Search the Community

Good morning everyone, My lovely wife has decided to buy me a copy of the 1/32 Hawker Hunter by Revell because just because. I want to paint it up in Indian Air Force colours but have not been able to find any appropriate decals in this scale after an evening spent searching. Do any of you fine modellers, artists and plastic craftsmen and engineers know of any I may have missed. Also, is there any good aftermarket for the aircraft, and more importantly does it need it? Cheers and thank you ladies and gentlemen, any help and guidance you can provide will be very gratefully recieved indeed, I remain, your most obedient servant etc. etc, Viv PS: why do two and a half year olds wake you up so early? Why? Edit: for early morning typos

Photo Etch and Resin Detail Sets for Airfix Short Stirling 1:72 White Ensign Models When Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy back in 1966, few could have guessed that Airfix’s then brand new Short Stirling would still be soldiering on as the only available kit of the RAF’s first wartime ‘heavy’ nearly fifty years later. Despite the longevity of this venerable kit however, relatively few aftermarket items have been released for it over the years. Now White Ensign Models have released two comprehensive frets of photo etched parts and a set of resin wheels to help us to spruce up this Airfix classic. Each of the photo etched frets arrives packed into a re-sealable plastic bag, safely ensconced in a sturdy hard-backed envelope. Detailed instructions are also included, clearly printed in black and white on A4 paper. One thing I particularly like about White Ensign’s instructions is that fact that they provide a detailed breakdown of each and every part. This gives the reassurance that they have really done their homework, as well as providing a useful reference for the modeller. Short Stirling Interior Detail Set 1:72 White Ensign Models The first of the sets contains parts for detailing the inside of the Airfix kit. Included are a number of larger, structural parts including the main cabin floor, the cockpit floor, the main cabin bulkhead, the forward bulkheads (port and starboard) and the aft cabin bulkhead. The cockpit is well catered for and features an instrument panel, side panel, throttle quadrant and details for the control column. Two complete seats for the pilot and co-pilot are also included. A comprehensive set of parts is included for the bomb aimer’s position too, including the steps leading from the main cabin to the nose compartment, the bomb aimer’s couch, bomb sight, bombing computer and switching panels. The navigator’s position is comprised of a table, instrument box, side panel, stowage boxes and seats. The radio operator’s position is similarly well-appointed. Moving further aft, White Ensign have provided the deck and bulkheads for the tail section, as well as the elsan toilet and privacy curtain. Racks for the smoke floats and flares are also included. Parts for detailing the insides of the defensive turrets are also on the fret, and include seats, ammunition boxes and structural framework. Overall this is an incredibly comprehensive set. Short Stirling Exterior and Wing Bomb Bay Detail Set 1:72 White Ensign Models The second set contains parts for the outside of the airframe. The engine oil coolers, which are a prominent feature of the main landing gear bays are included, as are the main undercarriage bay frames. The wing bomb bays are also included, and use is made of folding parts to make construction a little easier. The crew entry door for the rear fuselage is included, as is the crew access ladder. The engine front supports, aileron control linkages and a range of antennae and pitot masts are also provided, including the Yagi antennae and Mandrel antennae fitted to 100 Group aircraft. Short Stirling Weighted Wheels 1:72 White Ensign Models These are simple but effective resin weighted wheels designed as direct replacements for the kit parts. The wheels are cast in cream resin and, as you would expect from White Ensign, the casting is first class. Conclusion It has taken nearly fifty years, but at last we have a comprehensive aftermarket offering for the Airfix Stirling. Hopefully the release of these sets will breathe new life into the venerable kit. If you fancy having a bash at the largest but least well-known of the RAF’s World War Two heavy bombers, then you should give these sets very serious consideration. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of John at

Hi All, Do brass aftermarket propellers for the back end of the Tamiya 1/350 scale HMS Prince of Wales kit exist and if they do where can I purchase some? Cheers, Daniel.

