Aires has come out with a nice upgrade for the Eduard Bf 108 series of kits with their horizontal control surfaces set. There are four parts in all, cast in a durable resin material. The Aires parts allow you to alter the position of the elevators and provide improved stabilizer to elevator detail. There are no supplied instructions; you simply swap out the kit provided plastic parts with the new Aires replacements. I’ve included photos of both the Eduard and the Aires horizontal surfaces inserted in the Eduard fuselage.

Aires has molded the stabilizer and elevator perfectly in light grey resin with no apparent bubbles. The Aires stabilizer and elevator are supplied on a single resin sprue with thin resin attachments to the parts that should minimize any cleanup.

Although most paints will adhere to resin alone, I would recommend that you wash the parts to remove any remaining mold release and prime them first. They will need to be installed with your favorite CA (super glue) or epoxy, as the normal plastic glues or solvents will not react with the resin.

I used a photoetch saw to remove the stabilizer and the elevator from the resin sprue. The remaining very thin sprue cut away with a scalpel blade quickly. Total prep time for both sets of horizontal control surfaces, both port and starboard, was under five minutes. The original Eduard parts in my kit have a slight mold shift from the top half to the bottom half of the horizontal control surfaces that is absent on the Aires set. Of course, if one wishes to “go all out” on this kit by articulating the control surfaces, the Aires Horizontal Control Surface package makes that job much easier and without the loss of the slightest detail.

This product is an excellent way to enhance your Bf 108 and well worth the time and cost. This product is highly recommended due to the superior appearance of the Aires parts, ease of installation, and attention to detail.

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this set.