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A-10C Upgrade Sets (for Great Wall Hobby) 1:48 Eduard Great Wall Hobby (GWH) sprung a new 1:48 scale A-10C Thunderbolt II on us late last year, and although we’ve not seen one here at Britmodeller yet, the potential given their history of well-detailed models is generating much excitement and anticipation as the first examples filter through. 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. We only have three sets so far, but they’re quick and easy upgrades to the cockpit via 3D printed parts, and kabuki masks. Doubtless more sets will follow as time goes by. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48186) 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 A-10’s cockpit is high on the nose, and has a wide range of visibility, so any details will be on view providing you don’t mess the canopy up, and for assistance with avoiding this, see below! The first step is to remove the moulded-in instrument panel and side console details, leaving a smooth surface for the replacement 3D printed decals, consisting of two for the panel, and two more plus a hose for the starboard console. The seat also has the moulded-in belts removed, plus some of the details on the seat sides that are replaced by folded PE parts, replacing the belts with pre-painted parts that will give a more realistic representation to the viewer. More decals are supplied for a small gaggle of instruments around the windscreen frame, a lens for the HUD, and another for a small raised box on the consoles. The last PE parts are the rudder pedals set deep under the newly revitalised instrument panel. Masks (EX1049) 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 mask for the extensive lens of the AN-AAQ-33 SNIPER advanced targeting pod, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX1050) 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’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. Review sample courtesy of

Me.410A-1 Upgrade Sets (3DL72027 & 73817 for Airfix) 1:72 Eduard The new 1:72 Messerschmitt Me.410A-1 from Airfix has been a resounding success with modellers, and it’s a nice kit straight out of the box. If you’re an inveterate upgrader however, 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 (73817) 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, radio gear on the rear bulkhead, and sidewall details with added levers for the cockpit and the extensive instrument panel for the rear cabin are in full colour; head armour behind the seat, requiring removal of the chunky styrene part from the bulkhead; a set of four-point seatbelts for the pilot and lap belts for the gunner; new rudder pedals with an ancillary instrument panel between them; detailing of the cockpit sidewalls with instruments, controls and other parts. Moving outside the cockpit are radiator core inserts with PE cooling flaps in the rear of the fairings, plus actuators; flare-hiders are curved around the exhausts on the port side of the engine, and straight parts on the starboard side; a latch to operate the door closure mechanism on the tail wheel, requiring removal of the chunky kit representation; PE oleo scissor-links and a bracket to each main gear leg; two towel-rail antennae that fit under the fuselage; two hand-grips on the port side of the cockpit to aid the crew entering and exiting their aircraft; trim tab actuators on the rudder and elevators to finish the set. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL72027) 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 3D printed decals cover the side consoles, instrument panel segments, radio wall on the rear bulkhead, and other small parts on the sidewalls, while the PE sheet covers the crew belts for both pilot and gunner, four-points for the pilot, and lap-belts for the gunner, adding rudder pedals to the front of the cockpit, and the box between them that holds a selection of instruments, those provided by a 3D decal that is applied to the front. Review sample courtesy of

Consolidated B-24J Liberator Upgrade Sets (for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard For decades, quarter-scale (1:48) modellers had only the Monogram kit in -D and -J forms to build, and while it was a good model for its day, the raised panel lines and simplified detailing was off-putting to some modellers. After Hobby Boss released their 1:32 kit, some modellers wondered if they would ‘shrink’ it down to 1:48, despite the flaws inherent in the larger kit. They were right, and as always there are ways to improve the detail using materials other than injection moulded styrene. 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 & Engines Set (491450) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panel sections that run across the width of the cockpit, the substantial centre console with throttle quadrants are given the same treatment that includes a forest of levers pushed through the quadrant surface; the footwells have a detailed skin applied to the floor; another instrument box in front of the centre console is denuded of detail and has a substantial upgrade, applying a new surface to the larger box below it, and detailing the sides, top and adding control levers before gluing the two components together; both cockpit sidewalls are festooned with several equipment boxes with pre-painted faces and dials, some based upon kit parts, but others new; the overhead console that is missing from the kit is built up on a PE base, gluing the completed assembly to the underside of the canopy between the crew. The four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 Twin Wasp engines are upgraded with a wiring loom that wraps around the bell-housing, with a scrap diagram showing where the wires should end. The aft end of the engine nacelle cowlings near the superchargers is thinned to a more realistic thickness, removing some small portions of the supports for the pipework before adding PE strip around the edges, and fitting brackets where the material was removed, which must be done four times in total. Some details on the wings within the confines of the inner nacelles are removed and filled, creating four flat boxes with mesh fronts that are mounted on trapezoid bases, and supported by a pair of brackets that stand on grooves etched into the bases. There are four of these, and one is fitted into the footprint of each nacelle. Zoom! Set (FE1450) 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 more structural elements. