Review Author
Paul R. Brown
Published on
May 20, 2015
Company
Scale Aircraft Conversions
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$11.95

The set consists of 5 one-for-one replacements for the kit landing gear on the new Eduard MiG-15 kits. The nose gear is a single casting of the strut and the nose wheel, and incorporates the spoked effect on the tire seen on the kit part. The main gear each consists of a main gear strut and the retraction/extension actuator. As with the other SAC sets the parts are finely cast and need minimal clean-up before being painted and installed. My set had a bit of flash on each of the small struts coming off the main gear struts, that initially looked like part of the gear, but I have been unable to find any photos showing this to be part of the gear, so I clipped it off.’’

A nice touch to add to a great little kit – recommended. Thank you to Scale Aircraft Conversions for the review sample and to IMPS-USA for letting me review it.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
May 20, 2015
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.99

The Kit

This automotive model review covers the Flintstone’s Flintmobile 1:25 Scale Lindberg Model Kit #HL604 (Photo 1). This is a Skill Level 1 Snap-It kit (Photo 2) for modelers eight years and older. It includes 22 parts molded primarily in tan and grey plastic with a white top. It also has a standup backdrop and easy to follow instructions. When finished it measures: L- 7½”, W- 4”, H- 3-¾”.

This kit’s box art will catch the eye of anyone that has ever seen the 60’s TV series featuring the Flintstones or even the 90’s movie. The hilarious antics of Fred Flintstone’s Stone Age friends and foes only mirrored that of modern day life and was enjoyable by both kids and adults alike. It’s hard not to look at the model and remember the pitter-patter of those huge feet getting the Flintmobile in gear to get “Twinkle Toes” to the bowling alley in time for the big tournament.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
May 20, 2015
Company
Aires Hobby Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$13.50

Aires has added a pair of detailed Spitfire Mk.V 5 spoke wheels/tires to their aftermarket parts line that can be used to replace the ones that come in the new Airfix 1:48 scale kit. The wheels have excellent hub detail and fortunately none of the bulged and flattened look popular with other brands. The tires are smooth with no discernable tread. They also have an opening on the backside of the hub with a recess that matches the locating tab on the Airfix landing gear so everything will align correctly.

The wheels are cast in a very smooth gray resin that will polish up nicely after removal from the casting block. Parts can easily be separated from the block with a razor saw or xacto blade and smoothed with sanding sticks. Because the material is resin, it will be necessary to use superglue (CA) or epoxy cement to attach the aftermarket parts to the kit’s styrene plastic landing gear legs.

Review Author
Roger Rasor
Published on
May 20, 2015
Company
Aviaeology
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$11.15

Aviaeology’s Venturas in Canada 3 provides complete decal markings for eight individual late-production Ventura GR.Vs in Royal Canadian Air Force, Western Air Command service in the last two years of WWII. An 8-page black & white documentation/instruction booklet is supplied in the set describing the subjects in great detail and providing painting and decal application instructions based on photographs of the actual aircraft. It’s worth noting that several of the Venturas in this set were featured on the silver screen during the filming of the movie Son of Lassie at RCAF Station Patricia Bay in 1944.

Review Author
Ron Verburg
Published on
May 21, 2015
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$19.99

History

The Stinson Reliant was a popular single-engine, four to five seat, high-wing monoplane manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation of Wayne, Michigan. The Reliant is a three-place high-wing fixed tail wheel land monoplane powered with a variety of radial engines.1,327 Reliants of all types were made from 1933 to 1941, in different models, from SR-1 to SR-10. The final commercial model, the Stinson Reliant SR-10, was introduced in 1938.

Review Author
Dave Morrissette
Published on
May 21, 2015
Company
Res-Im
Scale
1/48
MSRP
$5.43

Res-IM has made a masking set for the Tamiya 1/48 Spitfire Mk. Vb. The kit has the following markings:

  • Spitfire Mk.V, EN821, 243 Sqn, SN-M
  • Spitfire Mk.V, BL479, 316 Sqn, SZ-X
  • Spitfire Mk.V, AGM, Fighter Command Hq, flown by Wing Commander A.G. Malan

This masking set is die cut vinyl masks and provides the markings wing and fuselage roundels, the fuselage letters for the sides, the tail flashes in two styles and also the EN codes for one set of markings. The masks are very flexible and cut well.

Book Author(s)
Tine Soetaert
Review Author
Hub Plott
Published on
May 21, 2015
Company
Mushroom Model Publications - MMP Books
MSRP
$31.50

This book takes a look at one of the most famous French training aircraft of all time. There is a brief history of its development and use and then the book moves into an extreme detail photo essay.

The book begins with the type’s development including the explanation for why all Magisters built were done with out ejection seats. We are provided with scale drawings in both 1/72 and 1/48 as well. There is a brief overview of all the variants of the design before going into the production of the aircraft and coverage of all nations that used the Magister. This section is accompanied by 40 color profiles of these various users. Want to see what a Ugandan or El Salvadorian Magister looked like? They are here.

The bulk of the book, approximately 70 pages gives the reader an in-depth walkaround and detail photo essay. Virtually every panel and door has been opened and the contents documented. If you would like to super-detail your model, this book is for you.

Review Author
John King
Published on
May 22, 2015
Company
Brengun
Scale
1/144
MSRP
$4.95

The Revell of Germany 1/144th F/A-18C has been on the market since 2005. It’s a great little 1/144th scale jet. The Korean company ACE has re-boxed the Revell kit in recent years, but the plastic is all the same. Although it’s a nice representation of the Legacy Hornet, the Revell F-18 could benefit from some upgrades. Brengun has recently release a small resin set to improve the Revell kit.

Included in this resin set are: new landing gear doors, main wheels, leading edge extension (LEX) fences, ejection seat, new burner cans, a plethora of generic antennas, and a vac-formed canopy. The resin parts are nicely molded. I found two tiny pin holes on one of the main wheels. The vac-formed canopy is crystal clear. However, on my example there was a small blemish in the windscreen.

Review Author
Mark Aldrich
Published on
May 22, 2015
Company
Hauler
Scale
1/35
MSRP
$11.75

Another neat set from Hauler comes this wooden barrel and milk can set. Do not be fooled by the box photo. You do not get two large barrels. You get one large, medium, small wooden barrel, 2 large and 2 small milk cans. You also get a small PE set for the milk can handles. The only thing that would make this set better would have been to include tops for the large milk cans and wire for the handles. The small milk cans have lids attached and maybe the large ones should have been designed that way as well.

Review Author
Gordon Miller
Published on
February 10, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$23.95

This release is part of an extremely popular series of models that goes under the Revell California Wheels collection that's been out for quite a while now. This particular Cadillac is actually the Eldorado Seville, of which only 975 cars were ever produced by the factory.