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Lewis Mk.III WW1 Gun 1:48 Eduard Brassin New from Eduard in the Brassin range is the Lewis Mk.III gun. Designed by American Colonel Isaac Lewis, from 1914 the Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) company produced it under license in vast numbers. It was used as both an infantry and aircraft mounted weapon. For ariel use it often dispensed with the air cooling shroud, with the option of either 47 or 97 round ammo drums. The Mk.III was produced from May 1918 and is thus applicable to aircraft in dervice from that time. The Brassin set contains resin and brass items to make 2 guns, with 3 ammo drums for each. The casting are beautifully done with extremely fine detail surpassing anything that could be achieved with injection moulding. The sights are provided on the etch brass fret, the ring sights being amazingly fine. These little Lewis guns will really add that finishing touch to your late war British or French aircraft, and were used either on fixed or ring mountings. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Vickers Mk.1 WW1 Guns. 1:32 Eduard Brassin. Developed from the Maxim Machine gum, Vickers improved the basic design by lightening it and using high strength alloys on key components. The ground based weapon had a water cooling system, but this was not found necessary when mounted on aircraft as the slipstream kept the gun cool, although the water cooling jacket was retained. It was very suitable for for use with synchronising system that enabled rounds to be fired through the spinning propeller, and thus widely used on British and French aircraft from 1916 onwards. The Brassin set provides 2 guns, with the main parts cast in resin with beautifully defined detail. Etched brass supplies brackets, sights, and a choice of 2 different cocking levers. The obvious place to use these will be on Wingnut Wings kits, where they will add that extra touch of detail to already beautiful models. Given that the gun was used well beyond the end of the First World War, and into the Second on the Gladiator and Swordfish, there are plenty of subjects that will benefit from a set of these. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Focke Wulf 190F-8 Propeller 1:32 Brassin (632 069) Although the general feeling is that the Revell 1:32 Focke Wulf 190F-8 is pretty well detailed straight from the box, it seems Eduards intent to replace almost every bit of detail other than the main fuselage and wing components. With this in mind they have just released a replacement propeller set. The set comes in the hard blister pack that Eduard/Brassin parts are usually found. On opening there is a small etched template under a card backing, three dark grey resin propeller blades and four light grey resin parts, protected by foam inserts. The propeller boss and cooling fan need to be carefully removed from their moulding blocks and cleaned. The tangs on the brass template are then folded to 90 degrees which are slipped over the boss back plate so that the shaft hole can be accurately drilled out. The set includes a jig so that the propeller blades can be fitted to the boss at the correct angle. The spinner also needs to be carefully removed from its moulding block, and for some strange reason Eduard have made this so that the pour stubs are on the out surface of the spinner. This makes for quite a bit of careful sanding and polishing to get a really good smooth surface. With the blades attached to the boss, the spinner can be added along with the cooling fan and the whole assembly slipped onto the kits propeller shaft. Conclusion Although the new Revell kit has superb detail straight out of the box some modellers are just not content. This is a very nice set that is slightly marred by the way the spinner has been moulded, but hey, this is modelling, right? Once assembled the propeller will look superb. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mosquito Mk.VI Wheels & Exhausts (632065 & 632066 for Tamiya) 1:32 Eduard Brassin The big(ish) Mossie is getting a lot of attention, and the Tamiya kit has had a LOT of praise heaped on it for its detail. You can always do better with resin and Photo-etch (PE) though, so expect plenty of that to take the detail to the insane. Both these sets come in the usual clear clamshell box and the resin is protected by foam sheets, while the instructions double as the header card to the rear. Mark.VI Wheels (632065) A few folks have found issues with the tyres of the kit, and although they use a very clever method for the construction of a supposedly seam-free design, there seems to have been some slop between the parts that doesn't look so good. These wheels are resin replacements with two tyres for the main wheels that have separate hubs on both sides, plus an anti-shimmy tail wheel for the rear. The contact patches have a slight sag that's barely noticeable, and that is where the casting block is attached so it won't be seen once the model is complete. They are a simple drop-in replacement once built and painted, which you're helped with by the inclusion of a sheet of pre-cut kabuki tape masks for the hubs. Mark.VI Exhaust Stacks (632066) The kit exhaust is made up from three stack parts, but these resin replacements have all the stacks moulded into a single base-plate, so all you have to do is omit the kit parts and insert the replacements, one per side per nacelle, totalling four, just in case it had never occurred to you! The detail is lovely, with wafer thin hollow outlets complete with fold marks, flanges and bolt-heads at the base of each port. There is a small key in the base that meshes with a corresponding mark inside the manifold outlet area, so getting them fitted should be simple. Review sample courtesy of

GBU-49 & Mk.81 Bombs (648220 & 648225) 1:48 Eduard Brassin You're probably all familiar with Eduard's expanding range of munitions and missiles, which seems to get substantially larger every month. This month it's some relatively modern US and NATO bombs of the smart and not-so-smart variety, both of which arrive in the standard clamshell packaging, the resin inside protected with foam, and a small decal sheet sandwiched between the pages of the instruction/backing card. GBU-49 (648220) This is an Enhanced Paveway II with a 500lb iron bomb at its heart, with GPS guidance added to the laser guiding found on its sibling the GBU-12. There are parts for two bombs, plus a choice of seeker heads. Construction is simple, as the main body of the bomb is moulded as a single highly-detailed part, to which all you need to do is add the four front steering vanes to their sockets, your choice of seeker head (after drilling a 1mmm hole in the seeker), and the small vane extensions at the rear of the bomb. Decals are included for the stencils, with placement and painting diagrams in the instructions for two colour variations. Mk.81 Bombs with Airbrake (648225) A Vietnam era bomb with a fall retarding set of fins on the rear to facilitate dropping at extreme low-level without involving the dropping aircraft in the subsequent blast. It can also be fitted with a long fuse to detonate just above ground level for maximum anti-personnel effect. In the pack you get six bomb bodies, tail fins and a choice of four fuse types. The bomb is joined to the tail unit after removal from the small casting blocks, and the fuse of choice plugged into the recess in the nose of the bomb. A scrap diagram shows the correct location of the fins in relation to the mounting lugs, with painting and markings diagram in colour on the front of the booklet. Review sample courtesy of

