Ultracast has cut out a niche market for itself with propellers. Their latest releases are designed for the Hasegawa Focke Wulf 190A/F.

Late-war Focke Wulfs were often fitted with wider-blade wooden props. This particular model of prop blade has a pointed tip, which is hard to replicate. Until now they have been difficult to find and their shape has not been quite correct. Ultracast has captured the shape perfectly for the first time.

This set is packaged in a small plastic bag secured onto a cardboard backing. The resin is typical Ultracast, molded in a light caramel color and free of blemishes. There are minimal pour blocks, which can be cleaned quickly and easily. Minimal flash is present on the spinner and cooling fans. Clean up of these castings will be easy with a new hobby blade.

One of the things that I find challenging about photo-etch seatbelts is that they are difficult to drape properly, especially the pre-painted type. It can be done, but inevitably some paint will chip or the metal just won’t bend properly to simulate the look of real fabric. Well, Eduard has a new twist on belts; actual fabric seatbelts that are pre-painted.

This set comes packaged in Eduard’s standard bottom-opening package. Inside you’ll find a nickel-plated photo-etch fret and a fabric “fret.” The nickel-plated PE features the shiny buckles and bits. There are no extras, so don’t lose them to the carpet monster! Some extra pieces would have been a nice addition. The fabric “fret” is a flexible material mounted onto a fabric backing. With the backing peeled off, you are left with a really thin fabric seatbelt. Another advantage of the fabric is that the belt is the proper color on both sides and it won’t chip.

History

The Wright R-3350 twin row radial engine started its development cycle in 1937, and the engine first flew on an airplane in 1941. It was an eighteen cylinder radial engine originally rated at 2200 hp, but later models with fuel injection produced over 3600 hp. Used in the Boeing B-29 during the war, the turbo-compound version developed after the war was used in various types of airliners, including the Lockheed Constellation and the Douglas DC-7. More recently, these engines have powered Reno-type air racers, notably Hawker Sea Furys and Grumman F8F Bearcats.

Google lists many types of aircraft that used these engines, including many prototypes

THANK YOU to our friends and suppliers at Quickboost for these excellent antenna and air scoop details, which are for use on the Kinetic and Wingman KFIR C2/C7 kits.

The link to the scoops is http://www.quickboost.net/Obrazky/48578.jpg

Not much to say here; no seam on the air scoops, delicate details, and antennas that look better than the kit items… and no filling of the air scoop seams

Highly recommended for improved detail on either kit version,Thanks again to Quickboost and IPMS USA for providing these items…

Background

This is the second Moebius Models kit based on the monster art of Von Franco, a self-taught American artist associated with the Lowbrow art movement and Kustom Kulture. Von Franco’s skill at drawing hot rod and monster art follows in the art style of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Von Dutch.

The inspiration for this kit is Von Franco’s caricature monster painting Stoned Hoods & Crooks. The challenge of this kit is not in the build, but in painting the model in the cartoonish style of the box art. If you ever wanted to paint a fluorescent orange model piloted by a lime green monster driver with bloodshot eyes, then this is your kit!