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Completed one relatively 'slow' build (a few weeks of evenings and weekends - by my rush-y standards quite slow): the second of my Eduard Combo Hellcats. And also a weekend build of a Tamiya F-51 in ROKAF colours. Both in 1/48. Both painted with rattle cans and brush. First up was the Hellcat, totally OOB. And not technically historical in any way - more a vague representation... This kit is I think my new favourite build. The fit is fantastic. The wings and horizontal stabilisers slot into recesses in the fuselage leaving no gaps, seams, marks at all. It's a real joy to build. The only issue with it (which was also a problem on my first build of the combo) is that the wheel wells are not part of the lower wing. This means that if the landing gear requires any level of force to get in place, the well can pop out and sit lose in the wing. This is more an issue if you already have the wings on! Thankfully I didn't and could glue the well in place again from the side. This was my first time painting on invasion stripes. I couldn't believe how well they went. I used standard tape cut to 10mm width, and used only primers. I think the primers helped avoid any visibly build-up of paint, as they go on so thin. In fact - I was so happy with the wings that I chickened out on the fuselage, convinced I would foul them up on a less forgiving shape. So - I am aware those are missing. Next time. I also for the first time made port and starboard lights by drilling into the recess, inserting a 2mm bit of wire, painting it, then covering with a blob of PVA. Quite happy with this, but is there a glue that dries even more clear? I think on reflection this build is a little too clean. But I am happy with it. And with it's box-mate. The Tamiya P/F-51 used to be one of my favourite kits in terms of a quick, slick build that always came out well. This time I had a real issue with whorls in the plastic. I thought they might be oil, so washed the parts twice, and even after two thin layers of primer these variations were still visible... They are most clear on the horizontal stabilizers. I wanted to do something a bit different with this kit, having made a lot of USAAF 51s over the years, and went for a Korean number. I ordered some decals I hadn't heard of before of ebay... and they were pretty ancient. At least I think. They were 'ABT No101', and come as one single sheet, with the carrier paper covering all decals. I was pretty worried about using these - but actually loved them. They were thick, and didn't conform at all to panel lines, even with a few goes of micro sol. But I actually like the look, they were on register, good colour, and had a nice semi-matte finish. All the photos I had seen of ROKAF Mustangs showed pretty grimey birds. So I went in on the weathering. Base paint was Tamiya bare metal silver. A few panels were then sprayed with Tamiya's titanium silver. Finally smaller panels were brush painted with Vallejo chome and aluminium. The whole thing was then brushed with vallejo satin varnish. before a load of dust and grime went on. I brush painted the walk strips (non-historical) and the sliding main canopy part with Vallejo 'grey-black' over the sprayed Tamiya - which makes it really easy to weather with scratches. I used my finger nail - which led to (I think) nicely random looking chipping and scratches. Was OOB apart from some extra radio wiring, and belts made from rolled flat solder. Thanks for looking. As always - all criticism, questions, and comments most welcome! Bruce

US Mk-82 Bombs with Mk.15 Snakeye Fins 1:32 Brassin Whilst some of the big 1:32 scale kits provide a decent selection of weaponry in the box, they aren’t always up to the standard we seem to have come to expect when attaching them to our masterpieces. This is where Eduard and their Brassin range come in and the ever expanding catalogue of resin bombs, particularly Mk.82’s, come into play. Arriving in the pretty standard cardboard box, the set has parts for six complete bombs. The casting is up to the usual standard, with some very fine details, such as the bomb lugs moulded onto the bomb casing, although one had managed to be broken in the box along with one of the retard tail fins. I think Eduard need to rethink their packaging, at least separate the bombs from the tails. Assembly is nice and simple, as once the fins and bodies are removed from the moulding blocks and cleaned up, it’s just a matter of joining them together, then deciding what fuse type you’re going to fit. There is only one short propeller armed and the option of just having a plain nose cap for an un-armed weapon. Then it’s just a matter of adding the etched brass tail ring, painting, (any colour as long as its olive drab it seems), adding the supplied decals, and weathering as required. Conclusion As is becoming the norm for Brassin these bombs are really well manufactured. Great moulding, good attention to detail and an excellent addition to any modellers armoury. Review samples courtesy of