About 15 years ago I wrote a book about mold making and resin casting which was based on my apprenticeship with a master mold maker and from experiences I had while operating a resin model kit manufacturing company back in the 1990s (Wingnut International). The book was self published and rather hard to get, being a completely "in house" operation--I printed, bound and sold the book directly to my customers. It was a modest success but as is the nature with many books, sales gradually dwindled until it was no longer worth my time and effort to keep it in print. The book attained sort of a legendary status and there have been inquiries from time to time about the possibility of reviving it. This wasn't an easy thing to do because the ancient software used to make the book was incompatible with more modern hardware and operating systems. Then about a year ago, after being lobbied hard for the rights to the book by someone active in the how-to publishing field, I decided to take another look at the feasibility of bringing it back into print. I did a literature search and discovered that no book published since has gone into the detail mine does, so I began to think that maybe it would be worth the effort to revive it for the 21st Century. I've spent the last year updating the book and working with an editor to improve it and make it compatible with modern distribution channels. The book is now professionally printed and bound and available on CreateSpace.com, a division of Amazon.com The book is also now available on Amazon and Amazon UK. Copy and paste Secrets of Expert Mold Making & Resin Casting into the Amazon search window and it will take you right to the listing. If 2 listings show up, go to the one with the blue/green cover--the white cover is for the old edition and is no longer available. I have been trying to get Amazon to remove the old listing, but no luck yet. Sorry for any confusion.

Now that my aftermarket engines have arrived from Welsh Models I can finally do a side-by side comparison. While I do not make any definitive claim that the Welsh Models engines are 100% accurate, they are most definitely smaller than the Roden kit engines. I'll leave this image with you and let you make the judgement which suits you best. The Welsh engine is above the Roden. It's interesting how the two manufacturers treat the aft pylon extension. It's a shame that the Roden engines are so large, because otherwise they're very nicely detailed.

Hi. When the long overdue lovely new Halifax from Revell came out, I was pretty certain the aftermarket guys would go to work on the subject. Sadly no, X-tradecal has a few sets available but were there even prior to the Revell release. Most of them are for the Hercules equipped machine anyway and are useless untill Revell releases one (not sure they ever will). KitsWorld have one or two but that's it. Are there any plans and new decals in the pipeline ? I would love to see more alternatives. What are your views/interests in this ? I would like to know how you Britts feel about the Halifax. It is behind the Lancaster yes, but really that impopular making it permanently stand in the shadows ? I personally favour the Hali over the Lanc but love them both. But that's just me. Thanks Matt

Some news from Valiant Wing's Resin folks: To coincide with the release of the new Airfix Typhoon kit, Valiant Wings Publishing are offering their extensive 1/72 Typhoon detailing set at only £8.50 (normal RRP £9.95) for one day only to all visitors to their stand at the Milton Keynes ModelKraft show on Sunday April 21st. (Prices quoted here include UK VAT). Details of the contents can be found by following this link. http://www.valiant-wings.co.uk/172-hawker-typhoon-detailing-set-20-p.asp

