Details

• QB 32130  Late exhausts  $8.50
• QB 32131  Early exhausts  $8.50

Quickboost has a pair of great detail sets for the Trumpeter 1/32 F/A-18E/F kits. The parts reviewed here are the ECS (Environmental Control System) exhausts which are located on the back of the new Hornets. There are two sets. First is a late version which is a direct replacement of the kit parts. Simply sand the kit parts smooth and sand off the casting block and attach. The Quickboost parts have more of a correct angle to them and deeper intakes and are very well cast.

The second set allows you to backdate the kit to one with the early set of ECS exhausts. In this case, a little surgery will be needed to allow the part to sit into the kit. There is a picture included to show the needed cuts. The casting is again flawless.

THE KIT

You get two finely done brass parts in a plastic envelope, which is inside another plastic envelope.  Good plan – loose parts of this size would be a disaster, not to mention impossible to find.  I liked the instruction sheet, it was simple, to the point, and uncluttered.

ASSEMBLY

I had some problems with this project.  I had originally planned to replace the pitot on my Jaguar T.2 with this pitot.  Wrong part, I had to build a Jaguar GR1.  And then the paint job.  I had run out of RAF Operation Granby Sand paint, and didn’t have any around.  So I decided to mix my own.  Been a while since I mixed paints, and I got it entirely too reddish the first try.  Threw it out and retried.  Much closer on the second try.  I am proud and happy that the RAF decided to go single colour on their Jaguars.

AMT has now released another package of pad printed tires, this time eight 11.75" M&H Dragmaster slicks.  The printing is sharp in a flat white color, and the lettering is not raised above the surface.  The tires are hollow vinyl and can accommodate any number of wheels from various drag model kits.  In the attached picture, I've fitted wheels from the following kits with no trouble:

• AMT: '70.5 Camaro, '66 Nova, Pontiac Tempest AWB
• Revell: '41 Willys gasser, '32 Deuce
• MRC: Cragar wheels
• Modelhaus: resin steel wheels
• Polar Lights: Plymouth funny car

I look forward to using a pair on my next dragster! Thanks to Round 2 for the parts pack, and thanks to IPMS USA for the opportunity to review this detail set.

 

Bottom Line: Perfect to-scale 6” (152mm) barrels for Littorio and Garibaldi WW2 Italian warship classes

The latest secondary, or anti-torpedo boat, armament for new construction (Littorio battleship and Garibaldi light cruiser classes) was the 1936 model 152mm/55 caliber gun.  This new gun was derived from the earlier 1926 and 1929 versions in use on then-current Regia Marina light cruisers.  Two different versions were made – a monobloc construction by the original designer, Ansaldo, and heat-forced tubular element construction from OTO (used only in Vittorio Veneto and Roma battleships).  Twin and triple turrets with independent cradles for each gun were made.  Rate of fire was one round every 14 seconds.  The guns were considered as satisfactory, but dispersion at long ranges was wide, attributable to the ammunition.

The Parts

Recently, Eduard released photoetched detail sets for the 1/72 scale Hobby Boss F-14A, and these included both an interior as well as an exterior set.  Upon opening this set, you will find a single, bare metal fret of photoetched parts along with a single sheet of directions.  The items in this set, as one would assume from the title, are made to enhance the exterior of an F-14A Tomcat, and they do this most impressively by adding detail to the landing gear, gear doors, access covers, engine inlets and outlets, missile launch rails, and the missiles themselves.

The fret contains 66 numbered items, and like the interior set, some of these items contain multiple parts.  As a word of caution, only a couple of the small access panels have additional parts available, so be cautious in handling the pieces once removed from the safety of the fret, as there are no back-up parts.  I found it useful to mix medium and thin viscosity cyanoacrylate (CA) glues to install the pieces as this allowed some working time while still flowing easily.

Recently, Eduard released photoetched detail sets for the 1/72 scale Hobby Boss F-14A, and these included both an interior as well as an exterior set.  Having been fortunate enough to receive both sets for review, I will begin with my evaluation of the interior detail set.  Upon opening this set, you will find two frets of photoetched parts, one being pre-painted and self-adhesive, the other being unpainted metal with no adhesive, along with a single-sheet page of directions.  This was my first experience with an Eduard self-adhesive detail set, and I greatly enjoyed the encounter.  I will mention here that if you are modeling on a budget and needed to choose between the interior and exterior sets, that I would recommend the interior set.

Thanks to Pavel at Profimodeller for providing IPMS USA the opportunity to review one of their products, and IPMS USA for forwarding it to me to do the review!

I did not know what to expect when I agreed to this; I was surprised to learn it’s an interior bay located in front of the right stabilator on the MiG 23-series aircraft!

In the clear sleeve are a brass sheet with micro-level detail parts, a resin duct, and a length of Pb rod (anyone know what Pb is?  Poly bromethane?).  The instructions are excellent and show where everything is supposed to go.   I set about with the work, and after about 2 hours had what you see in the pictures – excellent!

The North American T-28 Trojan began life as the primary trainer for the US Air Force in the 1950s.  It was so successful that the US Navy and Marines soon obtained their own versions.  In fact, the T-28 was such a good plane that they found their way into over 25 countries in one capacity or other.  A total of 393 earlier versions were converted to the -D version.  These were employed as a counter-insurgency aircraft by the USAF and South Vietnamese Air Force during the Vietnam War.  They were also used by the CIA in parts of Africa, as well as other countries throughout the world.  The -D version had a more powerful engine and stronger wings to support six underwing hardpoints carrying up to 4,000 pounds of stores.

Another very welcome offering from our friends at Scale Aircraft Conversions is their white metal landing gear set for SkunkModel Workshop’s 1/48 scale MQ-9 Reaper.  Since reviewing the Reaper kit back in June of 2011 (