To start I need to use either grey or black UMP (Badger Stynylrez) primer depending on the finish required, wood effect will have grey primer, red and metal finishes will be black UMP grey primer UMP black primer next I’ll be painting the wood effect in the cockpit and propellor until next time as always, any suggestions or comments will be gratefully received. rgds John(shortCummins)

Hi guys, as said in the chat thread picked this up at tank fest for a pretty penny. Not sure which one I'm going to make so many choices!! Only planning on making the one but time will tell... While my other build, Zulu, is in dry dock at the moment and the 109 nearly done I'm going to turn my hand to this and see how well I can butcher it Joss

HMS Hood 1:200 Eduard Continuing their releases of etched sets for the huge 1:200 HMS Hood from Trumpeter, Eduard have released the next three sets. The first, (No.3) covers the ships railings, the second, (No.4), is for the ships life rafts and boats, the final one for this review, (No.5), ships deck fittings. Part 3 (53-189) – Ships Railings. This single large sheet contains a complete ships complement of railings, including all decks and platforms, some of which will need to be modified to accept the PE parts. The prominent quad of inclined ladders and their landings are also included, as are several braces for the smaller platforms Part 4 (53-190) – Ships boats and rafts. This two sheet set is for all the ships boats and not only provides details of the kit life rafts, but includes addition rafts as well. This is a very comprehensive set covering each boat with a multitude of new or replacement parts. Each of the motor boats receives new decks, deck gratings, cabins, handrails, breakwaters, internal bulkheads, seats, stern rails, bow rails, propellers and rudders. Some of the boats have up to twenty two PE parts to add. The story is the same for the cutters, but with slightly fewer parts. Each has new thwarts, deck gratings, rudders, and a plethora of oars. Even the ships dinghy is given the PE treatment with new centre board case, gunwhales and grating. The ships davits are also provided for with the griping spar, davit span, lifelines, block and tackle for each end, including lines, and jumping nets. Of the ships main boats, the motor boats, motor cutters and cutters etc. there are a complete set of cradles, each made from for pieces of PE. For the life rafts there are new paddles and gratings, and there are some new rafts in the form of square two piece rafts, of which there are twenty. Part 5 (53-193). Deck. Another large two sheet set which covers a multitude of areas with items such as a new breakwaters, complete with all supports and fittings, new anchor plates, and new capstan details. Then there are the enormous number of new deck hatches and watertight doors, some of which even have separate dog clips. A lot of kit detail will need to be removed first, before the PE can be glued into place, but the effort is worth it. The set also includes new doors for each of the ready use lockers, hatches for the deck skylights and a range of different sized cable reels, for which you have to make the drum from plastic rod. There are also several platforms and fittings for B and X turrets, but you will have to check your references to see if they fit in with your build dates. Finally each of the mushroom ventilators has a grille to be fitted, as do the vertical vents. Conclusion Although the prices of these sets seem to inexorably rise, they are perfect for super detailing this mighty kit. At least the modeller has the option of how much detail you wish to add, rather than buying one large set. The railings are probably the most important set you could buy as without these, most models just don’t look right. Review sample courtesy of

Dear fellow modelers, Being serial starter, I could not refrain myself from starting new build, this time an excellent Eduard's offering in 1:144 scale. Since I'm a clumsy sod, I've managed to break its left wing, so additional sanding was required. Otherwise fit was good and only minor gaps on vertical stabilizer needed filler: Painted in primer, together with rest of the gang: Base green paint was applied: Then dark green paint was applied (treatment with blue tac): Some minor touches were needed before proceeding: Brown paint was quite challenging to paint, since a lot of masking was required: So, here we are, little Mig is proudly standing on its feet, some touches of paint still needed before drowning it in Future: And that's all for now

