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SE.5a Upgrade Parts (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard's new tool kit of this famous WWI fighter is a little beauty and you can see our review here, but you can always itail, or budget. 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 Photo-Etch (PE) set arrives in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Two Blade Propeller (left 648296 Right 648297) Available in two flavours, spinning left and right, the clockwise rotating prop being applicable to the (at this time unkitted, although I believe the parts are in the box) Hispano-Suiza 8b engine, and the other for the Wolseley Viper engine variant. Pick your two-bladed prop and marvel at the detail, with a separate boss and spinner plate provided in PE. Left – Anti-Clockwise (648296) Right – Clockwise (648297) Radiator – Wolseley Viper (648298) This highly detailed resin replacement for the kit part consists of five resin parts and four PE parts, the former making up the body of the radiator, the latter providing the mesh detail for the panels for maximum detail. It is a straight-forward drop-in replacement for the kit part. SE.5a Guns (648299) Another drop-in replacement set for the kit, which consists of both the Lewis and the Vickers machine guns, plus the tripod mount for the cowling Vickers, and the over-wing mount for the Lewis gun, which also has two spare magazines of two different capacities. A small PE sheet includes a rack for a spare mag under the gun mount (over the instrument panel), the firing handle, sight and trough for the Vickers, plus blade sight for the Lewis gun. You will need two lengths of 0.2mm wire to complete the firing mechanism for the Lewis, which you will have to provide from your own stocks. SE.5a Stretchers (48915) This is the solitary PE set in this review, and at first the term "stretchers" might seem a bit obscure, but on reading the instructions it becomes clear. They are what I would call the turnbuckles that the aircraft's rigging is attached to, either in single runs, or doubles. As well as including three runs of thirty eight single loops, twenty seven of the double loops, there are also two templates provided to assist you in drilling the twin 0.3mm holes at the wing roots and the opposite ends under the upper wing. Turnbuckles are a handy short-cut for rigging, allowing the modeller to glue their chosen rigging material of choice in place without having to repair the paint-job after. The stretchers are glued into their holes during the build, after which the aircraft can be painted, and (with care) the rigging can be attached when main painting is completed. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire IXe Gun Bays (648334) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard are slowly working their way through all the Spitfire variants in 1:48 and they are great kits. The gun bays are not open on the kits however. This set includes twenty two resin parts, and a PE Sheet. The set gives you two complete wing gun bays, with the guns and ammunition boxes plus the surrounding structure and new panels for the top. Some surgery is needed to open up the top of the wing, but that is fairly simple. Conclusion The kit parts are good enough if you want the wing all closed up, but this resin replacement is just so much better in terms of crisply moulded detail that it has to be worthy of consideration for the detail hungry modeller who wants to open up the gunbays Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

CBU-97 Cluster Bombs 1:72 Eduard Brassin CBU-97 Cluster Bomb (672128) Containing ten bomblets called "Skeets", these containers are designed to be dispensed over enemy vehicles, with the Skeets detecting targets and launching kinetic penetrators downwards toward the more lightly armoured topsides of vehicles. The set includes six canisters with separate tail fins that you must glue to the main body. A set of stencils are also included on a small decal sheet, with painting guide. Eduard's Brassin range are a great source of munitions for the aviation modeller, especially the huge variety of weapons carried by modern jets. 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 casting is is top rate and these are to be recommended if you need them for your build. Review sample courtesy of

