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GBU-32 Non-Thermally Protected 1:72 Eduard 672207 The GBU-32 is a 1000lb air-dropped weapon that is part of the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) family of GPS-guided bombs. The weapon is relatively modern and was deployed in combat in Afghanistan. In common with most other 1:72 scale brassin weapon sets, the set of eight GBU-38s arrive packaged into the usual Eduard blister pack, complete with decals and a tiny fret of photo etched parts. Each bomb comprises the main body of the weapon with the ballistic tail cast in place, a choice of four heads are provided for both USN and USAF variants. The casting is flawless and smooth, with minimal cleanup required thanks to the positioning of the pouring stubs at the tail-end of the weapon. Colours and stencil positions are marked in a colour diagram, with Gunze Mr Color paint references as usual. Review sample courtesy of

GBU-38 for B-2A (672208) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The GBU-38 is a 500lb air-dropped weapon that is part of the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) family of GPS-guided bombs. The weapon is relatively modern and was deployed in combat in Afghanistan. This set has been created with the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber in mind, and contains twice as many bombs as were seen in the standard set we reviewed here. There are eight bomb bodies attached in pairs to pour blocks by their fins, plus a choice of either covered or bare USAF head units, depending on what phase of mission you are planning to model your B-2. painting instructions and stencil positions are marked in a colour diagram, with Gunze Mr Color codes as usual. As the B-2A can carry a theoretical maximum of eighty (yes, 80!) 500lb bombs using the Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA), you'd be better off depicting it partially loaded if you don't want to go bankrupt! Review sample courtesy of

Wellington Mk.Ia/c Engines & Bomb Bay set 1:72 Eduard for Airfix Kit The new Wellington from Airfix is most welcome, and Eduard continue to bring update sets out for it. Engines (672200) This set contains two complete engines for the Wellington. There are two radial engines, their mountings, exhaust collector rings, and engine cowls. A mixture of resin & PE parts which should combine to bring two excellent looking engines for your wellington. Bomb Bay Set (672200) This set contains two sheets of PE for a complete bomb bay for your wellington. This area is complex structure on the aircraft and the PE accurately recreates this. As well as the internal structure there are new doors and their mouthing points included. Review sample courtesy of

AGM-158, R-23R & AIM-9X Missiles 1:48 Eduard Brassin A new raft of 1:48 Missiles from Eduard, and as usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the oblong Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched wrapped around, providing extra protection. AGM-158 (648425) The AGM-158 is a stand-off or cruise missile, which combines small size with stealthy exterior to minimise chances of interception before it reaches its target and detonates the 1,000lb warhead. They are currently in use with the US, Poland, Australia and Finland, with extended range variants also developed. There are parts for two missiles in the box, with two wings per fuselage, a vertical tail and small parts for shackles, an antenna and a clear part for the rear of the fuselage. The wings and tail can be modelled folded for carriage, or deployed during flight, as shown in a scrap diagram. Decals are included and their location is shown in the painting diagram that uses Gunze codes as call-outs. R-23R Missiles for Mig-23 (648432 for Trumpeter) Designed specifically for the Mig-23, this version uses Semi-Active Radar Homing to seek its target, and has the ability to climb to a target if necessary, with a range of up to 22 miles. There are parts for two missiles in the box, with the large rear fins and smaller steering vanes provided as separate parts that fit into recesses in the missile body. A PE exhaust ring is fitted to the rear, and a pair of pylons are supplied for attachment to the airframe. If you want to show the missiles before flight, the nose needs to be removed with a saw and replaced by the resin covers that are moulded in lighter resin. A set of small PE covers for the proximity sensors are also included, and these are shown in position on a scrap diagram. The little rods on the very tips of the missiles are there to prevent formation of bubbles in the nose-cone, and should be cut off during construction. Decals are included and their location is shown in the painting diagram that uses Gunze codes as call-outs. AIM-9X Sidewinder Missiles (648435) The latest in a long line of Sidewinders, designed for modern air combat in an effort to leapfrog the unexpectedly superior performance of Russian missiles over previous incarnations, and built in collaboration with other Allied countries. This set has parts for four missiles with moulded-in rear stabilisers, separate forward steering vanes, exhausts and clear seeker heads. Decals are included and their location is shown in the painting diagram that uses Gunze codes as call-outs. Review sample courtesy of

BL755 Cluster Bombs (672194) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The BL755 was the main RAF & RN Cluster bomb between the early 1970s until 2008 when it was removed due to the UK signing the Ottawa Treaty on Landmines. Each bomb contained 147 sub munitions and externally was shaped like a standard 1000Lb bomb. Each sub munition contained a shaped anti armour charge surrounded by wound tessellated square wire which produced upto 1400 anti personnel fragments. The unit was used by some NATO allies and some UK partner nations. They continue to be used recently by Saudi aircraft in the Yemen. Typically the units were kept in canisters prior to use so dont normally show the weathering which can be seen on bombs. This set contains four resin bombs, and a set of decals. Review sample courtesy of