A6M5 Zero Photo Etch Detail Set for Airfix Kit 1:72 Eduard Airfix’s Zero, released towards the end of 2011, was an impressive little kit which marked the continued development of Airfix’s product line. Although a series 1 kit, it featured an impressive amount of detail without compromising ease of construction. The panel lines were also noticeably finer than some of Airfix’s previous efforts. Now, with elegant inevitability, Eduard have produced a photo etched detail set to complement the kit. A6M2 Zero (self adhesive) 1:72 Eduard The set is comprised of two separate frets. The first is the kind of pre-painted, self-adhesive fret that we are all now familiar with, thanks to Eduard. It contains a multitude of parts for the cockpit, including a multi-layered instrument, replacement sidewalls and side consoles, rudder pedals, throttle control, and additional sidewall detail. As with the set Eduard released last month for the new Tamiya Zero, a realistic replacement seat is also included, along with pre-painted harnesses and detail parts for the head rest. If you wish to use the pre-painted sidewalls, you’ll need to cut away the kit’s raised plastic detail. The second fret includes the ignition wiring for the engine and fasteners for the engine cowling, as well as details for the wing folds. A filter for the carburettor intake is also included, as is a new arrestor hook. The undercarriage benefits from replacement undercarriage doors, which are obviously much thinner than the kit parts, as well as hydraulic lines and other smaller details. A6M2 Zero (Zoom) 1:72 Eduard The Zoom set is included just the pre-painted self-adhesive fret from the set reviewed above. Given the more than reasonable level of detail offered by Airfix, this may make a sensible purchase if you just want to jazz your kit up a little. Conclusion This is a neat package which will allow you to elevate a very good kit to another level. If you’ve picked up one or two of these kits from Airfix, then I’d recommend you give careful thought to acquiring one of these sets from Eduard too. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Roma - Photo Etch Detail Set for Trumpeter Kit 1:700 Eduard When Trumpeter announced their 1:700 Roma in 2011, it made a great many modellers, including this one, very happy indeed. Whilst the wartime navies of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States have been relatively well represented in our hobby, the navies of some of the other nations, including Italy, have not. Add to that the fact that the Vittorio Veneto class were particularly handsome battleships, and you have yourself a winning formula. Trumpeter’s kit doesn’t disappoint either, being both well detailed and accurate. Although the Trumpeter kit includes a small fret of photo etched parts for the aircraft crane, funnel caps and some other smaller bits and pieces, there are still an awful lot of fine details that can be added to further enhance the basic kit. This is where Eduard step in. Their set includes a range of small detail parts including the anchor fittings and chains, cable reels, ladders and stairways. Also included on the fret are parts for the ships numerous lifeboats and the catapult for the aircraft. A few doors have been provided, but not enough to cover the entire ship. This is more a testament to the quality of Trumpeter’s kit that anything else. As you would expect, Eduard have also included a full set of railings. Although these items can be quite fiddly and frustrating to use, they really do add a spectacular finishing touch to the model. Unfortunately Eduard have chosen to manufacture these without a third rail to connect the stanchions at the base. This means that the railings will have minimal contact with the plastic – a feature which will make them much more difficult to fix in place. I’m not sure why Eduard have elected to use this approach. It was a feature of some of their earlier 1:700 sets, such as those for the Tamiya Scharnhorst and King George V, but their more recent sets seem to have adopted the three bar approach used by other manufacturers. Conclusion Nothing finishes a model warship off better than a set of fine photo etched parts. In this set Eduard have included almost everything you could want to complete the Trumpeter kit, from the railings, down to the cable reels. Setting aside my reservations about the railings, if you have this kit or are thinking of getting it, then this set can be recommended. Review sample courtesy of