Storm Shadow Cruise Missile (648222) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile with a cool name. It is used by the RAF and is often seen slung under Tornadoes, with France, Italy and a number of Arab states also holding stocks in their inventory. It is subsonic and has a range of 150+ miles, which is good news for pilots that don't want to get shot down. Arriving in a Brassin box, there are sufficient parts to build two Storm Shadows, with twenty six resin parts, a sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) details, a decal sheet with all the necessary stencils, plus the instruction booklet in matt colour. The missiles can be built with their wings folded or unfolded, and there are alternative parts for the Tornado, which has a different top assembly. It is also known as the SCALP EG when fitted to the Mirage 2000, Rafale and Eurofighter, with a reduced top section and different locating lugs. The main missile body is complete save for a small faceted triangular aerodynamic section underneath, and the wings are added in whatever pose you choose to the cut-out in the top side, with the twin tails and guide vanes at the rear slotting into holes in the rear. A PE exhaust ring covers the cut where the casting block is removed, and then it's a matter of choosing either the raised resin top assembly for the Tornado, or the flat PE part with resin lugs for the other operators. A separate diagram shows the painting and markings options which appear to be in black and white, but the missile is grey all-over, and has only a yellow band and a couple of tiny red and white decals that give the game away. As usual the paint call-outs are in Gunze Sangyo numbers. Conclusion There should be quite a market for these ultra-detailed Storm Shadows, as they look good under any suitable airframe, and kit representations are usually either absent or a little soft on detail. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AIM-9J Sidewinder Missiles 1:72 Eduard Brassin The AIM-9J was a replacement for the original AIM-9E and was rushed into serivice in 1972 for the Linebacker campaign. This missile was able to be fired at greater angles than directly behind an aircraft, and up to 7.5G. It introduced the first solid state components and improved actuators capable of delivering greater torque to the canards making it a better dogfighting missile. This set from Eduard in their brassin range contains 4 complete missiles. There is a resin body which contains the rear fins, with the forward fins being supplied in Photo etch. There is also a rear rocket motor part supplied in PE. Nose caps are supplied in resin for all the units if the modeller wants to use. The last item in this package is the inclusion of missile markings on the small decal sheet. Conclusion Quality ordnance can always enhance the look of a model, these AIM-9Js from Eduard are excellent missiles. Recomended. Review samples courtesy of

A-4E/F Upgrades (for Eduard or Hasegawa) 1:48 Eduard If you were one of the happy band that managed to get a copy of the new Limited Edition boxing by Eduard of the Hasegawa A-4E "Vietnam Scooters" (1197 still some in stock at time of writing), then these updates and upgrades may well be right up your street. Even if you didn't and have a Hasegawa E/F in the stash, you'll probably still have your interest piqued. As always, Eduard Brassin sets come in clamshell boxes with foam protection and a backing card that doubles as the instruction booklets. Their Photo-Etch (PE) sets are flat-packed and have white card protection and instruction sheets sandwiched behind the PE frets. A-4E/F Upgrade Set (48851) This is a PE set to upgrade and improve the detail over the whole airframe, including the prominent air-brakes and their bays, landing gear bay doors and bays, the leading-edge slat actuating rods as well as the underside of the slats themselves, which are another prominent feature of the Scooter, plus some additional parts for the cockpit rear bulkhead and sills. Inside the canopy is also lined with PE sound insulation padding, and as a bonus you get a pair of FOD guards for the intakes and some pylon attachment surfaces with sway-braces, plus some scale-thickness fins for the almost obligatory wing-mounted fuel tanks. Bear in mind that this set is designed as an augmentation to the PE found in the kit box, so if you are working with just the base kit in Hasegawa boxings, you'll need to take that into consideration. A4-E/F Exhaust (648215) The A-4 has a long tail-pipe, and this resin replacement for the kit supplied tube is a vast upgrade in terms of detail and ease of use. Once cut from their casting blocks, the resin parts can be painted individually without the need to remove any seams from the long narrow trunking. The aft face of the engine is depicted in extreme detail, with a PE afterburner ring inserted before it is mated to the trunk, and once that is installed, the exit nozzle is added after the fuselage is closed up. Detail and finesse here is superb, with a very fine outer shroud and detailed inner petals. Styrene just can't compete! A-4E Early Wheels (648213) & A-4E/F Wheels (648214) Both sets are resin replacement wheels with kabuki tape hub masks for all three wheels. The sets build up identically, although the hubs and brake details are different on the main wheels. The main wheels have separate brake details on the rear and are drop-in replacements once glued, while the nose wheel has a new white resin yoke that requires the modeller to remove the kit part and drill a 1mm hole in the remaining leg to accept the new part. The yoke simply flexes to admit the new resin wheel common to both sets, and like its larger siblings, it has a slight sag moulded-in. A-4E Early A-4E/F Review sample courtesy of

