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P-47D-30 Thunderbolt Update Sets (for MiniArt) 1:48 Eduard Brassin MiniArt knocked the still good but ageing 1:48 Tamiya kit off the top spot as de facto standard kit in this scale recently, and as they do with many of their kits, they have released a number of variants in so-called ‘Basic’ (which is hardly basic), and ‘Advanced’ flavours. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Upgrade Set (491432) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. In the cockpit, a complete set of new layered instrument panels, copious sidewall details in full colour, and rudder pedal improvements, with a couple of dials for the floor also supplied. For the exterior, a set of grilles for the three chin-intakes within the engine cowling are added, replacement cooling doors on the sides of the fuselage with extra bracketry are mounted in the bays on the sides, a full wiring loom for the R2800 engine is fitted after removing the wiring harness tubing from the rear of the bell-housing, new PE bay doors for the tail wheel, replacement oleo scissor-links for the main gear, a pair of dive-brake spoilers that fit into the alternative kit inserts (found on the sprues) under the wings, replacement upper gear bay covers with hinges and stand-off links, plus the vestigial door at the base of the main leg, with a scrap diagram showing its orientation. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48170) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin, and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. # This set has a full set of four-point belts that should either be used with the kit’s alternate seat parts that has no belts moulded-in, or you could cut the belts off the other seat if you feel like making work for yourself! The belt buckle also has a comfort pad added underneath. The instrument panel consists of two main decals for the majority of the panel, plus a hanging centre console that is applied to a new PE part and attaches under the main panel. Two more decals are used on the starboard diagonal section of the panel, after removing all the moulded-in detail that is indicated on the instructions in red. The sidewalls are similarly upgraded, the starboard side also using PE parts to create supports for two of the instruments, and shaving the front off an equipment box to apply a new face. The starboard side has a stunning fourteen decals applied over moulded-in detail that is first removed, leaving an extremely well-appointed cockpit. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1433) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the crew belts, you also get a pad that sits under the buckles to prevent them from digging into the pilot’s lap. Masks (EX1025) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for all three wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX1026) Supplied on a larger sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the inside of the glazing so that you can paint the model canopy’s interior and give your kit that extra bit of realism. Having used these sets on my own models now, I can confirm that they are extremely accurate, and it's good practice to place the outer masks first to act as a guide for alignment of the inner masks. Conclusion Use some or all of these to make a good kit better, whilst reducing the amount of detailed painting and scratch-building you’ll need to do in order to even partially represent the same level of detail as is seen here. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-51B/C Upgrade Sets (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin We’ve just reviewed the new ‘razor-back’ Mustang in Limited Edition D-Day form here, and it’s a stunning kit, with lots of detail baked into the styrene. For those of us that want even more detail, Eduard have us covered with these new sets that include double-sided TFace masks for the two canopy styles (blown & framed), plus bronze gear legs, a seat, exhausts, wheels with a choice of tread patterns, and a comprehensive set of gun bay enhancements that will fill the spaces in the wings that are marked out on the kit parts. We have seven sets including the masks in to review, but there are plenty more available to tempt you to open your wallet, and if you pick them all up, you’ll need the bronze gear legs to cope with the additional weight! Gun Bays (648997) This largest set arrives in a large Brassin cardboard box, with the resin and Photo-Etch (PE) parts cocooned in their own Ziploc bags, protected by a pair of sheets of foam top and bottom, and the instruction booklet that is wrapped around the package during closure at the factory. There are twenty resin parts, and the fret of PE contains a few more, with sufficient parts to build a pair of handed gun bays, one for each wing. Detail is exquisite thanks to the 3D printed nature of most of the parts, requiring them to be cut away from the finger-like supports that prevent them sagging during printing, and link them to the flat print base underneath. The port bay is dealt with first, adding resin supports to the beautifully detailed bay shell, then mounting the breeches of the .50cal machine guns at an angle, wiring them to a resin actuator with some 0.2mm wire from your own supplies, totalling five in all that are picked out on the instructions in different colours to assist you with their location, while the lengths of the wires are called out on the individual drawings. The double run of ammunition that feeds the gun is printed as a single part for the narrower area of the bay, adding a separate section that curves around to orient itself with the breeches of the guns. The starboard wing is built in the same manner, only in mirror image, then the bay panels are shown being cut from the kit’s upper wing, following the thinned out lines on the interior of the parts, which is a great help. The bays are inserted into the corresponding recess in the lower wing, and the upper wing is placed over the top, adding PE strips to the forward edges of the ammo feeds, and a resin bay door in the vertical position, hinged forward, and with two PE latches sticking up that should be painted the same colour as the exterior of the wing, as should the bay doors. The other bay doors are also supplied, and are generally removed by the armourers to access the bays, then laid either on the wing or elsewhere nearby, ready to go back on once the reloading or maintenance job is complete. These parts are realistically thin, and have detail printed on both sides for realism. Colour call-outs in Gunze Sangyo paint codes are given through the build process, with acrylic and lacquer codes side-by-side. Wheels (Various Tread Patterns) 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. This 3D printed set contains two main wheels with separate outer hubs that are printed as a pair on a separate base, plus a rugged tail-wheel to fix to the kit struts. There are several sets available, but we have just the diamond treaded set that are pictured here. The other sets can be seen and/or purchased from the links below: Diamond Tread Seen Above (648986) Oval Tread (648987) Cross Tread (648988) Block Tread (648989) Diamond Tread 2 (648990) Each set also includes a sheet of pre-cut kabuki-tape masks for the wheels that allow you to cut perfect demarcations between the tyres and hubs of all the wheels with little effort. Exhaust Stacks (648992) Containing two drop-in replacements for the kit exhausts, these parts have finer detail and hollow tips that will give your model a more realistic look. As well as the parts pictured, there are also another type that has fairings around the pipes, which you can see by following the second link below: Exhaust Stacks with Fairing (648993) Undercarriage Legs BRONZE (648994) These replacement main gear legs for the Mustang offer extra strength and sharpness to your model, plus finer details such as the brake hoses and supports that can’t be moulded in injection styrene. They have minimal clean-up that will need to be done with a file due to the metal’s robust nature, and they also come with a full set of resin gear bay doors that are highly detailed and are closer to scale thickness than the kit parts. Seat Type 1 PRINT (6481002) A replacement 3D printed seat for your Mustang that provides more detail than the kit seat, plus a set of PE Steel four-point seatbelts for the pilot, complete with comfort pads under the buckles. There are two styles, the Type 2 can be seen by following the second link below: Seat Type 2 (6481003) Tface Masks Framed Canopy & Malcolm Hood (EX1036 & EX1037) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy both inside and out, with any compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels and landing light, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. There is one set sold separately for each of the canopies used by the P-51B/C, known as the Framed Canopy and the Malcolm Hood, and they will give the canopies a very realistic look once completed and the masks removed. Framed Canopy (EX1036) Malcolm Hood (EX1037) Conclusion The detail is phenomenal on all the resin sets and their comparative simplicity of construction is commendable, while the masks ease the painting and preservation of the clarity of the canopy. Pick the sets that appeal to you or your budget, or go mad and get a raft of them to build the ultimate Mustang for your cabinet. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

