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T-33 Update sets & masks - For Great Wall Hobby Kit 1:48 Eduard The new Great Wall Hobby kit is a good one, however Eduard are along as always offering their update sets for the kit. Here we have 3 sets; Update, flaps and seatbelts. Update Set (49796) This is one brass fret and one nickel one. The coloured parts on the nickel fret are mainly for the cockpit including the main instrument panels, side panels and controls. Other parts in the set include new head rests and firing handles for the ejection seats, canopy coaming, For the landing gear you are supplies with new main wheel hubs, scissor links & tie downs for the main gear legs. There are scissor links for the front gear leg as well as links for the front gear well doors, and a new rear bulkhead for the front gear well. The main gear wells get new interior bulkheads. Finally there are a few fuselage panels to be replaced. Flaps(48903) This is one large brass fret which provides flaps, and wells for the kit. These are the type where all the parts are together and the ribs just have to be bent into position. Seatbelts(49797) This small fret provides a full set of coloured seatbelts for the aircraft. These are the new Steel belts from Eduard. They are etched from 0.1mm sheet, which looks like stainless steel because it doesn't rust, these new belts combine the best of both worlds. The resulting etch is thin at around 0.06mm, and the paint that has been applied after etching is included in that thickness. The paint itself seems to be more flexible too, and the designs have added details such as shadows printed near buckles and joints to give an added depth to the design. They appear less susceptible to fatigue and will stand up to repeated movements, and can be posed much more realistically due to the ease of bending of the surface. The paint is also a lot less likely to flake off at a sharp bend, which is a worry for standard PE belts. Masks(EX533) 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. Wheel Masks are also supplied. Conclusion These sets will enhance your T-33 model. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of

Me.262B-1 Update Sets (for Revell) 1:32 Eduard Revell's new 1:32 Schwalbe has ticked a lot of boxes for many larger scale modellers, making up for the scarcity of the main competition in the scale recently. We've got one that we'll be reviewing soon, so keep your eyes peeled, but Eduard have been Johnny-on-the-spot and brought out this spread of sets tailored to the kit to improve the detail over what is included in the box. 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 Set (32893) Two sheets are in the package, one of which is bare brass, the other nickel-plated and printed with cockpit details such as instrument panels, bezels etc. It includes a new gunsight; rudder pedals, a complete set of new instrument panels laminated from multiple parts; side consoles, knobs, dials and levers; additional seat details and of course the prominent electrics panel in the front cockpit. In the rear is the big black box between the crew; a detailed rear panel; various small structural parts; the NAXOS radar detector that sits in between the crew, and other canopy details. You will need to supply a few lengths of rod for the NAXOS antenna from 1.2mm, 2.2mm 3mm round stock, plus a few of other sizes through the build, all of which will likely be to hand if you're prepared. Seatbelt Set (32894) Hived off to a separate set to utilise their new STEEL technology with wafer thin etching that is pre-painted, and has additional relief hinted at by the addition of shading on the belts to give extra depth to buckles and overlaps. They are extremely flexible and drape much more realistically than traditional PE, which can be difficult to manipulate. Exterior (32395) This set is bare brass and supplied on a large fret, the contents of which are used all over the airframe. Starting with the lugs at the tips of the bullet fairings in the engine intakes, it jumps to two panel inserts for the nose gear bay; brackets for the front bulkhead in the gun bay; internal skins for the removable engine cowlings; fine detail upgrades for the gun bay; hinges, teardrop panels and closures for the gun bay doors; end-caps for all the flap segments; replacement slat guides and skins for the slat bays themselves, which requires you first to remove the styrene parts and create a notch for each new part to project from, as detailed in the accompanying diagrams. The remaining parts include actuator arms for the various trim-points on the flying surfaces; a wrap-around part for the main gear legs, and additional details for the bay doors. Masks (JZ196) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Review sample courtesy of

Good afternoon, friends! Now, the finish line of my F/A-18C build is near and i have to kits i wanted to build absolutely! Decision is yours AMK MiG-31 B/BS Foxhound (1/48) with Eduard mask and Eduard interior or Great Wall Hobby MiG-29 Fulcrum C 9-13 (1/48) with Eduard BigEd Both kits are superb, start from one of them will be in the next 2 weeks! As said before, decision is yours! Oliver