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48180) 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. Two 3D decals are applied to the floor in the crew footwells, with distances marked in white on the black background, and a large 3D decal is applied to the main panel after removing most of the raised detail originally moulded into the part, also taking the sanding sticks to the centre console, removing moulded-in detail to replace it with decals that provide more details that are already painted better than most of us can manage. The throttle quadrant is shown being removed, but it isn’t clear what is to be done with it after this, and there don’t seem to be any suitable decals, so if your edition of the instructions show it being removed, check carefully before doing so. The other sections of the centre console are stripped of detail and have it replaced by new decals, plus a couple of PE wheels and levers. Both cockpit sidewalls are festooned with several equipment boxes with 3D decal faces and dials, some based upon kit parts, and more fitted to the bulkhead framework between the cockpit and the nose, then the overhead console that is absent from the kit is built up on a decal base, gluing and then completing the assembly on the underside of the canopy between the crew, using pre-painted PE boxes as the base for two instrument clusters. Bulkhead E7 at the rear of the bomb bay is shown having the upper section hollowed out, leaving a 3mm strip around the edge, the reason for this being that it is where three sets of lap belts for the crew are positioned, so the removal makes the model more accurate in the process. Each of the three sets of belts are pre-painted and have comfort pads under the buckles, laying them as if they had been left by the crew after they went to action stations or headed for de-briefing after the mission. More lap belts are provided for the two nose crew, with two sets of four-point belts for the pilots, lap belts for the navigator, and one last set for the upper turret operator just behind the canopy. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1451) 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. To begin with, Bulkhead E7 at the rear of the bomb bay is shown having the upper section hollowed out, leaving a 3mm strip around the edge, the reason for this being that this is where three sets of lap belts for the crew are positioned, so the removal makes the model more accurate in the process. Each of the three sets of belts are pre-painted and have comfort pads under the buckles, laying them as if they had been left by the crew after they went to action stations or to de-briefing after the mission. More lap belts are provided for the two nose crew, with two sets of four-point belts for the pilots, lap belts for the navigator, and one last set for the upper turret gunner just behind the canopy. If this text appears familiar, that is because this set shares most components with the SPACE set above. Masks (EX1041) Supplied on two sheets 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. As well as the main canopy greenhouse, you get masks for the nose, the turrets, the many windows on the sides of the fuselage, and the bomb-aimer’s window, allowing you to cut the demarcations perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX1042) Supplied on a four 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 inside of the glazing so that you can paint the model’s interior and give your kit that extra bit of realism. Having used these sets on my own models on a number of occasions, 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, where there typically aren’t any raised frames to act as guides. US National Insignia (EX1043) Masking off the main markings of models removes any pitfalls associated with using larger decals, such as thickness of the carrier film, unintended decal movement before setting, and the perennial scourge of decaling – silvering - where microscopic air bubbles become trapped under the carrier film, reflecting light and giving the completed decal a silvered look. Using masks, it’s possible to paint several colours in very thin layers with an airbrush, leading to a set of markings that are more harmonious with the overall paint finish, and later appear to have been sprayed on along with the main colours. It also makes weathering or chipping the markings as simple as it is with paint. This set is tailored for the Hobby Boss kit, and arrives in a flat-pack resealable package, backed by a small instruction sheet held within along with a sheet of vinyl masks. Why vinyl rather than kabuki tape? Vinyl is more robust and requires more tension to deform it, lending the material to letters, digits and shapes that require precision of size and shape to look correct. The masks include parts for the national markings of the aircraft so you can paint the stars-and-bars on the model, which could be an introduction to using masks and an airbrush to create more realistic markings on future models. Positioning the masks should be straight-forward, but if you have placement issues you could place the positive masks as a guide, then lower the negative masks into position over them, weeding out the positive masks once you are happy with their location. Depending on what colours you are spraying, and the shades you are using, it may take multiple steps and some element of adding and removal of masks, which you can keep together by adding a separate piece of tape across the group of shapes to keep them aligned in between uses. It would also help keeping the groups apart from each other during use, so you don’t get the individual mask sets mixed up. A perfect opportunity to try something new with your modelling, helping to increase the realism of your work by removing the carrier film and associated issues from the equation, at least for the major markings. Review samples courtesy of

