Years ago in SAM Volume 21 Number 2 April 1999 Dave Neale built a beautiful I-153 in Finnish Markings. In his build article he reworked the kit cowling making the needed corrections to depict the proper exhausts. The Heller kit simply comes with dimples for the exhaust ports that surround the cowling. Dave removed these dimples and drilled out holes in the cowling and made his own exhausts. For years I have wanted to make this kit but have chickened out in favor of less involved projects, because I would need to do as Dave did to do the kit justice.

Now Quickboost has released the corrected cowling, all the extra work of correction is done for me. The cowling is crisp and perfectly molded with no air bubbles, the quality is up to the usual Quickboost standards. In this set you get the corrected Cowling, the carburator intake for the top of the cowling and the oil cooler vent for the port side of the cowling. Now I have no excuse to hold off any longer with an I-153 project.

I recommend this latest Quickboost update for the Heller/Smer I-153 family of kits without reservation.

Thanks to Quickboost and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this sample.