Once again a hearty “Thank you” goes to David Lajer at Aires for this review item.

This is a simple cockpit upgrade, intended to be used on the Kinetic kit. Unfortunately, I thought this was for the Tamiya kit, but I am certain it can be used in either one; I have no Kinetic single-seat Block 50 kit, and no access to one, so I decided to build it in the “press on” mode, with intent to use it in my next Tamiya F-16.

The cockpit tub is what we have come to expect from Aires - superlative! Detail abounds, and careful painting yields an excellent canvas for the rest of the model. Switches, hoses, and actuators are all included, and the control stick is molded on the sidewall, preventing the usual fiddling around we experience when installing such items. With careful painting and drybrushing, you will have an impressive, much-more-detailed-than-in-the-injection-molded-kit cockpit. The PE fret includes delicate rudder pedals; be careful here as they are VERY fragile.

The PE fret provides seat harnesses, buckles, and locks for the equally impressive ejection seat. The seat is a work of art, and includes the framing, actuators, and emergency oxygen bottle which is so prominent on the ACES II seat. Once again, careful painting and washes provide depth, and all the details you would see on the real seat are there.

The Instrument panel includes Multi-Function Displays (MFD), and a PE mini-glare shield to which film instruments are included. These instruments are to scale, and as such are very difficult to see even when the backside is painted white. No worries, because they are there… The gear retraction handle is also PE, and so tiny as to be almost invisible, but once again AIRES is the master of details and it’s there if you have the skills!

The HUD assembly is included, but I chose to leave it off until the rest of the model is constructed. All in all, an impressive effort; well done AIRES!

Thanks to Aires for the kit and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review it.