B5N1 Kate Upgrade Set (73575) 1:72 Eduard for Airfix Kit If you feel that the detail on your Kate could be improved, Eduard have thought of that and released this handy upgrade set that will do just that. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. The set has one coloured Nickle fret and one brass fret. There are parts for inside the fuselage including ammunition drums, side panels, a new instrument panel, rudder pedals, control runs, radiao panel, seat & belts, engine wiring harness, part for the rear mounted gun, arrestor hook parts, new main wheel doors, sissor links, & main wheel bay wiring. Also included are new mounts and propellors for the torpedo and vanes for the bomb. Recomended to bring something extra to your Kate. Review sample courtesy of

Sikorski JRS-1 Updgrade Set (72642) 1:72 Eduard The Eduard boxing of the JRS-1 is already a pretty complete package, however if you want to add even more detail then this handy upgrade set that will do just that. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. The set has one brass fret. Starting in the cockpit there are new pilot seats, with arm rests, and new two part control wheel. New handles are provided for the main opening window, and additional parts for the nose wheel bay. Wiring harnesses are provided for the engines. New parts are provided for the main gear openings, and various hull fittings. Tie downs/ups are provided for the wing floats, and finally on top of the main wing various hatches and openings are provided. Recommended to bring something extra to your JRS-1 whether the Sword or Eduard boxing. Review sample courtesy of

Probably time I get these photos up. Here is my recently completed build of the Eduard 1/72 scale La-7 Profipack kit. The kit was built mostly out of the box but I indulged in a few additional bits 'n' bobs in the cockpit (not that they're in any way visible). The kit went together reasonably well though I encountered a difficult wing to fuselage fit, and had a bit of trouble with it's DIY undercarriage alignment. The comically thick clear parts were also a bit disappointing. The plane is finished as Sergei Dolgushin's aircraft using the provided decals. Out of all the grey on grey schemes it jumped out at me with it's striking red nose and striped tail. Plus it didn't involve any camo masking . Due to some odd printing glitch my decal sheet had large amounts of excess carrier film Luckily the markings themselves were printed properly and went on well enough once cut out carefully. Feel free to take a look at my WIP thread for all my trials and tribulations. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235012308-172-eduard-la-7-profipack-oob-but-not-really-build/& Can't say it's been the best build I've done but it is my first Soviet warbird and I'm quite pleased with it. Excuse the number of photos, I think I went a bit overboard

Yakovlev Yak 3 detail Sets Eduard 1:32 The Special Hobby Yak-3, reviewed HERE is a great kit in its own right, but there is always room for improvement, and Eduard always seems to find that room. They have now released three individual sets to adorn the kit with extra and improved detail. As with most sets of this type some of the kit details will need to be removed before the etched parts can be added. Detail Set (32891) Contained on two sheets of relief etched brass, both about the same size as each other, one is unpainted whilst one comes pre-painted. The unpainted sheet contains items The pre-painted sheet provides the modeller with a variety of coloured knobs, levers and trim wheels complete with separate chains, new auxiliary instrument panels, plus replacement dials for the side panels. The main instrument panels are also pre-painted complete with the instrument faces on the back plate. A little dab of aqua clear will give them the appearance of glass fronts. Also on this sheet are a couple of foot plates, cable from the joystick and additional sidewall detail. The unpainted sheet contains brake hoses of the main undercarriage legs, along with a new bracket and gland, new panels for the main gear door interiors, new cabling for the main gear bays. The tail wheel doors are replaced with etched items, although you will need to provide a small length of plastic rod for each door. The radiator outlet door is replaced, the etched part being fitted with two brackets and also requires two plastic rods from the modellers supplies. The two large grilles are fitted to the front and rear bulkheads of the radiator bath to represent the radiator itself. Seatbelts (32892) This small fret of brass comes pre-painted and only contains three parts, the shoulder straps which are joined at the top and the tow separate lap straps. Being made of very thin etched steel, they are easily manipulated to shape and require no further assembly, just fit them to the seat and away you go. Flap Set (32394) This single sheet set is to be used to completely replace the kits flaps and the flap bays. You will need to carry out a fair bit of surgery in the kits flap bay area to remove all the detail and thin the skin down. The bays include the roof and forward bulkheads, all the ribs, and flanges as well as the multiple flap tracks. The flaps themselves are also detailed with ribs which need to be carefully folded into position, along with the outer skin panel. The end plates are then attached and the flaps fitted into position. Conclusion This is certainly a fairly comprehensive array of details for what is already a very nice kit. With plenty of care and patience they will make a great kit into super kit. The advantage of have separate sets is that the modeller can pick and choose how much, or how little detail they wish to add. Review sample courtesy of

