IPMS/USA Reviews

Scale Aircraft Conversions (SAC) manufactures white metal landing gear that is a direct replacement for a kit's plastic landing gear. The metal landing gear offer greater strength over the kit parts as well as having most of the mold lines removed. At times the metal will be bent out of shape but that is easily corrected by bending it back to the correct shape.

This set includes four parts; main gear, nose gear, oleo strut for nose gear, and nose gear bay. SAC gear does require some clean-up for the rare cases there are still seam lines. You many also sand and prime the struts to remove some of the rough texture that appears in some areas. Installing the new gear requires CA glue or non-traditional modeling adhesives. SAC recommends that the gear is for experienced modelers that are used to working with metal gear.

Brengun is known as a prolific manufacturer of accessories and aftermarket items. Over the years I have purchased or reviewed some 15 to 20 after-market items like this product being reviewed and I have yet to find any deficiencies in any of those products. The Mk. XVII Depth Charge set lives up to the standards that I have come to expect from Brengun.

This version of the Mk XVII Depth Charge is designed to be delivered by an aircraft and can be used to enhance any number of aircraft that the modeler currently has on their workbench, both serving in the military branches for the United States and its allies. As prepared by Brengun, there are components for two Mk. XVII's included in this package.  Also included are the "bomb" racks which connect the depth charge to the aircraft.

Scale Aircraft Conversions now has thirty years of experience supplying resin and white metal parts to model builders, and their product listing continues to expand.  This is the tenth landing gear set from SAC that I have reviewed, and once again, they have provided an excellent metal option for kit-supplied landing gear.  This set is intended for the 1/48 scale F-14D Tomcat that was recently released by AMK (kit 88007).  The purpose of this replacement set is to provide stronger landing gear that is adjustable if necessary, to obtain the proper angles.  Even with no previous experience in using white metal parts, this set will provide an upgrade that most modelers will have no issue installing.

For one of their latest releases, Brengun has issued a pair of AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles in 1/48 scale for arming your latest modern aircraft in this scale. This is a relatively easy upgrade for modelers that have some experience with resin and photoetched parts. Assembly is straightforward, which adds to the ease of using these replacement missiles.

The AIM-9X is the latest development of the venerable Sidewinder missile, and manufactured by Raytheon, it is currently in use by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and more than two dozen NATO countries and U.S. allies. The missile uses infra-red tracking and actually maintains the rocket motor, warhead, and fuse of the predecessor AIM-9M. The big change with the X is the use of thrust vectoring to allow the missile to quickly change direction during flight. The AIM-9X was first tested in 1999 and was in full operation in 2004.

In keeping with other figures that are offered by AeroBonus, the figure consists of a head, two arms, and a body. This "kit" consists of four parts, all attached to a resin runner. Looking at the accompanying images there are two rectangular "partitions" also attached on either end of the runner. These are not parts to be added to the figure. They serve as "safety" barriers to prevent damage to the four body parts. Removal of these two barriers with a razor saw will make it much easier to cut the kit parts away from the runner. The arms and head are quite small, and it is wise to exercise some caution when removing them from the runner "lest ye old Carpet Monster" attempts to abscond with them. Do not ask me how I know.

Figure painters have taught me to drill a hole in the heel of a boot and to insert a wire to hold the figure steady while painting. In this case, I was unable to place the hole in a boot heel. Instead, I glued the figure onto a small piece of spare styrene sheet. It does not take much effort to remove that sheet from the bottom of the shoes once the figure is completed, either with a nipper or with some gentle sanding.