F-86F-40 Sabre Upgrade Sets (for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard The new Airfix Sabre has been out for a wee while now, and in their usual style, here comes a batch of upgrade sets for you to drool over. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE), SPACE and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Detail Set (491298) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other larger fret in bare brass. It starts with a comprehensive overhaul of the ejection seat, which is very much different afterwards, having a pair of raised sides that make it look a bit like an arm chair; a more realistically shaped headbox; a set of more accurate foot plates that are folded up to shape and fitted in place instead of the moulded-in kit steps. The instrument panel is sanded back flat and has a two-layer pre-painted main panel and another centre panel installed. The same is done to the side consoles, but the removal of material includes reducing the height of the consoles to 8mm before applying the new parts on top, on the sides, and on the side walls, including a detailed throttle quadrant with protruding levers. Behind the pilot on the rear deck, the soft and ambiguous kit detail is augmented by numerous parts, then a shaped head-armour panel with fitments is glued in at an angle behind the seat headrest. In the canopy a single rear-view mirror is provided, needing your shiniest silver paint to give it some realism. The nose gear bay is built under the intake trunking, which has some ribbing moulded into it, which is first upgraded with rib-top details and the removal of a run of straight wires. The bay walls have some triangular fillets removed, then have details and surface skins fitted to the rear face before it is joined to the bay roof. The gear leg is updated with a PE oleo-scissor, and a support strut has additional details applied to the visible surface. When the bay is together and is inside the fuselage, additional panels and wiring looms are inserted to complete the overhaul. The main bays are left as provided, but the gear legs are augmented with new oleo-scissors and links between the Y-shaped captive bay door, which will require some short lengths of 0.6mm rod from your own stocks to complete. In the gun bays to the sides of the cockpit, a bump is first removed from the front corner, then new skins are fixed to the front and rear bulkheads before inserting the three .50cals on each side, which have been upgraded with detailed tops to their breeches after removing raised areas from front and rear. The bay doors in the kit are thicker than the real thing, which is fixed by the new two-layer gun bay doors included in the set, which also have appliqué parts fixed to the inner side. Before gluing the two layers together, they need to be bent slightly to shape to match the curve of the fuselage, which can be done by pressing the annealed parts against the kit doors and tweaking them until they sit flush with the fuselage during test fitting. The last area to see improvement are the air-brake bays found on the sides of the fuselage. The bays are left as-is, but the brake panels are replaced entirely by a totally new assembly that is made from a curved piece of PE for the exterior skin, laminated to an inner skin that is bent to shape to give it thickness. The hinge-point is buried in a hole in the inside skin, and a number of stiffening parts are fitted along the length of the inner face to form the pivot-points at the front of each brake. Each one is then glued in place once painted using the original actuator strut. The result is a much more in-scale look to the assemblies. Zoom! Set (FE1298) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48083) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The PE sheet has a set of four-point crew seatbelts with separate comfort pads under the buckles, plus levers for the throttle quadrants on the left side console. The decals require removal of the kit panel and side console moulded-in detail, after which they are replaced by superb new consoles, the throttle quadrant base, sidewall instruments, and the main instrument panel, which is in two parts and has a PE lever protruding from the left side. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1299) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as a set of four-point crew belts, you also get comfort pads underneath the buckles. Masks (EX887) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX888) Supplied on a larger sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Does anyone know what Art Scale canopy masks are made of, are they kabuki style tape or are they vinly? Their website doesn't say.