GBU-38 Non-Thermally Protected 1:72 Eduard The GBU-38 is a 500lb air-dropped weapon that is part of the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) family of GPS-guided bombs. The weapon is relatively modern and was deployed in combat in Afghanistan. In common with most other 1:72 scale brassin weapon sets, the set of four GBU-38s arrive packaged into the usual Eduard blister pack, complete with decals and a small fret of photo etched parts. Each bomb comprises the main body of the weapon with the ballistic tail cast in place, a choice of two heads are provided for both USN and USAF variants, both with optional protective caps. The casting is flawless and smooth, with minimal cleanup required thanks to the positioning of the pouring stubs at the tail-end of the weapon. Colours and stencil positions are marked in a colour diagram, with Gunze Mr Color paint references as usual. Review sample courtesy of

SPS-141 ECM pod for MiG-21 (672195) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The SPS-141 ECM pod was a Soviet designed POD for protection from both air and ground threats. The POD was designed to automatically affect the missile guidance head once it had launched and locked on to the aircraft. The pilot had to manually select the most probable threats in order of priority. It is reported that the Iraqis used the pod in numbers during the Iran/Iraq war and that no aircraft carrying it was lost. This set contains the 2 part pod, pylon, and two horn antennas. Also included is the pods control panel to fit in the cockpit. The casting is up to Eduard's high standards. A small decal sheet is provided for the markings. Review sample courtesy of

Fw.190A Resin Upgrades (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard's newly issued early Fw.190A has been released in ProfiPACK and Royal Class boxings, and now we have another brace of new resin sets for those of you that love to add extra detail to their models, and aren't always satisfied by the ability of injection moulding to satisfy your needs. The earlier sets dealt mainly with the A-4, which you can read about here. As always it's a modular approach, and you can choose what you use, with a guarantee that it'll fit your model just so, as it's by Eduard for Eduard. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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 larger sets are encased in an oblong box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched wrapped around, providing extra protection. Fw.190A-3 Cockpit (648357) Consisting of resin, PE, decals and a small sheet of clear acetate film, the largest part of which is the cockpit tub with the aft decking and side consoles already moulded in. The separate seat is prepared with its cushion and a set of pre-painted PE seatbelts, and fitted to the tub after the removal of some moulding flash that is indicated in red (already removed in the pics). Resin control column, resin and PE rudder pedals, and the instrument panel are made up next, with the latter having the choice of using the PE panel with pre-printed dials, or a detailed resin part over which you apply a decal of the instruments. Your choice! The panel fits on ledges at the front of the side consoles, and the resin gunsight with PE and acetate parts slides into a groove in the upper panel. The cowling fits over the top, and it too has cut-outs that need clearing of flash beforehand. To fit the new cockpit inside the fuselage a pair of plastic wedges are removed from the inside, to be replaced with a detailed PE and resin trim wheel. The assemblies should then fit neatly within, alongside the kit bulkhead, assuming you aren't taking advantage of any of the other sets I'll be mentioning in this review. The set includes the opening mechanism and the pilot's head armour, which has a warning decal added to it after painting. The interior roll-over frame is resin, and has delicate PE bracing wires linking to the rear, all of which fits inside the canopy after painting. The canopy then installs as normal. Fw.190A Propeller (648366) In order to fit this prop, you'll just need to shave the front off the housing at the front of the kit engine, before creating the prop on its jig, with separate central boss and blades, which fit snugly into the jig and should just lift out once the CA is dry unless you've overdone it. A PE template fits to the back of the boss to mark the centre-point for you to mark and drill a 2mm hole, after which the PE is discarded. The adapted kit part has a small resin pin added, and the prop with a choice of two types of cooling fan (large blades & small) is fitted to the tip of the pin protruding from the engine. If you wanted to portray a maintenance diorama there is a resin prop-shaft included with a detailed spindle that fits into either the kit engine, or one of the new resin engines that are out (648352 & 648335). A new spinner finishes off the set. Fw.190A-2 (648379) and Fw.190A-3/4 (648367) Undercarriage Legs BRONZE These two sets are functionally identical, but differ in the design of the inner gear bay cover detail. There are two cast bronze legs in each box, with four gear bay doors, consisting of two captive main and two inner doors that hinge along the aircraft's centreline. The casting of the bronze is superlative, and far better than white metal, as well as being much stronger. If you are planning on loading up your model with resin cockpit, engine, gun bay, etc., these may be just the ticket to support all that extra weight. Take your pick based on the variant you're modelling. Fw.190A-2 (648379) Fw.190A-3/4 (648367) Fw.190A Control Surfaces Early (648371) This is simply a new set of control surfaces with tab fitting that drop in place instead of the kit parts, benefitting from the fine detail that resin is capable, as well as super-fine trailing edges. There are elevators, ailerons and a rudder unit in the box, with attachment points for casting running along the leading edge, which will mostly remain unseen after construction. Fw.190A Pitot Probes Early (648373) This inexpensive set contains three resin pitot probes on a single casting block with a pair of rails on the sides to protect them from damage. The resin is quite flexible, and provides excellent detail, which is achieved by the addition of a small extension past the end of the probe to ensure complete filling of the narrow cavity and avoid bubbles. You can see that section in the photo at the tip of the arrow I have added. They're not as strong as a metal one, but you're also not likely to skewer yourself with a resin one. Having three on hand will be useful if you have a Royal Class boxing, or just for spares. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.IX wheel sets for Tamiya Eduard 1:32 The Tamiya 1:32 Spitfire Mk.IX is a beautiful kit throughout, but there are always ways of improving even a Tamiya uber kit, or at least that’s how Eduard think. These two sets provide the modeller the option for fitting different styles of tyres to their model. Both sets include a full set of wheel, including the tail wheel, which is a one for one replacement. The main wheels are split into three parts, the wheel and tyre, plus the inner and outer hubs, the inners having well produced brake detail. They also both feature the five spoke pattern wheels, the differences are the tyres themselves. Set 632 127 features smooth tyres, while set 632-128 features a treaded pattern tyre. All the parts are very nicely moulded, with correctly spelt sidewall deatil and are easily removed from the moulding blocks due to the thin webs holding them to said block. A quick clean up after removal and you’re ready to glue the hubs in place, paint and glue to the kit undercarriage legs and your work is done. For ease of painting the sets also come with a sheet of masks to help give that clean paint job. Smooth Tyres 632-127 Pattern Tyres 632-128 Conclusion As with any modelling it is best to check your references and build your Spitfire accordingly. With these sets you now have the option of building your model with the correct tyres if the ones in the kit aren’t suitable. The masks are a very handy addition to the sets, just to make life that little bit easier. Review sample courtesy of