Bf 109F Cockpit Set with Early seat (648330) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard are slowly working their way through all the Bf 109 variants in 1:48 and they are great kits. However there is only so much injected plastic can do, their cockpit sets bring a whole new level of detail for the modeller. This set includes nineteen pieces of grey resin, four of clear, two sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, one of which is pre-painted and nickel-plated, plus a small acetate sheet. The instruction booklet covers six sides of A5 on both sides, and is printed in colour to assist you in placement of parts. The set gives you a complete new cockpit including sides and floor which will fit into the model with some work being needed on the kit moulded details. A mix of resin and PE goes into this to create a small model in itself. There is the option of using a one art instrument panel, or a multi par one using the PE & film supplied. Though lets be honest if you are going to the time, trouble, and expense of this set then it really has to be the multi part affair. Conclusion The kit cockpit is good enough, but this resin replacement is just so much better in terms of crisply moulded detail that it has to be worthy of consideration for the detail hungry modeller. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf 109G-4 Cockpit Set (648340) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard are slowly working their way through all the Bf 109 variants in 1:48 and they are great kits. However there is only so much injected plastic can do, their cockpit sets bring a whole new level of detail for the modeller. This set includes twenty pieces of grey resin, four of clear, two sheets of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, one of which is pre-painted and nickel-plated, plus a small acetate sheet. The instruction booklet covers six sides of A5 on both sides, and is printed in colour to assist you in placement of parts. The set gives you a complete new cockpit including sides and floor which will fit into the model with some work being needed on the kit moulded details. A mix of resin and PE goes into this to create a small model in itself. There is the option of using a one art instrument panel, or a multi par one using the PE & film supplied. Though lets be honest if you are going to the time, trouble, and expense of this set then it really has to be the multi part affair. Conclusion The kit cockpit is good enough, but this resin replacement is just so much better in terms of crisply moulded detail that it has to be worthy of consideration for the detail hungry modeller. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Modern Weapons Sets (M36 CBU, Matra R-530, Magic 1 & 2) 1:48 Eduard Brassin More things that go bang from Eduard's Brassin range, which keeps on expanding every month. This time it's mostly French missiles, with a cluster bomb thrown in (hopefully not armed) for good measure. 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. M36 Cluster Bombs (648325) Used in Vietnam by the US with almost 200 bomblets inside that were propelled outward in an airburst to shower the ground with incendiaries. Nasty! The box contains four of these devices, the body of which is cast as a single piece in resin with the casting block at the fin end. The rear of the bomb is fitted with a PE cap, and two small cruciform parts that are the arming spinners. They can be mounted singly by the delicate lugs, or carried on a triple ejector rack (TER), which is available separately under code 648232, which we reviewed here a couple of years ago. A set of stencil decals are supplied and these are located using the painting diagram that also gives colour call-outs in Gunze shades. Matra R-530 (648324) A French medium to short range missile that preceded the successful Magic missiles. In the box are two missile bodies with the aft fins moulded-in, and four separate larger forward fins that slot into the sides of the body. A PE ring and exhaust nozzle is fitted to the rear, and seeker housing with clear resin infrared seeker head is attached to the front. Alternately, a solid head can be used to depict the semi-active radar option. Pylon adapters are also included for Mirage III and F1 carriage, both of which have separate sway-braces. A set of stencil decals are supplied and these are located using the painting diagram that also gives colour call-outs in Gunze shades. Matra R-550 Magic (648322) Designed as direct competition to the American Sidewinder, there is more than a passing resemblance too. The box contains two missile bodies with moulded-in aft fins, and four separate steering vanes to the front, with another four fixed vanes in front of them. A clear seeker head and PE exhaust top & tail the missile, with an alternative nose for a missile with its FOD guard in place. Additional resin and PE parts are also included to display the missile unattached to its pylon for diorama use. Resin pylons and adapter rails are included for the Mirage F1 and III for good measure. A small sheet of masking material for the seeker heads and a set of stencil decals are supplied and the latter are located using the painting diagram that also gives colour call-outs in Gunze shades. matra R-550 Magic 2 (648324) The sequel to the Magic added the capability to fire at a target approaching the missile, and included a change to the external material of the seeker to opaque as well as the internal electronics. It added a valuable initial strike capability to engagements where the enemy was approaching head on. Like the Magic 1 above, you get two missile bodies, four fixed and four moving fins, plus wingtip adapter rails for the Mirage F1 and pylons for the Mirage V and 2000s. The clear seeker head is included again, but a decal for the opaque seeker head is added to hide the clear resin. Parts for the FOD cover and for displaying the missile unattached are also included, along with the same PE set used for the Magic 1. A small sheet of masking material for the seeker heads and a set of stencil decals are supplied and the latter are located using the painting diagram that also gives colour call-outs in Gunze shades. I've seen conflicting evidence of the seeker head being clear and a creamy opaque colour, so check your references if this concerns you, as I've been unable to reach a firm conclusion in my short research window. Incidentally, the FOD covers can be a bare metal, red or yellow, so take your choice. Working with resin Take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.XVI Cowling (648307 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard's new 1:48 Spitfires are excellent kits, but the limitations of injection moulding mean that their top cowlings have to be made from two halves due to the bulges over the exhaust stacks that are so characteristic of any Spit, whether it's Merlin equipped or Griffon powered. Eduard have created a series of resin replacements for those that it bothers, either because they dislike filling seams, are worried that the seam may reappear as they sometimes do, or just want to save a little time. 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. There is only one part in the box, with the moulding block attached at the front end, with protective bars running along the sides, and flash between them and the cowling. Cleanup will be the work of moments, as the front of the cowling is hidden by the prop, and you've got no work to do that might jeopardise all that delicate detail. Review sample courtesy of