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXc Detail Sets 1:32 Eduard As with the resin sets reviewed HERE, Eduard are really going to town on the Revell 1:32 Spitfire Mk.IXc with the releases of these four etched sets and a set of masks. 32-407 – Exterior set. Whilst not the largest single sheet set, its contents do cover some interesting areas. Namely the main undercarriage bays, with new sides, (which will require some very careful rolling to get to the correct shape), rood sections, which includes the bulge, which you will have to shape with a ball to get it looking right. The radiator faces and rear flaps are also included, along with the actuators, and several brackets, pipework and scissor link for each main leg. 32-408 – Flaps. This set consists of the flaps and their associated bay within the wing. The kit plastic will need to be carefully thinned before adding the bay sections which also include all the ribs. The flaps themselves also include the ribs, and will require a length of 1mm plastic or brass rod. Inserts are included for he ends of the flap bays and the flap down indicators on the top wing need to be cut out and replaced with PE parts that included the linkages and rod that cause the indicator flap to be pushed up. 32-912 – Interior set. Contained on two sheets of relief etched brass, on half the size again as the other, one is unpainted whilst one comes pre-painted. The unpainted sheet contains items such as the a complete replacement seat, with additional side plate and frontal detail, new and replacement fittings for the cockpit floor, foot pedals and additional fittings, wiring, bulkhead attachments and armour. The access door is completely replaced with a PE part folded to shape and fitted with the locking mechanism and crow bar. The gunsight and mounting frame is also replaced with a piece of film acting as the reflector glass. The fixed and moving sections of the canopy are provided with new frames and a quite complex handle. For those that don’t want the whole interior set, there is a smaller Zoom set which only contains the pre-painted sheet. The pre-painted sheet provides the modeller with a variety of coloured knobs and levers, new auxiliary instrument panels, new sidewall fittings, and new throttle box; the main instrument panels are also pre-painted complete with the instrument faces on the backplate. A little dab of aqua clear will give them the appearance of glass fronts. Zoom Set 33-173 – Seatbelts. This small single sheet contains the shoulder belts and lap straps for one model. They are pre-painted and etched in the new steel that Eduard seem to love these days. Very easy to use, but not always easy to get to lay down like cloth straps would do. Conclusion Eduard have really gone to town on this kit, although while there are several sets, apart from the interior and flaps, there doesn’t appear to be that many parts on each sheet. At least the modeller is able to dictate how much detail they would like to add and only buy the sets they need, but Eduard do appear to be giving less value for money lately. Review sample courtesy of

Time for a relaxing build (famous last words, again!). I've had this image on my desktop for some time: JuniorsBeerRun by Ced Bufton, on Flickr Probably a painting but WHAT an image*. I'm using the Eduard kit for this with the Brengun resin set (BRL72063) from Hannants here. The conversion comes with the barrels, racks and fuel tank (I'll use the kit one as it's better detailed), PE for the straps and transfers for MK329 and MH978. MK329 is Johnny Johnson's so an obvious choice - I'm nothing if not predictable. Some good references on the Spitfire Site There's also a clip of the first eight minutes or so of Johnny on 'This is Your Life' here. Off to watch that... Oh, I've put some H10 brown on the barrels as 'pre-shading' base coat: More later * Originally found on in this thread on the PPRune forum it has sadly been hit by the Photobucket ransom and I can't find the original... apologies if I'm infringing anyone's copyright (let me know if so and I'll take it down).

Finally, 13 months after I started its done. The markings are from the Eduard Profipack and paint is the exquisite Mr Color. WIP here. New stuff was ultrafine Uschi rigging thread for the aerial, ludicrous even trying to pick up but looks more scale the EZ line (see last pic). With Airfix new tool that I built four years ago: Note thickness of new Uschi superfine for the aerial. Great little kits to practise on, strongly recommend them to fix mojo loss/ams. A

