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B-29 Washingtons of the RAF 1:144, 1:72 & 1:48 Air-Craft Models Air-Craft Models are part of Coastal-Craft, and are sold via them, and this is a very British set of decals that would go well with their B-29 corrected engine nacelles that I reviewed here a little while ago. It is available in all three of the major scales that you can readily find kits in, and arrives in a ziplok bag with a healthy sized instruction sheet that is covered in profiles and notes for the various airframes covered by the set. There are four sizeable chunks of decal paper with codes and national insignia taking up a lot of the space, but with additional markings for each option so that you can build one aircraft from the sheet(s). Also included is a small Photo-Etch (PE) brass fret that provides the RAF specific aerials, most of which are used on one of the decal choices that was an ELINT airframe. From the bag you can portray one of the following: Washington B.1 (B-29A-50-BN, 44-61889) WF499 LS*B XV Squadron – bare metal over black with a wavy demarcation. Washington B.1 (B-29A-70-BN, 44-62231) WF503, 90 Squadron – all over bare metal. Washington B.1 (B-29A-70-BN, 44-62283) WZ966, 55, 192 Squadron, 1957-8 – all over bare metal with Arctic red tail and wing tips. Washington B.1 (B-29A-70-BN, 44-62326) WF552, 115 Squadron – all over bare metal. Each airframe is portrayed in port-side profiles, plus top and bottom views where appropriate, all of which are accompanied by notes to draw your attention to the differences from standard equipment that should be modelled if you are going for ultimate accuracy. A separate profile shows the location of the majority of the PE aerials used on the ELINT aircraft with the red wing tips. The decals are printed to very high standards with good registration, colour density and sharpness, while the PE is well etched, but without the frippery such as rounded corners or product codes that you find with the specialists. Conclusion A nicely presented set that will allow you to portray an RAF Washington to break from the usual stars and bars that are most often seen. The inclusion of the aerials is a useful touch, but remember that you will need some modelling skills to delete turrets and plate them over before you take the plunge, in order to achieve ultimate fidelity. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

B-29 Superfortress Replacement Engine Cowlings 1:48 Air-Craft Models via Coastal Craft The Monogram B-29 kit in 1:48 was patterned back in the day using the preserved airframe of Enola Gay as reference, which unbeknownst to them had one unusual feature externally that was applied to only a few airframes. The engines were special high-powered variants of the Dual Cyclone, and as such the cowlings were of a different shape, with a straighter profile viewed from the side. The intake under the main opening was also of a different shape, giving the engines a subtle, but different look. This set arrives in a small white box that has the product details stuck to the lid. Inside are four resin cowling parts that have been liberated from their pouring blocks and just need a little clean-up on the trailing edges of the cowling flaps, and the removal of some resin wafer that was used to enable the moulding of the aperture at the front. A quick swipe and polish with a sanding stick should see them ready for action, after a bath in warm soapy water to remover sanding residue and any mould release agent lingering on the surface that could affect paint adhesion. The cowling flaps are depicted in a neutral setting just like the kit parts, and the "smile" under the main aperture has a moulded-in intake grill to add detail. Installation should be fun, as you will have to align the engine/bulkhead part both in terms of depth and centring, which is best done in conference with the kit parts and your references. It would have been nice to have some alignment aids for this process, such as replication of the strips inside the kit cowling and a template for cutting back the bulkhead part. Once you have done one however, the rest will be easy, so take your time over it and trim a little bit each time until you are satisfied. Conclusion An important set in terms of external accuracy, unless you are planning on modelling one of those airframes with the more powerful engines. Be aware of the work you will need to do, and you will be happy with the resulting improvement. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of