Bf 109F Cockpit Set & Propeller 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Eduard Bf 109s are great kits but there is always room for some Brassin Goodies. Propeller LATE (648288) As the title would suggest this is a replacement propeller for the kit unit. You get a new hub, spinner, blades and central cannon shaft in resin with a photo etch end for the gun opening. A jog is supplied to glue the separate blades into the hub at the right angle. Cockpit Set (648279) This set is designed to replace the kit cockpit. There are 17 resin parts, photo etch, decals and an instrument film. You get a complete new cockpit tub, with a lower part, sidewalls, and front panel. A new seat is included (with belts) as well as a multipart instrument panel topped of with a new gunsight. Control wheels, stick, and rudder pedals are also brought in. New armour is provided for behind the seat and in the canopy. The canopy struct is also included. Conclusion These sets will no doubt improve on an already great kit. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of

CBU-87 (672127) 1:72 Eduard Brassin The CBU-87 or Cluster Bomb Unit was a free-fall sub-munitions dispenser brought in to replace the older model in the 80s, which has flip-out stabilising fins, and can drop up to 202 bomb-lets to cover a minimum 20m2 area with a variety of types of explosive canister. Whilst their use is banned in many countries due to their lingering effects on civilian population when unexploded ordnance is stumbled upon by the unwary, they are still used by the US and some other countries who did not sign the agreement. The set arrives in the familiar Brassin box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts. There are six canisters in the box, with separate tail-fins that fit with a butt-joint to the main body. The fins are depicted folded for carriage, and as well as the resin parts there are copious stencils & markings to apply to the bodies, and as usual a painting and decaling guide is printed on the front of the instructions, with colour call-outs in Gunze codes. Detail on the fins and bomb bodies is excellent, with different types of rivets evident on the casing, plus a fine rendition of the folded fins. You will need to remove the bombs from the casting stubs with a fine saw, and if you are concerned about the butt-joints fitting well, simply make the centres concave to reduce the likelihood of this happening. As usual, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Conclusion. These are highly detailed units and the addition of full markings will make sure they contribute to the look of your 1:72 build. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Boeing B-17G Photo-etch sets, masks, & guns 1:72 Eduard for Airfix kit Front Interior Set This set has both a colour nickel fret and a traditional brass one. Parts are provided for the side panels inside the nose, the bomb-sight & mounts, hatches, machine gun barrels, mounts, ammuntion boxes & feed chutes. Cockpit Interior Set This set has both a colour nickel fret and a traditional brass one. Parts are provided for The front seats & seat frames, cockpit flooring, instrument panels, bulkhead mountings, throttle assembly, rudder pedals, oxygen bottle racks, interior main canopy parts, and various side and interior fixings. Also in the cockpit set are parts for the upper turret, new gun barrels, sighting system and the gunners seat.. Bomb Bay Set This set has two brass frets, and stating the obvious is for the bomb bay. This set enables a complete new interior to be made up for the bomb bay area. Including side panels, the bulkheads, the bomb racks themsleves and hinges for the bomb bay doors. Landing Flaps The landing flap set is just what it says on the packet in that they provide a full set of landing flaps. They are cleverly made in that all the ribs just need to be twisted up into place. There is some kit surgery needed to get them in. Rear Interior Set This set has both a colour nickel fret and a traditional brass one. Parts are provided for the inside fuselage, bulkheads, doors, racks, radio operators compartment, crew doors, crew toilet, hatches, waist machine gun barrels, mounts, ammuntion boxes & feed chutes, and the rear gunners compartment with sight. Exterior Set This set is one larger brass fret. Parts are included for the inside of the engine nacelles, firewalls, cowl flaps and the wiring harness for the engine. The openings in the wing leading edges are replaced as are various grills and hatches.There are brake lines for the main landing gear and new wheel hubs. New ends are supplied for the turbo chargers and new external aerials are included. Seatbelts This set provides full harnesses for the Pilot and Co-pilot and lap belts for the other crew positions . These are the new flexible thin steel type. Masks This set provides masks for all the glazing and wheels. Conclusion The Airfix kit is a great kit but these new sets from Eduard will bring it to another level. Recommend. Review samples courtesy of