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IXc Detail Sets 1:32 Eduard/Brassin The Revell Mk.IXc Spitfire has been out a little while now, and, strangely, Eduard have been a little slow in getting stuff out for it, but they have finally caught up with a vengeance with a shed load of sets, both etched and resin to enhance and super detail what is already a nice kit. I will be dealing with the resin sets in this review and the etched in a later article. 632-106 – 4 Spoke Wheels. This simple direct replacement set, provides new tyres, inner hubs with brake detail and outer four spoke hubs, along with a new, single piece tailwheel. The tyre, which have no tread, but nice sidewall detail and wording, are, as with the outer hubs only tentatively attached to the moulding blocks, so require minimal cleanup before glue together, but the inner hubs are mounted to the moulding block on their rear face, so will need to be carefully removed and take a bit more cleaning up before gluing into position. The tailwheel is even simpler to use, just remove from moulding block and fit where the kit part would go, job done. 632-107 – 5 Spoke Wheels. This set consists of the same parts as set 632-106 above, with just the outer hubs being of the five spoke design. 632-108 – Fishtail Exhaust Stacks. This set contains two exhaust stacks that are drop in replacements for the kit parts. Nicely moulded, each stack has a more prominent opening, but I still feel they could have been a little deeper, but once painted they should look a lot better than the kit parts. 632-109 – Undercarriage Legs and Doors. This set contains a very nice pair of main undercarriage legs, in bronze, making them very strong, perfect for a kit that has been laden down with resin and etched brass. In addition there is a pair of main undercarriage doors in resin. These are nice and thin with good rivet detail ont eh outer face and moulded brake pipe on the inner face. Some modellers may want to replace the pipe, but it does look ok to be left if you want. Conclusion Eduard have released a nice selection of parts in these sets. They are all well moulded and detailed, perfect for adding that little bit extra to the Revell kit. In particular, bronze undercarriage legs are superb and if you only buy one set, then this is the one to go for. The choice is yours in how far you want to go, they are all pretty easy to use, so you may want to make a fuss of the kit go for the lot. Review sample courtesy of

Completed my 1/72 Eduard Royal Class FW-190 in captured colors. Such a great little kit to build! Used aftermarket decals Quickboost cannons and MRP paint. Thanks for looking!

Fw 190A-8 1:72 Eduard Royal Class The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The Fw190A-8 was the ultimate evolution of the radial-engined fw190s and entered service in 1944. It featured improvements such as extra fuel, improved armour and nearly 2000hp output with emergency boost. The Kit Eduard have been making these Royal Class editions of a few kits now, this is the first one top been seen in the box by this reviewer and I have to say it looks impressive. There is plastic for four kits, four sheets of Photo-etch, 4 sets of resin wheels, a set of masks for all four aircraft, a beer glass, and lastly a piece of a genuine Fw 190 including a certificate of authenticity for this part. There are decals provided for 12 options. The plastic parts are for the new tool Fw 190A-8 which was released by Eduard this year, including parts for the first time to make an A-8/R2 Sturmbock and an A-8/R11 Night Fighter. Each kit is made up of 92 plastic parts spread across of two sprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. As this is the Royal Class boxing with different aircraft the main parts sprue is included 4 times. Fuselage/Wing Sprue C is included twice, with Sprue E in once, the same as spure I. There are 4 identical clear sprues. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. Care will be needed to study the instructions depending on which decal option being modelled. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no evidence of flash, or sink marks. The surface detail is recessed panel lines, and delicately engraved rivet/fastener detail. Eduard certainly have not skimped on the details. Main sub-assemblies such as the cockpit are comparable with resin items when it comes to the quality, and quantity of detail. The cockpit is made up of over thirty parts (including photo etched details), which is a truly something for a kit of this size. Care must be taken as the cockpit photo-etch for the night fighter variant is slightly different that the other ones (of note is there are three standard frets and one night fighter one). Photo etched details help to raise the level of detail, and cover the obvious items such as the rudder pedals, seat harnesses and instrument panel and side consoles, although for the latter two items there are plastic alternatives. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face (unsurprisingly a resin replacement engine is available from Eduard if you really want to goto town on this area). Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wings, Again care is needed here to select the right parts for the aircraft being modelled. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. The landing flaps are moulded in the up position, however Eduard have included set 72-612 in this boxing which provides full detail parts to show the landing flaps deployed. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels), again a resin detail set is available from Eduard should the modeller want to model the gun bay open. Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, although you have the option of removing the plastic torque links and replacing them with photo etched versions. The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Alternatively two different types of Brassin wheels are included for use in this boxing. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and a single bomb, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Another upgrade from Eduard is a complete resin propeller and fan (though not included here). If making the night fighter version then the aerials are provided as injected plastic and need to be added to the wings. Decals The decal sheet has been produced by Cartograf and is top notch. Glossy with an absolute minimum of carrier film, it should provide no problems, other than which option to build. The kit comes with 12 options; Fw 190A-8 Flown by Josef Priller famously over the beaches on D-Day. Fw 190A-8 Flown by Hans Dortenmann CO of 2./JG 54 France June 1944. Fw 190A-8 JG 301 North Germany, May 1945. Fw 190A-8 Flown by Rudolf Artner, 9./JG 5, Norway Spring 1945. Fw 190A-8 Flown by Alfred Bindseil, 6./JG 1, Germany Spring 1944. Fw 190A-8 9./JG 54 France Summer 1944. Fw 190A-8 W/N 73372, II./JG 300, Germany Spring 1945. Fw 190A-8/R2 W/N 681323 Flown by Friedrich-Karl Frank, II.(Strum)/JG 4, Germany Sept 1944. Fw 190A-8/R2 Flown by Wilhelm Moritz CO of IV.(Sturm)/JG 3, Germany, July 1944. Fw 190A-8/R2 Flown by Paul Lixfeld, 6./JG 300, Germany, Late 1944. Fw 190A-8/R2 Flown by Willi Maximowitz, IV.(Sturm)/JG 3, France, June 1944. Fw 190A-8/R-11 Flown by Günther Migge, 1./NJGr.10, Germany, 1944. In addition to the main decals there are 4 sheets of stencils provided. Beer Glass & Fw 190 Part As this is the Royal Class boxing Eduard have included a Bohemia crystal beer glass. Also included as a piece of wreckage from Fw 190A-8/R-2 Werk No.681323. This aircraft crashed in Czechoslovakia 11th September 1944. The pilot Fw. Friedrich-Karl Frank (JG 4) bailed out and survived, though died 2 mounts later in an accident. Conclusion While some will see this as "another" Fw 190 boxing, there is no doubting the aircraft does have a wide following. If you are a 190 fan then I am sure this boxing for 4 aircraft will appeal. I am not sure how much extra the Glass and piece of fuselage add to the value, however if you plan to make four of these then this boxing does represent the same value as four separate kits. Recommended, or highly recommended for the Fw 190 fan. Review sample courtesy of