A6M5 Zero Photo Etch Detail Set for Tamiya Kit 1:72 Eduard Tamiya’s superlative Zero marked a surprising and very welcome return to 1:72 scale by the well-regarded Japanese firm. The kit’s heritage in Tamiya’s larger scale Zeros was apparent through the superb level of detail and engineering. Now Eduard have attempted to gild the lily with a comprehensive set of photo etched detail parts A6M5 Zero (self adhesive) 1:72 Eduard The set is comprised of two frets of parts. The first is an all-singing, all-dancing pre-painted, self-adhesive fret of the type that has now become familiar to Eduard’s customers. It holds parts for the cockpit, including a multi-layered instrument panel and side consoles, rudder pedals, throttle control, and sidewall detail. Also included is a very realistic replacement seat, which fully demonstrates the advantages of photo etch technology over injection moulding. A full set of pre-painted harnesses are also included, as is the decking for the sliding part of the canopy. The second fret contains a handful of smaller parts such as the ignition wiring for the engine and fasteners for the engine cowling, as well as some larger, structural parts. These include a complete set of landing flaps which, thanks to Eduard’s user-friendly design philosophy, simply fold up to create a very effective finish. This fret also contains a host of parts for the undercarriage, including brake lines and parts to line the main landing gear bays. A6M5 Zero (Zoom) 1:72 Eduard The Zoom set is included just the pre-painted self-adhesive fret from the set reviewed above. Given the fabulous level of detail that Tamiya have crammed into their kit, this set would seem to be a wise choice unless you particularly want the landing flaps from the set above. Conclusion This is a great package that will allow you to take an already incredible kit to the next level. If you’ve already invested in Tamiya’s Zero, then you would be well-advised to take a good look at this set too. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Messerschmitt Bf 110E Decals 1:72 Eduard Decals Eduard are almost unique amongst model kit manufacturers as they produce a huge range of aftermarket accessories as well as their own high quality plastic kits. The Czech firm make the most of this advantageous position by producing comprehensive aftermarket options for their own kits, most of which are released at the same time as the kits. Eduard’s new Bf 110 kit has followed this path and is already established as the best option for a 1:72 Zerstorer, ably supported by a range of Eduard’s own photo etch and resin accessories. Now it’s the turn of Eduard’s fledgling decal department to get in on the act. The sheet contains marking options for four aircraft: 4M + KB of 1./Erg. Zerst. Gr. Deblin-Irena, Poland, December 1942; 3U + CR of 7./ZG26; M8 + IP W.Nr. 3866, flown by Hans-Joachim Jabs, Staffelkapitan 6./Zg 76, Argos, 1941; and G9 + JN, 5./NJG1, Deelen, Holland, Spring 1941 The first three aircraft are all finished in RLM 02/RLM 71 over RLM 65, while the fourth is finished in RLM 22 (or black to you and me). The latter option also makes use of the large Dackelbauch (Daschund belly) tank which is included with the new kit but not used for any of the options on the kit’s decal sheet. I was half expecting Eduard to have included some historical notes for each aircraft, as they do for their ‘Profipack’ kits, but they haven’t. That’s a bit of a shame, but by no means a deal breaker. Eduard appear to have invested heavily in their own decal production facilities, as this sheet has been printed in the Czech Republic by Eduard themselves. Previously, many of their decal sheets have been produced by Cartograf of Italy. Quality seems to have been maintained though, as the sheet is nicely printed. Details are crisp and clear, and colours look good. The red colour layer looks very slightly out of register on my copy, but not enough to spoil what is a very nice sheet. Conclusion If you’ve got a copy of Eduard’s superb new Bf 110, you’ll no doubt be itching to build it. This sheet will provide you with a number of colour and marking options over and above those included with the kit. The decals look good on the sheet, and hopefully they will perform well too. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Eduard Photo Etch detail sets for Eduard Messerschmitt Bf 110E 1:72 Eduard When Eduard’s brand-new Messerschmitt Bf 110 hit the shops last month, it pretty much blew the competition out of the water. The overall quality and level of detail put it far beyond any other Zerstorer available in the wonderful scale of 1:72. As expected, Eduard have supported the new kit with a comprehensive package of additional items. We reviewed their resin wheels and nose gun bay last month. Now we’ve got a couple of sets of photo etch parts to take a look at. Bf 110E for Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard This set is clearly designed to complement the pre-painted fret included in the ‘profipack’ editions of the new kit. It is comprised of a single plain fret which includes a mixture of internal and external parts. The kit’s cockpit benefits from some additional parts not included in the ‘profipack’, including a map case, grab handles and various other bits and pieces. A full set of rib detail is provided for the main landing gear bays and hydraulic lines are included for the main gear legs themselves. The tail wheel leg receives a new scissor link. A pair of hinged fairings are provided for the underwing radiators as well. New tails are provided for the