Reviews of products for scale aircraft models.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Barracuda Studios
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$21.95

Roy Sutherland of Barracuda Studios is back… and this time with a totally unexpected item; a 1/32 A-4 “kahu” Upgrade for your Trumpeter A-4 to turn it into a New Zealand bird.

Anyone who has been around the modeling community for a while should be familiar with Roy and his company. Well researched and flawlessly executed resin, decals, and other items for (Is it 20 years?)… This set is no exception.

3D printing has arrived at the house of the ‘cuda fish. I have this upgrade in hand and an impressive little bit of upgrade this is. I am no KAHU expert, but have seen the retired birds at work at Nellis AFB (until recently, some kind of contract change). The Kiwi markings are gone, but the overall paint scheme remained.

This set is designed to upgrade your Trumpeter A-4 to a KAHU. The instructions (which you download from Roy’s website) give full instructions on how to remove everything from the printing trestles, and how to use the remaining parts.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Barracuda Studios
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$17.98

Roy Sutherland of Barracuda Studios is back… and this time with a totally unexpected item; a 1/32 Exhaust and intake set for your Trumpeter A-4.

Consisting of four printed resin items, this one is truly necessary for tightening up a neglected area of many models.

The exhaust turbine section has the four support blades and centerline flow bullet molded as one piece. Easy to paint on this non-afterburning engine. And for those who like to look up the chute in every orfice in a model competition, this item will take care of the look.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Barracuda Studios
Scale
1/32
MSRP
$24.95

From Barracudacast’s website:

“The Aero 1D 300 gallon tanks were widely used, and were carried in this configuration by all variants of the Skyhawk as well as the F4D Skyray. This set consists of a pair of highly accurate and detailed 3D printed droptanks, complete with separate shackles for mounting to pylons. Drop tanks are printed hollow, so they will not weigh down an already large and heavy model. These tanks replace the inaccurate and less detailed tanks found in most 1/32 kits.”

Released to accompany the “KAHU” conversion, it is also valid with the standard A-4. Comprised of four parts for each tank and a set of six mounting brackets (Spares included, heck yes I tested it out)

This took me all of 20 minutes to finish the review set. CAREFULLY remove the parts from their stanchions, lightly sand, and CAREFULLY superglue with slow setting stuff.

Review Author
Rod Lees
Published on
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$18.95

This is the SAC gear is made with the brand-new Modelsvit P-51H. This was the last in the Mustang line, and essentially was a totally different aircraft; in outward appearance the lineage was there, but new wings, fuselage, cowling, combined with sub-parts of the previous P-51D tooling, led to a faster aircraft, with a bit more performance. Unfortunately for it, the Jet age had arrived, and as the jets arrived, the majority of users being U.S. Air National Guard units. And no, you can’t turn a D into a H. (well, if someone wants to try, go ahead, new wings, prop, fuselage, cowling, canopy… landing gear, wheel well… I guess you could use a stabilizer and fin/rudder, with an extended bit for the latter).

As the previously reviewed F-82, This is a kit not for the faint hearted, and in the end the final product has proven to be worthy of display next to the rest of the High-tech models of the P-51 to grace our building benches.

Book Author(s)
Dariusz Karnas
Review Author
James Kelley
Published on
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$25.00

This book from the series “Inside” shows detailed drawings of the German aircraft instrument panels in great detail.

Instrument panels of the following aircraft:

  • Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4
  • Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4
  • Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6
  • Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-12
  • Messerschmitt Me 262 A
  • Heinkel He 111 P-1
  • Henschel Hs 126 B
  • Dornier Do 17 Z
  • Fieseler Fi 156
  • Henschel HS 123
  • Focke Wulf Fw-190 A-3
  • Junkers Ju 87 B-1

One would not initially think that a book named “German Instrument Panels” would be an interesting, dare I say fascinating book, but if you’re a modeling nerd like me, yes it very much is. The author has rendered the IPs of several famous, German WWII aircrafts panels into easily identifiable graphics, each accompanied by a breakdown of every dial, gauge, and switch.

Book Author(s)
Graham M. Simons
Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
Pen & Sword
MSRP
$26.95

Historical Background

This book presents a complete detailed history of the development and combat career of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber during World War II. It begins with the backgrounds of the designers, including Reuben Fleet, describing the early development of the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation during the twenties and thirties. When the U.S. Army leaders decided to develop a replacement for the Martin B-10 medium bomber, Boeing began development of what was to become probably the most famous bomber of the World War II period, the B-17 “Flying Fortress”. When war in Europe seemed to be approaching, Consolidated decided to develop another heavy bomber type, the B-24, using several innovations, including the “Davis Wing”, which had some aerodynamic advantages, and the tricycle landing gear, which simplified takeoffs and landings, and which is now standard on nearly all production aircraft in use today.

Review Author
Brian R. Baker
Published on
Company
VFR Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$28.20

History

The Rockwell Commander was developed during the late sixties, its first flight being in 1970. It was intended to compete with the Beech Bonanza, Mooney M20, Piper Low Wings and high-performance Cessna products that were so common during that era.

However, after production started problems occurred that resulted in modifications that made the airframe heavier and more complex. As these problems were solved, more powerful engines were installed, but production ended in 1980 with a total of 1306 being produced. The Models 112TC, 114 A, and 114B are the subject of this kit. As popular as the airplane was, I saw very few of them at local airports, and only photographed a couple of them over the past fifty years. Actually, I was surprised that anyone would produce a 1/72 scale kit of this aircraft.

Book Author(s)
Mariano Sciaroni, Alejandro Amendolara
Review Author
Pablo Bauleo
Published on
Company
Helion & Company
MSRP
$29.95

Casemate Publishers is distributing the latest installment of the Helion & Company’s Latin America @ War series, which focuses on the combat actions of the Super Etendard during the Falkland War in 1982. “Handbrake!” was the code word used by the British Task Force when an Exocet attack was identified on their radars.

The book is organized in a chronological order, with the first chapters devoted to the acquisition and limited training of the Argentinean pilots in France (in late 1980 and through 1981). At the outbreak of the conflict, France halted the delivery of aircrafts, pilot training and Exocet missiles - only 5 were delivered. Although some limited technical support was still provided in the early phases of the war by French technicians in Argentina, before they left to go back to France.

Book Author(s)
Matthew Willis
Review Author
Paul Bradley
Published on
Company
Mortons Books
MSRP
$24.50

The Fairey Swordfish needs no introduction, it being one of those classics of aviation that find themselves famous for being available in the right place at the right time. This new book from Morton Books is the second in their Fleet Air Arm Legends series and is written by noted aviation historian Matthew Willis.

Author Willis weaves a tight story of the need and development of the Swordfish in the early 1930’s, the entry into service and the emergency measures taken to ensure that this obsolescent aircraft was made available in the numbers needed by the FAA when it’s replacement – the Albacore – hit development issues.

Review Author
Allan Murrell
Published on
Company
VFR Models
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$25.25

VFR Models is a UK producer of 3D Printed 1/72 General Aviation Aircraft Kits. This kit is baby brother to the Cessna 172 the Cessna 152 which is a two-seater.

The parts are very nicely 3D printed using DLP (Digital Light Processing) Resin Printing.

The parts need to be removed from the print support mounts and this is easily done with Spue cutter or sharp blade.

The construction starts with the cockpit and is very easy. There is no real guide to painting the interior, so you need to look up for references. Painting the interior should be completed before installation of the cockpit. The Cockpit is then installed into the fuselage, this was not very easy, and the cockpit base needed a lot of cleaning up and material removed to sit correctly. I also added some simple seat belts at this stage as not were molded in to supplied.