I love the Eduard FW-190 series of models. I’ve built seven of them so far. The stuff in the kit is nice but there are limitations to what can be done in plastic. That is where the Brassin range comes into play.

In this set are two wheels with predrilled holes, unfortunately they are just as loose as the kit offerings. I would have loved if they were molded with smaller holes with the angles set already. Oh well the detail is really nice. They are molded in light grey resin with flawless detail molded on. You also get a masking set for the wheels. Just another great idea from Brassin. You have to be careful as the wheels are sided. So be careful when you take them off the resin pour stubs to not get them mixed.

The beautiful detail and masking material makes this just a perfect little upgrade set. If you like FW-190s then these wheels are as good as it gets.

Highly recommended

Once again, thanks up front to Ross at SAC for sending us another of your expanding line of metal landing gear, and thanks also to IPMS USA leadership for sending it on.

This is (once again) a basic upgrade to the kit plastic. The kit landing gear consists of two halves for the forward gear, a one-part aft main gear, and two outriggers with actuators and doors integrated as one item.

As usual, SAC gear replaced these. The kit nose gear requires taking care of a seam, after the nose wheel and tire is inserted. The kit wheels should be inserted carefully into the tire, but the plastic could possibly break or deform permanently. The SAC solution is more elegant. Superglue the upper strut and lower fork together, let it cure, then spray with metal primer. Paint gloss white or gray, BEND the fork out, carefully install the wheel and tire, then carefully close over the wheel hub. It stays in place and is a lot stronger.

The Revell Bf-109G-10 kit is a gem and at a reasonable price. As always there are ways to improve the kit. One of the easiest ways is to replace the wheels with resin weighted wheels. The Brassin set consists of seven resin pieces perfectly molded in light grey. There are the two main wheels and a tail wheel. The other parts are the face and the brake assembly for the main wheels. The wheels are sided so use caution and don’t get them mixed up. There is also a set of Kabuki masks for the wheels, which will make the whole painting process easier.

So perfectly formed and highly detailed wheels plus paint masks make this set a great addition to your large scale 109. The set is designed for the Revell kit but it looks like it will fit the Hasegawa kit perfectly with no modifications. Another winner from Brassin.

Highly recommended

With the release of the Eduard Bf-109G kit, it was inevitable that Eduard would produce aftermarket products in their Brassin range. One of those sets is the radio compartment for the Gustav. The set, like all the Brassin range, is designed specifically for the Eduard kit and is a drop fit.

The set comes with seven pieces of perfectly cast grey resin and a fret of pre-painted photo etch. The resin is typical of the Brassin range and perfect little miniatures of the real things. The two biggest pieces are the sidewall details. Care must be taken to remove the resin wafers between some of the parts. Nothing too difficult but use caution.

The latest journal of Cross & Cockade International - Winter 2014 Vol. 45/4 - is the last of the journals that make up Volume 45. C&C I is the quarterly publication of the non-profit UK based organization known as The First World War Aviation Historical Society. They have continuously published these journals since 1970 with the objective of furthering the study of First World War Aviation History. This journal continues the organization’s mission by providing considerable information on a wide range of WWI aviation subjects…this time delivering an interesting and lengthy feature article about operations of the RNAS’s 3 Wing & 3 Squadron along with 203 Squadron RAF under the title ‘JUST ABOUT COURT MARTIALLED’. The journal’s cover image ‘Red-Nose Pup’, a painting by artist Russell Smith, serves to herald this twenty three-page article.