B-26B Marauder Updates (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM brought their newly tooled 1:48 B-26B Marauder to market just a few months ago, and it’s a huge improvement on the old Monogram kit, offering most of the interior detail from the box, although by necessity it is simplified to keep the costs palatable, and to comply with the technical limits of injection-moulded styrene. You can always improve styrene with aftermarket sets though, 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 & Nose Interior (491454) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other larger, and in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, centre-console, throttle quadrant and sidewalls, and improvements to the side consoles with added levers for the cockpit that are in full colour, with a large skin for the floor; a brand-new pair of seats for the front crew with rails to mount them on; a tunnel surround for the crew hatch in the floor behind the crew seats; a detail skin for the bulkhead between the crew and bombardier, which also has additional details around the edges; hand-grips on the doorway; and overhead console between the pilots that has raised parts added from PE; a windscreen wiper for the bombardier’s optically clear window in the nose; a ring and bead sight for the nose machine gun, plus a dump bag to one side and a length of ammunition that fits into the stowage box that attaches to the glazing nearby, which is also replaced by a PE part. Having built and painted the kit cockpit, this will be a huge upgrade, and I’m already thinking about how to retro-fit it to my kit as I type this. Zoom! Set (FE1454) 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 such as the seats, floor and access tunnel. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48183) 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 kit instrument panel is covered in raised detail, but is let down by the decal that comes with it, which has thick white bezels around each instrument face. This set will require removal of the raised details, after which the new hyper-real panel can be glued into place, carrying out the same task with the centre console and throttle quadrant, plus several other instrument boxes around the cockpit sides, adding a new overhead console and gunsight, extending the detailing into the nose and walls of the cockpit. The PE sheet contains belts for the pilot, co-pilot, gunners and other crew, all etched in STEEL, making draping them over the seats a breeze. Again, it’s an impressive update to the detail of this kit, which whilst good will be much better with these upgrades Seatbelts STEEL (FE1455) 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 set of belts for the rest of the crew, most of whom have lap-belts because of their positions and seating type. Masks (EX1044) 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 masks for the turrets, various smaller windows and hatches dotted around the fuselage and landing lights in the wing leading edges. Masks Tface (EX1045) 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 inside of the glazing so that you can paint the model’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. US National Insignia (EX1046) Masking off the main markings of models removes any pitfalls associated with using larger decals, such as thickness of the carrier film, unintended decal movement before setting, and the perennial scourge of decaling – silvering - where microscopic air bubbles become trapped under the carrier film, reflecting light and giving the completed decal a silvered look. Using masks, it’s possible to paint several colours in very thin layers with an airbrush, leading to a set of markings that are more harmonious with the overall paint finish, and later appear to have been sprayed on along with the main colours. It also makes weathering or chipping the markings as simple as it is with paint. This set is tailored for the ICM kit, and arrives in a flat-pack resealable package, backed by a thick piece of cardboard, and with a small instruction sheet held within along with a sheet of vinyl masks. Why vinyl rather than kabuki tape? Vinyl is more robust and requires more tension to deform it, lending the material to letters, digits and shapes that require precision of size and shape to look correct. The masks include parts for the national markings of the aircraft so you can paint the stars-and-bars on the model, which could be an introduction to using masks and an airbrush to create more realistic markings on future models. Positioning the masks should be straight-forward, but if you have placement issues you could place the positive masks as a guide, then lower the negative masks into position over them, weeding out the positive masks once you are happy with their location. Depending on what colours you are spraying, and the shades you are using, it may take multiple steps and some element of adding and removal of masks, which you can keep together by adding a separate piece of tape across the group of shapes to keep them aligned in between uses. It would also help keeping the groups apart from each other during use, so you don’t get the individual mask sets mixed up. A perfect opportunity to try something new with your modelling, helping to increase the realism of your work by removing the carrier film and associated issues from the equation, at least for the major markings. Conclusion Stand by to see some of these parts added to my ongoing build of the ICM kit here, which has been going a little bit slowly of late due to various reasons, but the upside is that I’m still able to put some of the details in there before the fuselage is closed. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.108 Taifun Update Sets (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard’s Bf.108 Taifun kit was one of their earliest in 2002, and yet it is still good enough to see the inside of a new box occasionally, including 2024 as I type this. To coincide with the re-release under the classic desert-themed box art, Eduard have released a couple of upgrade sets that will increase the level of detail in the cockpit, which is often a weaker point of older kits. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1431) 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 two pairs of lap belts for the rear bench seat to keep the passengers in position during flight. SPACE (3DL48166) 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 contains a full set of belts for the two crew and lap belts for the rear-seat passengers as per the above belt-only set, but it also equips the instrument panel with a large curved new surface that is studded with realistic dials and is applied over the flattened original for the ultimate in detail. The angled console between the pilots is also covered with a choice of two styles of instruments, adding an extra part to the top of one option, and a raised switch to the bottom of both choices. Conclusion The addition of seatbelts brings the level of detail in an aircraft’s cockpit up immensely, and with the addition of the SPACE instrument panel and console, the detail is further enhanced beyond the level capable by most modellers. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Gannet AS.1/AS.4 Upgrade Sets (for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Airfix made a lot of British and Anglophile aviation modellers very happy when they released their complete modern tooling of the Fairey Gannet, a venerable and much-missed carrier-based Anti-Submarine Search and Strike aircraft from the deepest era of the Cold War. The 1:48 annals of modelling have been a bit short on available kits of this sea bird for the longest of times, but that’s one gap that has now been filled, and filled well. You can always improve detail on an injection-moulded model however. 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. Gannet AS.1 Upgrade Set (491424) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, sidewalls, and consoles with added levers for all the cockpits and the extensive instrument panel for the main cabin are in full colour, with additional parts in bare brass that include new rudder pedals; a drop-down crew ladder that pops out of the fuselage by the nose gear bay; more detailed baffles for the interior of the bomb bay doors; bulkhead placards and other details in the bomb bay and in the nose gear bay. Gannet AS.4 Upgrade Set (491425) This set differs slightly from the one above in the layout of the cockpit equipment, with an early/late option on one panel. Gannet AS.1 SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48162) 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 replaces all the instrument panels, dials and boxes with 3D printed decals throughout the cockpits, plus a full set of crew seatbelts for the two crew members, including comfort pads under the buckles. Gannet AS.4 SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48163) This set differs very slightly from the one above in the shape and size of a few boxes in the cockpits. Gannet AS.1/AS.4 Seatbelts STEEL (FE1426) 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 comfort pads for under the buckles, as Gannets often undertook extremely long missions as part of their deployment. Gannet AS.1/AS.4 Masks (EX1916) 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 masks for both sides of the HUD and sundry smaller clear parts, including the landing lights. Gannet AS.1/AS.4 Masks Tface (EX1017) 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’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. Gannet AS.1/AS.4 National & Aircraft Markings (EX1018) Speaking personally, it’s long been a temptation to mask off the main markings of my aircraft models, removing any issues associated with using larger decals, such as thickness of the carrier film, unintended movement before setting, and the perennial scourge of decaling – silvering - where microscopic air bubbles become trapped under the carrier film, reflecting light and giving the completed decal a silvered look. Using masks, it’s possible to paint several colours in very thin layers with an airbrush, leading to a set of markings that are more harmonious with the overall paint finish, and later appear to have been sprayed on along with the main colours. It also makes weathering the markings as simple as it is with paint. This set is tailored for the Airfix kit, and arrives in a flat-pack resealable package, backed by a thick piece of cardboard, and with a small instruction sheet held within along with a sheet of vinyl masks. Why vinyl rather than kabuki tape? Vinyl is more robust and requires more tension to deform it, lending themselves to letters, digits and shapes that require precision of size and angles to look correct. The masks include parts for the national markings, the aircraft fuselage codes, their underwing serials and the two walkways down the wingroots where the crew exit and enter. From the sheet you can paint the markings of one of the three aircraft depicted on the kit’s decal markings: Kit Scheme A - Fairey Gannet AS.4 XA460, No.849 Naval Air Squadron, HQ Training Flight, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, circa 1959 Kit Scheme B - Fairey Gannet AS.4 XA418, No.815 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal, 1958 Kit Scheme C - Fairey Gannet AS.1 XA335, No.847 Naval Air Squadron, RAF Nicosia, Cyprus, 1957 Positioning the masks should be straight-forward, but if you have placement issues you could place the positive masks as a guide, then lower the negative masks into position over them, weeding out the positive masks once you are happy with their location. The roundels will require three steps and some element of adding and removal of masks, which you can keep together by adding a separate piece of tape across the group of circles to keep them aligned in between uses. It would also help keeping the groups apart from each other during use, so you don’t get the individual mask sets mixed up. A perfect opportunity to try something new with your modelling, helping to increase the realism of your work by removing the carrier film and associated issues from the equation, at least for the major markings. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

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

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