The New Eduard Releases For October Are Now In Stock. EDK8285 - Eduard Profipack 1:48 - Spitfire Mk.XVI Bubbletop £25.99 EDK70111 - Eduard Kits 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 £11.99 EDK4432 - Eduard 1:144 - Nasi Se Vraceji (Quattro Combo) £15.99 EDK8496 - Eduard Weekend 1:48 - Mirage IIIC £17.99 Octobers New Releases (Photoetch) EDP32378 - Eduard Photoetch 1:32 - Ju 87G-2 Exterior (TRU03218) EDP32847 - Eduard Photoetch 1:32 - Ju 87G-2 Interior (TRU03218) EDP33150 - Eduard Photoetch 1:32 - Ju 87G-2 Interior (TRU03218) EDP36326 - Eduard Photoetch 1:35 - US Army Bulldozer (MIN35195) EDP48857 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - B-1B Exterior (RV04900) EDP48858 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - AC-47 Gunship Exterior (RV04926) EDP48859 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - AC-47 Gunship Landing Flaps (RV04926) EDP49089 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - Mirage IIIC Seatbelts (Fabric) EDP49090 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - Mirage IIIC Seatbelts (Super Fabric) EDP49733 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - T-38A Talon (WP10005) EDP49734 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - Mirage IIIC Ejection Seat (Eduard) EDP49735 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - Su-22 M-4 (Smer) EDP49736 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - AC-47 Gunship Interior S.A. (RV04926) EDP49737 - Eduard Photoetch 1:48 - B-1B S.A (RV04900) EDP53144 - Eduard Photoetch 1:200 - Figures Royal Navy EDP53145 - Eduard Photoetch 1:350 - HMS Queen Elizabeth 1943 - Railing & Ladders (TRU05324) EDP53146 - Eduard Photoetch 1:350 - HMS Queen Elizabeth 1943 - AA Guns (TRU05324) EDP72611 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 (Eduard) EDP72612 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 Landing Flaps (Eduard) EDP72613 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - Swift FR.5 Landing Flaps (Airfix) EDP73033 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 Seatbelts (Superfabric) EDP73533 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - Swift FR.5 (Airfix) EDP73534 - Eduard Photoetch 1:72 - T-2C Buckeye (Wolfpack) EDPFE733 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:48 - T-38A Talon Interior (WP10002) EDPFE735 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:48 - Su-22M-4 Interior (Smer) EDPFE736 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:48 - AC-47 Gunship Interior S.A (RV04926) EDPFE737 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:48 - B-1B Interior S.A (RV04900) EDPSS531 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:72 - Whitley Mk.V S.A. (AIR08016) EDPSS533 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:72 - Swift FR.5 Interior (Airfix) EDPSS534 - Eduard Photoetch (Zoom) 1:72 - T-2C Buckeye Interior (Wolfpack) Octobers New Releases (Brassin) EDB632063 - Eduard Brassin 1:32 - Fw 190F-8 Engine (Revell) EDB632067 - Eduard Brassin 1:32 - Vickers Mk.I WWI Gun EDB648205 - Eduard Brassin 1:48 - Lewis Mk.III WWI Gun EDB648222 - Eduard Brassin 1:48 - Storm Shadow EDB672055 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - AIM-4D EDB672057 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - M117 Bombs Early EDB672080 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - Fw 190A Wheels Late (Eduard) EDB672081 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 Cockpit (Eduard) EDB672084 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - Fw 190A-8 MG 131 Mount (Eduard) EDB672085 - Eduard Brassin 1:72 - Fw 190A Exhaust Stacks (Eduard) October New Releases (Masks) EDMCX423 - Eduard Masks 1:72 - T-2C Buckeye (WP10005) EDMCX424 - Eduard Masks 1:72 - Swift FR.5 (AIR04003) EDMCX425 - Eduard Masks 1:72 - Spitfire Camo Scheme B EDMCX426 - Eduard Masks 1:72 - Hurricane Camo Scheme B EDMEX478 - Eduard Masks 1:48 - T-38A Talon (WP10002) EDMEX479 - Eduard Masks 1:48 - Su-22M4 (Smer) EDMEX480 - Eduard Masks 1:48 - B-1B (RV04900) EDMEX481 - Eduard Masks 1:48 - AC-47 Gunship (RV04926) EDMJX183 - Eduard Masks 1:32 - Ju 87G-2 (TRU03218) Visit The Website For All New Releases Or Click On The Image To Go Straight To The Product. www.creativemodels.co.uk

GBU-8/B HOBOS, AIM-9E Sidewinder, AS.34 Kormoran Missiles 1:48 Eduard Brassin Some new resin missile and bomb sets from Eduard's Brassin line, all of which arrive in the familiar clamshell box with foam packing to keep the contents safe from harm. The backing card doubles as instructions, and Photo-Etch (PE) metal, decals and colour guides are included as appropriate. GBU-8/B HOBOS (648169) This Vietnam era early guided bomb was self-guiding and relied on a high-contrast image to ensure accuracy. Based on a Mk.84 bomb it had control fins at the rear, and a seeker head to the front. The set provides two of these flawed bombs, with delicate strakes, mounting lugs and square guidance vanes moulded-in with stunning sharpness. Clear resin parts are included to fit within the nose cone, depicting the TV camera that provided guidance. Colour guidance and a set of stencil decals complete the package well. AIM-9E Sidewinder (648196) The E was a late 60s update to the original US Air Force Sidewinders, which although improved was still a long way from the Sidewinders of today. In the box you get four missile bodies with slender moulded-in rear vanes, and separate steering vanes that fit into holes in the forward body. A set of stencils and FOD covers are also supplied, as well as the usual painting guide using Gunze Sangyo colours. AS.34 Kormoran (648195) This German anti-ship missile was developed in the deep Cold War, reaching service in the early 90s, and is often found dangling from the pylons of Luftwaffe or Italian Airforce Tornados. You can build one of each of the Kormoran 1 or 2 from the box, and two resin missile bodies are included in the package with two instruction booklets. The differences are subtle all around, with a small angled panel on the rear of one missile marking it as a 1. The front vanes also have rivet marks at their base, and the PE engine exhaust is also different, but the front ring and colour schemes can give away which version you are looking at. The 1 was either olive drab or white, while the 2 was white or light grey, so if your references show a white missile, check the ring behind the nose. If it is smooth with a conduit running from the front of the fins, it's a 1. As well as the separate resin fins fore and aft, there are the aforementioned PE exhausts and a full set of stencils for each missile. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.I Cockpit (648219 for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Brassin This is a complete replacement cockpit set for the new-tool Airfix Mark.I Spitfire, and comprises thirty three resin parts, a fret of pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE), and a small slip of acetate film on which the shape of the gun-sight is printed. This is all wrapped ziplok bags cocooned in protective foam top and bottom, inside their by-now standard rectangular box with the instructions. To fit it, all you'll have to do is scrape away the few raised ribs within the kit fuselage halves with a curved blade, and remove the crew-access door, which is already marked out by a deep panel line. Other than that, you will need to remove the casting blocks, which as usual are in the most sensible places, with small attachment points. Give the parts a wash in warm (not hot) soapy water, and you should be ready to go. The instrument panel is first, built up on the fuselage frame through which the pilot's legs project. You have the usual choice of a resin one piece panel, or a three part lamination of pre-painted PE, with the compass built from a resin face with a folded PE base, and the gun-sight added to the slot at the top of the panel. The frame behind the pilot's head has armour and head-rests plus the mounting bracket for the seat frame in preparation for the seat that is added later. The floor is prepared by adding a cross-member and the rudder control linkages, with the rudder pedals themselves sat on top and PE straps attached across their upper edges. The control stick slots into the top of the linkage part, and then it's on to detail up the cockpit sides with resin bottles and PE controls before they are added to the sides after painting and weathering. It would be good practice to remove the paint on the mating surfaces to get a better join, and also to ensure there are no changes in width due to the fine tolerances. The seat is a complex combination of PE for the armour and flare rack, with resin for the frame and seat pan, to which set of harnesses in painted PE are added before they are installed in the cockpit. With the cockpit sides added to the floor and frames, there are more detail parts to add to one of the two optional kit fuselage inserts that support the windscreen. A resin crew door and rear view mirrors are also in the bag, which is always good to see, and means that you don't have to be too careful removing the kit door. Conclusion What's not to like about these cockpit sets? The Brassin line has superb detail due to the 3D mastering and research by their teams, with everything you need in the box and very little adaptation of the kit necessary. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AS.34 Kormoran 1:72 Eduard Brassin The AS.34 Kormoran or Cormorant is an Anti-Ship missile made in Germany by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm. It was developed in the 1960's for costal anti-shipping but has a secondary land attack cabability. The missile has an inertial guidance system for the midcourse phase, switching to active radar homing during the terminal attack. The original Kormoran 1 had a 363lb delay-fused warhead, designed for 90mm of penetration prior to detonation with a maximum range of 14 miles. In the 1980s the Kormoran 2 which has an improved warhead, all-digital electronics, improved active radar seeker, a stronger booster rocket, improved automated target selection, multiple launch capability, and an increased resistance to countermeasures. While this looks the same as the original missile it has a greater range of 21 miles, and a larger warhead of 485lbs. The missile is used by the Germans and the Italians. The missile bodies are supplied as one part cast resin. The main fins and rear control fins are supplied as resin (only one set shown for clarity). The exhaust is supplied as a PE part. Missiles markings are supplied on a small decal sheet. What is strange is Eduard have only supplied one Kormoran 1, and one Kormoran 2 in this set. The standard load out for German Tornados, or Italian F-104;s was two missiles, so the modeller would have to buy two sets to complete a model. It might have made more sense to box two of each model separately? Conclusion Quality ordnance can always enhance the look of a model. These will no doubt look good, my recommendation is diminished by only having one of each type in the pack. Review samples courtesy of