P-51D sets & masks 1:48 Eduard - For Meng Kit The Meng P-51D despite being a glueless kit is a good one. Eduard are now along with a few update sets to detail the kit. Interior Set (49850) This set is for the interior. There is one nickel platted coloured fret and one plain one. The colour fret is dominated buy the large three part instrument panel. Also on this fret is the gunsight for the dash and other cockpit fittings. The other fret has pilot head armor, the radio boxes, and parts for the area behind the cockpit and inside the canopy. There is also a template for marking the aerial positions on the tail. If wanted the interior set is available as a Zoom set which contains just the coloured fret. Full Set Zoom Set Seatbelts (FE851) This set provides a full sets of seatbelts. These are the newer Steel type. Masks (EX559) This set provides all the masks for the glazing in the yellow tape. Review samples courtesy of

Bf 109F-4 Weekend Zoom set & Masks 1:48 Eduard Weekend Zoom (FE844) Eduard are slowly working their way through all the Bf 109 variants in 1:48 and they are great kits. This is a zoom set for their weekend edition kit. The set gives you seat belts, cockpit parts, a multi-part instrument panel, tropical filter intake parts, wing radiator parts, and wing flap parts, along with tail stiffener plates and canopy framing parts. Bf.109G-4 Masks (EX535) This set provides all the masks for the glazing in the yellow tape. Review samples courtesy of

STEEL Seatbelts (Various) 1:48 & 1:72 Eduard Here's the latest batch of the newish STEEL seatbelts from Eduard. In case you don't already know, they 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. Seatbelts Italy WWII Fighters (FE826) Contains two sets of belts including the twin shoulder and single lap belt, with optional rear section. Seatbelts Italy WWII Fighters (SS594) in 1:72 Confusingly labelled as both 1:72 and 1:48 on the package, when in fact the 1:72 labelling is correct. This set contains three sets of belts including the twin shoulder and single lap belt, with optional rear section. Seatbelts France WWII (FE839) Three sets of four-point harnesses are included, with an optional central fifth point with buckle and alternate left lap strap minus the buckle found on the 4-point version. SE.5a Seatbelts Early (FE843) Two sets of belts for the famous WWI fighter, with diagrams showing where the laces attach on the airframe. Seatbelts Soviet Union WWII Fighters (FE846) Two sets each of Yakovlev and Lavochkin designed seatbelts for their respective fighters, each with four-point harness and buckles. Seatbelts France WWI (FE852) During WWI three types of belt were used up until 1916, with two of each type supplied. Two other types were used throughout the war, and again, two of each type are included, totalling 10 sets of belts, which is quite generous. You will need to supply the thin wire that connects the belt loops to the airframe, which is described in a scrap diagram in the instructions. Review sample courtesy of

This is the 4th one I've built but the first in this scheme. One of my favorite kits to put together.