various bombs included in the kit, along with a couple of jigs to aid assembly. I used a very similar setup for the bombs in my recent Revell Ju 88 build review, and can vouch that they work very well. Bf 110 Workshop Ladder 1:72 Eduard This rather neat package is more of a diorama accessory than a detail set. Eduard’s chosen name for the product is also rather misleading, as there are in fact four ladders provided on the single pre-painted fret. Included are two small, simple step ladders, a much larger A-frame ladder and a ladder with inspection platform at the top which is larger still. Thanks to Eduard’s clever design, construction of all of the items is relatively straightforward. Folds are used wherever possible, so with the exception of the large ladder you won’t have to mess around gluing individual rungs in place. The designs are based on references found in “Messerschmitt Bf 110 at War” by Armand von Ishoven, but you could certainly get away with using these items alongside other, similarly proportioned, aircraft. Overall, this is an excellent little set. Conclusion Eduard’s Bf 110 is already a sublime model which has only cemented Eduard’s place at the top table of model manufacturers. These sets take an already great model to the next level. Definitely recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Eduard Photo Etch Detail Sets for Cyberhobby De Havilland Sea Venom Kit 1:72 Eduard Cyberhobby’s recent aircraft kits have acquired something of a mixed reputation within the modelling community. Whilst superb engineering and flawless fit can usually be taken for granted, the occasional dodgy shape issue and dimensional goof have often blotted their copybook. Their Sea Venom was no different in this regard, but despite a rather generous wingspan and skinny tail booms, some beautifully finished examples have already appeared on the forum. Now Eduard have released some photo etched detail sets to help you make the most of this interesting kit. Sea Venom FAW.21 (self adhesive) 1:72 Eduard Eduard have followed their usual convention for smaller 1:72 scale kits and have released two sets for this kit. The first is a comprehensive set containing two frets of parts. The second is from their ‘Zoom’ range and contains just one fret. The larger set contains plenty of parts for detailing the cockpit, including a full set of pre-painted harnesses for the Martin Baker ejector seats, a pre-painted instrument panel and side consoles and a variety of smaller parts. The kit’s undercarriage receives particularly close attention. There are parts for detailing the undercarriage doors, including new hydraulic jacks as well as scissor links and brake lines for the undercarriage legs. The wing folds also receive some attention and some rather nice parts for detailing the hinges are included. The external airframe is not ignored either. There are a number of surface panels on the fret, as well as new fins for the wing tip tanks. Whilst you are cutting the old fins off, you might as well remove the whole tank and reduce the wingspan to correct one of the kit’s faults. Landing flaps are included as well. These are designed to fit around the kit parts, although some cutting will be required to install the flaps themselves. The end result should be worth it though, and at least they don’t have any fiddly ribs to make life difficult. A few fine details such as antennae, aerials and a windscreen wiper round off a very comprehensive set. Sea Venom FAW.21 Zoom (self adhesive) 1:72 Eduard The ‘Zoom’ set is simply comprised of the pre-painted self-adhesive fret from the set reviewed above. Opt for this set and you’ll miss out on those lovely landing flaps, but at least there are enough parts to bring the cockpit to life and add a bit of interest to the undercarriage and the rest of the airframe. Conclusion If you have chosen to invest in Cyberhobby’s kit, then I’d recommend you consider picking up one of Eduard’s sets as well. It will make a really positive difference to the finished model and can be firmly recommended. Review samples courtesy of

Mig-21 Airbrakes - late (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin (648064) The new Eduard Mig-21 kits are at the leading edge of injection moulding technology, rivalling even Tamiya for detail and fit. This resin update set is designed to replace the kit parts portraying the two forward ventral air-brakes and the aft airbrake under the belly of the beast. The set arrives in Eduard's familiar clamshell case, with the resin parts protected by a thick sheet of foam at the rear, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves of the shell. Inside are six resin parts, three of which are attached to one pouring stub. The detail on the three airbrakes is an improvement on the injection moulded kit parts, and the thickness of the outer skin is most definitely scale, as it can be seen through when held up to the light. Of course this makes the parts quite delicate, but as they will be amongst the last parts added to the airframe at the end of the build, this shouldn't be a problem. All of the parts are sensibly attached to the moulding plugs, and the brakes themselves are connected to the plugs by wafer thin shims that should be easy to remove with either a fine-toothed razor saw, or by repeated light passes with a sharp scalpel. Conclusion The finesse of these parts far outstrips their styrene counterparts, and as such they will improve the scale look of your creations immensely. They are also super-detailed and as such are to be recommended. Review sample courtesy of