Mk.84 Bombs 1:72 Eduard Brassin The Mark 84 or BLU-117 is an US general-purpose bomb, it is also the largest of the Mark 80 series of weapons with a nominal weight of 2000Lbs. Actual weight varying with fuse options. It is a conventional steel cased bomb filled with 945 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. There is also a rear part supplied in PE. Different fused noses, including the log "Daisy cutter" are included in resin. It is good Eduard have included 3 each of these as you are bound to loose one to the carpet monster at some point! 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

Focke Wulf 190 Cockpit and MG 131 compartment 1:32 Brassin Having just finished reviewing the last two sets from Brassin, HERE, a further two sets arrived from Britmodeller HQ. The first is a comprehensive set to replace the kit cockpit and the second is to replace and detail the upper gun mounts between the cockpit and engine bay. (Cockpit Set 632-056) This set is provided in the small cardboard box now standard for the larger Brassin sets. On opening and removing the top layer of foam, the modeller is confronted with a large resin part, three bags of smaller parts in both dark and light grey resin plus a bag of three etched brass sheets, a small sheet of acetate and a small decal sheet. The single large resin part completely replaces the kits cockpit tub. This will need to be carefully removed from the moulding blocks and have the thinned resin panel behind the seat cut away. The complex seatbelt assemblies are built up from the pre-painted etch sheet and fitted to the seat once the squab and back rest have been added, which is then fitted to the tub, along with the joystick, a small instrument panel between the rudder pedals, and an access panel just behind the seat, (there are two styles of panel to choose from). The rudder pedals are next and these are made up from both resin and etched parts, followed by the lower instrument panel complete with undercarriage lever, rocket and MG FF cannon controllers and a number of other levers, and finally the two piece throttle lever. Before the cockpit can be fitted to the kit fuselage the set adds a three part canopy opening handle, replacement coaming, upper instrument panel, with each instrument provided on the decal sheet and two styles of very intricate gun-sights. The windscreen framing is then added to the kit part, whilst the armoured head rest is fitted to the new canopy decking and fitted with one of two styles of armour support, as both the open and close styles are provided, along with the slide for the canopy movement, all fitted to the inside of the canopy. MG 131 Mount 632-060. This set comes in the more normal blister pack and contains both dark and light resin parts and a sheet of etched brass. Before doing anything, you will have to remove all the moulded detail off the lower front bulkhead. The replacement bulkhead is made up of a brass panel, to which the various strengtheners and fittings are added. The two resin ammunition tanks are then fitted to the bulkhead hangers. The upper kit decking is completely replaced by a beautifully moulded resin part, to which the replacement MG 131 machine guns are fitted. One of the sets barrels was slightly bent, so some careful manipulation may be required on yours, using some warm water. The ammunition tracks are then attached followed by a PE framework/pipework that sits around the windscreen, the six panel fixings, three per side and the large resin access panel. Conclusion Although the new Revell kit has superb detail straight out of the box some modellers are just not content. These sets will certainly scratch that itch with a level of detail that injection moulding cannot, certainly at the price point Revell try to aim at. So if you want as much detail as you can get in your completed model these sets are for you. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

M117 Bomb w/Airbrake & Mk.84 Bombs 1:48 Eduard Brassin Firstly, let me apologise for the state of the boxes in the picture, as they got a little bent before I had chance to take the photos. M117 Bomb w/Airbrakes (648190) This set includes resin parts sufficient to build six M117 bombs with the MAU-91 Snakeye fin assembly, and a set of fuses with no, short or long extenders to detonate the bomb just before it hits the ground. Each bomb is made from the bomb body, the fin assembly in retracted state for carrying, and a choice of three fuses. Simply cut off the moulding blocks, dish the mating surfaces in the centre and glue them together, taking care with the alignment so your bomb doesn't end up looking like a banana. A scrap diagram shows the correct alignment of the fins to the support lugs, which should be 45o offset from the lugs. Painting is simple, consisting of olive drab, on top of which you add the supplied decals, using the painting guide on the instructions for location. Mk.84 Bomb (648212) The Mk.84 is a General Purpose Bomb that saw use from Vietnam onwards, and weighs in at around 2,000lbs. It's a surprisingly large bomb, and as such only two are included in this set, with moulded in fins, and separate fuse extenders of small and long varieties, as well as the standard fuse. A small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) rings are supplied for the rear of the bombs, with two spares in case you lose one. Decals are also included for the stencils and yellow rings round the nose, all of which is covered on the accompanying painting and markings guide. Review sample courtesy of