Super Seasprite sets & masks 1:48 Eduard - For Kitty Hawk Kit The Kitty Hawk Superseasprite has been out for a short time now and Eduard are now along with a few update sets to detail the kit. Interior Set (49834) This set though not marked is for the interior. There is one nickel platted coloured fret and one plain one. The colour fret is dominated buy the large two part instrument panel, centre console and overhead console. Also on this fret is a control box for the dash and other cockpit fittings such as levers. The brass fret contains sides & tops for the seats, a new floor pan, pedals, and the bulkhead through to the main cabin. If wanted the interior set is available as a Zoom set which contains just the coloured fret. Full Set Zoom Set Seatbelts (FE837) This set provides two full sets of seatbelts for the pilots seats. These are the newer Steel type. Cargo Interior (49847) This set is for the rear of the helo. There is one nickel platted coloured fret and one plain one. The coloured fret provides a full set of seatbelts for the rear seat, also the instrument panels for the rear. A prominent feature is the red webbing seats for the rear compartment, and the cargo net for the rear bulkhead. Some rod will be required to make the webbing seats. The brass fret has the rear cabin floor, side for the rear seat, and all the equipment racks. Masks (EX554) This set provides all the masks for the wheels and glazing in the yellow tape. Review samples courtesy of

Kfir C2 & C7 update sets & masks 1:72 Eduard - For AMK Kit The AMK kit is new to the market and Eduard are as usual quick with the sets. As you can build a C2 or C7 from the kit Eduard have released two sets depending on which version you will build. Both sets have a nickel coated fret and a brass fret in the packet. Parts included are coloured instrument panels, seat belts and all the side panels. New seat cushions are included and firing handles for the ejection seat. Canopy frames with mirrors and sills are provided. For the airframe new wheel well liners are included, and for the undercarriage scissor links and wheel hubs are there. Engine parts and pylon faces complete the set along with new muzzle covers for the cannons and faces for the chaff/flare dispensers. C2 C7 Masks (CX488) This set (for either the C2 or C7 provides all the masks for the main wheels and glazing in the yellow tape. Review sample courtesy of

Bf 109 Upgrade Parts (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard's Bf 109 kits are known for their quality, that does not stop them offering a wide range of update sets to further improve the plastic. 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. Bf 109F seat early (648329) This is a well cast seat complete with a set of colour photo etch seat belts, it is a drop in replacement for the kit parts. Bf 109F&G Pitot tubes (648332) This set has three replacement pitot tubes in resin to replace the kit parts. These will I suspect be more susceptible to damage than the kit parts despite look more realistic. Review sample courtesy of