P-38F Turbochargers & Air Intakes (648285 for Academy) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Academy P-38 is about the best of the kits available of this attractive and capable aircraft in 1:48, but even they need a little help to reach modern standards, so here is some of that help. This set was released late last year, but fell victim to the back of one of my cupboards, and has only just come back to light. On the basis that it's better late than never, and due to the fact that they're still in stock at Eduard, here they are. 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 twelve resin parts and a sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) to add the fine details. Due to the way the turbochargers are semi-recessed in the top of the engine nacelles, they have a front and rear portion, plus two intakes each, one above and one below the wings. The kit intakes and a strake must be removed first, and the strake is replaced by a fine PE part, with a PE heat shield around the "banjo" end of the turbo. Pretty simple, all told! When handling resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Review sample courtesy of

F-14A Exhaust Nozzles (648311 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Tamiya's überkit of the mighty and much-loved F-14 Tomcat is superb, and Eduard have now brought out this Brassin set to further enhance the detail in the rear, where injection moulding can't offer the level of detail and finesse that resin can. Especially Eduard resin, which is amongst the best quality currently available. The set arrives in the usual black box for larger castings, and under the layers of protective foam and the instructions, you will find two ziplok bags of resin and one containing the Photo-Ecth (PE) parts, which are further protected by a piece of white card. The trunking is quite long on the Tomcat, so is made up of two parts. The shorter section contains the rear face of the engine, into which you place the delicate PE rendition of the afterburner ring, which is made up of four parts, and will need care in correctly assembling it, to which end a number of diagrams are provided to help. The main trunking is a tube with ribbed interior, and attachment rings for the forward end, and the exhaust petals that fit at the rear. The F-14 is usually seen with one nozzle compressed to its smallest aperture and the other relaxed, which is the way it is depicted here using two different mouldings. The finished assemblies slide inside the fuselage, and have a handy "top" inscription on each trunk to assist with alignment. Sympathetic painting will be the key to showing off these parts to their best effect, so spend some time researching the colours typically seen within the trunk and on the nozzles. Review sample courtesy of

SE.5a Upgrade Parts Part II (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin We reviewed the diminutive WWI fighter here, and soon after a gaggle of improvements to the prop and radiator of the Wolseley Viper equipped variant were released, reviewed here. Take a short breather, and here they are again with more prop and radiator options, but for the Hispano Suiza engined aircraft. 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. Four-Bladed Propeller (648318) A delicate four-bladed prop with separate boss and PE spacers to replace the kit parts. The prop is well-supported on a cruciform casting block, with a myriad of joints making for quick and easy clean up compared to solid gates. A few swipes of your favourite sanding sticks will see it ready for paint and installation. A spare spacer (in fact 3 due to a packaging error) were included in my sample, in case the original gets taken by the carpet monster. Radiator for Hispano Suiza four-bladed prop (648319) To be used in conjunction with the prop above to depict a Hispano engine example in glorious detail with resin radiator and PE details to complete the assembly. The completed assembly is then installed in the front of the engine compartment along with a PE detail ring and a short length of 1.9mm diameter rod from your own supplies. Radiator for Hispano Suiza 2-bladed Prop (648320) This set is for the… well, you probably guessed what it was for already. It includes the radiator housing, PE front grille, and the two cores to the sides of the main aperture. A brace fits between them under the prop, and the whole thing just replaces the kit parts to depict a Hispano engine SE.5a. Review sample courtesy of

