Search the Community

Sniper ATP (648252) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod is used extensively on modern US aircraft, and is also in use around the world with many countries that have bought variants of these same aircraft. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. The pod is highly detailed with four grey resin parts and three more in clear resin, plus Photo-Etch (PE) and stencil decals into the bargain. The main body is capped at one end by a PE sheet, the design of which depends on whether you will be using the scabbed on additional equipment box that is seen on some pods. The targeting head is a separate part that sleeves inside the main body for a neat fit, with a clear resin lens inserted into the opening, and three clear panels covering it. A resin pylon adapter and two PE grilles toward the rear finish the build, with paint and stencilling shown on the markings diagram, with paint codes from the Gunze range. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-10 Bronze Gear Legs (632079 for Revell) 1:32 Eduard Brassin The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. Inside are bronze replacement gear legs that have been patterned and cast for the new(ish) Revell kit of this late 109, which come complete with a set of replacement gear bay doors with lots of additional detail moulded in. The bronze is very strong compared to both white metal and styrene, resisting bending and able to take a lot more weight if you plan on loading your model with heavy aftermarket. Casting is superb, with only very fine lines to cut back with a diamond file, and the sprue cut line at the very top of the leg to file flush to improve fit. A very high quality casting. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.108 Wooden propeller (648256 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin If you have recently re-released Eduard Bf.108 Taifun kit reviewed here, you might have need of this useful set, which gives you the parts to add a wooden prop to your model. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. Inside the box are two resin parts, consisting of the prop and central spinner part that has a peg on the back to assist with assembly to the airframe. There are also four stencil decals for the base of each blade, the location of which is shown on the painting guide, which also shows the outer parts of the blades painted in black-green, while the centre is varnished wood. As usual the paint codes are gunze. Review sample courtesy of

P-38 Lightning Upgrade Sets (for Academy/Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Following Eduard's recent reboxing of the Academy P-38J in their "Over Europe" Limited Edition, plus other reboxings from time to time, we now have a couple of sets aimed at improving the detail further on those kits. The smaller set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. The larger set is hidden away in their larger rectangular cardboard box that is lined with more foam. P-38J Cockpit Set (648259) The set is secured in three ziplok bags, containing two bags with 17 resin parts plus one in clear resin, and a nickel plated, pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) set that is protected by a piece of white card. It is a complete replacement to the kit cockpit, and requires no alteration to the kit, but as should always be the case, do check this before committing to glue. The highly detailed seat is decked out with a full set of pre-painted crew belts and attached to the cockpit floor with a number of tubular brackets against the rear bulkhead. The rear deck and seat armour are added, with a pair of equipment boxes on the shelf, replete with some nice PE stencils. The control column is inserted into the floor with the W-shaped wheel at the top, and Rudder pedals are attached to a linkage and suspended over the floor in notches in the cockpit sidewall parts, which are detailed up with some controls in PE, and another ledge in the sidewalls accepts the laminated PE and resin instrument panel. The clear resin part is the gunsight, which sits inside the front of the kit canopy on a PE mount. When all of this is complete and painted, it is just inserted into the upper fuselage "egg" and the rest of the build can continue. P-38 Wheels (648258) Inside the clamshell are three resin wheels, four resin hubs, a small fret of PE, and a sheet of pre-cut wheel masks on kabuki tape. The main wheels have diamond pattern tread, while the nose wheel has oval pattern, with the detail throughout superb! The optional PE flat hub covers can be fitted to the outer side of the main wheels and both sides of the nose wheel, using the etched hole to avoid fouling the axle. Whether you'd want to cover up all that lovely detail other than accuracy's sake is another matter however. The masks allow you to paint the hubs after the tyres and get a neat demarcation line with minimal fuss. Review sample courtesy of