Apologies if this is in the wrong section, but I’m wondering if anyone has used these camo masks for their kits? https://topnotchmasks.com/shop/camo-masks/hawker-harrier-gr3-wrap/ Would they work for aerosol painting? Are they worth the price? Can they be re-used? It has to be easier than blu-tack worms and shopping bags! But is there a risk of seepage underneath or pulling up the first coat?

F6F-3 Upgrade Sets (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard The F6F Hellcat was one of Eduard’s earlier kits, first released in 2008 with many subsequent reboxings and additive toolings to depict other variants going on over the years. It’s still a jolly nice kit, but would of course benefit from some upgrades to bring it bang-up-to-date. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48068) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The Hellcat’s cockpit is a cramped compartment, with large side console to the right and a small instrument panel in front of the pilot. The moulded-in details on these are removed and replaced by 3D printed decals that are jaw-dropping in their realism, with more decals on the sides of the console and cockpit walls, including a triplet of two-layer boxes with printed cabling gathered together below it. The panel is supplied in sections to fix to the front of the otherwise unused part G43 that is a blank panel, saving you from having to remove the details from the other part. The PE sheet includes new rudder pedals and a full set of seatbelts for the pilot, including comfort pads beneath the buckles and connectors. Masks Tface (EX865) these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy exterior on a large sheet of kabuki tape. Also included are another set of masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the inside of the canopy and give your model that extra bit of realism. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for all three wheels including the small tail-wheel, allowing you to cut the demarcations perfectly with little effort. Review sample courtesy of