Modern US Weapons – CBU-105, CBU-97 & GBU-39 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard's Brassin range are a great source of munitions for the aviation modeller, especially the huge variety of weapons carried by modern jets. 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. CBU-97 Cluster Bomb (648275) Containing ten bomblets called "Skeets", these containers are designed to be dispensed over enemy vehicles, with the Skeets detecting targets and launching kinetic penetrators downwards toward the more lightly armoured topsides of vehicles. The set includes six canisters with separate tail fins that you must glue to the main body. A set of stencils are also included on a small decal sheet, with painting guide done using Gunze Sangyo colours. CBU-105 Cluster Bomb (648276) Consisting of the same front end as the CBU-97, the -105 adds a precision guided tail unit that allows greater accuracy. This set also includes six canisters with separate (different) tail fins that you must glue to the main body. A set of stencils are also included on a small decal sheet, with painting guide done using Gunze Sangyo colours. GBU-39 Small Diameter Boms with BRU-61 Pneumatic Bomb Rack (648294) These small (relatively speaking) 110kg bombs are precision guided to enable an aircraft to deliver many smaller munitions more accurately, and loiter longer over a target before having to re-arm due to the effectiveness of the more accurate bombs. The set contains two racks, plus eight bombs to fill them with four each rack. The bombs are depicted with their wings folded for carriage, and are cut from their blocks at the base. Each one fits to a curved tab on the underside of the dispenser, with decals and painting guide showing Gunze Sangyo colours. Review sample courtesy of

R-73 / AA-11 Archer Missiles 1:72 Eduard The R-73 Vympel (NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) is a short range infra red homing missile developed in the Soviet Union that entered service in 1984 to replace the R60 (AA-8 Aphid). Following German Reunification the Luftwaffe found itself with these missiles and it was found that they were surprisingly good, and better in many aspects than the then AIM-9L. R-73 / AA-11 Archer (672-151) This set from Eduard gives a set of 4 missiles complete with launching rails. Seeker heads or covers can be used as needed. PE parts are used for the forward missile fins. Conclusion These sets will enhance any model they are used on. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

IRIS-T Missiles 1:72 Eduard The IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Controlled) is a German-led program to develop a short-range infrared homing air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. In the 1980s NATO agreed that the US would develop a medium range missile which would become the AIM-120 and the UK & Germany would develop a short range missile the AMRAAM. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification the Luftwaffe found itself with large numbers of Russian AA-11 missiles. To their surprise they were found to be better than the AIM-9. More manoeuvrable and capable. The Germans then withdrew from AMRAAM. At about the same time the US also went back on the agreement and resolved to develop the Sidewinder to the AIM-9X. The IRIS-T is reported to have better ECM & Flare resistance to the AIM-9L, and the ability to to engage targets behind the launching aircraft due to it’s ability to turn up to 60G. It is also reported to be able to engage head on targets at much greater ranges than the AIM-9L. The IRIS-T is currently used by Germany, Austria, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, & Thailand. IRIS-T (672-070) This set from Eduard gives a set of 2 missiles wit a choice of launching rails which are designed for the F-16 or SAAB Gripen. The missiles come with resin rear fins, and pe parts. Open or covered seaker heads can be used as needed. A decal sheet is provided for all markings. Conclusion These sets will enhance any model they are used on. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

CBU-105 1:72 Eduard The CBU-105 is a US-produced cluster bomb, developed as a precision-guided variant of the CBU-97. Each weapon contains ten BLU-108 sub-munitions which, in turn, contain four explosive 'skeets', making a total of 40 bomblets. Using a combination of laser and infra-red sensors, the skeets are able to detect vehicles and then fire an explosive penetrator downward, destroying armoured targets and softskins alike. The CBU-105 was deployed to great effect in the 2003 Iraq War. The use of cluster weapons is now prohibited under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions by those nations that have ratified the convention, although the list excludes the USA, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The set arrives in Eduard's usual clamshell pack, inside which are parts for six weapons. The tail units are cast seperately to the bombs themselves, and have been designed so that any marks left from the removal of the pour stubs will be hidden under the join. A small sheet of decals is included, while colour codes are provided with reference to the Gunze Sangyo range. In usual Eduard style, the quality of casting and the level of detail are both superb. Review sample courtesy of

