Quickbost has produced replacement exhausts for the Hasegawa 1/48 F-190 kits. The resin replacements are a simple drop-in substitute for the kit’s plastic parts. The supplied items include all three separate exhaust stacks. There is no modification required to the kit parts to use these resin replacements. The resin parts will need to be cut with a razor saw close to the base of the stacks to fit properly, so use care when removing the stubs.

A side by side evaluation (see photos) indicates a replacement of superior detail that will provide a more accurate rendition of the Butcher Bird’s exhaust assemblies. Check your references for the appropriate placement. Be sure to wash the parts in soapy water to remove mold release agents and prime prior to using your favorite modeling paints.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to the IPMS Reviewer Corps and Quickboost for the opportunity to review this item.

AMK’s 1/48 Mig-31 is a kit that, once you see one built, it grabs you. Phenomenal engineering of a large subject is a real show stopper. Even as well designed as the kit is, there is always some room for improvements. Aires to the rescue with a set of speed brakes and pistons as replacements.

Inside the package, you will find a left and right speed brake (they are handed so watch for location) and two pistons for support. There are no instructions as these are direct replacements for the kit parts.

Preparation consists of freeing the pistons from the casting block and webbing which is easily accomplished with a sharp knife. You can see that the Aires parts (also available from Quickboost as a standalone set) are cast finer especially in the piston parts. A small difference but noticeable.

The Czechoslovakian Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin (NATO code Maya) became the standard jet trainer for the Warsaw Pact Air Forces. First flight was on April 5, 1959. Two-thirds of the over 3,000 aircraft manufactured have served with the Soviet Air Force as its standard basic, intermediate, and weapons platform trainer. The L-29 has seen combat in several wars, notably the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the Nigerian Civil War in the sixties. Many have been sold to the private sector with some performing in airshows and air races.

This set is specifically designed for the AMK 1/48 L-29 kit. Of course it will work in the Eduard kit as well since Eduard used the AMK molds for the enhanced release. I don’t have the earlier Planet Models resin kit, but I’m sure these wheels will dress it up as well.

The Tamiya F-14A Tomcat set a standard for plastic model kits. If there is a drawback it is that the aircraft can only be built as a very early Tomcat. Well Quickboost has addressed most of the options to upgrade your Tomcat’s chin pod. All these chin pods were used on later F-14As and F-14Bs.

As someone who was very involved in developing the Kitty Hawk UH-1D, I know of some of the shortcomings of the kit. Some things that were not able to be addressed or were caused by the limitations of the plastic. Some things are just better in photoetch.

The key about these Big Ed sets is that they are a one stop shop for a kit. Not only are they a one stop shop but they are discounted significantly than if you were to buy the sets separately. In this case the saving is almost $20.