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Perhaps I’m posting in the wrong spot - please move me along if this stuff belongs in the armour section, but I’ve always been very fond of these little support vehicles, and the collection’s filling up nicely. The NC-8A was built for a Miramar A-4 Mongoose diorama, the lovely little Tamiya Moto tug will go with a Late Corsair one day. The aftermarket companies are making some cracking accessories these days, the ALBAR is from Brengun and the chocks are Wheeliant iirc, amazing detail, the chocks actually slide along the bar and the ALBAR is articulated too. The Velinden vehicles are pretty hard to find these days, but they’re great little kits (save the diabolical dry transfers! Peddinghaus has been making proper water decals for the kits, although I haven’t tried them) I thought I’d long lost the two MD-3As I’d made and painted in the early 90’s (and was keeping an eye on eBay) until clearing out my son’s room (too old for Lego now, apparently) - Lo and behold a tiny camo box! I stripped them back using IPA, a few repairs and embellishments were added- tyres were built back up, new handbrakes and tie down loops made, etc. So here’s where I’m at right now, all a bit garish but it will all tone down with an oil filter all being well. The Huffer hose was shrink tubing and Tamiya wire, the Anti-Skid texture was a SprayMount undercoat, can held miles away for some nice big globs. It looks the nuts, but it’s not very durable, perhaps someone here has a better alternative? Never one to finish a project, I’ve been ‘catching up’ this offering from Kinetic - successor to the MD-3A, an AS3.....a White One. It’s ok as a starting point but needed a bit of scribing and a few other mods (new widened seat cushions, tie down loops, fuel filler etc) to get it up to the standard of the Verlinden tractors. That’s it for now. Part of me wanted to keep the 30-year old hairy stick finish I suppose, it wasn’t that shoddy really (considering what I was doing in the 90’s). The other part of me has an iwata and a Fightertown decal sheet. No contest 😁

Finally I had time to take some photos of this beast! unarmed parked with intake and exhaust FOD protection: to be fully armed for a a Recce mission: KKR recce pod, SPS jammer and B-8 Rocket pod as a counter weight for self defence some R-60 Aphids: in depth in progress here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234934642-su-22m4-fitter-148-finished/?p=1238530 soon to be armed for a precision attack mission! !!love this currently available amount of ordnance for Russian/ Soviet aircraft!!!

US Navy Bomb Racks Aerobonus 1:48 Just arrived here at BM Towers are these two set of bomb racks for use on many US Navy aircraft. Each poly sleeve packet has two racks moulded onto sturdy casting blocks. They also come with crutch plates for the bombs and separate sway braces for the pylon/rack attachment. Triple Ejector Rack (480 056) has, as it states, two triple ejector racks which have been superbly moulded and with the thin web connecting them to the casting blocks on the top edge, they shouldn’t need too much cleaning up before use. Each of the three ERU’s are fitted with two crutch plates or sway braces for the bombs to attach to. The TERs do not have sway braces for their attachment to the pylon which is a bit of a shame and the modeller will have to add three small lengths of wire as indicated in the instructions. Multiple Ejector Racks (480 057) are basically two Triple Ejector Racks joined by a beam which is in turn attached to the pylon. These two are also really well detailed right down to the internals for the ERUs. The connection to the casting block is still nice a thin and really shouldn’t take long to remove and clean up. As with the TERs each unit ERU receives two crutch plates but the set also includes the sway braces for the MER/Pylon attachment. These sway braces are very thin and will need some care to remove from the casting block. Six small lengths of wire which represents the electrical cables need to be provided by the modeller. Conclusion These really are super detailed units and will look superb on any Navy aircraft that used them. Whether or not they are fitted with bombs they will enhance the detail on the completed model. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of distributed in the UK by Hannants Ltd.