Fouga CM-170 Magister Canopy Masks (M72017) Special Hobby 1/72 Special Hobby are now also offering a new set of tape masks for their excellent Fouga Magister kit which will help a great deal with the masking. Review sample courtesy of

F-4E Masks(for Fine Molds Kit) 1:72 Eduard There is no doubt the new F-4E from Fine Molds is a great looking kit. Eduard are here with masks for the new kit Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the out side of the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort.

Fouga CM-175 Zephyr Canopy Masks (M7201😎 Special Hobby 1/72 Special Hobby are now also offering a new set of tape masks for their excellent Fouga Zephyr kit which will help a great deal with the masking. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.V Updates (For Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard have been expanding their Spitfire repertoire in 1:48 for a while, and we’ve now got the Mk.Vs in their inimitable style, with lots of detail moulded-in, but with scope for expansion of that for the super-detailer still possible. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48031) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The nickel plated and pre-painted sheet contains seatbelts; back and head armour; x-brace between fuselage frames; small handles and door catch; canopy closure handle; rudder pedal surfaces and other small detail parts. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the 3D printed sheet, with a beautiful rolled back cushion; compass; sidewall equipment and boxes; wiring loom and other tiny parts also supplied. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1207) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. The set includes the short lap belts and the longer shoulder belts that have a double layer over the rear, one attaching to the back of the seat, the other merging in a Y-shape and disappearing through the seat armour to a reel behind. Masks Tface (EX797) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. It also gives you another set of masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

MV-22 Osprey Updates (for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard After the longest time waiting for a decent kit in 1:48 to replace the ageing Italeri kit, Hobby Boss have finally popped up with a worthy successor that has many of the lumps and bumps that have been added since it came into service. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Detail Set (491176) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. After a round of moulded-in detail being summarily turned into sanding dust, a complete set of new layered instrument panels with MFDs, overhead panel, and side consoles are the primary parts on the painted set, with a replacement open crew door for the left side, which will require a hole being cut in the fuselage and some sheet styrene to act as extra thickness between the layers; the vestibule between crew and passenger compartments is skinned with new details with the new door stowed in the floor. A set of steps are made up from a number of layers, with a pair of perforated treads and actuator mechanism, plus finely etched handrails; the main gear bays are skinned with new highly detailed panels that have captive cross-ribbing that you fold over, and finally piano-style hinges applied to the outer edge of the main bay doors. Zoom! Set (FE1176) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. SPACE Cockpit Set (3DL48019) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. This set includes two PE five-point seatbelt sets, rudder pedals and wing mirrors on the PE sheet, with beautifully printed main instrument panels with additional sections for the edge of the coaming, and side consoles all of which require the removing of the moulded-in raised details, as well as a little alteration of the additional kit parts that insert into the styrene panels. The short corridor between the front and rear of the cockpit is then fitted-out with a set of luxuriously quilted sheets that also have a few instruments printed onto them, another large panel in the crew compartment, and a roof panel in the corridor to finish off that area. Finally, the overhead console in the cockpit is stripped of the simplified detail, and covered with a large and detailed instrument panel that really brings it to life. Cargo Floor (481049) The cargo floor included in the kit is there, but it’s nothing more than a couple of raised stripes and some recessed circles, which won’t cut it for a lot of us, especially if we want to put the load ramp down at the rear. This set contains a big sheet of bare PE with skins that have much better detail for the long main bed, as well as the part of the rear door that drops down and acts as the load ramp. As well as the floor skins, there are also separate circular tie-down points that fit within the holes in the new bed. On the load ramp you get a rear side detail insert, and some additional brackets on the sides of the ramp near the attachment points for the retraction jacks. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1177) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. There are two sets of four-point crew belts that are applied to the form-fitting modern seats which have ballistic protection built-in. Masks (EX773) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels , allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX774) Supplied on two sheets of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Conclusion We've now got a complete set of detail for this large kit, and the detail is excellent. Those SPACE sets are really starting to look the business! Review sample courtesy of