R-60/AA-8 Aphid 1:72 Eduard The R-60 was designed by the Molnyia bureau as a medium range, light weight missile with extreme manoeuvrability. This was achieved by coupling a small frame and light weight with a set of forward facing strakes on the nose to improve the action of the forward steering fins at the extremes of engagement. With a practical range of 4km and above, it was the most agile Air-to-Air missile for many years and could be fitted with either a radar or optical seeker head. The missile can be carried singly, in pairs on a dual rail, and although designed primarily for the Mig-23, it has also been used on the Mig-21, Mig-29 and 31, as well as a host of other aircraft. The set arrives in Eduard's usual clamshell package, inside which are parts for four missiles, four single rails and two dual rails. The missiles are attached to their mould plugs at the rear. Not only should these be easy to remove, but the join will be partly covered by the small photo etched exhaust vents. A small sheet of decals is included, while colour codes are provided with reference to the Gunze Sangyo range. In usual Eduard style, the quality of casting and the level of detail are both superb. Review sample courtesy of

AIM-9G/H Sidewinders (648303) 1:48 Eduard Brassin 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 enough parts to create four super-detailed Sidewinders, which are also available as part of the recently reviewed F-14A BigSin set here if you have a Tomcat in mind for them. The Sidewinders have separate steering vanes and a clear resin seeker head at the front, and a PE exhaust ring at the rear, the latter adding an extra touch of detail to proceedings. There are also optional Remove Before Flight covers for the clear head, and adapter rails to facilitate attachment to the aircraft's pylons. Stencil placement and colour codes are on the instruction booklet with the paints in Gunze codes as per usual. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all, I finished my Hurricane last night and took some photos... The WIP thread is here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234993484-airfix-148-hurricane-mki/ It's the new tool Airfix kit, with Brassin exhausts and wheels. I used the kit decals for the 501 Sqn. option. Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Airfix 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I by Phil Jones, on Flickr Cheers, Phil

F-14A Weapons Set (SIN64828 for Tamiya) Eduard Brassin Tamiya's new F-14A is a supersonic interceptor in the true Cold War style, so needs to be bristling with weapons. Injection moulded weapons are all well and good, but even the new slide-moulded one-piece weapons come with mould lines which can drift out of alignment, all of which takes time to deal with, as generally you are looking at four seams per item. Resin weapons can be moulded without seams if expertly done, and Eduard are the masters of resin moulding. As this is a BigSin set, it arrives in a flat top-opening figure sized box, and although the box is perhaps a little over-sized for the parts, there is adequate bubble-wrap inside to prevent the contents moving in transit. Inside the box are three sets that have been available separately in the past, as follows: 648062 AIM-7E Sparrow Missiles (4 in the pack) 648097 AIM-54A Phoenix Missiles (4 in the pack) 648303 AIM-9G/H Sidewinder Air-To-Air Missiles (4 in the pack) Each set is in a separate ziplok bag, with the combined Photo-Etch (PE) and decal sheets in another ziplok back with two sheets of white card providing extra protection. The Sparrow missiles are each built from the main body that has the rear fins moulded in, and separate steering vanes. At the rear is a circular exhaust in PE, and all the stencils are provided on the sheet, with the painting and markings on the instruction booklet using Gunze paint codes for the colours. The Phoenix missiles are each made of the main body with a separate tail part with the rear fins moulded in. The two parts join together with a butt-joint, so ensure that you cut the mould plugs cleanly, and it may help to Dremel the join so that it is concave to improve the fit if the two parts rock at all. The exhaust is moulded into the rear of the tail with a deep undercut adding realism, so no PE is required. There is a short pin moulded into the nose cone to ensure that no bubbles form in the very point of each missile, so remember to remove those and knock back the stub to the correct shape with a fine sanding stick. Again, stencils are included on the sheet with the colour codes given in Gunze shades. The Sidewinders have separate steering vanes and a clear resin seeker head at the front, and a PE exhaust ring at the rear. There are also optional Remove Before Flight covers for the clear head, and adapter rails to facilitate attachment to the aircraft's pylons. Stencil placement and colour codes are on the instruction booklet with the paints in Gunze codes as per the rest of the set. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.IX Cowlings (Early 648305 Late 648306) 1:48 Eduard Brassin These new sets are resin replacement cowlings for the new(ish) Spitfire IX from Eduard in 1:48. 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. Each one consists of just the one part, which is a drop-in replacement for the two kit parts. Due to the limitations of injection moulding, the subtle bulges of the cowling had to be moulded as two parts for the kit, which is a limitation that resin doesn't share due to its flexible moulds. The differences between early and late revolve around placement and number of fasteners, which you can just about see in the accompanying photo, and it is all incredibly delicate and sharply rendered. With the two part kit cowling you risk damaging the detail during clean-up, and the dreaded "reappearing seam" that has plagued at least one of my own Spitfire builds, and some others that I have seen online over the years. The relatively low price of this part makes it well worth the effort and expense to improve your kit's detail. Highly recommended. Early (648305) Late (648306) Review sample courtesy of

