1950’s.

The Helicopter

The Mi-24 has been in service with the Soviet/Russian air forces since 1972. The design is interesting in that it has three engines; another tri-motor to add to the list. The 24 has undergone a number of redesigns, and the early versions had a much different cockpit setup. The Russian Air Force has announced that it will replace its 250 Mi-24s with newer more capable helicopters, starting in 2015.

The Mi-24 is nicknamed “crocodile” by the troops. The Mujahedeen in Afghanistan called it "Shaitan-Arba" (Satan's Chariot)". The Hind is unique in that it can carry 8 troops and weapons at the same time. Huey gunships had to have the seats removed to allow for ammunition and extra fuel storage. The crews didn’t think much of carrying the passengers, as they became a liability if the pilot had to do extreme maneuvers and return fire.

Quickboost just keeps adding to their line of resin aircraft accessories. The latest addition is for the ESCI/Italeri AC-47 Gunship. It is up to their usual standards; molded in grey resin, smooth, seamless and bubble free. One thing of note is that they are really easy to remove from the mold block because of a nice perforation. It only took me a couple of swipes with my saw blade to remove them.

The barrels on the ESCI kit part look alright and would make an acceptable model but the Quickboost replacements are superior because of the high level of detail. All that is needed is to cut the kit parts barrel off and glue the Quickboost piece into place.

I highly recommend this product if you want a really superior looking model. Usually replacement parts need some work to get them installed properly but these parts go into place nicely. Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS USA for the chance to do this review.

The “Parts”

Eduard is known for supplying kits and hobby supplies of superior quality and excellent engineering and the EX330 Canopy Mask for the La-5 is no exception. The mask is a 2x2 inch square, with the mask components pre-cut to fit the canopy of the Zvezda La-5, kit # 4803.

Assembly

The instructions that accompany the mask are easy to use and clearly identify the location where each of the individual masks will be used. The masks are easy to remove from the backing sheet. Simply insert the tip of a blade under each mask piece, gently pull it up and off the backing sheet, and then attach it as per the mask instructions. Once the mask piece is in the correct location applying gentle pressure will ensure a good seal between the mask and the kit part. Send a little extra time burnishing the mask edges down to prevent any paint-creep under the masking material.

The PBY-5A Catalina is a well-known piece of US Naval aviation. The modeler has Catalina options in 1/48^th, 1/72^nd, and 1/144^th. For the 1/144^th modelers out there or those that do not have the shelf space for the 48^th Monogram kit, the Minicraft kit will fit the bill nicely. This is Minicraft’s third boxing of the PBY-5. The box contains the same plastic but contains two decal options.

Upon opening the box, two light gray sprues, one clear sprue, decal sheet printed by Cartograf of Italy, and instructions greet the modeler. There is some flash on some of the parts but nothing too bad. The engraving on the parts is nicely done with the exception of the main wing. The engraving of the main wing is a little soft, especially compared to the rest of the kit. However, after painting, it does not look bad at all. The clear parts look well molded and clear.