Junkers Ju.88C-6b Night Fighter Updates (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM have been pumping out an excellent range of new kits of German WWII bombers for the last year or two, including the Junkers Ju.88 that was a jack of all trades, and a master of many of them thanks to its robust design that took it from the beginning of WWII to the end with many variants, upgrades to performance and conversions. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (491168) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered main instrument panels, side consoles, wall panels and radio gear are the primary parts on the painted set, with new gunsight using the acetate for the glazing; cockpit details including boxes, wheels and other structures; rudder pedals and detail parts; ammo guides and ammo box details for the weapons; gun sights, retaining straps and canopy internal structure also supplied. Zoom! Set (FE1168) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1169) These seatbelt sets 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. As well as the pilot’s four-point belts and oval pass-through grommets, you also get a set of lap belts for the other crew member. Exterior (481045) This larger bare brass set contains some important upgrades, such as detailed new annular radiators for the engines, with scrap diagrams showing how they should be arranged; wiring and heat-shielding to the engines; internal instrument boxes with acetate dials on the engine bearers; new in-scale cowling panels to show off your handiwork; ribs within the gear bays to add visual interest; an upgrade to the detail in the landing gear bays; structural elements and brake hoses for the main wheels, plus bay door skins for the tail wheels; a host of access panels under the wings and on the engine cowling sides, and of course a replacement set of dipoles for the radar antennae in the nose, which requires some cutting and adapting of the original kit parts, including removing the over-scale kit dipoles and cutting a cross in the remaining post with a razor saw to receive the new parts. Masks (EX767) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the greenhouse canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX768) Supplied on two sheets of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

Ju.88C-6 Detail Upgrades (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM have been busily filling many a gap in the ranks of kits of German bombers from WWII, and are well on the way to creating a nearly complete line-up of Junkers Ju.88s for the modelling public. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (491159) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass, plus a small slip of clear acetate. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles with tons of levers in the cockpit; radio wall at the rear; fire extinguisher details; a big upgrade to the sidewall detail; replacement gunsight using the acetate as glass and PE parts; a new set of rudder pedals and support details; yoke insert with a dial; two new boxes at the left side of the radio gear and an ammo box low down and to the right, with the final section detailing the interior of the canopy and machine guns with sights, ammo belts etc. Zoom! Set (FE1159) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1160) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. The pilot gets a set of four-point belts with a PE grommet around the hole in the back of the seat, the gunner has a set of lap-belts, and a simple loop-belt for the jump-seat low down near the gondola. Exterior (481043) This larger bare brass and acetate set contains some important upgrades, such as engine wiring loom, annular radiator panels and exhaust enhancements; gear leg details, skins and brake hoses; a local instrument panel on the engine bearer with film mid-layer; engine bay door; interior ribbing for the gear bays; bay door openers and a skin for the tail wheel bay doors; various access panels around the underwing area and on the sides of the nacelles, and actuators for the trim-tabs on the ailerons. Masks (EX759) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the main and tail wheel, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX760) Supplied on two sheets of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism, which will tie-in nicely if you have the cockpit set with extra detail. Review sample courtesy of