Mosquito FB Mk.VI Nose Guns (for Tamiya) 1:32 Eduard Brassin Following our review of the belly-mounted gun pack here, this new Brassin set includes the parts for the nose gun bay, which gave that bit of extra punch and a total (depending on fit) of 8 guns firing along the centreline with no convergence to deal with. The Tamiya kit is a work of styrene art, but you can always improve on styrene with the right media. This set is made up of resin and Photo-Etch (PE) in the standard rectangular Brassin box, with foam packing keeping the bagged contents safe during transit and storage. There are three bags of resin, a sheet of PE, and a small sheet of decals in the box, plus a chunky instruction booklet consisting of four pages of A5 printed landscape with 18 construction steps. The first part installed into the nose bay is the resin bulkhead, which has a number of decals and various gauges of wire added, which you must provide from your own stocks. Lead fly-tying wire or florist's wire would be of use here, and is cheap to buy if you know where to look. The gun mounts are added to the floor of the bay in order to receive the four .303 Brownings with their ammo feeds and breech stands, plus the PE and resin recoil tubes at the rear. The centre two are added first, wired in, then joined by the outer two, which are in turn wired in. The ammo cans hook into place above them, and each one has a number of decals and tiny PE parts added before they are set in place in the correct order, each with a number stencil on their feed chute. They are linked by a retaining rod made from wire, and the four ammo feeds are then put in one after another after painting and decaling, ensuring that each end finds the input on the gun breech. The nose cone can be left off or added to retain the shape of the aircraft, and this is also improved by the addition of a gun camera on its mount (again with decals), and a PE ring around the aft end to provide the correct lightened framework. This fits slightly inside the lip of the part, so shouldn't interfere with its assembly onto the model. It isn't a simple proposition, but given the care and attention to detail that it deserves, it will seriously improve the look of the bay if you intend to leave it open, or place it in a maintenance diorama setting. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

SC 250 German WWII bombs 1:72 Eduard Brassin The SC250 or Sprengbombe Cylindrisch 250 was a German all purpose high explosive bomb. The bombs weight was 250 Kgs from which the designation refers to. Explosive content was normally 130 kgs of a TNT and amatol mix. The bombs from Eduard in their Brassin range features the bomb in resin, with the details in resin and proto etch. A small sheet of decals provides all the markings. Conclusion This should enhance any model of an aircraft which carries these bombs. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod 1:72 Eduard Brassin The AN/ AAQ-28(V) Litening pod is an Israeli-designed precision targeting pod system currently being used by many nations around the world. It is an all weather day/night targeting system which uses optical & infra red sensors to identify a target and then a built in laser designator to paint the target for laser guided munitions. The pod also works to improve accuracy for unguided weapons by supply information to the aircrafts systems. The pod from Eduard in their Brassin range features the main pod, and a the separate seeker head in resin, with the pod ends in photo etch. A small sheet of decals provides all the markings for the pod. Conclusion This should enhance any model of an aircraft which carries this pod. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

MG-14/17 Parabellum WW1 Gun 1:48 Eduard Brassin Continuing their range of 1:48 WW1 machine guns in the Brassin range, Eduard have logically released a Parabellum MG-14/17 as a follow up to their MG14. The '/17' suffix was used in real life by the Germans to indicate that this is the revised 1917 version of the MG-14. The main visual difference is in the size of the barrel, which in this later version has a much reduced diameter slotted jacket. It also had other smaller modifications to make it easier to operate with gloved hands. MG-14/17's were used very widely on German multi seat aircraft throughout 1917 and 1918, particularly as the weapon for the rear gunner/observer on two seaters. The guns come in Eduards standard Brassin bubble pack, with parts for two complete models. The resin is to Eduard usual high standard, sharply moulded with very fine detail and no sign of any air bubbles. The gun barrels and sights have protective arms on the moulding blocks to keep them safe from damage until they reach your workbench. A pair of Oigee sights, ammo drums, and main bodies with barrels are provided. The brass fret contains the magazine drum ends and handles, sights, and mounting brackets for the Oigee sight. Thoughtfully, Eduard have provided the smaller parts in triplicate, so when the carpet monster eats some you still have more. A nice touch. The detail on these guns is first class, and they will look fabulous once assembled and painted. They were mostly mounted in a highly visible position on top the rear fuselage, so will form a highly detailed focal point of the model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