GBU-32 Thermally Protected Bombs (648396) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The GBU-32 is a JDAM smart bomb built around the Mk.83 "dumb" bomb, with a seeker head and guiding vanes to the rear, and a launch weight of just over 1,000lbs. it is capable of being guided by GPS or laser, depending on which head is fitted, with the laser seeker giving the bomb a stubby rounded "nose" when compared to the pointed nose of the GPS guided variant. In Naval useage fires onboard ships are an even more grave danger to munitions due to the confined spaces and danger of sinking, so a thick lumpy coating is added to the warhead to resist heat for longer and delay cook-off, in the hope that the fire can be suppressed within that extended timeframe. As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the oblong Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions wrapped around, providing extra protection. There are eight bomb bodies in the box, with moulded-in lugs and excellent surface detail, with a choice of four heads per unit, and eight tail-units that fit with a keyed-lug onto the rear of the body, where the casting block joins, thereby hiding any minor errors in removing them from the blocks. The seeker heads have a similar fitting, and the tail unit is attached to its block at the rear with very fine slivers of resin ensuring a good fill of the fins. The harness that marks out these bombs as a bit "special" is supplied as Photo-Etch (PE) parts, which are cut from the fret and curved to match the profile of the body, with a little annealing in a flame going a long way toward helping with this. Tensioning straps loop under the bomb, linking the three PE parts together, and this too must be rolled to fit the body shape. A set of stencils are included on the decal sheet, with a placement guide and painting instructions in a small diagram at the front of the instructions. Painting codes are given in Gunze Sangyo colours as well as the colour name if you don't have access to a conversion chart. With eight in the box there are plenty for a couple of projects, with a choice to heads as a bonus. My review sample was missing four tail units, so rather than delaying the review by getting replacements from Eduard, I did a little Photoshop doubling up the four that I had to show the correct contents. This is one of the first packing mistakes that I've ever experienced in one of their sets in around eight years, but it's still worth checking yours when they arrive, just in case. Review sample courtesy of