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt detail Set Eduard 1:32 Eduard have recently released their big 1:32 P-47 Thunderbolt, and rather unusually, have also released an etched detail set for it. I would have thought they would have included it in the kit, especially seeing as the kit is so expensive, but there you go. Detail set (32396) Contained on a single large sheet of relief etched brass the set contains parts for both internal and external areas of the model, but mainly external. The only items for the cockpit are for the four piece seat raising and lowering mechanism, for which you’ll have to provide a length of styrene or brass rod, and the foot plates for the rudder pedals. Other internal parts include the internal trunking for the exhausts, the hinge mechanisms for the cooling gills, rocker cover plates and the interior faces of the undercarriage doors. Externally there are new fin boxes for the bombs, along with nose and tail arming vanes, interior pylon fitting, and crutches. The wing drop takes receive the same interior pylon fixture and crutches, whilst the centreline tank is fitted with new a similar fixture, but with attachment hook and crutch plates. The rear fuselage mounted intakes are completely replaced, both internally and externally with brass parts that will need some careful folding and rolling to achieve the correct shape. The rudder trim tab control rod cover and attachment is fitted and a similar arrangement is fitted to the port elevator. The scissor links on the main undercarriage legs are replaced as is the lower outer door along with their respective hinges. Lastly the interior of the flap bays are fitted with a new liner. Conclusion This is very nice set, which although not the most complex will give the kit some useful additional detail. It’s just rather strange that it wasn’t included in the kit. Review sample courtesy of

Greetings everyone ! My latest project ! Great model without any problems . I spayed the basic camo with gunze acrylics . After that i sprayed hairspray decanted and then white colour ( gunze ) . Toothpicks and varius brushes were used to achieve that worn look . Underside insignia are airbrushed and the uppersurfaces as also . I'm now waiting for the other decals to arrive in order to finish it . Hope you like it so far!! 15894274_10155073983284925_3285216335520820810_n by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr 15871997_10155073982279925_6782845046906959141_n (1) by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr 15871567_10155073981999925_2773712135873559227_n by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr 15872010_10155073981319925_8910818092035126965_n by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr 15894306_10155073981729925_23818272474935932_n by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr 15941100_10155073981069925_2052428110832565013_n by Dionyssis Vacalas, on Flickr

Steel Seatbelt Sets French WWI, IJAAF WWII, Mig-21, F-4. 1:32 Eduard Continuing with their releases of steel seatbelts, Eduard have sent four more to BM Towers for us to look at. As with the previous releases, these are also pre-painted and appear to be remarkably flexible, and even with quite rough handling the paint adheres to the metal really well.They are still made from 0.1mm sheet with the resulting etch is thin at around 0.06mm and have the same details printed on them, such as the webbing, stitching, and shadowing. Unlike some sets, all the buckles and clasps are etched as part of the strapping, so there is no fiddly work required to assemble each belt. [32889 – French WWI] – There are five sets of belts included on the single sheet. There are five pairs of lap belts covering the different styles used throughout the war. These are very well painted and very colourful. [32890 – IJAAF WWII] – In this set there are twelve lap belts, four for Nakajima aircraft in leather, and four in cloth, plus four for Kawasaki aircraft also looking like leather. Each buckle, on the left hand belt section also has a protective pad fitted beneath it. [32895 – Mig-21] – Naturally this set only contains one complete seat set of belts. It includes the back fixture, shoulder straps, leg straps and a very nice ejection handle.The straps do have some very nicely done shading on the parts. [32896– F-4 Phantom] – This twin seat set contains all manner of straps for you big Phantom seats. They include straps for the headrest, and backrest. Then there are the shoulder and lap straps, and finally the leg restraints. You will have to check your references when using this set as I don’t know if all F-4 seats were the same. F-4 Seatbelts Grey (32898) - As above but in grey. Conclusion Those who build in the larger scales generally try to add greater levels of detail into their models, showing much skill and technique. Now, those of us who aren’t endowed with super skills can at least have some nice looking seatbelts fitted to our models, with very little skill needed, other than a bit of bending and gluing. Of course the belts can still be weathered more if required. Review sample courtesy of

International Flags Eduard 1:350 Quite a few maritime kits these days provide a selection of flags and pennants that are printed on paper. These can look ok, but generally always have a tired well worn look, like they’ve been left in the sun for a few months. Eduard have now countered this look with the release of this pre-painted steel set, which supersedes the etched brass set previously available. The forty five flags and ten pennants are beautifully painted and will look great either as a coded message from a halyard or two or even on a ship dressed overall, although it would have to be modelled for a calm day as, even though the metal is quite thin I doubt you’d be able to replicate a flapping flag too easily. To use, just cut the chosen flag from the sheet and wrap it around your favourite rigging material. Conclusion This is a very nice and easy to use set which would add a dash, or even a lot of colour depending on how many you use. Review sample courtesy of

Hi folk's just before she goes into the loft here's a recent build for the MTO GB the kit is well known to most and is a cracking build a bit fiddly in places I really don't like the individual exhaust stubs but as it's my third go at the kit they must be doing something right! A Libya based aircraft it retained it's European scheme before the sand/green mottled scheme worn later.Thank's for looking.