Su-57 Felon Update Sets (For Zvezda) 1:48 Eduard After a long wait we now have a 1:48 Su-57 Felon in injection styrene thanks to Zvezda, which from my point of view is good news, and I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that way. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Update Set (491152) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new super-detailed instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the painted set, with new rudder pedals; substantial ejection seat details; coaming instrumentation and HUD glazing; sill panels; exterior appliqué panels, and canopy internal structure and external details also supplied. Moving outside, there are grilles, additional detail skins for the main gear bays; nose gear details including a new slatted mudguard and brake hosing; new oleo scissor-links and hoses for the main gear legs; gear bay door details and hinges, plus replacement steering baffles for the AA-12 Adder missiles to replace the thick styrene parts, and exhausts for the AA-11 Archer short-range missiles. The cockpit green may be a little bright for this modern jet, but I have managed to fix this before now by working in the correct colour with a fine brush. It doesn't have to be too tidy, as the underlying green blends well. Check your references and decide for yourself. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1153) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as a set of complex crew belts with back pad, you also get a set of pull-handles between the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency. Masks (EX757) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for all the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX758) Supplied on a larger sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior easily and give your model that extra bit of realism, which will be especially useful if you plan on posing the canopy raised. Review sample courtesy of

Hawker Tempest Mk.II/V/VI Masks 1:32 Special Hobby These masks are for the Special Hobby kit, which has also been re-boxed by Revell. Review sample courtesy of

Beaufighter Mk.If Update Sets (for Revell) 1:48 Eduard Revell’s new Beaufighter gives us another good kit in the scale to widen our choices, and Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Cockpit & Airframe (491124) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels; side consoles with throttles and sidewall details are the primary parts on the painted set; new rudder pedals fabricated with the use of some 2mm styrene rod from your own stores; a skin for the undernose hatchway tunnel; antennae loops for the radar in the nose; main gear bay door internal structure; mesh panels for the engine intakes, and a frame for the wing-mounted landing light also supplied. Zoom! Set (FE1124) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1125) Eduard’s latest generation of belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. You get two sets of crew belts, with a scrap diagram showing how the belts should loop through the seat frame and where the buckles should be attached. Masks Tface (EX727) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. In addition, there are wheel masks and frame hugging masks for the astrodome. Review sample courtesy of

Heinkel He.111Z Upgrade (For ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM’s new range of He.111s in various guises recently included the behemoth Zwilling, much to my surprise and glee. I’ve been wanting one of these twin He.111s for a while, and while I wasn’t prepared to go to 1:32, I can cope with 1:48 at a push. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in their standard modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Nose Interior (491090) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass, containing doubles of almost every aspect of the original set. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles that will be prominent within the greenhouse are the primary parts on the painted set with the engine management panel only in the right fuselage and some other adaptations such as the forest of throttle levers, with new rudder pedals; seat details; canopy internal structure; additional instruments; gun sights and extra details, plus bulkhead details. Zoom! Set (FE1090) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Radio Compartment (491091) Two frets are included, one small nickel plated and pre-painted, the other larger one in bare brass. It involves a heavy upgrade to the level of detail within the compartment, adding racks for ammo; stowage boxes; racking; partial bulkheads; a huge range of radio boxes for the left fuselage only and other equipment; gun sights and ammo embellishments; a framework with instruments around the top gun hatch, and a base for the antenna on the left fuselage behind the gun hatch. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1091) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the pilot's four-point crew belts, you also get two sets of lap belts for the other crew, all of which is duplicated between the two fuselages. Exterior (481016) This set is provided as two large bare brass frets, and creates a new internal skin for the four box-shaped bays, with additional structural details added throughout. It extends and details the firewall behind the engine that is seen from within the bay, adds some small parts to the landing gear legs, as well as brake hoses, radiator faces for the FIVE engines (one extra engine, remember?), towel-rail antennae under the left fuselage and the kit antenna removed on the right side. Masks Tface (EX699) Supplied on SIX sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with exterior masks, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing of both fuselages so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. It also includes masks for the other glazed parts such as the top turret, and masks for the wheel hubs. Review sample courtesy of