F-104 Martin Baker Mk.7 & C2 Ejection Seats (648287 & 648286 for Hasegawa) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The F-104 used three ejection seats during its career, the initial C1 that fired downward, and killed quite a number of pilots, which was replaced by the C2, again designed by Lockheed. Some export airframes were refitted with Martin-Baker Mk.7s by their new owners, which as zero/zero seats gave the pilots a much higher chance of survival in a wider flight envelope over the C2, which didn't have that capability and had a minimum flight speed of over 100mph. Eduard's Brassin line swells by two new seats with the release of these two sets. 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. Both sets include resin parts, pre-painted nickel-plated Photo-Etch (PE), and a small sheet of decals for the stencils. Lockheed C2 Ejection Seat (648286) Four resin parts make up the main body of the seat, with a choice of two types of seat cushion. The ejection rail is added to the kit interior, with horizontal rails made of PE before the seat itself is installed, but first the pre-painted belts must be installed after painting the resin parts using the colour call-outs from the Gunze range. A coat of clear gloss will be needed over the paint in order to apply the decals, which will give the detail a further lift. Martin Baker MK.7 Ejection Seat (648287) Consisting of five resin parts, a PE set and a small sheet of stencil decals, the ejection rail is almost identical to the C2 set, but the seat has two separate back cushions, plus a resin oxygen hose. After painting, gloss and application of decals the PE belts are added to finish off the job along with the pull handles to initiate the ejection process. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G/G-2/G-4 Upgrade Sets (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Released to coincide with the new G-2 that we have just reviewed here, and to augment the existing upgrades for the whole (growing) range of Gustav variants in the range. 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 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. Upgrade Set (48913) Any kit can always be improved, and this set does just that, beginning where the PE in the Profipak set left off, including a radio compartment door & frame; wheel bay tunnel lining with bump-stops for the legs; chin exhaust door replacement; super-detailed, scale-thickness radiator flaps/landing flaps in two sections with scrap diagram showing the correct orientation; new gear bay doors in laminated brass; oleo-scissor links, tie-downs and brake hoses, and a retaining strap for the centreline fuel tank. Masks (EX544) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with the rear curved sections handled by two frame hugging masks for each pane. In addition you get a set of hub masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort, plus masks for the head. Bf.109G Control Surfaces (648310) This useful set includes a highly detailed set of elevators, rudder, ailerons and their mass-balances to finish the job, plus a number of PE parts that are added to represent the trim tabs found on all these surfaces. Bf.109G-2 Wheels (648295) Straight replacements for the kit parts, these new resin wheels have separate outer star-shaped hubs, and a complete replacement for the tail wheel in a strong white resin. It also includes a sheet of kabuki masking tape with pre-cut tyre masks for the main and tail wheels, to allow you to paint the hubs with a neat demarcation line. Bf.109G Undercarriage Legs BRONZE (648309) These new metal legs are cast in bronze to a very high standard and positively glisten due to their highly polished finish. As a bonus you get a pair of wafer-thin resin landing gear bay covers that fit to the rear of the new legs. Bf.109G-2/-4 Radio Compartment (648257) Engineered to fit perfectly within the kit fuselage, the set consists of resin and brass parts, with the major sections being the interior ribbing that sits within the fuselage, which has a forward bulkhead insert that is festooned with equipment, and a palette sitting over a pair of bottles for what appears to be a battery. Everything is connected up with PE wires, and once closed up, the port side of the assembly that has a hole in it should line up with the radio hatch that is cut out. A liner to the aperture is provided, as is a replacement hatch cover, which could be placed nearby on a wing or the ground if you are planning a diorama. Full painting instructions are called out throughout the instructions in Gunze colours, with a key on the exterior of the booklet. Review sample courtesy of