Victor B.2 Upgrade Sets 1:72 Eduard Since its announcement this kit was the source of much excitement, and now it is on general release it seems to be popular, with supplies selling out quickly. A good kit can always been improved however, which is where Eduard excel. They have released five new sets for the kit, and as always you can pick and choose which ones you want, or your budget dictates. 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. Eduard's resin sets 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. Interior Set (73578) Starting with adding a full set of crew seatbelts, this set consists of two nickel-plated and pre-painted frets, with all the instrument panels replaced with laminated panels with painted details. The seats also get ejection handles, headbox details and rear structural frame, throttle quadrants for the pilots, additional instruments where they are missed from the kit, and detail skins to the footwell at the crew exit. The sidewalls are also detailed with additional instruments for good measure. Zoom! Interior Set (SS578) Just the pre-painted and nickel-plated sheet (on the left above) is included in this budget set for those only concerned with the main instrument panel and the seats visible through the glazing. Exterior Set (72638) A large brass fret contains a full set of detail skins for the three gear bays and their bay doors, plus wiring looms to detail them further, and various additions to the gear legs themselves. This will require a portion of the moulded-in detail being removed beforehand, but this is fairly minor work and shouldn’t take too much effort. The final parts are some replacement/additional antennae and panels on the exterior of the airframe, plus a tail-cone insert that is inserted after removing the raised rim on the kit part. Resin Wheels(672143) Containing eighteen rein wheels (yes, 18!!!) plus a resin mudguard for the twin nose wheel, which once liberated from their casting block are a drop-in replacement for the rather detail-free and sink-mark prone kit items. The detail is superb, especially in comparison to what’s in the box, which seems to be a weak point of an otherwise godo kit. As well as the wheels you get a set of wheel masks to allow you to paint the hubs cleanly, and a small sheet of red decals that are applied to the rear of the mudguard part. Apologies for the stock picture, but I forgot to take a shot of the real thing before sending them to my colleague Paul for his build here. Masks (CX471) 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 if you didn’t already replace them with the set above. Review sample courtesy of

Mig-27 Updates (for Trumpeter) 1:48 Eduard Although Trumpeter’s new Mig-27 has a few shape issues, it can be improved and can even be fixed if you’re minded to, and it’s a modern tool Mig-27, which is nice. Eduard have done their usual fine job of producing a modular group of sets for the kit, which will improve the detail in all the main points of interest. 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 (49803) This two sheet set, one of which is pre-painted and nickel-plated includes a comprehensive upgrade to the seat, which gets new headbox and side detail; pull-handles; cushions, and control parts. The side consoles and main panel are also updated with laminated instrument panels, with all the switches and dials painted on a muted interior green background. The rear bulkhead; cockpit sills; sidewalls and the interior of the canopy are also substantially improved by the addition of a number of PE parts, including rear-view mirrors and de-misting track around the canopy. Seatbelts STEEL (49804) A full set of crew belts, plus the seat cushion with its complicated slotted design for the aircraft, all in the new highly flexible steel PE that is pre-painted with belt details, as well as shading to infer added depth to the parts. Exterior (48904) Consisting of one large brass fret, this set contains lots of detail for the nose gear bay in the form of structural parts, skins for the walls, wiring looms and so forth. The nose gear leg is then overhauled with a lot of missing details added, the main wheel legs also receiving the same treatment, as well as adding the struts that hold the distinctive captive bay door on the “knuckle” of the leg. The afterburner is augmented with additional detailed rings; the GSh-6-30 30mm gun is detailed with a band and deflector strake; the main gear wells are filled with small panels, wiring looms, and the underside is also detailed, while a vent is opened up, boxed in and has a door added in the open position for added realism. A number of antennae are added around the airframe, plus a few small tabs at the wingtips, and the airbrakes are skinned with detailed parts, while the bays are given wiring looms to complete the look. Finally, the wheels are detailed with additional parts for the hubs, after removing the inaccurate moulded in hubs. Armament (48905) One large fret contains a comprehensive update for the many stores included with the kit, as follows: R-60 – additional panels on the missile body, plus a more realistic representation of the stabilising tips on the rear fins, rail lugs and exhaust. R-13M – A pair of PE mounting lugs. FAB-100 – a full set of new PE fins are added after removal of the old ones, with a PE jig to hold the parts in position while the glue dries, so that the central cylindrical vane (that you have to roll to shape) can be added. KAB-500KP & KAB-500L – detailed frangible exhaust caps to hide the seam at the rear. Kh-25ML & MP – Additional plates at the rear of the missile body. Kh-29T & L – Small semi-circular stiffening plates at the pivot points on the base of the fins. KMGU-2 – access panel on the nose. Drop Tanks – filler caps. Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Covers (48906) FOD covers are something we all seem to ignore, even though most aircraft wear them almost all the time when on the ground. This set provides a full set for the aircraft, covering up the AoA probes and IFF beacons on the side and under the nose with small box-like assemblies; the intakes with panels that have stiffeners moulded in which you press out using a ball-pen from the other side, and the shallow mesh boxes that cover the auxiliary intakes on the sides, all of which have grab-handles for use by the ground crew. The exhaust has a similar circular panel with simulated elastic attachment points on each side. All of these FODs need a little assembly, but once primed and painted red they will add a lot to the realism of your model, along with some RBF tags on any weapons it is carrying. Masks (EX537) 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, plus a handy set of masks for the wingtip lights. Review sample courtesy of

