I don't know how many models I have snapped pitot tubes off of- dozens? They seem to always be in the way. Put them on early to make sure they fit and risk breaking them completely or put them on late and they don't seem to blend in well.

One trend lately is for manufacturers and the aftermarket companies to make these fragile parts out of metal- either turned brass or aluminum. For this set, the pitot tube is aluminum and the AOA probe is brass. Both are exquisite in their detail as compared to the kit parts.

They are both drops in parts and will resist breaking for a long period of time.

For those of us with growing collections or having moved several times, parts like this are a godsend as they prevent breaking.

The parts are accurate, well made and very reasonably priced and a snap to use. Recommended with no reservations!

My thanks to IPMS/USA and the fine people at Master.

While a lot of attention has been focuses on aftermarket offerings for Tamiya’s growing line of 1/32 Spitfire kits, Quickboost has release a set of resin gun barrels that are designed to replace those found in Hasegawa Spitfire kits. They are direct replacements for kit parts #CC3 and #CC16, and the detail is crisp and delicate. The castings, like all other Quickboost resin parts are blemish free and offer detail superior to that found in the kit parts. The gun barrels provide hollow ends, fine recessed details and delicate rivets. No clean up is required and there are no pinholes to worry about. They are easily removed from the casting block with a #11 blade and should be attached with super glue or epoxy cement.

This Detail Set is highly recommended to anyone who wants to enhance the detail of a 1/32 Spitfire built from a Hasegawa kit.

My thanks to IPMS/USA, Quickboost.net and Aires Hobby Models for the opportunity to review this detail set.

The Aircraft

The Tempest was a follow-on for the Hawker Hurricane and Typhoon. Through the Typhoon and Tempest development, Hawkers had problems with several new systems, and the Air Ministers were ready to scrap the new aircraft programs. One of the people who successfully argued for their retention and one of the problem solvers was Roland P. Beamont.

The resulting aircraft was very fast, quite maneuverable, and a success against the Luftwaffe. But its biggest use in late World War II was against V-1 flying bombs. The Tempest had the speed and toughness to fly alongside a V-1 and tap the wing tip of the missile. This would cause the gyros in the navigation computer to tumble, and the V-1 would crash well short of its target. Good for London, not so good for those living along the flight corridor. Tempest Wing (#150) accounted for 638 V-1s.

Originally when I asked to review these I had the intention of putting them on my Eduard Fokker D.VII Weekend Edition, as you may or may not know that is Herman Goring’s white Fokker. I already built Herman’s plane so I thought these would be a colorful option to the plain white version. I was right they are a colorful option however this review has turned into a non-build version for the simple fact that all four choices in the Lifelike Decal sheet require the dreaded Lozenge camouflage.

The LVT-(A) 1 was part of a series of US Marine Corps. and Navy amphibious assault vehicles developed during WW2. The idea for the military vehicles came from an original, civilian design by Donald Roebling, who designed his Alligator as a rescue vehicle for use in areas inaccessible to standard cars or trucks, such as swampland. LVT stood for Landing Vehicle, Tracked, and the main contractor during WW2 was FMC: Farm Machinery Corp. As well as the standard open topped tracked landing craft designed to bring troops and cargo ashore, there were also vehicles such as the LVT-(A) 1 which came completely enclosed, and armed with turrets. The LVT-(A) 1 (“A” for Armor) had the turret and gun of the M3 Stuart light tank, and the vehicle was also powered by an M3 Stuart engine. Just over 500 (A) 1’s were produced during the War, with a total of just over 18,000 LVT’s of all varieties eventually rolling off the assembly lines.