MG-14 Parabellum WW1 Gun 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Parabellum MG-14 was a widely used German machine gun, designed from the outset for airborne use. It was comparatively light, and had an excellent rate of fire. The vast majority were used on flexible mounts as weapons for Observer/Gunners on two (or more) seater aircraft, rather than on fixed forward firing mountings for pilots. An exception was the Fokker Eindekker, some of which had MG-14's fixed to the upper forward fuselage to fire through the propeller. This new release in the Eduard Brassin range will therefore be applicable to a large number of German WW1 machines. Presented in the sturdy Brassin blister pack the resin parts are backed with foam sponge to protect them, whilst the etched brass fret is secured against the flat of the header section. Two complete MG-14's are supplied, with the main body and ammo drums in resin, and the detail parts in etched brass. The resin is beautifully cast with very sharp definition and detail, and should be easily removed from the pouring stubs. This is the early version with the larger fretted jacket around the barrel. The etched brass contains the fretted jackets so typical of many WW1 German guns, the sights, trigger mechanisms, and end plates/mounts for the ammo drums. A nice touch is that the smallest parts are supplied in triplicate, so if the carpet monster gets one, you still have two left. The modeller will have to supply their own length of rod for the barrel, 0.6 rod is suggested. These look like they will assemble into very fine little MG-14's, and as the Observer/Gunners position is often the focal point of many German 2-seaters, be a welcome addition to any model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

WGr.21 Rockets for Fw 190 1:72 Eduard Brassin The Werfer-Granate 21 rocket launcher, also known as the BR 21 was introduced in 1943 and was the first rocket used by the Luftwaffe. These rockets enabled fighters to engage box formations of heavy bombers beyond the range of their defensive armament. There is also reported use of them against ground targets. These were modified from infantry 21 cm Nebelwerfer 42 projectiles. This set from Eduard provides two launching tubes for their new tool Fw 190 kits. The set provides, two tubes, two rockets, and two rocket heads. The heads are used to make the tubes appear loaded while the full size rockets provide diorama projectiles. Photo-etch provided the rocket ends, tube ends, and the mounting struts. In what is cleaver engineering from Eduard first they provide a PE template which shows you where to drill the holes for the mounting struts. Following this the 4 struts each side are attached to a PE plate. The struts bend down and the whole plate attaches inside the main wing. The upside is that the modeller does not have to attach 4 small struts each side; the downside is they must be attached before the main wing is closed up. Conclusion These parts should enhance the already great Eduard Fw 190. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mig-31 Wheels (for AMK) 1:48 Eduard Brassin AMK's Mig-31BM/BSM has been greeted with much love and this reviewer knocked one up a couple of months ago here, in case you needed any further incitement to buy one. One of the very few weaknesses of the kit are the wheels, depending on whether you wanted to build one with heavily worn wheels or not. This set depicts a fairly new set of tyres where the circumferential treads are still visible, rather than spread all over numerous runways in Russia. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. Inside the box are four main wheels with separate inner hubs, two nose wheels with integral hubs, plus the large mudguard that reduces the slushy spray from the nose wheels. As a bonus you also get a set of tyre masks to paint the hubs that weird green after you've sprayed a suitably dark brownish grey on the tyres. Detail is excellent as you'd expect, and a very subtle sag has been engineered into the tyres where the casting block meets the design. As usual, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Review sample courtesy of