Stencil Decals for Spitfire Mk.XVI 1:72 Eduard This sheet sees Eduard continue their line of stencil decals with a set for their superb new Spitfire Mk.XIV kit – available now as a dual combo Profipack edition. This is, nevertheless, a generic set which should be suitable for all Mk.XVIs. The sheet is very comprehensive as you would expect, and includes a full set of stencils for the airframe. The sheet is actually the same as that provided in the aforementioned Profipack kit, so you won't need to buy it if you already have that particular version (good bit of Britmodeller consumer advice there) Conclusion As with their other recent sheets, these decals appear to have been printed in the Czech Republic by Eduard themselves. The sheet is well printed and details are crisp and clear. If you have one of Eduard's new Spitfire XVIs and you have the patience to apply all of these stencils, then this sheet will provide you with a great finishing touch. Review sample courtesy of

Falanga 9M17P - Brassin Resin Accessories 1:72 Eduard The 9M17P Skorpion, known in the West by the NATO reporting name 'AT-2 Swatter C', is a Soviet/Russian Anti-Tank Missile designed to be launched from helicopter platforms such as the Mi-24 Hind. A development of the original 3M11 Falanga, the 9M17P featured improved range and reliability, as well as a new Semi-Automatic Command to Line of Sight (SACLOS) guidance system. The missile was used during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, as well as some other conflicts in which the Mi-24 gunship has played a role. The missiles are each cast a single piece, while detailed launch rails are provided on the small fret of photo etched brass parts. A tiny decal sheet has also been included The casting is flawless and details are nice and sharp. Review sample courtesy of