Fw.190A-5/U12 Gun Pods (648398 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The diminutive but agile Fw.190 saw many things strapped to it due to their Fuhrer's mindset that tried to make every successful (and some of the unsuccessful) aircraft all things to all men. One such addition were a pair of turret-like gun pods, each carrying a pair of 20mm Mg151s in the pods and leaving out the wing mounted MG-FFs, presumably to save weight. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. Inside the box are two pods with four barrels in grey resin, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE), and a decal sheet for one particular example that flew with these pods attached, with a white tail and swooping red stripe over the front fuselage. Building the pods is simple, with the two barrels slotting into the apertures in the front of the pods, a small PE part attaching under the front lip, and a tiny lifting eye on what becomes the underside. A scrap diagram shows the location for the finished pod, just outboard of the main gear well. The instructions are unusual, as they are made up from a full sheet of A4, folded into quarters to accommodate a full page of profiles from all four sides of the topic in hand. The standard A-5 kit decals are shown in black, while the new decals are pointed out in red to assist you. I believe that this option was previously available through the Bunny Fighter Club, as you can possibly see the letters BFC on the decals. Review sample courtesy of

FAB-500 M54 Bombs (648424) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Russian iron bombs, dumb bombs of free-fall bombs. They have a lot of names, and come in a variety of sizes from 100kg all the way up to 9000kg. This one is a 500kg M54 unit (designed in 1954), which is surprisingly still in service alongside the M62, but can be differentiated by the more complex fin arrangement with four larger and four narrower fins at the rear, the larger ones overlapping the stabilising ring. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. Inside the clamshell are two bomb bodies, two fin units and a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, with stencils on a sheet of decal paper. Once cut from their casting blocks, the two parts are lined up and glued together with super-glue (CA), with the fins connecting to corresponding grooves in the rear of the body. The cut rear end of the bomb body is finished off with one of the small circles of PE, with a raised section and a hole in the centre. Painting is shown on the guide diagram, and it's a dull grey (H/C308 in Gunze shades), with just the one stencil on the side (with a spare, in case you can't see on the pic). There's plenty of options for weathering, as bombs are often moved more times than they are dropped, so scratches, rust and missing paint, as well as fading is often seen. These types have been seen many times on multiple ejection rack pylons on Tu-22s, forcing them to remain subsonic unless they are carrying the newer M62 units that have no ballistic ring on the nose and are designed to cope with the forces associated with externally carried munitions on a modern fighter. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-6/U4 Essentials (SIN64845 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Tamiya's new 109G in 1:48 is a bit late to the party, but I'm sure it's a good one. Eduard have already done the research for their own G series and their various updates, and it would be a shame to waste it, so they've adapted it to the new kit, improving the main focal areas in a modular fashion. If you wanted to throw the kitchen sink at the kit (and why not?), this Essentials Brassin set brings almost everything you'll need, which when you add the engine I reviewed earlier here, will make your 109 stand out from the crowd. As usual with Eduard's SIN resin sets, they arrive in a rectangular Brassin tray box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam sheets, and the instructions on top, providing just a tad of extra protection. All in, you make a healthy saving on buying the individual sets. Bf.109G-6 Wheels (648400) The narrow track of the 109 was well known as a danger during ground handling, and later on a set of wider diameter wheels were fitted with smaller hubs to help with this unwelcome characteristic. The tyres are fitted with large diameter shallow hubs and thin radially recessed treaded tyres, with the raised manufacturer's data faithfully reproduced, and the hub detail is superb. Bf.109G-6 Exhaust Stacks (648402) If you don't want to go all the way and open up the engine, but want those nice hollow exhaust stacks and the feint glimpse of the engine within the cowlings, then this set is for you. It contains two backing plates for the exhaust slots with engine detail visible, and 12 individual exhaust stacks that fit into slots in the manifold. A pair of PE flame damping strips are added above and below the exhaust stacks, which require a slight widening of the slot, as shown on the accompanying instructions. Bf.109G Gun Pods (648403) Containing one MG 151/20 cannon in each pod under the wing, these bolt-on weapons upped the 109's offensive armaments significantly, and gave it a more aggressive look into the bargain. This set contains parts for both cannons, and each one can be posed open or closed at your whim. To build them closed is simple – just add the barrel to the fairing and scribe a small circular access hatch in the lower wing using the template provided. Bf.109G-4/U4 cockpit (648411) A complete resin cockpit to replace the kit parts with more highly detailed resin and PE parts, with eighteen parts in grey resin, four in clear resin, two sheets of PE, one pre-painted and nickel-plated, the other bare brass, a small sheet of acetate, and the instructions. The new cockpit replaces the old, and necessitates the removal of all the interior detail before it can be installed, with a choice of resin instrument panel with