Weapons sets Aerobonus 1:48 With their ever increasing line up of aftermarket parts Aires seem to have unlimited vision on what the modeller may need to enhance the details of their models. These three sets each provide two weapons which can be used on a variety of aircraft. They each come in the standard Aerobonus poly sleeves but the parts are well protected by large extensions to the casting blocks. FAB-100 Russian WWII bombs (480 058) These two simple bombs come in three parts, the bomb, tail and arming propeller. The tail fins and arming props look rather fragile and will need to be treated gently, especially when removing from the casting block. The construction is really simple, propeller to the nose of the bomb and the tail attached to the rear, job done. As usual the attachments to the casting block don’t appear to be too problematical and cleaning up will need just a swipe or two from a sanding stick. Details are simple but will look effective when fitted to one of the numerous aircraft that carried this weapon in WWII. Mk46 Torpedoes (480 059) Each torpedo comes in four parts, the main body, tail unit, propeller and parachute canister. Removal from the casting blocks appears to be pretty easy with minimal clean up required afterwards. Be careful of the propeller shroud on the chute canister as it is very thin and fragile, as are the propeller blades. The rest of the parts are pretty sturdy though and will make up a really good looking torpedo, whether mounted on a Sea King, Lynx or the bay of a Viking by the finely moulded clamps or sitting on a trolley as part of a diorama. The instructions come with a colour paint chart although the modeller will need to do some research for which are correct for the type of torpedo they want to use as there is no other information given. LAU-3 Rocket Launchers (480 060) Each rocket container comes in five parts, the main body, two end caps with rocket noses one end and their tails at the other, and two streamlined frangible caps, one for each end. The details are nicely done and along with minimal clean up after removal from the casting blocks they should build up into good looking units. There is a colour paint chart in the instructions and a small decal sheet which provides simple stencil markings. All the modeller has to do is to decide how many he needs for his A-1, A-4, A-7 or whatever aircraft their research shows carried these launchers. Conclusion This is a very nice selection of airborne weaponry that will add that extra bit of pizzazz to a completed model. They are all pretty simple to construct but have a finer appearance than some injection moulded parts have. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of distributed in the UK by Hannants Ltd.

Diorama sets 1:32 Aerobonus Resin from Aires With so many great 1:32 scale kits either released or due to be released there seems to be a need to have that something extra. The modeller who likes to present their creation in a diorama or vignette needs to have personnel and ground equipment available to bring their ideas to life. Aires, in their Aerobonus range have thought of this and have been releasing several items just for this occasion. These three sets will help add that little something to the party by bringing additional characters to the story that the modeller is trying to tell. USAF 150 Gallon Fuel Bowser - (320 036). Although stated as a fuel bowser it’s more common use was that of transporting waste fuel and oil. The set comes in a blown plastic box on a cardboard sleeve. The parts are protected from bouncing around and breaking by a thick foam pad, although there still seemed to be some damage to the tanks fixing straps in the review example. The parts are all nicely moulded with only slight amount of resin flash. The two tanks are identical and whilst this looks wrong, particularly in relation to the fixing straps they are in fact correct. The moulding block is quite thin a shouldn’t take too long to remove and it will be necessary to take a bit more care with the side of the tank that faces forward as this will be quite prominent. The trailer frame is connected to its moulding block at the rear and will also need some careful cleaning up, unlike the wheels which are only tentatively attached to their block and won’t need much to remove and clean up. The rest of the parts are moulded together in strips but, again, won’t take much to remove. Construction is fairly simple, with the two tanks fitted to the frame so that the front tanks straps attach to the centre beam and the rear tanks straps attach to the rear beam, leaving a small gap between the two. It seems that the dolly wheel can be fitted to either side of the front angled section and the same goes for the bonding cable reel and its mounting plate. The main axle and wheels are then attached to the frameworks central beam. There are two drain taps, one for each tank with one fitted to the side of the front tank and the other fitted to the rear of the aft tank. There are two resin plugs that close off the redundant holes in each tank. There is a very small sheet of etched brass that provides the crocodile clip for the end of the bonding cable, part of which needs to be made up of suitable thickness wire provided by the modeller. Also on the etched sheet are two hand wheels for the tank drains. Decals are provided in the kit and these are for the various warning signs, designation and identification signs. There are also black decals for the tanks corners. The decals in this kit do only give identification signs for USED JP8, as Aires have already released a model with WASTE OIL signs, so check which one you actually need. Two colour schemes are shown in the instructions, one in an overall blue-grey, whilst the other is in overall dark green. USAF Flightline Tool Cabinet – (320 029). This very simple kit is a useful addition to any diorama as how do maintainers fix the aircraft without tools. Though the title of the set is Flightline tool cabinet, it would appear that they are more for hanger use. The single block of the cabinet itself will need to have the casting block removed from the back and made good. Any imperfections though could be covered by a suitable safety poster or even something a bit more racy if the modeller so wishes. The eight draw handles and what would be the key lock are nicely reproduced and would just need a scratch built key in the lock just to finish it off. The four casters and handle are all on one resin strip, but look very easy to remove. The cabinet has holes in each corner to accept the casters and at the top of one side similar holes are provided for the handle, thus giving a reasonably good gluing surface. Decals are provided for the cabinet identification number and Snap On logo. There are a number of other decals on the sheet, but their position and identification are not mentioned on the instructions, so some research will be needed to see what these are for. Flightline Cones - (320 027). This set is exactly what it says on the pack. There are six cones and their bases provided. Four of which are solid and two are hollow, thus allowing them to be stacked. All parts look pretty easy to remove from their casting blocks with minimal clean required afterwards. Decals are provided for the reflective material around the cones, once they’ve been painted a suitable colour. There also three different identification markings although what two of them mean isn’t given. These are SFS, ECA, and Caution, again check references and research when these would be used. Conclusion Three very useful sets for populating a diorama, whether it be a flightline or hanger scene. The mouldings are very good and construction nice and simple. The bowser has tremendous scope for weathering and would make a good practice piece before going onto something bigger. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of distributed in the UK by Hannants Ltd.

McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom 1:48 Aerobonus Resin from Aires The Academy F-4B Phantom released last year seems to have been received very well by the modelling community, both for its accuracy and the way it builds. So there shouldn’t really be any need for aftermarket items. Well, while this could be true for the modeller who just wants to build out of the box, it wouldn’t be for the detail freaks out there. These new sets from Aerobonus have been released just for this occasion. Wheel well set, - (4579). The set comes in a blown plastic box on a cardboard sleeve. The parts are protected from bouncing around and breaking by a thick foam pad. The first thing that strikes the modeller will be the sheer amount of detail Aires have managed to get in the nose wheel bay. As far as I can see everything is there, pipes, electrical cables and boxes. Cleaning up doesn’t look too onerous with one simple moulding plug on the top of the bay that needs to be cut and sanded away. The locking yoke 2/3 of the way forward will need some cleaning up as it has a thin web of resin stopping it from breaking away. The main bays look quite plain in comparison, but if you look around the sidewalls you will see plenty of detail that will look great brought out with a pin wash. The bays are connected to their mounting blocks at one end and will be a doddle to remove. Since any damage will be on the inside of the wing nothing will be seen. Other than that the bays look like they’ll be drop in replacements for the kit items. Of course you can’t have the wheel bays without any doors, so these have been provided as well and are a great improvement over the kits parts. Each has finely recessed detail on the outside of each door and some very fine riveting on the insides. Whilst there isn’t a huge difference the resin items have just that bit more finesse which may make the difference to the particular modeller. Auxiliary air intakes – (4578). The auxiliary air intakes on the underside of the fuselage of the kit have nothing behind the doors so at certain angles you can see straight into the kits internals. To prevent this and allow for even more detail to be added, Aires have released these resin parts. Each bay is crammed with detail including the engine trunking, pipework and actuator slots. Whilst these may not be seen very well when fitted and have the doors in place at least you’ll know that no-one will be able to see inside the model not matter what angle it is held. Unfortunately Aires quality control has failed again as one of the actuators in the set was missing from the start, so check before opening. Pylon set (480 055). These new pylons are a complete replacement for the kits parts. The only difference with these pylons is that they are not fitted for the sidewinder rails and adaptors. What you do get, is a nicely rendered bomb adaptor plate with crutch pads. Conclusion These are some very nice bits of resin that could prove very useful in adding that little bit of zing to the completed model. The wheel bays and auxiliary bay will benefit from some very careful painting and highlighting but will pay dividends in the completed model. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of distributed in the UK by Hannants Ltd.

MHU-191/M with Aero 71A Skid Platform Aerobonus 1:32 For use with the MHU-191/M munitions transporter, The Aero 71A skid adapter consists of a welded angle frame, sheet aluminium deck, and steel tube stakes. The adapter is secured to a weapon skid by quick-release pins. An extruded aluminium track around the edges of the flatbed allows the attachment of the steel tube stakes. When using the Aero 71A, two Aero 58A skid adapters are required in order to form a flatbed conveyance for transportation of the weapon component containers and a variety of other materials. The Aero 71A can be used with various skids, transporters, and trailers. The adapter has a safe working load of 4,000 pounds. Aries transporter comes on six resin sprues, the tubular bed, draw bar, the four wheels, skid platform, two cradle/platform supports and miscellaneous parts such as the handles, brake lever. The instructions come in the form of an exploded view with arrows pointing to where each part is fitted. Once again they aren’t the clearest instructions and care should be taken to make sure the right parts are fitted to the correct position. There is a fair bit of flash, particularly around the transporter bed, but it is quite easy to remove and clean up and the resin is quite soft, so that removing the wheels and draw bar shouldn’t be too taxing. Detail is nicely done including some good drum brakes on the front wheels. There seems to be some parts missing that would have given the modeller some more options as the skid is often seen with anything up to 16 vertical metal stakes. Although these could easily be scratch built, using styrene rod or similar. Once again CA or 5 minute epoxy should be used in the kits construction. There is a comprehensive decal sheet, giving all the warning signs and a selection of different serial numbers. The instructions for the decal placement are very clear. Some research will be required if the modeller wishes to build a particular units transporter. Conclusion As with the MHU 191 transporter, reviewed elsewhere on this site, this is a very nice little kit and with a little research some appropriate additional stores could be added, enhancing the scene in a diorama. The fact that the adaptors/cradles have been included also means that the skid section could be left off and a large store, such as a bomb/missile be carried instead. Recommended