Mosquito Fb Mk.VI Gun Bay (632078) for Tamiya 1:32 Eduard Brassin This resin update set for the big Tamiya Mosquito kit arrives in the long black box associated with the larger sets, and inside are 34 resin parts that allow you to create a replacement belly gun-pack for the new uber-kit. The 20mm Hispano cannons are built up first, with separate breeches and ammo feeds, with scrap diagrams showing the correct orientation of each feed, which will be important later on. The frame is then built up from a number of delicate parts that are fitted between the large curved ammo cans. The frames include the brackets that hold the cannon breeches, and each of the ammo feeds latches into the outer side of the ammo boxes. With these in place four hoses are linked to the breeches and a manifold at the front of the pack, which leads to what I assume is a heating manifold to stop the guns icing up at altitude. You will need to add four lengths of wire to the ammo cans to simulate the handles, but other than that everything is there that you need, including detailed painting instructions in their usual Gunze codes throughout the instructions. The set requires no alteration to the model, and all the casting blocks are sensibly placed to ease their removal. As usual, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-6 Updates (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Photo-Etch, Brassin and Masks Released to coincide with the new retooling of this late model 109, there are a whole raft of updates from Eduard for those that either want to improve on the detail of this lovely kit, or ease their way by not having seams to fill, or masks to cut. The Brassin sets arrive in the familiar clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. The Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets arrive in flat resealable packages, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. With resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding it, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Be cautious of the older sets we reviewed in 2014, as they are all subtly different, some with improved detail or shape, even though they might look identical on first inspection. The best method of making sure you have the right parts is to use the product codes from the titles. Cockpit Resin Set (648240) The long black box contains a full replacement cockpit for the kit from resin, PE, decals (not pictured) as well as clear resin. You have a choice of resin and decal for the instrument panel, or a more detailed lamination of resin, pre-painted PE for the instruments, plus more PE for additional controls. You also have a choice of different shaped cannon breech parts, styles of gunsight, early or late stowage doors behind the pilot, as well as head-armour within the canopy. The kit sidewalls should be removed before construction as well as some small sections nearby, but after that it's pretty straight forward apart from the small PE parts that might make your tongue stick out a bit, but the result is the ultimate in interior detail. Exhaust Stacks (648247) Simple drop-in replacements with the revised wider lowers, consisting of two resin backing plates, the exhausts themselves on a single strip, and PE shrouds that either stand out straight, or bend slightly over the lip of the stacks, as per the accompanying scrap diagrams. Radio Compartment (648239) The radio gear in a 109 is kept behind the pilot in the fuselage, and this set contains resin and PE parts to replicate this within the kit, showing you where to drill out the fuselage door, giving you a PE replacement for the panel, a new interior skin with ribbing moulded in, which butts up against the moulded-in flange inside the kit fuselage – a nice touch. Within are resin radio boxes, PE wiring and a couple of pre-painted dials for the main panel. The edge of the aperture is lined with a retaining surround to give a scale thickness to the area, inside which you will be able to see the details. Cannon Pods (648246) Containing resin and PE parts to create two highly detailed cannon pods with opening side-doors to show off the breech and internal details, with a PE hinge, resin fixtures and a PE template to scribe an additional circular inspection panel on the underside of the wing. The resin barrels have hollow muzzles that are in-scale and have sufficient flex to allow them to resist the inevitable twang during handling. WGr.21 Rocket Pods (648245) Developed from the 210mm rockets from the Nebelwerfer 21, these rockets were slung under the outer wings of the 109 at an angle to counter ballistic drop, and a timer to explode at a certain range within the bomber stream. Two resin launch tubes, stand-off legs, protective heat-shielding for the wing in PE, as well as templates to aid the fitting of the legs are included, along with other fittings, launch wiring and suspension lug on the rocket tube and under the wing. The template is 3D and latches onto the tube, with four holes to fit the pins on the legs, resulting in perfect alignment – just don't glue the template to the tubes! The rockets themselves can be depicted prior to loading, as there are two complete units with PE exhausts included in the box, or in the tub using the supplied tips installed in the tubes, and the PE exhaust glued into the rear of the tube. There is a welding seam running the length of the tubes, as well as rivets that hold the stabilising runners in place on the real thing. A scrap diagram advises you NOT to sand these off, as they are part of the design. Additionally, there are a full page of location diagrams that show how the finished launchers should look under the wings of your model, which should help avoid any errors. Camouflage Mask Sets (MTT - EX509, Erla - EX510, WNF - EX511) These kabuki tape masks are aimed at the more complex schemes with wiggly lines and almost "digital" staircase edges from the Messerschmitt Regensburg factory, Erla Maschinenwerke and Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke, the latter staying closer to the standard patterns than the others. Each set takes you through the painting process in a step-by-step manner, showing you which masks will be needed at what point, and where they should be placed. Each set is pre-cut on the usual yellow kabuki tape, and consists of two sheets, one of which has some helpful strips of tape cut to be used around the model. EX509 – MTT EX510 – Erla EX511 – WNF Spinner Spirals (EX512) Spinner spirals can be quite intimidating, even in decal form, so a set of masks in flexible kabuki tape could be exactly what the doctor ordered. You get four different types on the sheet, but no instructions, so you'll have to pick the curvature by eye to ensure you get it right. Additional PE Upgrade Set (48885) This set is to augment the PE that comes with the Profipak kit, and on one fret includes a radio compartment doors, trunking inserts for the main gear bays where the struts rest, chin intake outlet door, radiator outlet doors, new main gear bay doors, scissor link for the oleo, brake hoses, a raised panel for around the underwing antenna, and a retention strap for the drop-tank. Not a massive set, but it's already a good kit! SuperFABRIC Seatbelts (49094) These are the realistically printed belts developed by Eduard's partners HGW Models, which are simple to apply and drape realistically, with two sets on the sheet. The printing has a 3D look to it, and you simply peel them from the backing paper and glue them down with white glue. Avoid CA, as it melts the fabric! FABRIC Seatbelts (49093) These are the most realistic belts, but they also require the most effort, as the fabric is laced through the included furniture in the same manner as the real thing. Scrunch up the belts after removing them from the backing paper, cut out the buckles and off you go! Fiddly, but IMHO entirely worth the effort, they're that good. Review sample courtesy of