decals, or a resin and PE sandwich that has realistic detail on the individual dials. Crew seatbelts are included, as are delicate rudder pedals and details far beyond what styrene alone can achieve, such as the combined resin/PE and acetate Revi 16b gunsight, or the alternative Revi 12c. The inside of the canopy is detailed with head armour, padded headrest and grab-handles on the inside corners of the windscreen, while the sloping rear of the cockpit can be depicted as early or late designs, with a different stowage panel inserted after making space for it by removing the early version that is moulded into part B25 of the kit. In both cases the two sill sections are removed beforehand, as these are included in the resin parts of the cockpit. Masks (EX583) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109-G Engine (648406 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Tamiya's new Bf.109G-6 gets the Eduard treatment in stages (we reviewed some of the earlier sets here), and this time it's the engine compartment. As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the oblong Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions sandwiched wrapped around, providing extra protection. Inside are four bags of resin in two shades of grey, a single sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) brass in a separate bag with backing card, and the instruction booklet, which in this instance is fairly substantial consisting of nine sides of folded A4. The set includes the gun bays in the nose, and begins with the construction of the main engine block, which has an amazing number of PE and resin parts added, even before you have left the first page of the instruction. The oil tank, engine mounts and turbocharger are installed too, with the gun bay next, linked with various hoses and bracketry. Looked on as a whole it seems quite daunting, but if it is like any other Eduard engine set, it will fall together once you have gone through making up sub-assemblies and painted them. The level of detail present and the care taken to explain it all thoroughly in pictorial format is stunning, with additional wiring needed from your stocks to do the whole thing justice and mimic the layout of the real thing. The installation requires the removal of the front part of the fuselage, which is where the magnets are housed that allow the stock kit to have removable panels. I find that a bit of a gimmick myself, as I can barely handle any of my kits without breaking the small parts off, so wouldn't want to be fiddling with the model after completion anyway. With the new resin engine showing off so much detail, I wouldn't want to hide it away anyhow! The rear of the gun bay latches neatly onto a couple of depressions on the kit, and then it is a case of wiring it in, and replacing the kit cowling parts with new resin ones that depict the parts in-scale, and with greater detail. The lower cowl is depicted unlatched on one side and swung down, which is held in place by PE tongues, while the upper cowling is opened on both sides gull-wing style, with a 19mm wire prop (from your own stock) holding them in place. An optional resin tropical filter is included if it is required, which has some detailed PE mounts to affix it to the cowling in front of the intake. Conclusion This will not be a "quick slap it together" upgrade, but if you take the time to paint and assemble it correctly, it will provide your model with mind-blowing detail that simply isn't possible in styrene. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G & G-10 Update Sets (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard & Eduard Brassin Following on from our review of the new Bf.109G-10 Mtt Regensburg kit from Eduard (read that here), here are the additional detail sets that have been patterned on the kit parts, and are available to those that can't get enough detail. As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in their black rectangular box, while the Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Bf.109G-10 Cockpit (648422) This Brassin set gives you all the parts for a complete replacement to the kit cockpit in one handy box, including seventeen grey resin parts, four clear resin parts, two sheets of PE, one painted and nickel-plated, a small decal sheet and a slip of clear acetate for the gunsight. Everything is of a higher level of detail due to the flexibility of resin moulding, although there is a small amount of duplication in the seatbelt and instrument panel department, but these are slightly improved from the kit parts. The rest of the cockpit is generously appointed with moulded and PE detail that will look stunning under a few coats of paint if you're careful not to make it too dark in there. The set just needs you to remove the moulded-in detail that's present in the fuselage halves, and while in the mood to replace things, it provides a more detailed set of head armour with a clear resin block taking the place of the clear styrene part. The rear "parcel shelf" of the cockpit is also replaced with a more detailed part that fits in place just as easily as the kit part. Upgrade Set (48961) This large bare brass set contains some important upgrades that go beyond the kit's already excellent detail levels, such as a detailed radio compartment bezel and replacement door with internal mechanism; wheel bay "spats"; in-scale radiator cooling flaps; scale-accurate flap sections with ribbing and hinge mechanism, which are shown assembled in scrap diagrams; a new set of main gear bay covers, which are laminated and joined by new oleo-scissor links, tie-down loops and brake hoses on each leg, and finally a trim flap actuator for the rudder. Masks (EX608) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the tail wheel, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. This will be useful for those getting Overtrees or Weekend kits down the line. Masks Tface (EX609) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