Fw 190F8 Profipack Edition 1:72 Eduard The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 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 Fw 190 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 Fw 190 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 Fw 190 F8 was a fighter-bomber variant developed from the A8 fighter, but with a revised supercharger for improved low-altitude performance and bomb racks under the wings and fuselage. Eduard have long been capable of churning out excellent kits, but in 2011, with the release of their Hellcat series, that they really set a new standard for plastic kits in the smaller scales. Since then, they have added several superlative kits to their lineup, including the BF110 series, MiG-15 and MiG-15UTI series and their latest release, the Spitfire Mk.IX. They are still adding to their range of Fw 190s though, the newest of which is the F-8. This version of the kit is part of the Profipack range, which means it benefits from the inclusion of masks, photo etched details and a no fewer than five decal options. The kit itself is made up of over 200 plastic parts spread across of three sprues of blue-grey plastic (although a significant number of these are not used for the F8) and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. Being a Profipack, photo etched parts and masks are also included. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. All together, the impression is of a quality package. As you would expect from Eduard, the quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash or sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere either; sub-assemblies such as the cockpit are right up there with high end 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 phenomenal for a kit of this size. The photo etched parts cover 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. They really help to raise the level of detail a notch. 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. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. 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 also be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. If you wish to use the supplied bomb racks, remember to drill out the appropriate holes at this point. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part while the tail planes are solid lumps. 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). Once the basic airframe is together, it’s 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. As this is the F8 version, you get a whole extra sprue containing a wide choice of ordnance including a drop tank, three different types of bomb and two different types of rockets and launch rails. Alternative photo etched parts are provided for the ballistic tails of the bombs. A number of small parts are 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. Decal options are provided for a generous five aircraft: Fw 190F8 5./SG 77, Cottbus, Germany, early 1945. This aircraft is finished in RLM 74/75 over RLM 76; Fw 190F8 SG 2, Hungary, late 1944/early 1945. This aircraft is finished in a similar scheme, but with a temporary winter whitewash and a red cowling ring; Fw 190F8 1./SG 4, Piacenza Air Base, Italy, 1944. This aircraft is finished in RLM 79/80 over RLM 76; Fw 190F8 W.Nr. 584592, SG 2 or SG 10, Nuremburg, Germany, May 1945. Finished in RLM 81/83 over RLM 76; and Fw 190F8 SG 10, Ceske Budejovice, Czechoslovakia, May 1945. Finished in RLM 83 over RLM 76. Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile as well as detailed illustrations of the propellers or drop tanks where appropriate. The decals, which are printed by Eduard, look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. Conclusion While it may be a fairly uninspired choice of subject, there's no denying that Eduard have delivered the definitive kit of the Fw190, as well as providing a prime example of the kit maker's art. The level of detail they have packed in is as superb as the engineering is excellent, and the kit appears to be accurate in every major way. Overall this is a winning package and can be highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AGM-114 Hellfire (648280) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Hellfire is a fire-and-forget anti-armour missile that has been used extensively (and expensively) in the Middle East, both against armour, and targets that are required to be taken out with precision. Carrying only 20lbs of high explosives in its warhead, it is still a powerful weapon and speeds to the target using its own radar guidance, which is housed behind a snub glass nose cone. They are the favourite arms of the Apache and the Predator drones due to their low weight and precision, and numerous variants have been used. As usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the familiar Brassin rectangular box, with the resin parts safely cocooned on dark grey foam inserts, and the instructions on top, doubling as additional protection. This set contains resin and Photo-Etch (PE) parts to build eight missiles, plus a pair of four-missile Multiple Ejector Racks, as well as a choice of clear and FOD covered seeker heads. The main missile body is a single part, with a clear or opaque resin seeker head, PE fins fore and aft, plus a PE exhaust ring. If the missiles aren't being used on a rack, a small resin part is attached just behind the nose, otherwise the lug is subsumed within the rail once attached. The four-point racks are made from a resin body with two arms attached to provide the extra stations, with PE rail ends, a PE rear panel, and some additional resin pipework between the rails. The missiles are shown in a set of scrap diagrams to show the location of the decals, which are supplied on a small sheet within the bag that contains the two PE sheets. As usual, the colour call-outs are provided in Gunze codes. A 4-pack of Hellfires under the wing(let) of any suitable aircraft looks rather good (IMHO), so these should sell incredibly well. As always with Eduard resin, the casting is first rate, crisp, and with sensibly placed casting blocks to ease removal of the parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sniper ATP - Brassin Resin Accessories 1:72 Eduard Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) is used extensively on modern US aircraft as well as those belonging to other NATO forces. Eduard released a 1:48 Sniper pod back in the summer and have now done the decent thing and scaled it down to 1:72. The pod arrives in the familiar Brassin clamshell box, with the resin parts safely ensconced within dark grey foam inserts. The pod is highly detailed and superbly cast, with a total of four resin parts including one crystal clear part for the optical parts of the pod. A small fret of etched parts and a decal sheet are also included. A resin pylon adapter completes the package. Review sample courtesy of

Eduard Mi-24/35 Upgrade Set 1:72 Eduard A few months ago, Eduard released a limited edition boxing of Zvezda's highly regarded Mi-24/35 Hind. Available only as a dual combo kit with a huge choice of (mainly Czech) marking options, it quickly sold out. Now Eduard have followed up with a further photo etched upgrade set, which will come in handy if you have the Eduard kit, the original Zvezda kit or even the Revell re-box. The set comprises a single unpainted fret which contains parts for both interior and exterior (mainly interior) of the Hind. Included are details for the cabin window frames, the electrical equipment racks and a host of small bits and bobs for the cabin sidewalls. Turning to the outside of the airframe, there are parts for the port wingtip laser designator pod, windscreen wipers, pitot tube, the ventral avionics bay door, the landing gear and landing gear bays, the ordnance, rotor head and a host of vents, aerials and other lumps and bumps. Conclusion Zvezda's kit, in all its different boxings, is already very good indeed. This set can only serve to elevate it to an even higher place. Some might argue it is gilding the lily, but there is a limit to what can be achieved with injection moulded plastic and this set takes that limit as a sensible starting point. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hello everyone! Here is… after 7 months I finally finished my first 1/32 model. It was my wife’s present to my birthday (she simply liked the nose art, and I do too J). So, I didn’t want to disappoint her and put all my efforts to make this model as good as possible. I tried to show this famous Air-a-cutie hard weathered in its condition prior to be repainted in her final known “white tail livery” J The only available pictures show different nose arts thus there are lot of opinions either there were one or more Air-a-cuties. Another thing which still produces lot of debates – is it P-39 or P-400?.. Another feature of the build was an IFF SCR-535 set with installed antennas - Thanks to the US Army CECOM Historical Office who provided me a full operational manual. I used photoetched parts for the cockpit and planned to install brass armament but was so tired in the end of building process… and decided just to put those simple plastic parts from the box. But it would definitely improve the model appearance. May be next time J Also, I admit the final result is not ideal, but I learnt lot of good practices and would like to thank all of those modellers who supported me during this build. The entire building process can be seen here:

X-1 Mach Buster (8079) 1:48 Eduard Bell built the X-1 as their attempt at breaking the elusive sound barrier as it was known then, although it was having problems with control at high mach numbers due to the lack of surface area on the elevators. After agreeing to share data with the Miles company that were developing the superior Miles M.52, the US reneged on the deal after Miles had naively given their data over, after which the Bell engineers fitted an all moving elevator to their design, while the British government cancelled the Miles project. This left the Americans free to break the sound barrier without any competition, reaching 1,000mph in 1948 with the well-known Chuck Yeager along for the ride. The rocket propulsion system was later improved with added fuel tank capacity and achieved 1,450mph. The Kit This is a reboxing of the 1998 plastic with some additions and subtractions from the original Profipack boxing. Inside the box are two sprues of dark grey styrene, a single clear part, a sheet of nickel plated and pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE), a bag of resin wheels, a small sheet of pre-cut masking material, decal sheet and the instruction booklet, which is printed on glossy paper in full colour at A5 size. This is one of Eduard's early kits and as such it has a "Classic Airframes shine" to the parts, and they aren't of the same detail and quality of their modern uberkits, and as such they should be considered as somewhere between short run and mainstream – "long run" maybe? This is a simple kit however, and the lack of locating pins on the fuselage halves shouldn't worry any but the most cautious novice. Construction begins in the cockpit, and with the choice of three different instrument panels, all of which are pre-painted, and a set of seatbelts that are also pre-painted, this part of the build shouldn't take long. You will need to add a bit of nose weight behind the cockpit to make it sit on its nose wheel, but after that, you can close up the fuselage and add the wings. A choice of either the original ineffective elevators or the later Miles inspired units are included, which depends on which decal option you choose. Before you put on the canopy, your choice of instrument panel is added along with the rudder pedals, which looks like it could be a bit fiddly, although you do also have the escape hatch to peer through during fitting of this assembly. With that done, the faceted windscreen can be applied, and this is where those masks come in handy, saving you the tedium of cutting individual masks for each pane. The escape hatch can be added closed if you wish, hiding away the little PE handles on the inside, or you can leave it off, but as it is not tethered, you'll have to come up with some way of keeping it with the model, such as a base, or gluing it to a wing. The landing gear on the original was simple, which is replicated by the kit parts, with the addition of some very nicely 3D mastered resin wheels to replace the soft detail of the original parts. The gear bay doors however are a little agricultural, but this can be remedied by either applying a little modelling skill, or getting the PE Upgrade set that is now available under the code 48908. Markings The decal sheet is printed in-house, and the quality has improved since they began this practice. The sheet is in good register, sharp, and with adequate colour density, having a closely-cropped glossy carrier film. From the box you can build one of the following two airframes at different points in their careers: 46-062 Muroc Dry Lake Base, 2nd half of 1947. 46-602 Edwards AFB, 1950. 46-063, Muroc Dry Lake Base, late 1946. 46-063, Edwards AFB, October 1947. Conclusion It may be a little old-skool, but it is still a welcome re-release of this important little aircraft. With a little care it should build up into a creditable replica of the real thing, ably demonstrated recently by our member Orangesherbert, or Simon as we prefer to call him. You can see some more pictures here. Recommended. X-1 Overtrees (8079X) If you don't need the decals, resin and PE parts for what you have planned, the Overtrees offer you the option of purchasing just the two grey sprues and the windscreen without the expense of the handsome box, instruction booklet etc. It comes in a plain white box, as below: X-1 Photo-Etch (8079-LEPT) If you change your mind about the PE, or you have an older boxing that you'd like to get the pre-painted instrument panels for, this little set is just ziplok bagged on a white card to keep it safe, as below: NOTE: Overtrees are available only from Eduard's website, so please bear this in mind when ordering. Review sample courtesy of