Heinkel He.219 Uhu Update Sets (for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard The Tamiya kit of the impressive-looking He.219 has been with us for quite a while now, and despite its advancing years, it is just as good a kit as it was then, along the same lines of quality as their very well-regarded Mosquito kit in the same scale. The Uhu/Owl appeared near the end of WWII partially at least due to the influence of Ernst Heinkel with the RLM, bullying its way into limited production despite its known shortcomings that were never fixed due to its short lifespan and eventual cancellation and reinstatement. Its future was curtailed at the end of WWII, with the only surviving airframe one that was taken back to the US by Operation Paperclip, and thankfully saved from destruction after study. These sets use all of Eduard's newer techniques to bring the cockpit up to modern standards, adding pre-painted panels, clear domes over the instruments, STEEL seatbelts for better drape and more realistic painting, and masks that cater for both sides of the clear parts for more realism. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Update Set (49947) The initial thrust of this two fret set is the cockpit, with a complete refurbishment of the instrumentation in the form of new laminated instrument panels; side consoles; radio equipment and sidewall details, and new parts for the gunsight, including clear acetate parts for the glazing. The rudder pedals are replaced by new parts; the sidewalls are detailed with new skins; new nose gear bay skins and leg details in the shape of hoses and oleo-scissors. Moving to the wing, the main bay is filled out with a detailed skin inside and a new rear bulkhead to close out the area; the engine intakes have radiator panel skins and a wiring loom for the engines, as well as mesh panels for the ends of the flame-hiders on the exhausts. A set of edge-panels are installed on the upper wing overlapping the leading edges of the flying surfaces, then the various antennae, including the large nose-mounted dipoles, are replaced with more in-scale parts, using a little 0.4 and 0.8mm rod from your own supplies to provide the main supports. Zoom! Set (FE947) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts (FE948) In case you've been stuck behind a rock for the last year or two, STEEL belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. You get two full sets of belts for the crew seats, with the trapezoid anti-chaff pads as separate parts. Masks TFace (EX634) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. The TFace masks also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

Su-27UB Updates (for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard We've been blessed with a huge range of new modern soviet fighters of late in 1:48, with Hobby Boss's Su-27UB filling a hole with a newly tooled kit superseding the ageing Academy one. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49922) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the painted set, with new rudder pedals; ejection seat details; coaming instrumentation; HUD with acetate glazing, and canopy internal structure also supplied. Zoom! Set (FE922) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE923) In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the two sets of crew belts, you also get a set of the pull-handles between the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency. Exterior (48964) This larger bare brass set contains some important upgrades, such as delicate new afterburner rings, with scrap diagrams showing how they should be arranged; an interior surface skin for the intake trunk, including the drop-down FOD guards; an interior skin to the air-brake; a substantial skinning and detailing of the main gear bays with additions to the nose gear mudguard grilles; static wicks on the wingtips and rudder, and various aerials and antennae around the airframe. Masks (EX613) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of masks for some of the other clear lenses around the airframe, plus a masking sheet that smiles at you when you look at it. Masks Tface (EX614) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism, which if used in conjunction with the canopy details from the interior set will ease painting substantially. Review sample courtesy of

Su-17/22UM-3K Fitter Update Sets (For Kitty Hawk) 1:48 Eduard After a long time with no new toolings of the glorious Fitter, like London buses they all came at once. Kitty Hawk's range of variants has been expanding rapidly, and this set is designed for the UM-3K, which is shown in Polish Tiger-Stripe colours on the kit boxtop. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49888) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, side consoles, side walls and floor skins are the primary parts on the painted set, with ejection seat details; coaming instrumentation, HUD and canopy internal structure also supplied. Zoom! Set (FE888) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE889) In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the two sets of crew belts, you also get a set of the pull-handles between the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency. Exterior (48951) This larger bare brass set contains some important upgrades, such as delicate new afterburner rings, with instructions for shortening the trunking for accuracy; new pitot vanes; filler caps for the fuel tanks; the recessed box for the sensor in the shock-cone; antennae on the nose, tail and the rest of the airframe; wing-root plates with the correct rivet pattern; weapons rail attachment surface skins; new strakes on the fixed inner wing as well as other details around the hinge point. The gun trough is replaced by a new detailed box, with breech details added to the gun, and a new door with ejection chute is provided to finish it off. Air Brakes (48952) The Fitter has four air brakes on the aft fuselage, and to detail the bays they must be squared off by removing the sections marked in red on the instructions, after which the new bays are folded up, internal detail is added, and they are glued in place instead of the kit parts. The kit brakes are then thinned, and a new detailed skin is glued to the inside face, while the kit actuator is used. Repeat until you have four and that's it. Masks (EX585) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for all the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX586) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