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

SE.5a Wolseley Viper Profipak (82131) 1:48 Eduard The SE.5 was a huge improvement on early WWI fighters, although it originated in 1916 as an experimental scout aircraft, designed by Henry Folland amongst others, who went on to found Folland Aircraft. After some rather serious design problems that resulted in the death of one of the designers, the kinks were ironed out, and coupled with the powerful Hispano-Suiza engine, it became arguably the most capable fighter of the Great War. After a short run of the original SE.5, the A variant appeared with a more powerful engine with geared prop, but that led to more issues, including detachment of prop, gearbox or both whilst in flight. Wolseley were at this time producing an upgraded version of the engine that they named the Viper, which instead used a direct drive-shaft for the prop, which as well as resulting in reversed rotation, made for a more robust and reliable engine that was more prone to staying attached to its propeller. It became the de facto standard for the type due to its availability and reliability. There were a number of aces that flew the SE.5a, and coupled with the Camel, the aircraft helped the Allies to gain air superiority over the battlefield, with more American built aircraft scheduled to join the fray that were cancelled by the Armistice reducing their usefulness to nil. After the war many were sold into private hands and the type continued to be seen in the skies for years to come. The Kit This is a new tooling from Eduard, and that shows in the details that are immediately apparent when perusing the sprues. Arriving in one of their smaller kit boxes with the familiar orange Profipak branding, inside are two sprues in medium-dark grey styrene, a circular clear sprue, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE), a sheet of kabuki-style pre-cut masks, a large square decal sheet an A5 portrait colour instruction booklet with painting guide to the rear, printed on glossy stock. If you're not used to handling WWI aircraft, particularly fighters, you might forget just how small and delicate they were until you see the fuselage parts, which are scarcely 12cm long on the sprues (minus rudder etc.). There is no deficiency in detail on these small parts however, with lots of crisply executed stitching, ribs, hinges and fasteners depicted in a mixture of engraved and raised forms. The cockpit is also well detailed, with additions in PE bringing a level of realism that can seldom be achieved by us mortals otherwise, with PE belts and instrument panels, which are pre-painted with fine details to enhance the finish. The cockpit framework is inserted into a representation of the inner structural framing along with the seat, fuel tank, controls and cross-braces, which once painted in your preferred manner to simulate wood, are laced with bracing wires to further enhance the detail, but you will need to provide the necessary wires/thread. The cockpit floor is moulded into the lower wing, and here additional ammo cans are stored for the overwing Lewis gun, with another above the instrument panel, which has its plastic details removed before installation of the improved PE version. The dials are raised, so individual PE faces have been supplied on the fret, and great care will be needed to ensure these don't ping off into oblivion. The use of a pick-up pencil, fine tweezers or one of those little rubberised sticky-pads would be advisable, along with some careful positioning. With the cockpit installed in the lower wing, which is a one-piece arrangement by the way, the fuselage is then closed around the assembly, trapping a number of formers within the front section under the engine bay. The Viper engine is then built from parts, beginning with the sump, banks of pistons, rocker covers and exhaust manifold, to which some additional plug wires and other details could be added at your whim. There are two cowling choices for the engine, one of which is standard, with a bulkhead added, the other made up from the standard one with a scoop cut from a spare, and added after cutting the corresponding section from the original. This is only for the first markings option. The pilot's cockpit decking is also built up at this time, with a clear access panel on one side that is fitted with a PE surround, and a small winder with a PE handle at the joint with the main fuselage. These are both installed later after the upper fuselage section between them is added, and the separate ailerons and elevator fins are glued into their positions. At this point a number of clear triangular inspection windows are inserted into the wings and elevator fins, to show off the moulded-in control detail that will need painting beforehand. A choice of two types of elevator are offered, and the fuselage mounted machine gun is installed just prior to the top decking being closed up. A choice of curved or straight windscreen glass is given, and a simple sighting device with PE mounts is fitted to the top after filling in the slot for a simplified styrene version of the mount. The radiator is mated with the cowling as it is fitted, after which the upper wing is prepared for fitting. There are a few methods to successfully paint and rig your biplane, so I'll leave that decision up to you, but another set of clear inspection panels and PE surrounds are fixed into the wing before it is lined up with the struts and glued in place, usually after much of the painting and rigging is already completed. The ailerons are repeated on the upper wings, and PE arms are fitted, replacing the simple styrene pegs moulded into the parts. The fixed landing gear consists of an aerodynamic triangular frame on each side of the lower fuselage with an axle between them with an aerofoil section, but one markings option has simplified structure, to which you will need to add two lengths of 1mm stock to complete additional bracing struts, which isn't included in the kit. Once complete, it can be installed on the underside of the fuselage in sockets that should hold it firmly in position, and a similar attachment scheme is used for the tail bumper at the rear. The rudder is also fixed at this late stage, with a PE actuator rod replacing the styrene nub that is moulded in. Tail-wheel steering is the order of the day, and another actuator is added under the tail, again replacing the nub on that part too. For some reason the instructions then show more of the inspection windows and PE arms added at the end of the build, so feel free to skip to that point to avoid any issues. The Lewis gun and its mount is added to the upper wing right at the end with the circular magazine receiving a PE carry handle and outer face, while the muzzle gets a tiny iron sight. As one decal option doesn't carry the wing mounted gun, it should be filled, but as early in the build as possible to make life easier. A two blade prop is fitted to the Viper engine, and under the nose the SE.5a could carry a small rack of four bombs, which has been supplied on the included PE sheet as an extra. Happily for any Great War modeller, a full page of wiring diagrams are included on the last page of the instructions, with the wires picked out in blue against the airframe to make spotting them easier. Markings The basic colour scheme of most SE.5as was green/olive drab with a linen colour underside, and whatever personalisation the pilot applied to his ride. There are quite a variation on the theme with the provided options, partially because a couple of post-war airframes have been chosen. From the box you can build one of the following: SE.5a Wolseley Viper C1096, flown by Lt. H.J. Burden, No. 56 Squadron, Valheureux, France, Spring 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8146, 27th Aero Squadron, 1922 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8953, flown by 2nd Lt. S.C. Elliot, No. 85 Squadron, Ascq, France, December 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper F8038, 25th Aero Squadron, November 1918 SE.5a Wolseley Viper C1149, flown by Cpt. D Grinnell-Milne, No. 56 Squadron, Béthencourt, France, Ascq, France, January 1919 Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This is a lovely little model, and even though I'm not really a WWI modeller, which some of you might have picked up on already, this one appeals to me greatly, as it comes from a time when aircraft were starting to look more purposeful, and less like a bundle of twigs with wings! Superb detail and some really nice decal options, plus the PE and masks round out the package to a rather appealing whole. Very highly recommended. If you can't resist the lure of some of the other decal options, or can't decide which you'd prefer to model, then the Overtrees that are available directly from Eduard might well be for you. Supplied in an anonymous white box with only a sticker on the end to tell you what's in the box, the kit contains just the plastic you see above and nothing else. Not even the instructions, as you've already got them in the Profipak kit anyway, or you can pick them up from their site here. What about the PE though? Not a problem – Eduard have you covered there as well, and you can buy the PE separately too. Overtrees Overtrees Photo-Etch That's not all! Watch out for reviews of some additional aftermarket sets by Eduard to fit their kits, such as a super-detailed radiator, props, guns and the turnbuckles and tensioners for the rigging that they describe as "Stretchers". Coming soon to a forum near you. Well, right here actually. 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