BL755 Cluster Bombs (648415) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The BL755 was the main RAF & RN Cluster bomb between the early 1970s until 2008 when it was removed due to the UK signing the Ottawa Treaty on Landmines. Each bomb contained 147 sub munitions and externally was shaped like a standard 1000Lb bomb. Each sub munition contained a shaped anti armour charge surrounded by wound tessellated square wire which produced upto 1400 anti personnel fragments. The unit was used by some NATO allies and some UK partner nations. They continue to be used recently by Saudi aircraft in the Yemen. Typically the units were kept in canisters prior to use so dont normally show the weathering which can be seen on bombs. This set contains four resin bombs, the arming vanes and a set of decals. Review sample courtesy of

MiG-21MF Brassin Weapons 1:72 Eduard Eduard's new MiG-21MF comes with a fairly comprehensive suite of weaponry for both the interceptor and fighter bomber variants. As you might expect, however, Eduard have released a suite of resin alternatives through their Brassin label. The range includes some items that have been released before in different guises, but these are all labelled for the MiG-21MF and include the relevent launch rails and/or pylons. The range covers the R-13M (NATO AA-2C Atoll), R-3S (NATO AA-2A Atoll), RS-2US (NATO AA-1 Alkali) and UB-16-57UMP Launchers for the S-5 55mm unguided rocket. Of course these items are not strictly exclusive to the MiG-21 and could also be used with other Soviet/Russian aircraft such as the MiG-23, Su-9, Su-17 etc. Each item is well made and beautifully cast, with decals and, in some cases, photo etched details. R-13M Missiles for MiG-21 With pylons (672188) Without Pylons (672187) R-3S Missiles for MiG-21 With pylons (672186) Without Pylons (672185) MiG-21MF Pylons RS-2US Missiles for MiG-21 With pylons (672192) Without pylons (672191) UB-16 Rocket Launchers for MiG-21 With pylons (672190) Without pylons (672189) Conclusion While these items are not essential (the kit equivalents are perfectly useable), they do represent an upgrade for quality and detail-conscious modellers. They are also useful for any other kits you may have in the stash. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Luftwaffe FuG16 Antennae (648331) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Many German WWII fighters carried a FuG 16 VHF radio, which necessitated carrying an aerial under the wing. You often see them depicted as single plastic parts in kits, but if you were to look closer you would see a rectangular base with a clear isolator between the airframe and the antenna. Eduard As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. Inside are three antennae on a single casting block, plus a small fret of brass for the bases, each of which have a hole in the (nearly) centre to accept a small piece of the included acetate sheet. A 0.8mm hole is drilled in the centre of the clear part, and the antenna is inserted, gluing with a non-fogging adhesive, and ensuring that the curved tip faces backwards. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.VIII/IX Cockpit Doors (648380 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Cutting out the cockpit door on a Spitfire usually involves taking a saw or knife to the kit fuselage, taking care not to damage the part you cut out. No longer! Now you can cut out the opening and discard the piece, using this highly detailed resin alternative in its place. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. Inside the box are two resin doors on one casting block, one with the controversial crowbar installed, and one without, showing the clips that it normally affixes to. If you're building a post-war bird by all means paint it red, but for a WWII vintage build leave it interior green, otherwise the sticklers will get ya! There are also decals that are placed in vertically between the two internal stiffeners, with a choice of black or red text and the helpful folks at Eduard have split one set of stencils diagonally, to ease putting them in around the crowbar. Review sample courtesy of

Ammo Belts 20mm Hispano (648409) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Hispano Suiza developed a 20mm cannon in the 1930s that saw extensive use during WWII in Allied service both in aircraft as well as light anti-aircraft weapons, with a belt-feeding mechanism developed by Martin-Baker to facilitate their use in the wings of aircraft instead of the inferior .303 machine guns previously fielded, replacing 4 .303s with two 20mm cannon in each wing. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. All that's in the box is four lengths of 20mm belt, each one 70mm long and attached to a long casting block, which needs to be removed before it can be prepared for paint. The instructions are basically a painting guide, showing a large drawing of a section of link and the colours that they should be painted. Clearly, you'll be using metallic, as the parts of the belt were all unpainted metal, so ensure you have some copper, brass and dark iron in stock before you begin. Review sample courtesy of