Here is a 1/72 Eduard Indomitable Hellcat completed as part of my ongoing project of building late-war Pacific subjects, and the Hellcat portion starts about here. The kit lived up to its fine reputation and I'm looking forward to building the many (many) Eduard Hellcats in the stash. I'd been hemming and hawing about getting one of those computer controlled vinyl cutters, and inspired by @CedB's decisiveness in doing the same, I acquired a Silhouette Portrait. So this is the first use of the Portrait to make my own paint masks. It worked! (with a few hiccups - more on the painting than the mask making end) Together with a BPF Corsair from the same project.

Hi all, Recently picked up a Heng Long mk1 Tiger for £60, painted in Panzergrau. The previous owner was a bit hamfisted, by that I mean he put the stickers on lopsided, the wrong number on the turret and the mudflap securing clip was snapped off. So, my plan is to repaint it as "Semken's Tiger", the first tiger captured in Normandy by the Sherman of John Semken, commander of the Wiltshire Yeomanry. The tiger in question is Tiger 114, 2nd Kompanie, 101st SS Schwere Panzer Abteilung. So my question is, does anyone know how to get hold of the appropriate decals or painting masks? Found some masks online but the tank in question has two colours to it, looks like a dark red with white border, and the mask looks like only one single colour. Any suggestions?

Pre-Cut Paint Masks for Various Kits 1:72 Eduard B-17 Anti-Glare Panels for Airfix Kit Su-17M3 for Modelsvit Kit Kfir C2/C7 for AMK Kit Conclusion While these masks won't add any extra detail to your models, they will save you a great deal of time and patience when masking your canopies and wheels (or anti-glare panels in the case of the first set), as well as providing you with the certainty of a nice, neat finish. Some modellers see them as a luxury - and I wouldn't disagree with that - but they really are a time saver and as such they are well worth considering if, like me, your modelling time is restricted. Review sample courtesy of

Seatbelt and Mask sets for Revell Bf109G-6 1:32 HGW As with previous sets reviewed on this site, this set has been released in HGW’s Basic Line. The quality is well to what we have come to expect from HGW, and provides the modeller with some very realist seatbelts, all the ironmongery to fit them with and a set of canopy masks. Being laser cut, the edges of both the seatbelts and masks are as crisp and clean as you could want. Only the small join to the sheet marring the perfection. If you’re using a new No11 blade then you should be able to cut them out without the need for any further cleaning up. The buckles and clasps are quite small, even in this scale, but the seatbelts are stiff enough to pass through them with relative ease. Now, whereas some sets from HGW haven’t been blessed with good instructions on how the belts should be threaded through the metalwork, the instructions with this set are a lot clearer, but still require the modeller to study them closely. The completed assemblies should be given a bit of a dark wash to tone them down a bit, and then just attached to their appropriate positions. They will probably need a bit of a bend to get them to sit correctly and realistically. The masks in this set have suffered a little bit of shrinkage, which hopefully has been taken into account, and appears to be a normal thing, having looked at HGW’s other sets. The set includes masks for both the interior and exterior of the windshield and canopy and rear section for both late and early style canopies, which is a great help, particularly for the interior. Just fit and, using your favourite paints and airbrush, spray away. Conclusion This is another very useful set by HGW, and can be used by any level of modeller. The masks are generally used for when painting with an airbrush, but I’m sure they could be useful for those who don’t. The seatbelts are little quite fiddly, but with a bit of care and patience, anyone can have a great looking addition to the kits seat. Very highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of

One of the latest 1.48 masks from Eduard is for their newly released Weekend Edition Spitfire Mk.XVI. These are just for the canopy.