Thanks again to our steadfast IPMS supporter, Ross at SAC… and to IPMS leadership for providing it to me for review. Metal gear rule!

This set simply replaces the main and nose gear for the new Airfix 1/48 Folland Gnat. This is an excellent little kit, and the kit gear will serve the purpose out of the box, but the simplicity of installing metal gear on the assembled airframe is too good to pass up.

Parts include two main gear struts with extension and drag arms incorporated, and a nose gear. All three parts are one-piece castings, which justifies their use in my mind. Airfix is on a roll, and their kits just slide together with little fuss. The only complaint I personally have is the plastic is a bit soft, so small things like landing gear, pitot tubes, etc., tend to be very “bendy” and flexible. The Gnat may be miniscule, but the landing gear is still vulnerable.

The Hasegawa X-29 in 1/72 scale has been around since the mid1980's and, as far as I know, is the only injection-molded kit of this interesting aircraft. Though accurate in outline, it is a very basic kit lacking detail in the wheel wells and cockpit. As was the norm with Hasegawa kits of that era, cockpit detail only consists of decals for the instrument and side panels, and a simplified ejection seat. However, RES-IM fills this void with their beautiful, full color, photo-etched set. If this set has a familiar look to you, that’s because Eduard produces it. Their logo is prominently displayed on the bottom of the fret.

The MW-50 and GM-1 were used to raise the operating altitude and provide more power for the DB-605. The storage area behind the pilot had an access panel inside it to allow the Schwarzmann a place to service the system. This unique setup has never been available before in model form as far as I know.

Molded in light grey resin with the minimal resin flash, there are four parts for this set molded on two pour blocks. There is minimal flash on the one part but nothing that a knife blade and five seconds couldn’t take care of. The instructions are simple enough and show you how to add the parts. It really is a no-brainer. The storage area is provided in a single piece with the additional compartment cut out of the bottom of the area.

This set will work perfectly for your 109G if you want to do something different. I’ll add it to one of my future Eduard 109s.

Highly recommended

The Revell Bf-109G-6 is an inexpensive model but it does come with its flaws. One of the most noticeable flaws is the anemic gun bulges. Quickboost offers a chance to replace them.

Molded on a single pour block, the light grey resin is perfectly cast of two bulges. Removal of the bulges from the pour block does not seem too difficult. They are properly bulged and direct replacement for the kit parts. Simple and easy.

Highly recommended

Thanks to Aires and IPMS/USA for the review copy. You can get yours directly from Aires at www.aires.com or at your local hobby shop or online retailer.

Master Model is an aftermarket supplier that offers modelers exceptional miniature turned metal parts to add detail to their models. These sets generally are available for builders in all popular scales. This set (AM-48-095) provides parts to assemble highly detailed 1:48 scale Hispano 20mm cannon with uncovered barrels for the Fairey Firefly.

The parts may be used to replace the injection molded ones in the Special Hobby kits without significant surgery. The kits have holes on the wings’ leading edge so it is likely the Master-Model barrels will literally drop in place. (Although the size of the holes may need to be increased to 1.5mm diameter to accept the small extension on the end of the fairings). Note that two types of fairings are provided in the set.