AIM-4G Missiles 1:48 Eduard Brassin The AIM-4 Falcon was designed by Hughes Aerospace, and was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the USAF. The AIM-4 was a not well liked in the USAF, as it originally had a small warhead and was limited by the lack of a proximity fuse, relying on a physical hit to kill. In addition limited coolant meant the missile was useless on the rail after only two minutes if a lock wasn't made in time. The AIM-4G was the Infrared seeker version of the Super Falcon as it was called, which replaced the original AIM-4C. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and a decal sheet hidden in the instructions that are sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card, with a small Photo-Etch (PE) fret displayed on the front. The missiles are simple to build, as all you need to do is remove them from their delicate moulding blocks, which are attached to the trailing edges of the steering vanes and the missile body. With these removed, you need to flatten the missile body and then glue on a PE exhaust ring. Repeat that for the rest of the missiles (four in total), and you're done. Painting consists of white and red, with colour call-outs in Gunze, as usual. The decals are also shown on the diagram, and these have good register, colour density and sharpness. The carrier film is thin, and they settle down well with the aid of some decal solution, in my experience. Review sample courtesy of

Fw 190A-5 Cockpit - For Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard Brassin This set from Eduard is designed for their new tool Fw 190A-5 which we reviewed here. The set under the Brassin label contains 8 resin parts, and a colour photo etched set. The resin parts consist of the main cockpit tub, seat, instrument panels, two types of instrument coaming, control column, and a throttle lever. The photo etch fret contains parts for the front canopy frames, rear armoured bulkhead, rear interior canopy frame, seat belts, instrument panel details, rudder pedals, and interior cockpit parts. Recommended to bring an already excellent kit up a notch. Review sample courtesy of

Ju.88 Wheels Early (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard Brassin No-one really likes sorting out seams on kit wheels, and most tend to be a little lacking in detail, so with the launch of the new ICM 88, Eduard have produced a wheelset to add detail and reduce your workload. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. There are six resin parts, four Photo-Etch (PE) parts on a small fret and a small decal sheet included in the box, plus a set of masks (not pictured) to allow easy painting of the hubs after construction. The tyre parts have a very slight weighting, and the casting stub is on the contact patch, so clean-up will be easy, while the four hub parts are laid flat on theirs, which will require some cutting and sanding to make good. Remember to take the usual precautions when sanding resin to avoid inhaling the dust. The PE rims fix in place around the hubs, and the decals affix to the outer hubs, which are handed. A scrap diagram shows the correct orientation of the completed wheels, with an arrow showing the direction of travel. Detail is excellent as you'd expect, and the inclusion of decals AND masks makes for a well-rounded package. Review sample courtesy of

