Details

Aires now offers a resin replacement exhaust set for the F-16I Sufa.  This set has very well-detailed resin pieces as well as a small photo etch afterburner.  They are molded in the standard Aires grey resin and are flash and bubble free.  They also include a 2 page, blue paper diagram, which is also a real help.

The resin pieces include the burner cans, turbine faces, and nozzles.  There is also a photoetch piece for the afterburner which will really make the exhaust detail just pop out at you when looking at the model from the rear, especially when compared to the original kit parts.

After the resin pour blocks are cut away and the parts are assembled, it’s pretty much a drop-in assembly.  The set also includes the fuselage end to fit the new exhaust parts.

I highly recommend this set if you really want to spruce up the back of your Sufa.

Quickboost has added an item to their aftermarket detail part line that will be welcomed by those who like to build Tamiya’s beautiful 1/72 Bf 109E kits. While a lot of attention has been focused on wheel bays, propeller hubs and cockpits, Quickboost has release a pair of resin tail wheels that are designed to replace those found in the Tamiya kits. They are direct replacements for kit parts and the detail is crisp and delicate.  However, they go one step further.  They correct one of the complaints about the kit…they are thicker and slightly larger than the kit’s undersized tail wheel.  The comparison photo below shows the difference between the Quickboost part and the kit part.

A recent addition to Quickboost’s growing line of aftermarket detail parts is this nice resin part that will add detail to the front end of a Corsair built from one of the Tamiya 1/72 F4U-1 kits. Quickboost’s #72 320 is a replacement for the kit’s open cowl flaps but, as the photo below shows, it provides considerably enhanced backside detail.  Since it is designed to replace the kit part, it is easily installed during the assembly process without the need to cut or modify the kit.  However, with some work, it also may be adaptable to other F4U-1 kits on the market.  The part is molded in Quickboost’s familiar gray resin on a casting block. The quality of the molding is flawless, with no bubbles, pinholes or flash to deal with.

New from Wheelliant come 2 styles of U.S. Navy (late) wheel chocks.  Both are beautifully cast in resin, come with complete photo instructions, and are very simple to complete.  One set has the braided rope handles and the other has the “slide bar” arrangement to adjust for the size.  Images show both styles completed and painted with a dark wash.  These are an excellent addition to a 1/32nd scale kit to enhance the appearance while sitting upon whatever base you’ve chosen.  Check out their website for these and other fine products.

Many thanks to David Lajer for the review samples.

• 132 011 wheel chocks bar-style NWC-4/5 $6.95
• 132 012 wheel chocks rope-style  $6.95

The UH-60 Blackhawk is America’s current work horse helicopter.   One of its most important roles is as a Medevac helicopter.  When I was an Independent Duty Medic in Korea in 1987 I was supported by the Army Blackhawks. The kit is molded in molded in resin.  Molding is very good, detail is crisp and clean.   I found only 2 small bubbles to be filled.   Pour blocks are small and the parts can be removed with no damage in a short time.The kit includes the carousel, 4 litter pans and a panel for the ceiling of the cabin with the rotating arm molded on.  The carousel can be made to rotate so it can be shown in loading or in flight position.  The rotating arm is molded in the inflight position.  However, when installed in the helicopter kit, that is hard to see.

This newly released radio for the AFV CLUB Nashorn kit is a really nice item. Included in Eduard’s kit are two radios which sit in a bay, one on top of the other, which is positioned between the ammo case and the rear door. Also included in the kit is a small set of headphones which attach to a small box above the radios that allows the operator to listen silently. It’s a pretty neat setup and will look nice in the rear compartment along with other items and stowage for a real look.

For years Aires has been keeping us detail freaks supplied with upgrade sets for the latest contemporary state-of-the-art kits from the major manufacturers. Now they’re providing us with upgrades where they’re really needed – for older models with interior details that have been surpassed by the quality of more modern kits. That’s exactly the case with this F-14A set.

The Academy kit has been around for quite a while, and its interior details, while perhaps adequate for its day, are sorely lacking by today’s standards. This set goes a very long way towards turning the Academy kit into a first class representation of the real thing.

Thanks to Quickboost for this review sample and thanks to IPMS/USA for allowing me to review it.

This little gem easily exceeds the quality and detail of the seats found in the older P-39 kits.  I wanted to look at Quickboost's offering compared to one of the newer P-39 kits.  The kit I used for comparison has a seat with fine detail and very little, if any, clean-up.  The particular kit I used also comes with photo-etched seat belts.

Quickboost's seat is cast in gray resin and is free of flash or casting bubbles.  The casting has great detail with sharp edges, great buckle detail, and even some stitching can be seen on some areas of the straps.  Speaking of the straps, these lay across the seat naturally with a relaxed drape to them.  However, the shoulder straps appear to be wider than the actual seat belts and are actually wider than the PE belts of the kit's seat.

Thanks once again to Quickboost for providing IPMS USA this review item!

I marvel at how these pitot tubes are manufactured; compare to the kit item in the picture, and tell me what technology and black magic are at use here!  Not much to say except they QB pitot tubes are far better than the kit item; delicate and impressive when installed.  Too bad they aren’t stainless steel!   (One “Twang” and they disappear in resin, but I guess it’s better than stabbing a fellow club member in the eye with real metal).  Good thing there is a spare on the pour stub!  Another extremely competent and well done effort from Quickboost!