Master Model, maker of fantastic turned-metal details, has released a new set of 1/72 probes for the RA-5C Vigilante. The Vietnam-era RA-5C, a supersonic nuclear bomber turned capable reconnaissance aircraft, features a prominent pitot tube with multiple diameter changes along its length. Master’s set includes both the complicated pitot tube and an AOA (angle of attack) probe. The set can be used on any 1/72 RA-5C kit, and should be an outstanding upgrade. In this review, I’ve compared the parts to the Trumpeter kit.

Thank you to Freedom Model Kits for providing a review copy of an excellent new release of a very unusual aircraft. Thank you to the many Reviewer Corps people who make the IPMS review system work. It is a continuing honor and privilege to be part of the team.

This first release from a new company is a welcome addition to UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) subjects in the scale model world. Freedom Model Kits (FMK) maintains an excellent Facebook presence (see the vendor link above), hosting much good information including corrections, and they set a very high standard with their first offering. I thoroughly enjoyed building this kit for review. The part fit is excellent, construction is very straightforward, and a very nice model may be produced directly out of the box. The model compares well to public domain published literature and internet sources.

Upon opening the kit I found the plastic to be delicately molded in an easy to paint light grey styrene with fair detail for a model its scale and size. The parts count is rather high because many of the details are molded as fine separate niceties. Very small (less than an 1/8th inch) parts such as the masks, life rafts, antenna, and supports are molded in this fine plastic and make use of magnifying devices necessary.

Parts count:

About This Book

Noted author and historian Barrett Tillman has complied yet again another literary masterpiece. This time devoted exclusively to US Marine fighting squadrons in World War II. The US Marine Corps aviation recently celebrated its centennial in 2012. During the last 100 years ‘the flying leathernecks’ have enjoyed a rich heritage of bravery and excellence. Exploring this, Barrett Tillman steps up and delivers factual accounts from the best known Marine aviators such as Greg ‘Pappy’ Boyington, Joe Foss and many more. Tillman also included a wartime interview of Boyington. Through these recollections you’ll learn about the caliber of the men that defended our freedom in clear and honest recollections. These guys were as tough as nails. Their presence in the Pacific helped lead the US to victory against the mighty Japanese Empire by cutting off their aggressive stranglehold.

The continuing line of people who would say “thanks!” goes around the building, down the street, and across town to Quickboost for providing yet one more of their fast-assembly improvements for AMS modeling… also, thanks go to our tireless IPMS reviewer corps leaders for sending this item my way!

This is a simple, four-barrel set. You may well ask, “So, they have hollow ends… and the Zoukei-Mura (ZM) kit has slide molded barrels that are already hollow”. Or you could say “spend 20 minutes with a #11 knife and thin the walls yourself”. (It’s also a great way to do a blood glucose test on your fingertips…)

Well, that’s what I was thinking until I held these up to the kit items. The kit barrels ARE hollow, but the flash supressors are a bit thicker than the Quickboost items… and the QB flash suppressors are larger and much more refined with VERY thin walls… which is what Quickboost is about; finesse!