Many thanks to Mr. Ross MacMillan of Scale Aircraft Conversions and the IPMS Reviewer Corps for allowing me to try this neat conversion and replacement set for the new Kitty Hawk SH-2F. I am delighted to report on another sweet add-on and upgrade.

The 7 white-metal parts arrived in a blister pack, backed by the distinctive SAC company logo. The heft of the parts is very noticeable. All parts are free of sprues and require little buffing, cleanup and polishing. The gear struts of the SH-2F kit are directly replaced with the SAC parts. The main mount parts attach to the kit fuselage with no difficulty. Kit parts that are replaced by SAC parts are D 20, 21, 23, 24 and E 24, 25, 26.

Note that you will need to use kit part E 27 along with the SAC replacement for kit part E 26, the tail wheel strut. Kit part 27 is not weight bearing and easily works with the SAC part to hold the tail wheel in place.

This is another of SAC’s drop-in replacement landing gear sets. It is meant for the ICM MiG-25 Foxbat kit. As you can see from the pictures, they’re a direct replacement for the kit parts. With the Foxbat being a substantial aircraft, the extra support of the metal landing gear could come in handy.

The detail on the parts is sharp and should paint up very nicely. The parts require minor cleanup of mold seams, easily done with a knife blade. Some small parts may have been slightly bent during shipping but they are easily straightened. Recommended.

Thanks go to Scale Aircraft Conversions for the landing gear set and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review it.

Kitty Hawk’s 1/48 scale Jas-39 Gripen is a detailed, well-executed kit. It does require skill to assemble, and many of the details are simplified for various reasons. This is where Quickboost (Aires’ in-house brand) has stepped in to provide some added detail.

Quickboost provides us with a better-detailed, very fine aerial refueling boom and probe. The nozzle head itself is literally perfect. The remainder of the boom is a worthy upgrade just so you don’t have to scrape the mold seam from along the sides of the kit’s boom. This can save a ton of time! Also included in the detail set is a well for the retracted boom and exterior door with actuator. Ultimately, the kit’s parts were best described as “meh,” and these Quickboost additions are just the thing to kick the build up a level.

Kitty Hawk’s 1/48 scale Jas-39 Gripen is a detailed, well-executed kit. It does require skill to assemble, and many of the details are simplified for various reasons. This is where Aires Hobby Models has stepped in to provide some added detail.

In this case, Aires has created a very nice resin replacement cockpit. Opening the package reveals fine details that would take endless patience and hours of skillful work to deliver. The cockpit set provides sidewalls, a control column, a full lower cockpit tub, the forward instrument-panel coaming, and a world-class ejection seat. Etched details are provided for the seat harness, a few extra cockpit details, and an instrument panel.

With practice and a steady hand, this cockpit will look fantastic in the finished model and will raise the kit’s overall look from good to great.

Quickboost is known for replacement parts that are pretty much just drop-in, without modifying the kit very much. Such is the case with these parts. This set includes two pitot tubes (you’ll only need one for the kit) and two antennas. Depending on antenna fit on the aircraft you’re modeling, you’ll need both for the upper spine. The resin parts are more finely cast and the antennas have a better shape than the kit parts do. They should be easily removed from the pour plug and will fit into the holes in the kit for the kit parts. Plus, you don’t have to clean up the blade of the antenna, as you would with the kit parts, where the sprue attachment is on the side of the antenna. Recommended for having sharper detail and easier cleanup.

Thanks go to Aires / Quickboost for providing the parts and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review them.