Fw.190A-5 Advanced BigSin (SIN64843 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin In case you're unaware, Eduard's BigSin sets are a great way to purchase all the sets you want for your model whilst availing yourself of a bulk purchase discount that can be quite tempting. The set arrives in a large cardboard box with the BigSin branding and a sticker in the top left that details what's inside. Within the box the sets are all cocooned between two layers of grey foam with the resin in bags, while the Photo-Etch fret is still bagged in its flat resealable retail packaging. The set is designed to detail and open up much of the airframe, and includes a complete engine set, nose gun bay, wing root gun bay and propeller set, plus the general PE update set to detail the rest of the airframe. Fw.190A-5 Engine & Fuselage Guns Set (648408) Inside are a raft of engine parts in superb detail. I recently built one for the A-4 and reported the fit is astonishingly good. You can build the parts into sub-assemblies for painting, and if you approach it in a modular format the initial hesitancy of all that detail painting soon goes away. There are 22 resin parts, and sheet of Photo-Etch (PE), and only a small amount of trimming of the kit fuselage and lower wing panels is required, all of which is covered in the instructions. Placement of parts is important due to the accuracy of fit, so test-fit carefully and remove any paint from the mating surfaces to obtain the best, strongest join. The two guns mounted in the cowling behind the engine are also included, with a highly detailed bay part between the engine and cockpit. With sympathetic painting and weathering the final result is unmatched by styrene moulding. Fw.190A Wingroot Gun Bays (648356) This set permits the modeller to depict the wing root gun bays open, which first requires the removal of a portion of the upper wing from the kit parts, as indicated in red on the instructions. The lower wing is then fitted with blanking plates for the cartridge chutes and new resin barrels before attention turns to the new bay inserts. These have the gun breeches added along with a short length of 0.2mm wire from your own stock, arranged as per the scrap drawings, which helpfully have an arrow indicating the direction of flight. The bays are then inserted into the prepared aperture in the upper wing, and a PE bay lip is attached to the plastic to finish it off neatly. A small section of the lip that locates the wing spar will need removing, after which the wing halves can be mated and later in the build/painting the bay doors can be added to the lip that is moulded into the bays for a good strong joint. Fw.190A Propeller (648366) In order to fit this prop, you'll just need to shave the front off the housing at the front of the kit engine, before creating the prop on its jig, with separate central boss and blades, which fit snugly into the jig and should just lift out once the CA is dry unless you've overdone it. A PE template fits to the back of the boss to mark the centre-point for you to mark and drill a 2mm hole, after which the PE is discarded. The adapted kit part has a small resin pin added, and the prop with a choice of two types of cooling fan (large blades & small) is fitted to the tip of the pin protruding from the engine. If you wanted to portray a maintenance diorama there is a resin prop-shaft included with a detailed spindle that fits into the resin engine. A new spinner finishes off the set. Fw.190A-5 Upgrade Set (48949) This PE sheet is bare brass, and builds upon the detail of the kit and included PE that comes with the ProfiPACK boxing. It contains a canopy latch for the cockpit; ammo chute details; additional gear bay sidewall skins; new dual-layer gear leg covers with brake hoses and tie-down loops; bomb shackle details; gear bay retraction jack parts (including additional hosing); gun port surrounds; cockpit armour support, raised strip on the canopy and a frame that attaches to the outside of the windscreen. Conclusion After applying all this extra detail to your model, you will have an Fw.190 that not only weighs a ton, but is pretty much at the leading edge of detail and looks like you could hop in and taxi away. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G Update Sets (for Eduard/Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard & Eduard Brassin This is a catch-up of some sets for the excellent new Eduard kits of various marques that haven't been incorporated in other reviews for whatever reason. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. The resin sets arrive in the familiar Brassin clamshell or card 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 in the clear boxes. Bf.109G Tropical Filter (648410 for Tamiya) This is a simple replacement with additional detail, which requires only two small bases to be removed from the side of the fuselage in front of the intake. There are two resin filters (enough for two kits) with extreme detail, and two sets of brackets that brace the filter against the fuselage, replacing the lumps removed earlier. The original styrene intake from the kit is retained, while the resin part just plugs into the aperture. Bf.109G-4/U4 cockpit (648411 for Tamiya) A complete resin cockpit to replace the kit parts with more highly detailed resin and PE parts, with eighteen parts in grey resin, four in clear resin, two sheets of PE, one pre-painted and nickel-plated, the other bare brass, a small sheet of acetate, and the instructions. The new cockpit replaces the old, and necessitates the removal of all the interior detail before it can be installed, with a choice of resin instrument panel with decals, or a resin and PE sandwich that has realistic detail on the individual dials. Crew seatbelts are included, as are delicate rudder pedals and details far beyond what styrene alone can achieve, such as the combined resin/PE and acetate Revi 16b gunsight, or the alternative Revi 12c. The inside of the canopy is detailed with head armour, padded headrest and grab-handles on the inside corners of the windscreen, while the sloping rear of the cockpit can be depicted as early or late designs, with a different stowage panel inserted after making space for it by removing the early version that is moulded into part B25 of the kit. In both cases the two sill sections are removed beforehand, as these are included in the resin parts of the cockpit. Bf.109G Seatbelts STEEL (FE910) In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. A complete set of shoulder and lap belts are included, with the buckle-padding parts additional items that are glued under the buckles for the pilot's comfort (in the real version). Bf.109G-14 Update Set (48942 for Eduard) This single sheet of PE adds more detail to the already well-detailed kit, in the shape of the radio-compartment door and surround, with realistic locking mechanism; the linings for the main gear wells where the legs reside; a retaining strap for the drop-tank; scale-thin flaps on the rear of the radiator housings; the two-layer flap sections behind the radiator baths, which have additional diagrams showing the correct layout of parts; a set of in-scale gear legs in multiple layers, with oleo-scissors, tie-down lugs and brake hoses; rudder trim actuator, and a stiffening base to the underwing aerial. Review sample courtesy of

