One feature of jets is the need to use ladders to get inside of them. This essential item of ground handling equipment is typically forgotten by model manufacturers. Thanks to Plus Model this key component is finally available.

Packaged in a small top opening cardboard box is a single sprue of light grey plastic inside a plastic bag. There are 15 parts involved in this small kit. The instructions are on the back of the box. The painting instructions are also there but it is quite simple, either yellow or dark green.

Assembly of the ladder is simple enough. The key will be ensuring that everything is squared off.

The dark yellow will highlight this ground handling piece of equipment regardless of the camouflage of your Starfighter.

Tamiya acrylics can go down grainy in the right conditions (dry atmosphere, high pressure, big distance) & this retarder helps prevent this, it can also help with airbrush dry tip issues.

You mix it in with the paint or you can mix it with the thinner before thinning the paint. It can be used up to a 1:10 ratio with Tamiya Acrylic Paints.

You must remember that like most other retarders, adding too much retarder causes the paint to not dry.

Also, it is ideal for painting glossy finish surfaces and what I found very useful is using it when brushing Tamiya acrylics. As when brushing the paint starts to cure between brush strokes and using a good mix of paint, Tamiya X-20A thinner and Tamiya's Paint this can help prevent the quick drying that normally occurs.

Summary

This is a fantastic product to add with the use of Tamiya paints and I have found it a great addition to my tool box!

The KP/Smer Su-25 Landing Gear covers lack detail and are slightly thick. Quickboost comes to the rescue with this simple set.

This set is packaged in the typical Quickboost way with a cardstock protecting the contents. You get two pour stubs of light grey resin with exquisite detail. There are four doors two for the front wheel and each main gear. Removal of the parts from the pour blocks is simple enough. Then it is just a matter of cleanup, prime, and paint. The parts feature rivet details and beautifully recessed portions.

Another simple and effective set that will enhance your model with minimal work.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

If you want to mount your Frogfoot’s boarding ladder in the down position you will have a hard time doing that with the kit parts and you’ll still have to scratchbuild the area and the ladder. That is until now.

Quickboost provides you with this simple upgrade. Packaged in the typical Quickboost resealable envelope with card stock backing to prevent damage. This set contains four light grey resin pieces. The instructions tell you what you have to remove to add this set. It is relatively easy to do. Removal of the parts from the pour block is easy. It just takes paint to bring out the detail.

This will look great when added to the model. The boarding ladder, when lowered. adds life to your Frogfoot. This is the easiest way to add that little bit of detail at an inexpensive price with minimal effort. I like fast and easy.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review copy.

The Academy F-4 series of models are impressive models but they could benefit from a little bit of resin, especially in the cockpit. The F-4 cockpit, like most jets, is dominated by one item, the ejection seat. If you are going to add anything to your kit the ejection seat is that one item.

The parts are in a small Ziploc bag. Within that bag Hypersonic provides two seats. There are two seats and one gang pour block of the ejection handles. The ejection seat handles are safeguarded inside another baggie. A section of wire is included for the side of the seat. The casting of these seats in light grey resin is perfect. The detail is exquisite. The baggie is stapled to the instruction sheet which is folded into quarters. The instructions are on a single sheet of high quality paper. It is broken down into Navy and Air Force versions and has a painting guide for both types.