Dornier Do.335B Upgrades (for HK Model) 1:32 Eduard Brassin Dornier's pinnacle of WWII piston-engined fighters was kitted last year by HK Models in 1:32 for the first time in injection moulded styrene, and now Eduard have released a number of sets for those looking for even more detail than is already present in the kit, in Photo-Etch (PE) and resin. Interior (32825) This set comprises of two frets, measuring 7cm x 4.7cm and 7cm x 3.8cm. The larger fret is pre-painted and self-adhesive, while the smaller is bare brass and contains the more constructional elements. A tiny square of acetate is also included with the shape of the gun-sight's HUD printed to ease cutting out. The seat is given a new set of arms from folded PE, and the gun-sight is upgraded with additional details, including the aforementioned clear film. The footwell in front of the pilot's feet is overhauled with new parts, including the rudder pedals and their linkages, with a small foot-control on the starboard side. The majority of the pre-painted fret is devoted to the instrument panel and side consoles, which are a delight to behold, painted very finely with instrument faces and all the little knobs and dials a pilot could wish for. The main instrument panel is made up from two layers with an additional bezel added to the centre portion, while the side consoles are cleared of their moulded on detail before the new panels are installed along with a number of additional wheels, levers and other controls to give is a 3D look. The same approach is taken with the sidewall instruments, which are glued to the existing detail to augment them. You will need a short length of 0.8mm diameter rod to complete the job however. Interior Zoom! (33143) If you don't feel the need to add the extra brass parts to your cockpit, but would like to sparkly new instrument panels, or if you're just on a budget, this is the set for you, as it includes only the pre-painted, self-adhesive fret, as seen above. Seatbelts (32826) Supplied on a diminutive 3.5cm x 4.2cm fret with the various parts pre-painted, this set has enough parts to construct a highly detailed set of four-point safety belts for the kit seat, with realistic metallic fittings, as per the real items. Exterior (32364) This brass fret measures a healthy 14cm x 9.5cm, and contains plenty of upgrades to detail, some of which isn't strictly exterior, but still pretty useful to have. Both the kit supplied engines are trimmed with some small additional parts, along with lifting lugs for the block, with the front engine's rocker covers also fitted with a bracket. The supercharger intakes are covered with a fine circular mesh, and the gun bay gets more realistic curved feed-chutes for the cannons. The belly-mounted radiator bath has mesh inserts added to depict the radiator cores, and the outlets at the rear under the elevators are replaced with more detailed (and in-scale) doors, as is the one in the belly. The side-mounted doors need a small slit cut either side of the recess to enable correct fitting, which will require careful use of your razor saw. The engine cowlings front and rear are fitted with detailed fasteners, each of which requires four folds to create, and should look superb once installed. The annular radiator in the nose is then skinned with three radiator sections that fit over the kit sections. The gear bays are augmented with additional parts, most importantly on the inner edge of the main bays, which receive a skin depicting the framework, plus a layer of wiring, and a line of strengthening plates nearby. The nose gear receives a simple raised part, folded along pre-etched lines, but the bay doors are given new hinges, retraction mechanism and latches are provided for the bomb bay. The hatch for the crew ladder is given a new more detailed door, the inner doors on the main bays have a piece cut out and an edging strip added around the edge, and the main gear legs are spruced up with extra parts. Exhaust Stacks (632050) This Brassin set includes twenty eight replacement exhaust stubs for the 335's two engines, which if you know your DB603 is four too many. The front engine has a straight line-up of six stubs, which you can see on the pictures. The rear engine gives you the option of using six stubs identical to the forward engine, or replacing the front and rear stubs with alternatives fitted with small fins, the function of which is unclear. You'll have to check your references to see which type were fitted, but whichever ones you use, the detail is superb, with hollow exits and weld-bead lines. You will have to keep them on their casting blocks until you're ready to use them, as the stubs are handed and intended for specific engine. Wheels (632042) Arriving in Eduard's usual Brassin clamshell box, these resin wheels are a direct replacement for the kit parts, along with a full set of masks for them to assist in painting the hubs after the tyres. The hubs are separate parts, and are installed into recesses in the tyres, so could conceivably be painted separately from the tyres anyway. Detail is superb, and each tyre is subtly weighted without looking like it needs reinflating. A scrap diagram shows the correct orientation for each of the two types of hub. Muzzle Brakes (632058) Tagging along almost as an afterthought (this set arrived in June 2015) comes this small and inexpensive set from Eduard to improve the detail of your HK Do.335 in the offensive armament department. Arriving in the usual clamshell box, you will find the two parts on one casting block, pinned against the front by a protective foam insert. The parts are small, but beautifully detailed with the tiny rows of blast deflector tubes all perfectly represented with thin walls and hollow muzzles that reduce recoil on the real thing. The casting block is attached to the underside of each muzzle by a fine web of resin, which should be simple to remove with a sharp knife and a fine sanding stick, allowing the modeller to just fit them in place instead of the kit parts. For the price, you'd be churlish not to get a set, as their finesse is a big improvement over the kit parts, and even better than the sintered replacements available with one of the brass sets I've seen. I'd still use these resin ones. Masks (JX175) The Pfiel has a complex greenhouse canopy that is blessed with a large number of panes that are unusual shapes, so a masking set will be a boon if you're a bit wary of such things. The set covers every panel apart from the observation blisters, which are quite severe compound curves, and best covered with scrap tape or liquid mask. The time you spend masking up will be much reduced with this handy sheet of pre-cut kabuki style tape. Conclusion Another well-rounded "set of sets" to add more detail to your big Pfiel, from which you can pick and choose. You can of course purchase all the PE sets in the Big Ed set that you can find here, to which you'll just need to add the wheels and exhausts. Review sample courtesy of

