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Tinted Windscreen for 787 & A320 (CR144501 Revell/Zvezda & CR144503 Zvezda) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of things. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instructions, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone or tablet’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has all the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. These sets have been designed as 3D printed masters from which the clear-tinted production copies have been cast using traditional clear resin with an appropriate tint added during mixing. Detail is exceptionally crisp, and once they are removed from their casting bases, they should be a drop-in replacement for the kit parts, so quite simple to use. Cast on a rectangular base, the resin is crystal clear where it matters most, which is the window panes themselves, with minimal distortion for anyone that likes viewers to see into their cockpits. Each set also includes a sheet of masks for the sharply defined glazing panels, pre-cut from genuine Tamiya tape, which is the gold-standard for masking tape for modeller, so you can guarantee it will go down well and peel back off without issue. We have two sets in, as follows: Tinted 787 Windshield for Revell/Zvezda Kit (CR144501) Consisting of a brownish-red tinted windscreen component that is attached to the pour block at the bottom, the removal and installation of this screen should be simplicity itself. There are a generous three sets of masks for each of the four glazing panels, so you can afford to make a couple of mistakes during the process of applying them, which will be useful if you’re new to applying pre-cut masking to your models. Tinted A320 Family Windshield for Zvezda Kit (CR144503) This set has a greenish-blue tint, and as well as the screen it also depicts a portion of the roof above the cockpit, and as is likely with the kit part you will need to add a little filler if the joint above the rear of the cockpit requires it. There are three sets of masks again, although the Airbus A320 series has six panes that wrap around the sides of the nose. Do the Masks Fit? Everyone is probably wondering that, and I’m pleased to advise with a great deal of confidence that they do. It took mere seconds to apply each element, aligning the vertical frames with one side of the mask, then laying it down and burnishing it with light finger pressure. The results below speak volumes. Conclusion Upgrading the look of your airliner model with a good-quality tinted resin screen will separate it from the rest, and as it’s comparatively easy to do, with masks to help you make a good job at a totally reasonable price-point, it’s very tempting. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Boeing B747-8 Fans for Revell (CR144103) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to at least some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of our hobby. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instructions, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone or tablet’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. This set includes four 3D printed replacement fans for your Revell 747-8 kit in 1:144 surrounded by perforated protectors, plus masks for detail painting. We’ve reviewed the Revell kit several times over the years, so here is a link to my earlier review, because why not? The kit fans are each made up from two components, and differ in shape, as well as being thicker and less well defined than these replacement parts. The detail extends to the protective surrounds, which have the name of the intended recipient and product code around the bottom edge in raised lettering. When cutting them from their print supports you should follow the instructions carefully, as printed resin can be brittle, especially when it is this finely printed and realistically thin. I went at it in my usual gung-ho manner initially, cutting the bottom of the supports with a pair of nippers, and as a result broke one of the blades off immediately due to my haste – see if you can spot the repair from the detail picture above. Learn from my mistake and take care when removing the supports, proceeding slowly to minimise flexing and using diagonal cut nippers, then tidy up the backs to your satisfaction. After this they are a drop-in replacement for the two-part kit fans, with the painting guide advising you to prime with a compatible primer, then paint semi-gloss black after painting the spinner and masking them off using whatever method you normally choose. When the black is fully cured, apply the masks to the front faces of each blade, leaving the leading edges exposed to be painted in a titanium metallic to complete the job. The finished fans should far exceed the detail and finesse of the kit parts, and you have the masks that make painting much easier and the finish crisp. Conclusion 3D printing has come a long way since the early days, as evidenced by the quality of these fans in all aspects, with not a layer step in sight, even under magnification. The detail plus the included set of masks make for a compelling argument for the upgrade. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Boeing B787 GE Fans for Revell/Zvezda (CR144100) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of things. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instructions, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. This set includes two 3D printed replacement fans for your Revell 787 kit in 1:144 with GE Engines surrounded by protective balustrade, plus masks for detail painting. The Zvezda Dreamliner kit was first released in 2009, and has since been seen in Revell boxes, so there should be a healthy stock out there in stashes everywhere. The kit fans are made up from two components plus the rear bulkhead with the next set of blades moulded-in, and are thicker and less well defined than these replacement parts. The 3D printed parts have a short axle at the rear of the spinner so it is a drop-in replacement for the blades. The attention to detail extends to the protective surrounds, which have the name of the intended recipient and product code around the bottom edge in raised lettering. When cutting them from their print supports you should follow the instructions carefully, as printed resin can be brittle, especially when it is this finely printed and realistically thin. I still managed to break a couple of blades off while preparing the photo above, probably because I’ve only got single-bladed nippers. Learn from my using inappropriate tools and take care when removing the supports, proceeding slowly to minimise flexing and using diagonal cut nippers, then tidy up the backs to your satisfaction. After this they are a drop-in replacement for the two-part kit fans, with the painting guide advising you to prime with a compatible primer, then paint semi-gloss black after painting the spinner and masking it off. When the black is fully cured, apply the masks to the front faces of each blade, leaving the leading edges exposed to be painted in a titanium metallic colour to complete the job, using the suggested shade in Gunze, MRP, Revell Aqua, and Tamiya codes. The finished fans should far exceed detail and finesse of the kit parts, and you have the masks that make painting much easier and the finish crisp. Conclusion 3D printing has come a long way since the early days, as evidenced by the quality of these fans in all aspects, with not a layer step in sight, even under magnification. The detail and the included set of masks make for a compelling argument for the upgrade. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Civil Airliner Pilots with Hat (CR144805) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of things. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instructions, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. A growing number of airliner models have at least rudimentary cockpits included, and with clear windscreens, those details should be at least dimly visible. To save you having to consider adding more detail to the cockpit, why not put some crew members in the seats, effectively hiding the seats and much of the surrounding detail, or lack thereof? This set from CRM arrives in their standard clear blister pack, and contains two printing bases, each containing four figures in varying poses, glued to the header card, which is easily removed and rolls up when rubbed, leaving no residue. Each pilot is posed differently with a common theme being the cap on their heads, and there are four basic designs on one printing base, the second base being a mirror-image of the other. The pilots are posed reaching forwards, reaching up and even turning round in their seats with one elbow resting on a sill or console, and by combining figures from both bases, you can really individualise the crew figures for your models. Donning my OptiVisor with No.5 lens magnifying things to 2.5x, the detail on the pilots is phenomenal, extending to a fine peak on his cap, a tie draping realistically down his chest, belt and short-sleeved collared shirt all of which will react well to careful painting. Facial features are also depicted, which is amazing at this scale, and if you had a small enough paint brush and the steadiest hands, you could probably paint the eyes and other facial details. Some Citadel Shade or Contrast paint of a suitable skin tone should be sufficient however, as they’re half the height of a 1:72 figure and roughly a quarter the size of your average 1:35 figure, plus they’ll be behind clear styrene windows. Conclusion Every set we get from CRM impresses, both in terms of the designs, uniqueness of the products and the capabilities of modern 3D printers when properly used, which are printing at 8K resolution. It’s worth noting that you can also buy these figure sets with headsets or just hair, for even more variation, all of which are available from the link below. Will we get any bald pilots eventually? Kidding. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Resin Cast Beacons for Airliners (CR144809) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of things. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instruction page of their website, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. If you’re wedded to your desktop or want to see it in larger text, follow this link here. This useful set contains a single casting block in clear red resin that contains ten teardrop-shaped beacon light lenses that are standard on most airliners, plus three tiny bead-type lights that are specific to the Boeing B737, which would be different, wouldn’t it? To use them, just cut them carefully from the upstand with a razor saw, being careful not to grip it so hard that it pings off into the undergrowth, falling victim to the always ravenous carpet monster. They can be attached to the model using PVA or super glue (CA) as you wish, and a useful tool for holding such small parts is either a wax pencil, a sticky-jewel picker tool, or a piece of Blutak rolled into a point. Stick the lens carefully onto your weapon of choice, then apply glue to the intended location or the bottom of the part, applying it to the model and holding it there until it cures. They’re a big improvement on painted styrene bumps that might get lost during seam sanding, or clear parts covered with clear red paint, and you should have enough for at least a few models if you don’t lose any. Conclusion These parts are perfect for replacing moulded-in or missing beacons, or just as a general upgrade to the detail and finesse of the beacons on your latest model, exceeding what’s usually provided in most airliner kits, all for a very reasonable price. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Antenna Set for Airliners (CR144802) 1:144 Counting Rivet Models We’ve received some upgrade sets from our new friends at CRM, the initials standing for “Counting Rivet Models”. They’re new to us, and based in Hamburg Germany, creating highly accurate sets for the airliner community, which is to some extent an untapped market, as most aftermarket companies seem drawn to the military side of things. CRM are part of the new wave of producers that are using technology such as 3D printing to create their products, and it shows. Their sets arrive in a clear blister pack with a card header within, which has a QR code that leads to the instruction page of their website, cutting down on recycling, as most instructions get thrown away after use. Hold your phone’s camera up to it and follow the link to their download centre in your browser of choice, which has the instructions available for download in the de facto standard PDF format. You could be forgiven for thinking the bag was empty after a quick glance, but on further inspection there are a gaggle of tiny print bases with the names of the antennae on one side and the product code on the other, plus uprights that protect the parts from damage during transit and handling before removal of the bases. Inside you will find sixteen parts, broken down as follows: 1 x SATCOM antenna 2 x ADF antennas 2 x ELT antennas 3 x drain mast 4 x VHF antenna 4 x TCAS antenna Each part requires care (and tweezers) to remove and handle, cutting the thin tendrils of resin from the bottom of the part to liberate them, then applying it to your finished model with a dab of PVA glue, wiping away any excess before it dries. Painting can be done most easily before removal from the base by nipping off the protective sides, and most will be white to match the overall colour of the airliner that they are applied to, but check your references just in case. Conclusion These parts are perfect for replacing moulded-in antennae that have been broken off or been obliterated during seam sanding, or just as a general upgrade to the detail and finesse of the antenna fit for your latest model, far exceeding what’s possible with injection-moulded styrene, all for a pocket-friendly price. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of