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII Wheels 1:72 Eduard Brassin Both of these sets are for the new Eduard kit but can be used on any kit. 4 Spoke Wheels with Smooth Tyre (672146) & 4 Spoke Wheels with tread (672147) Each set of wheels comes with both main wheels, the tail wheel & leg combined and a set of mask for painting. Smooth Tyre Tread Tyre Conclusion There's nothing much wrong with Eduard's VII, but even the best kits can be improved on. Naturally Eduard themselves have provided the means to enhance their kit, and quality wheels always look good. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of

FFAR Rockets (672145) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket (FFAR) is not to be confused with the later Folding Fin Aerial Rocket which share the same abreviation. They were originally developed as a 3.5" anti submarine warfare rocket with no charge designed to punture a submarines hull. Due to their accuracy they were later developed into a 5" explosive version by attaching a 5" shell to the original 3.5" rocket body. There were some limitations to the rocket carrying a 5" shell and the High Velocity Aircraft Rocket was developed to overcome these. The original FFAR was carried by the Duntless & Corsair aircraft. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts. There are eight rockets casts in resin with their rear fins. These are very thin and care will be needed to remove them. Each rocket then has two PE mounting clamps which need to be bent to shape, and a rear fuse line to add. Conclusion. These are highly detailed units and will contribute to the look of your 1:72 build. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI Brassin Resin Accessories for Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard This brace of new resin sets for Eduard's Spitfire Mk.XVI mirrors those released for their Mk.IX a few months ago. As good as Eduard's kit might be, there are still limitations to what can be achieved with injection moulded plastic. The Czech firm have recognised this and delivered a suite of neat upgrades that should please every modeller keen to make the most of their new muse. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI Top Cowl for Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard Eduard have produced a resin upper cowling for the new kit, which is helpful if you don't fancy dealing with the seam caused by the division of the kit part into separate port and starboard halves. The replacement part is well made and will be handy if you wish to finish your model with an exposed engine. Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI Wheels for Eduard Kit 1:72 Eduard Nice as the kit wheels are, there is a limit to the level of detail that can be achieved with injection moulded plastic alone. Eduard have therefore produced these resin items as direct replacements for the kit parts. As with the cowling, the quality of casting is excellent. Eduard have included a set of paint masks too, and having used Eduard’s pre-cut masks on a number of occasions, I can vouch for their usefulness. Conclusion There's nothing much wrong with Eduard's XVI, but even the best kits can be improved on. Naturally Eduard themselves have provided the means to enhance their kit, and with a host of photo etched parts (reviewed elsewhere), this new range of kits and accessories is shaping up to be one of the premier modelling projects for fans of WWII subjects. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fokker Dr.1 Engine 1:72 Eduard To mark the re-release of Eduard's nifty little Fokker Dr.1 (reviewed here) the Czech firm have bestowed upon us a brand new resin engine. Included in the now-familiar 'Brassin' blister pack are just three resin parts and a tiny fret of etched metal which holds the ignition wiring. The resin parts are beautifully cast and tick all the boxes in terms of fulfilling the functions of an aftermarket upgrade. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of