Photo Etch & Resin detail sets for Eduard Avia B.534 1:72 Eduard The Avia B.534 from Eduard is a great little kit, and now re-released in a weekend edition. Eduard have come up with a whole slew of upgrades should the modeller wish to use them. Avia B.534 Self Adhesive PE For Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard This fret contains colour self adhesive parts for the instrument panel. There are also seatbelts, forward and back parts for the radiator, rudder pedals, a control wheel. Other exterior parts are the pilots step, front air intake, ring & bead gunsight, and a strut mounted pitot tube. Finally new PE fins are provided for the kit bombs. Avia B.534 Wires and Stretchers 1:72 Eduard As the title would suggest this fret covers the bracing wires and stretchers for the aircraft. Also provided are the buckles for attaching these to the airframe. A comprehensive set of instructions is provided to show the positioning of all the parts. Better in fact than the kit instructions. B.534 For the Eduard kit Pre-Cut Masks 1:72 Eduard In keeping with their other pre-cut mask sets, this set contains masks for all of the transparent parts, as well as the main landing gear wheels. Also included are masks for the wings and tailplanes where there is a different edge to the camo. They are a great time (and stress) saver. Brassin Wheel & Spats B.534 For the Eduard kit 1:72 Eduard These are one part wheels & Spats, with masks to replace the two part items in the kit. These are well moulded and you can even read the DUNLOP on the tyres (if you have good eyesight!), however this sample did have a couple of uncharacteristic air bubbles you don't normally see from Eduard. The lines you can see on the left part are just flow lines in the resin and the part is smooth. Brassin Bombs & Racks B.534 For the Eduard kit 1:72 Eduard These are direct resin replacements for the kit bombs and their racks. These parts are excellent moulding with no flaws at all. Conclusion The new B.534 kit is a great kit on its own. If buying the weekend edition these embellishments are available from Eduard which will no doubt enhance your model. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of

AIM-9E Sidewinder Missiles 1:72 Eduard Brassin The AIM-9E was a replacement for the original AIM-9B and entered service in 1967. This missile had larger forward canards and a more aerodynamic seeker head. It also had an improved rocket motor. The missile, still had to be fired at the rear quarter of the target, a drawback of all early IR missiles. This set from Eduard in their brassin range contains 4 complete missiles. There is a resin body which contains the rear fins, with the forward fins being supplied in Photo etch. There is also a rear rocket motor part supplied in PE. Nose caps are cupplied in resin for all the units if the modeller wants to use. The last item in theis package is the inclusion of missile markings on the small decal sheet. Conclusion Quality ordnance can always enhance the look of a model, these AIM-9Es from Eduard are excellent missiles. Recomended. Review samples courtesy of

JAS-39 Gripen Wheels - For The Revell Kit 1:72 Eduard Brassin This set from Eduard in their brassin range is a direct replacement for the kit wheel. These are well moulded on small pour blocks and should enhance the look of your kit. The set also inclused a set of wheel masks to help paint the wheels correctly Conclusion Wheels can be one area which let a kit down, in a lot of cases these resin replacements can make a difference, this is helped by the masks to paint them. Recomended. Review samples courtesy of

Spitfire VIII Updates (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard If you've read our review here, you might be thinking about some updates to further improve detail, even though the kit out of the box is superb. That's just the way we modellers seem to be. Eduard's new sets have been released at the same time as the kit, and give the modeller options of personalising their models with extra detail and open panels/flaps. We have six resin and Photo-Etch (PE) sets, with the Brassin sets coming in the usual long card box, while the PE sets arrive in the standard flat pack with backing card and instructions sandwiched between. So far we have six sets for you to pick and choose from, as follows: Cockpit (648199) This resin set is a complete replacement for the kit cockpit tub, which also duplicates a couple of PE parts due to the fact that it may be installed by some modellers with only the forthcoming Weekend edition. In all, there are twenty nine pieces of resin, a sheet of pre-painted PE, and a small sheet of acetate for the HUD glazing. This is glued to the resin base and then attached to the instrument panel, which as usual with Eduard's sets, gives you a choice of either layered PE or a resin panel, just in case you think pre-painted panels are "cheating". This then attaches to the foot-well frame, which is in turn attached to the curved resin floor skin. The floor is detailed with control linkages and cross-members, and the two frames behind the pilot, the front of which is fitted with PE head armour, and mounts the highly detailed resin seat, which holds the back armour between it and the superbly thin frame. A PE rack for flares can be installed on the seat edge if you fancy it, and fit a full set of seatbelts in pre-painted PE. The lower sidewalls are already festooned with detail not possible in styrene, to which are added more in the shape of resin and PE parts, of which there are quite a few. The end result is just the right amount of busy, as befits the real thing. A resin rear-view mirror is included for the top of the canopy too as a bonus, of the circular type only however. Engine (648200) Containing fifty six pieces of rein and a fret of PE brass, this set isn't one you'll finish in a few minutes. You'll also need to cut the nose off your Spit, and remove a chunk of the lower wing, so you'll need your razor saw. The detail in the box is amazing, and once you've cut off the moulding blocks, you'll soon have the basic engine built, which consists of twelve of the larger resin parts, including the supercharger. A number of linkages are added to the sides of the engine, and the exhaust manifolds are built up from resin and PE with the stubs inserted individually from a choice of straight or fish-tailed pipes. A highly detailed resin firewall is added to the rear, locating on a small block low down out of sight to give the assembly additional strength. A pair of large diameter pipes are trailed across the top of the engine from the bulkhead to the front of the engine, with a wish-bone shaped third hose sitting over the supercharger. The engine-hangers are built up from two very complex N-shaped supports with a horse-shoe shaped cross-member, and two more V-shaped supports running to the front of the engine, all of which are added from underneath. Hanging from the beams is the oil-cooler, and under the supercharger is a heat-proof panel that keeps the chin intake air cool, which is added later. At this point the engine can be added to the shortened fuselage, which already has a set of location tabs moulded inside the new front. Once glued in place with epoxy or CA, you add the two PE frames that support the cowling, close up the wing root using the kit insert, and add a small PE insert in the base of the wing centre to reinstate the wing skin, which should be sprayed the same colour as the wing exterior. I've made that sound quite uncomplicated, but you'll be detail painting all the way through, so it should take some time. Not mentioned in the instructions, but present in the box are a full set of detailed-on-both-sides cowling parts for you to place wherever you see fit, either on the wing, on a bench in a diorama, or just propped up nearby on your shelf. Upgrade Set (49708) This small set measuring 7cm x 4.7cm has a few elements that are pre-painted, but the majority are brass, plated with a shiny silver metal (I must ask them whether that's nickel one of these days). The parts are used to add a little detail to the kit cockpit in the way of hoses, control lever, and even some small braces between the aft visible fuselage frame. A yellow wire bundle is applied in the starboard footwell, and a flare rack (also seen in the resin set above) for the pilot's seat front. A PE compass bracket, textured grips for the rudder pedals, detailed radiator fronts, and PE radiator flaps, and replacement bay doors for the retractable tail-wheel are also included. Flaps (48834) Although the pilot of your Spitfire model would seemingly leave himself open to a fine if he left the flaps down on the field, a set of dropped flaps add additional visual interest to any model, so many of us do it anyway. This set will allow just such heresy with the removal of a section from the lower edge of the wing, a template for which is helpfully included on the 11cm x 7cm fret of PE brass. You'll also need to scrape the upper edge of the wing thinner, and remove a tiny panel on the upper wing that indicates to the pilot that he has his flaps down. With that work done, the construction of the flaps is quite straight-forward, with a few folds, a twist of the ribs to the upright position, and some CA on the flap bay, and a small number of skins for the inboard end where the bay dives away into the fuselage. Hinges are added to the roof of the bay, and the fold/twist/glue process is repeated for the flaps. A 0.8mm rod is needed for the hinge in the flaps, plus a little 0.3mm wire for the link between the inner and outer sections. A small slip of PE is added to the wing to fill a gap, and the little flap indicator door is detailed with its open door, the end of the bracket (on a small plastic pedestal that you glue in place), and the retraction arm that operates it. Surface Panels (48835) An unusual and niche set that provides lots of inspection covers for your Spitfire, should you want to pose it in a maintenance situation. Measuring 11cm x 7cm, the fret contains seventeen templates to cut out a number of inspection and access panels that are dotted around the Spitfire (mostly on the wings), which you can cut out, thin from the inside, and place a PE surround behind the hole, and pose the replacement PE hatch cover appropriately open, or placed nearby. It also includes a PE cockpit door and fuel filler cap for good measure. Although the hatches are for the most part small, apart from a couple on the fuselage sides, you're going to have to find out what is behind them and fabricate the details yourself. SuperFabric Seatbelts (49074) If you're not yet familiar with SuperFabric, it is a technique of printing a seatbelt in a 3D flexible "ink" that can be peeled from the backing sheet and installed in your cockpit using white glue to hold it in place. You are warned not to use CA with lots of exclamation marks, so I tested it on the edge printing. As you can see on the photo, it softens the printing, so would probably result in a bit of a mess. The buckles and fixtures are over-printed in silver, with black used to simulate rivets. They're not quite as realistic as the Fabric belts with PE fixtures, but they're also a lot simpler, so will suit many looking for a quick fix. I'm not entirely sure about the toffee brown of the belts however, which is at variance with the pale bone colour of the PE printed belts on their other sets. Gun Bays (648201) This resin set contains nineteen resin parts, and a sheet of PE brass - all the parts you need to create two highly detailed gun-bays for your Eduard kit that is exposed by cutting the requisite panels from the wing. The instructions show the panels to remove, and a new set of scale-thickness panels are included in resin with PE stiffeners to replace them when you have completed your model. Once cut from their casting blocks the main bay frame is mated to the PE floor, and various rib parts are added along with the guns, their ammo feed, and ancillary parts. A PE strip is glued across the rear of the cannon breach, and four more go into the narrow bay door to stiffen it. The inner edge of the bay frame is also the sidewall of the landing gear bay, so must be painted that colour during construction, whether you believe it will be silver, interior green or underside colour – that's up to you! Detail is excellent, and if you take the time to thin the edges of the bay you cut out, it will both give you a little wiggle-room, and a more realistic finish. As always with sets of this type, test-fitting and fettling are paramount. Review sample courtesy of