Wheels for Su-34, He.219 & SE.5a (Hobby Boss, Tamiya & Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. 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. Su-34 Wheels (648326 for Hobby Boss) The Fullback is quite well-endowed when it comes to wheels, with each gear leg having a pair dangling from it. The set includes the two large wheels for each main gear leg, which have separate two-part hubs and fit directly to the kit axles. The twin nose wheels are both single parts, and have a delicate resin mudguard made from two parts, with a PE mudflap along the bottom edge, and two small PE parts on the rear of the guard. A sheet of kabuki tape pre-cut with the donut shape masks for each of the hubs completes the package, and should result in a substantial improvement to detail. He.219 Wheels (648328 for Tamiya) Tamiya's lovely kit of the Uhu has been around for donkey's years, but this is a welcome set for any of us with it in their stash (it was one of the first kits I bought when returning to the hobby). For rough field landings, the Owl was fitted with twin main wheels, and these are replicated in resin with gloriously crisp diamond tread and hub detail, while the single nose wheel is smooth, but has equally good detail on the tyre sidewall and hub. The latter fits between the two-part yoke on the nose gear leg, and as you would expect, all five wheels have donut shaped kabuki tape masks pre-cut for your convenience. SE.5a Wheels (648333 for Eduard) Patterned for Eduard's own kit reviewed here, they improve on the detail of the kit parts, adding a more realistic rendition of the spoked wheel under the fabric cover, with each spoke having a slight dip between it and the next one. Two wheels are in the box, with kabuki tape masks to match, and a small decal sheet is supplied with manufacturer's details for the side of the skinny tyres, which were stamped with "Palmer Cord Aero Tyres 700 x 70". Review sample courtesy of

Good night to all! here the last birth directly from my workbench... an israeli Mirage III CJ! Base kit is the Eduard, but I used the resin set for cockpit and wheel bays from SBM. Other details are from Eduard photoetched set, pitot from Master. For the natural metal finish I used the Aclad Lacquers and Mr.Paint semi gloss for the final coat. The decals are a mix from the kit and Isradecal set. Hope you'll enjoy. Cheers from Rome, Italy! Mirage_End 20 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_End 18 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_En d 19 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_ End 17 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_ End 16 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_En d 15 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_E nd 14 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage _End 13 by valerio, su Flickr Mira ge_End 12 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage _End 11 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_E nd 10 by valerio, su Flickr Mirage_End 9 by valerio, su Flickr

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