MG-14/17 Parabellum WW1 Gun 1:32 Eduard Brassin Continuing their range of 1:32 WW1 machine guns in the Brassin range, Eduard have logically released a Parabellum MG-14/17 as a follow up to their MG-14. The '/17' suffix was used in real life by the Germans to indicate that this is the revised 1917 version of the MG-14. The main visual difference is in the size of the barrel, which in this later version has a much reduced diameter slotted jacket. It also had other smaller modifications to make it easier to operate with gloved hands. MG-14/17's were used very widely on German multi seat aircraft throughout 1917 and 1918, particularly as the weapon for the rear gunner/observer on two seaters. The guns come in the standard Brassin bubble pack, with parts for two complete models, and the resin is to Eduard usual high standard, sharply moulded with very fine detail and no sign of any air bubbles. The gun barrels and sights have protective arms on the moulding blocks to keep them safe from damage until they reach your workbench. The brass fret contains the magazine drum ends and handles, sights, and mounting brackets for the Oigee sight. Thoughtfully, Eduard have provided double the amount of most these, so when the carpet monster eats some, you still have more. A nice touch. The detail on these guns is amazing, and they will look fabulous once assembled and painted. They were mostly mounted in a highly visible position on top the rear fuselage, so will form a highly detailed focal point of the model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Weapons & Stores 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard's Brassin range just keeps getting larger, supplying the modeller with super-detailed weapons in resin and brass, which also have the crucial stencils to give them that added air of realism. The sets arrive in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. The decals are stashed between the leaves of the instructions, with a slip of thin greaseproof paper covering the sheet. US 108gal Paper Tanks (648233) WWII vintage drop-tanks in resin impregnated corrugated paper, with parts for two such tanks in the pack, with early and late nose cones with one or two filler cap depressions moulded in respectively. Each tank is made up from a tapered rear, tubular centre section and the stubby nose, with two PE straps, attachment lugs and the aforementioned filler caps, plus a trio of PE hoses for control and fuel flow. Each resin part is keyed so that it fits together properly, with a recess and plug fitment to ensure they tank is straight when complete. A small sheet of decals provides the stencils and trestle marks for the tanks, which differ slightly between the early & late models. They are painted a silver finish, with paint call-outs in Gunze codes. LAU-3/A Rocket Pods (648231) This rocket pod was used extensively in the early days of fast jets, and could carry nineteen 2.75" unguided rockets that were used to target bomber formations or for ground attack. The box contains sufficient parts for two launchers, with the cylindrical body topped and tailed with the end details, which can be either unloaded or armed with rockets. Unloaded shows the hollow nose cone and empty tail with just the actuator present, while the loaded end caps shows the noses of the rockets and they cruciform tails behind the actuators. The front cap fits into a keyed recess, but you must line up the rear, as it is a butt-fit. Paint call-outs are in Gunze again, and the stencils are provided on the small decal sheet with locations given on the paint diagram. IRIS-T Missiles (648207) The IRIS-T is a European air-to-air missile that was designed as a replacement to the Sidewinder, using vectored thrusting instead of steering vanes to achieve a more manoeuvrable, agile missile with a longer range, and the ability to engage targets behind. There are two missiles in the box, and a choice of two adapter rails each for the F-16 (LAU-129), and the Saab Gripen (Lavett RB99). The missiles themselves comprise of the main body, plus a choice of clear seeker head or FOD cover at the front, or the aft fins and vectoring nozzles at the rear. Colour call-outs in Gunze and stencils for the missiles and their pylons are given in scrap diagrams throughout the instructions. AIM-4D (648186) While the original Falcon was renowned for being awful, the eventual AIM-4D was smaller and had a new guidance system, but it retained the inefficient hit-to-kill that made them so unpopular with pilots. You get four of these diminutive missiles in the box, plus a small fret of brass for the exhaust rings once you have liberated the missile from the casting block. A sheet of decals give you all the stencils you need (there are a lot!), and the colour call-outs are in Gunze codes, white at the front, and red at the rear. Review sample courtesy of