Lewis MkII WWI guns 1:32 Brassin With the burgeoning number of 1:32 WWI aircraft kits available it’s unsurprising that Brassin have started to release some aftermarket bits for them. In this case they have released a pack of two WWI vintage Lewis machine guns. They arrive in the now standard blister pack with the resin contents held in place by a nice slab of foam, while the etch sheet is sealed under a taped down piece of card. Naturally the quality of the resin parts is superb with some exquisite details. There will be the need for some cleaning up of the parts once the parts have been removed from their moulding blocks. Each of the two guns are made up of the barrel and breech sections moulded as one, with the resin handle attached to the rear, along with a resin cocking lever, barrel muzzle and ammunition drum. The only etched part is for the forward sight. Brassin have also included four spare ammunition drums to add to the aircraft racks. Conclusion For those modellers who have a collection of WNW or other 1:32 British aircraft kits, these guns will be a super addition to the finished models. As I’ve said before you can’t really go wrong with Brassin and this set goes a long way to prove it. Highly recommended Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.IX Engine (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin (648112) The new kit from Eduard is probably the best Spitfire kits I've had the privilege to own out of the box, but that sort of detail just leads to wanting more. This set is perfect to fulfil that desire, and bares the whole engine from the firewall forward. Arriving in one of Eduard's oblong Brassin boxes, it contains five bags of resin in two shades of grey, plus a Photo-Etch (PE) fret and an eight page A5 instruction booklet. The size of the booklet and the CAD rendering of the finished engine on the front of the box are the first two clues as to the completeness of the reproduction of the engine, requiring only removing from their casting blocks, some sympathetic painting, and some modelling skills. It's not for the novice modeller, and you will be required to cut the nose off your kit's delightfully well moulded fuselage in order to accomplish the task. If you're ok with that, plus a little super-glue (CA), some PE handling, you should be fine. Construction begins with the engine block, and that is very highly detailed with separate reduction gear at the front, and a beautifully moulded "blower" at the rear, manifold detail in the top of the cylinders, and the words Rolls-Royce on the side of each head. The exhaust manifold Is made up resin and PE parts, and slots into the sides of the engine, with individual exhaust stacks of either round or fish-tailed designs provided. A plethora of control linkages pass back from the block over the Supercharger, which is mated to the firewall part, after which thick brass fuel hoses and the engine mounts fix to the top of the engine. The mount is made up from five parts, some of which will need a thin support film removing from in between the struts before they are mated to the C-shaped yoke that straddles the rear of the engine. Two more resin parts squeeze in between the struts, and it can then be glued to the short spar in the leading edge of the wing. The fuselage is then offered up from behind, with the bulkhead slipping inside the front, which has a ridge that has the dual function of setting the correct depth, while hiding the thick edges of the fuselage halves. The wing leading edge insert is then added according to the wing-type you have chosen, and the PE cowling attachment web is glued to either side of the engine, which will require a little curving of the parts to conform to the shape of the fuselage fuselage. The chin intake's innards are added underneath along with a PE insert that completes the edge of the fuselage underside, and should be painted to match the underside colour. Because the aircraft will have its engine cowling parts removed, you might be mistaken (after looking only at the instructions) in thinking that's all you get. Nope. You get a full set of cowling panels in wafer-thin dark grey resin, complete with plenty of interior detail that will allow you to pose them around the aircraft or on a diorama base if you feel like it. Painting instructions are shown throughout the build, and are in Gunze Mr Color codes, with a conversion to colour names on the rear page. If you're not familiar with Gunze paints, they're rather good, but if you're committed to another brand, any of the online paint conversion charts such as the Paint4Models will be able to assist with conversion. Conclusion A stunning example of what's achievable with modern CAD design and resin engineering, that produces a stunningly realistic looking engine. Take your time with the painting and gluing the parts together, and you will have a superb focus point on the front of your Mk.IX once you're done. I can see this being used on my second IX, as it's just too good not to. Extremely highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mk.20 Rockeye II 1:72 Eduard Brassin The Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bomb unit or CBU is a free fall unit containing 247 dual-purpose armor-piercing shaped-charge bomblets. The unit is a clamshell design which splits up in flight to dispense the bomblets. The weapon has been used by the US Air Force, Navy & Marine Corps, and has been i use since 1968. The Eduard plastic pack contains six units of the Rockeye II, each is very well cast. A small PE fret is supplied for the rear of the units when they are removed from their casting blocks. If modelling the units in flight, or ready to go the vanes are on the noses. If the modeller wants to model the units before flight then the prominent nose protectors are supplied as seperate units. To finish off a small decal sheet with a multitude of stencil markings is provided. Overall the quality of these is excellent and the modeller will get much better results using these in 1.72 scale rather then the conventional plastic weapons supplied in two half's which I for one can never seem to get to look round. Review sample courtesy of

