IPMS/USA Reviews

It wasn't so long ago that 1/32^nd aircraft modelers were pretty hard pressed to find pilot or ground crew figures for dioramas they wished to make.  ICM has rather single-handedly addressed this issue, and has been busy churning out wonderful sets to complement your 1/32^nd scale aircraft collection.  One of the latest of these is their WWII British Ground Personnel set.

This simple set consists of three ground crew figures, who seem to be specifically tailored to their excellent Gloster Gladiator aircraft kits.  One is ostensibly removing the tail locks and testing the rudder, another is working on the engine and a third is preparing to prep the propeller.  All three are useful additions to a good diorama, although obviously not all at once.

IPMS/USA appreciates the continued support of Jan at Hauler/Brengun for supporting the IPMS USA reviewer corps with yet one more of his unique and useful products!

Today's review is a pair of AGM-45 Missiles and Launch rails from Brengun.

What you get:  Two Missiles, launch rail adaptors, decals (YAY), and diorama parts.  The diorama parts are the transport spreader bars in PE for the aft Missile launch lug, and the electrical umbilical's for a pre-loaded missile. Also included are the missile motor nozzle rings. 

The missiles are well detailed with appropriate screw holes and scribing.  The missile forward wings are separate, which allows them to be displayed in "off-line" condition, or in a missile transport coffin with the wings off.  (This is not included). 

This set provides replacement nozzles for Hasegawa's AV-8B Harrier II kits. The set includes two sets of forward and rear exhaust/lift nozzles and are direct replacements for the kit parts. As is expected with Brengun/Hauler, the castings are excellent and a huge improvement over the kit parts. I soaked the parts in Simple Green overnight to remove any casting residue, then rinsed them off I with water and used a fine razor saw to remove the nozzles from the pour stubs.

The front "cold" nozzles include the interior vanes that are conspicuously absent on the kit nozzles, and as they are single piece casting, there is no seam down the middle of the nozzles to fill. One of the nozzles had a couple of small airholes where the casting block was attached, but these were easily taken care of with Mr. Surfacer and light sanding. I also had to do a little sanding where the pour stub was attached to get it to match the rounded shape of the rear of the nozzle.

The Aircraft

The MiG-15 was the USSR's first really successful jet fighter. The engines for the prototype were copied from Britain's Rolls Royce Nene, with the cooperation of the UK government.

The MiG-15 was used in the Korean War, with Chinese, Korean and Soviet pilots flying combat missions into "MiG Alley" in northwestern North Korea.

There were many users of this aircraft, 39 countries, including the United States, who bought fighters as "opposition" aircraft for exercises like Red Flag. Only two countries still use the MiG-15, North Korea and Guinea-Bisseau.

The two versions this landing gear set is for are the MiG-15bis, an improved single seat version, and the MiG-15UTI, the two seat trainer version.

The Scale Aircraft Conversions Set

You get two sets of gear parts in this set. This is very good, because you get two MiGs in the box from Eduard. The parts are all white metal, and they fit nicely in place of the kit parts.

Thank you to Phil and Bill for all that you do managing and providing review opportunities!

Recommended kit:  Wingnut Wings

Reviewer's Comments

I do not own any WW kits, and due to the high demand for the now defunct company, the prices have soared. A good friend was kind enough to loan me his Gotha G.1 kit for the purposes of comparing the SAC landing gear to the kit parts.

This landing gear set from SAC is a direct replacement for the kit parts. The white metal casting is superb as is usual for SAC, but a few parts did have a little bit of flash, which was very easy to remove.  The kit consists of 12 parts. Three parts need to be removed from their pour rod (see photo).

There is a minor difference with the main structure for the front landing gear compared to the kit parts. Behind the wheel axel, there is a skid extending back, which is designed to support the plane when it sits on its tail. The SAC skid is shorter than the kit's skid by approximately a quarter inch; I have no judgement as to which is more accurate to the real plane.