Mk.82 Bombs 1:72 Eduard Brassin The Mark 82 is a US general-purpose bomb, it is part of the Mark 80 series of weapons with a nominal weight of 500Lbs. Actual weight varying with fuse options. It is a conventional steel cased bomb filled with 192 lbs of Tritonal high explosive. The weapon was first used in Vietnam and has been used ever since. These weapons have now been given guidance packages in the form of first the Pave Way, and later the JDAM additions. The bomb bodies are supplied as one part cast resin. Different fused noses, including the log "Daisy cutter" are included in resin. The last item in this package is the inclusion of bomb markings on the small decal sheet. Conclusion Quality ordnance can always enhance the look of a model. With such a wide range of potential applications, I'm sure they will sell like hot cakes too. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of

MG-14 Parabellum WW1 Gun 1:32 Eduard Brassin The Parabellum MG-14 was a widely used German machine gun, designed from the outset for airborne use. It was comparatively light, and had an excellent rate of fire. The vast majority were used on flexible mounts as weapons for Observer/Gunners on two (or more) seater aircraft, rather than on fixed forward firing mountings for pilots. An exception was the Fokker Eindekker, some of which had MG-14's fixed to the upper forward fuselage to fire through the propeller. This new release in the Eduard Brassin range will therefore be applicable to a large number of German WW1 machines. Presented in the sturdy Brassin blister pack the resin parts are backed with foam sponge to protect them, whilst the etched brass fret is secured against the flat of the header section. Two complete MG-14's are supplied, with the stock, body, and ammo drums in resin, and the detail parts in etched brass. The resin is beautifully cast with very sharp definition and detail, and should be easily removed from the pouring stubs. The etched brass contains the fretted jackets so typical of many WW1 German guns, the sights, trigger mechanisms, and end plates/mounts for the ammo drums. The modeller will have to supply their own length of rod for the barrel, evergreen .035 rod is suggested, although I personally prefer brass rod for this sort of task. These look like they will assemble into very fine little MG-14's, and as the Observer/Gunners position is often the focal point of many German 2-seaters, be a welcome addition to any model. Having 2 in the pack will of course cover 2 models, or if you have the Wingnut Wings Gotha, arm the mid upper and nose gunners stations. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Weapons & Pod Sets 1:48 Eduard Brassin This month's Brassin offerings include some highly detailed resin weapons in the shape of AIM-9J Sidewinders, GBU-16s and an AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod for Cold War and modern jets. The sets arrive in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. AIM-9J Sidewinder (648197) The US Airforce adopted the Sidewinder and applied a major upgrade in the shape of the J to rush it to the Vietnam conflict for a major offensive. This set contains four missile bodies with separate resin steering vanes that slot into holes in the body, plus a set of optional seeker head covers for protection on the ground. Clear resin seeker heads are supplied to fit to the nose of the missile, and tiny Photo-Etch (PE) rings are included on a small brass fret for the exhausts. If installing the covers, you will need to cut off a small section of the nose, but other than that there's nothing that should tax even a novice modeller. Decals are included for the stencils, and the usual colour painting guide with Gunze colour call-outs are included on the instructions. GBU-16 Paveway II Bomb (648236) This "Smart" bomb is a laser guided Mk.83 bomb used by the US, NATO and a few other countries, following the laser designation to target to minimise errors. In this set you get four resin bomb bodies, steering vanes, seeker heads with or without covers, and a small fret of PE to finish off the rear fins. The virtually clip together, but you will need to drill a 1mm hole in the rear of the seeker heads to fit them to the nose of the bomb. Decals are included for the stencils, and the usual colour painting guide with Gunze colour call-outs are included on the instructions. AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening Pod (648237) The Litening is a modern targeting pod for fast jets, with FLIR, laser designation, CCD camera amongst other facilities built into one streamlined pod. This set includes the pod body and rotating head in resin, plus a pair of PE grilles for the aft face of the pod, only one of which is needed. It's still good to have a spare in case you make a mistake, however. Decals are included for the stencils, and the usual colour painting guide with Gunze colour call-outs are included on the instructions. Review sample courtesy of