GBU-8/B HOBOS 1:72 Eduard Brassin The GBU-8/B was an electro-optical guidance kit for the US 2000 lb MK 84 bomb. HOBOS standing for Homing Bomb System. The kit consisted of a nose mounted black and white TV camera, body strakes and rear mounted flying surfaces. To engage a target the pilot had to manoeuvre the aircraft to align the bomb seeker while the Weapons system office watched a TV screen. Once the seeker had locked onto a target of sufficient contrast then the WSO would lock the seeker. After release the bomb would be guided to the target by the seekers programming. Unlike early paveway systems the HOBOS was a fire and forget weapon, however this advantage was lost as there were not always high contrast targets available, and the system was not as cost effective. In use it was found to be more unreliable than the paveways. The Eduard plastic pack contains two units of the HOBOS. each is very well cast. The clear TV seekers for the nose are supplied as separate clear resin parts. To finish off a small decal sheet with a multitude of stencil markings is provided. Overall the quality of these is excellent and the modeller will get much better results using these in 1.72 scale rather then the conventional plastic weapons supplied in two half's which I for one can never seem to get to look round. Review sample courtesy of

Etch Douglas C-47 Updates (for Airfix) 1:72 Eduard Having built the Airfix C-47 last year as a diorama, I was impressed with the kit. It went together very well and the detail was certainly good from the box. That said, us modellers know that we can always take it one step further when we build a favourite aircraft. Eduard provide the solutions to do this in their familiar etch 'flat pack's and Brassin resin. Both the interior and exterior are catered for. Brassin Resin C-47 Wheels (672 046) The kit wheels are well defined, but these resin replacements are superb with more accurate looking hubs. They are single piece direct replacements and include paint masks to make life easier. Like the kit parts, they are modelled in a weighted configuration too for a more realistic look. C-47 Interior (73513) The interior of the kit is well detailed, although naturally, the limitations of injection moulding present some opportunities for etch enhancement. This set give some nice touches to the cockpit area including self adhesive pre-painted main panel, control wheels, seatbelts and side panels. The cockpit floor gets a replacement surface too. A nice touch for the cabin are some inserts to fill the ejector pin marks left from the moulding process. A complete front door is included with hinges for the open position and the rear door gets etch handles too which if in the open position are prominent features. C-47 Interior (Zoom SS513) This set provides the self adhesive pre-painted fret included in the above set for a budget alternative just focussing on the cockpit area. C-47 Exterior (72587) A single sheet here provides a mix of noticeable and subtle improvements for the exterior of the kit. The gear legs get several enhancements including the 'X' struts and brake lines that feed up the drag link. A 3 dimensional boarding ladder for the rear access is included too. The engines are treated to the plug leads, oil cooler mesh's (front & rear) and exhaust support brackets offering a great improvement. The gear bays benefit from a number of surface panels and straps for the oil tanks.Finally, windscreen wipers, landing light apertures and aerials are included too. C-47 Surface Panels (72590) Given the small size of these sheets, it would of been good to see this one included in the exterior set rather than being an additional set to purchase. This set provides pretty much what it says on the pack. Included are window frames for the cabin windows & astrodome. You also get the wing joint reinforcement struts that are prominent on both the upper and lower surfaces with pleasant subtle riveting detail, but you will of course need to sand the raised areas from the kit parts to use these. Further 'toothed' surfaces are included for the reinforcement strips immediately outboard of the engines on the lower wings. Finally, several small panels for the fuselage and wings make up the rest of the set. C-47 Landing flaps (72588) One of the great things about the new Airfix kits is the regular inclusion of separate flaps so you can have them in the lowered position and the C-47 is one of these kits. The kit parts are OK, but this set will provide a much more scale accurate rendition of the lattice work on the inner surfaces as you would expect. However, they can be a fiddly affair in my experience with lots of folding of intricate parts, so have the swear box emptied before you start! C-47 Cargo Seatbelts (73514) The cabin seats are pretty basic with no seatbelts included, so this simple set is a great enhancement. I used masking tape on mine, but these would of provided a much improved look. If you have the rear doors open, they will be noticeable. A great benefit is the fact that they are pre-painted, so they can be added after painting your interior. C-47 Die Cut Window Masks (CX401) I'm a big fan of these, whilst the windows on the C-47 are simple shapes, this set will take the sting out of masking prior to painting. Conclusion There are a lot of sets provided for the C-47, and it would add up to a significant amount of money if you used them all. However, I've no doubt that using a few of the sets would much improve the look of your finished build. At some point I would like to build a civilian 'Dak' when released so will be intending to use several of these sets on it. Review sample courtesy of