Resin Detail Sets for Eduard MiG-21 MF Interceptor/Fighter-Bomber 1:72 Eduard Eduard's all-new MiG-21MF was one of the most hotly anticipated kits in 1:72 scale for some time. Now it is finally here, we can see that the kit doesn't disappoint. It is both accurate and well detailed and has made a lot of modellers of Warsaw Pact subjects very happy. That's not to say it can't be improved, however, thanks to the possibilities offered by resin replacements for some key components and sub-assemblies. MiG-21MF Interceptor Cockpit (672180) This set provides a complete replacement cockpit for the interceptor variant of the kit. The set comprises a complete cockpit tub (which replaces a multi-part version supplied with the kit), an instrument panel, coaming, control column, HUD unit and ejector seat. A small fret of photo etched parts is provided and this contains smaller details including harnesses for the seat, details for the instrument panel (which is otherwise devoid of cast detail). A small sheet of plastic film is provided for the HUD screen itself. While the plastic cockpit provided with the kit is no slouch when it comes to detail, there is only so much that can be achieved with injection moulded polystyrene. This resin version is a considerable upgrade over the plastic version and is well worth consideration. MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber Cockpit (672179) This set provides a replacement resin cockpit for the fighter bomber version of the kit. It is identical to the set reviewed above for the interceptor, but includes a different tub and coaming complete with equipment used for bomb aiming and delivery. MiG-21MF Exhaust Nozzle (672181) This set manages to achieve the feat of improving on the parts provided with the kit while simplifying construction. The replacement resin jet pipe comprises just three resin parts and a small fret of photo etched components which represent a more detailed version of the afterburner flame holder. The replacement assembly simply slots into the kit fuselage with no cutting or surgery required. MiG-21MF Wheels (672182) This set is intended as a like-for-like swap for the kit wheels. A choice of two different main wheels are provided, although the instructions note that one type was rarely used on the MF, along with two identical nose wheels. This means you actually get enough wheels for two complete kits. As is the norm for a set of this type from Eduard, pre-cut masks are also provided to aid painting. These wheels, with their realistic tyre treads, offer a significant upgrade over the kit parts. MiG-21MF Airbrakes (672193) This set provides both fore and aft airbrakes. The former will require the equivalent kit parts to be cut away, while the latter parts are a straight swap for the kit versions. This is an all-resin set, with no photo etch parts required. MiG-21MF Big Sin Set (SIN 67215) This set brings together a number of resin sets in one money saving package. inside the box, you get the following resin replacements: cockpit exhaust nozzle undercarriage wheels fuselage / wing pylons The overall package is around 25% cheaper than buying al of the sets on their own. MiG-21MF Masks (CX511) In a departure from the normal pre-cut masks offered by Eduard, this set omits masks for the wheels (as they have separately moulded hubs) and instead provides masks for the various dielectric panels dotted around the jet. The canopy is, of course, also covered. Conclusion Eduard can hardly be accused of shyness when it comes to providing aftermarket for one of their marquee releases of the past 12 months. It's great that Eduard's approach caters for both the casual hobbyist (through the weekend range of kits) and the committed enthusiast through this extensive range of detail upgrades. The quality of the items on offer is excellent, with each offering considerable enhancement over the plastic equivalents. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-51D Gun Bays (Early & Late) (648397) 1:48 Eduard for Airfix Kit This set contains resin & PE to fit gun bays the new Airfix kit. The set contains parts for early and late gun bays. As well as the bays there are the guns and ammo belts. Decals are provided for the loading instructions inside the doors. Some surgery to the kits wings is needed, through note a lot, mainly just removing the panels. This set should get good results and would suit some kind of loading diorama. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Typhoon Wheels & Exhaust Stacks (648412, 648413 & 648414 for Eduard/Hasegawa) 1:48 Eduard Brassin It's no secret that Hasegawa plastic is found in the latest Limited Edition from Eduard, which you can read about here, and Eduard can always improve on what's in the kit, which they already have done. For the truly detail hungry modeller though, they often release additional sets, which we have here. As usual with Eduard's resin sets, they 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. Wheels Early & Late (648412 & 648413) Both these sets contain the same components, with the main difference being seen in the inner and outer hub shape, which although subtle is there. You get two resin main wheels with a high level of detail in the tyre and hub, plus a tail wheel in white resin, and masks for all three wheels (not pictured), so you can paint those demarcations easily. They're a big improvement on the kit parts, which are bland and a little over-weighted. Early Wheels Late Wheels Exhaust Stacks (648414) These are a simple drop-in replacement for the kit parts with just two pieces in the box, and nice hollow stacks as you can see from the photo. Simply cut them off their blocks and install them with a dab of super glue. Review sample courtesy of