Fw 190A-8 Update sets 1:72 Eduard Brassin Eduard's latest profipack and Royal Class boxings of their 1/72 Fw 190A-8 are excellent in their own right, however if the modeller really wants to up the ante then the following sets are available. Fw 190A8 Engine This set contains a complete resin engine for the Fw 190, along with the exhausts, engine bearers and cowlings. There are also photo-etch parts for the engine. The engine is a complete model in its own right. Engine Fw 190A8 Engine & Fuselage Guns This set contains all the engine parts (and PE) in the above set, and also includes details for the fuselage guns, and their compartment. Additional PE is provided for the guns in this set. Engine & Fuselage Guns Fw 190A Propeller This set consists of resin parts to replace the kit prop. There is a central control hub to which the three separate blades must be attached. In order to get this right a jig is provided. A new resin hub is provided as is the fan which site behind the prop. All together this set should provide a boost to the sharp end of your 190. Propeller Conclusion Given this is 1/72 scale the quality of the casting is first rate. Which ever set, or sets you use should enhance your model, particularly if doing any kind of diorama. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of

F-4J Exhaust Nozzles (For Academy kit) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The new tool Academy F-4J is a great kit. Like any plastic kit, injection moulding can only do so much and resin replacements can enhance some parts. These new exhausts from Eduard are a direct drop in replacement for the kit parts. The two PE parts must first be added at the engine end, then the engine end cap put on. Once this is done they go straight onto the kit. Review sample courtesy of

F-104 Pylons (for Hasegawa/Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Following the recent reboxing of the Hasegawa kit of the original man-in-a-missile, Eduard's Brassin guys have released a super-detailed set of pylons and fittings for their kit that will also go well with many of the Hasegawa boxings. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves, doubling as the header card. Inside the box are a surprisingly large number of resin parts, a small Photo-Etch (PE) fret, and a large (for the size of set) decal sheet, the latter found in between the substantial instruction booklet. There are twenty three parts in mid-grey resin, with two additional clear resin parts separately bagged. From the box you can build the following: 2 x BL75 Underwing Pylons with options for unladen, fuel tanks only or bombs only fitments using PE and resin small parts. 2 x Kormoran Pylons with resin sway-braces and PE attachment surface details. 1 x Centreline Pylon with resin attachment lugs. 2 x Red Dog Wingtip Launch Rails, which require the very tips of the kit wings to be trimmed to accommodate them. 1 x Aero-3 NATO Catamaran Launch Rails with resin adapter rails and cross braces. Each weapon type has a scrap diagram showing painting and decaling options using Gunze colours, and even shows which holes need to be drilled out on the kit parts where appropriate. There is a placement diagram toward the rear of the instructions to show where each pylon is sited on the aircraft in case you are unfamiliar with the type. Conclusion The detail far exceeds that available from even the best injection moulded parts, and the attention to the stencils, coupled with the finesse of the parts will add realism to any Starfighter model. Review sample courtesy of

Triple Ejector Racks (TER) 1:48 Eduard Brassin While modellers often buy additional weapons for their kits they hang them off the kit supplied racks. Eduard have now seen this and are supplying racks to hang their ordnance from. These TERs (Triple ejection racks) from Eduard in their brassin range certainly are detailed, they include mounting brackets and the sway braces for the attached weapons. Also included is a small decal sheet with markings for the TERs. Recommended for those wanting a little extra with their weapons racks. Review sample courtesy of