Mosquito B Mk.IV Updates (for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard The Tamiya Mosquito is an iconic kit in 1:48, and although it was initially released in 1998 and this version was tooled the following year, it’s still a great build and accurate apart from the height of the tail fin if you believe the purists. It’s readily available again, and although the price has inevitably crept up, it’s still a fabulous kit of a superb aircraft. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner, including some of the newer technologies they’ve taken to using. 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 (3DL48097) 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 instrument panel is completely replaced after removing the moulded-in details with a two-part decal plus a trio of levers, then the send/receive radio boxes have their fronts removed to be replaced by colourful new decals. The compass in front of the throttle quadrant is replaced by a new decal, then another six equipment boxes are replaced or added on both sidewalls. The rest of the PE parts are seatbelts for both crew members, requiring a small raised lump to be removed from the pilot’s headrest and a hole drilled in its location so that the shoulder belts can pass through. The navigator has an identical set of belts that drape over his smaller, more cramped seat slightly behind the pilot. Stencils (D48108 for Tamiya/Revell) Eduard’s stencil range has been growing steadily of late, providing sharp, detailed stencilling for numerous types, some of which are lacking from the originating manufacturer’s box. The latter can come in handy for your average modeller, as sometimes the kit doesn’t include a complete set of stencils for expediency or whatever reason. Some folks, myself included, think that the inclusion of a full suite of stencils adds extra realism to a model, although there is of course the time element and the extra carrier film edges to hide. Eduard have been busy of late and have released this comprehensive set we have to review. It arrives in a clear foil re-sealable envelope with a card stiffener, a cover page with instructions, plus the decals with wax paper protecting the delicate printed surface. This set arrives on one sheet, and is patterned for almost any 1:48 Mosquito kit due to the generic nature and placement of the stencils. Over the course of four profiles from overhead, underneath, and the sides, plus a diagram of the engine nacelles from the side, the locations of all the stencils are shown clearly on greyscale line drawings that use coloured arrows and numbers to differentiate from the background. Link to PDF of instructions. The decals are printed in-house by Eduard and have good register, sharpness and colour density, with a glossy carrier film printed close to the edges of the printed areas. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and those large red boxes with crosses running over them will be substantially improved once the carrier film has been removed, with no chance of silvering. Masks (EX028) 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 (including the out-riggers), allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX913) 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. If you missed the review of the Löök set for this kit that we did a few weeks ago, you can find it here. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-14/AS 3D Printed Upgrade Set (3DL48092) 1:48 Eduard SPACE We reviewed Eduard’s recent boxing of their excellent Bf.109G-14/AS high-altitude fighter here, and in its ProfiPACK guise it includes PE instrument panels. If you have another edition that doesn’t have those upgrades, this set should be of interest, adding modern printing technology and detail to the cockpit. 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. After removing the engraved detail from the floor next to where the seat will sit, the flat surfaces have three 3D printed decals added to replace and augment those areas, and when the seat is installed, it is then detailed by adding the four-point seatbelts, which also have comfort pads under the buckles, with little brackets attaching to the rear shelf giving a realistic location where the shoulder harnesses are held in place. The instrument panel is a straight replacement that is applied to the blank instrument panel that is on the sprues, laminating two main layers and a smaller central layer to complete the task. The cockpit sidewalls are also updated with several instrument faces after removing the moulded-in detail, one of which is held at an angle by a PE bracket. The oxygen regulator is also given a new face, and the remaining PE parts are added, along with a T-shaped toggle that’s inserted into the instrument panel. Conclusion I’m a huge fan of 3D printed instrument panels and their ilk, and look out for them whenever I start a new project. This set should give the already excellent Eduard kit an additional boost in detail that is well worth the effort and asking price. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Me.262A 3D Printed Upgrade Set (3DL48085 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard SPACE The Tamiya Me.262A is getting quite old now, but it’s still a good kit that would benefit from a new lease of life by adding some modern technology aftermarket to the cockpit. 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. After removing the engraved detail from the kit instrument panel, the flat surfaces have four 3D printed decals added to replace and augment the part, with a choice of a different centre console with an alternative layout of instruments. The side consoles are similarly stripped of their moulded-in details, covered over with new decals, and with a lever on a backing plate on the starboard side, next to the kit fuse board, which has a cut-out in the decal to allow everything to sit well together. The pilot’s seat is then detailed by adding the four-point seatbelts, which also have comfort pads under the buckles, and you should remove the two small pips on the back of the seat before gluing the shoulder harnesses in place. Conclusion I’m a huge fan of 3D printed instrument panels and their ilk, and look out for them whenever I start a new project. This set should give the venerable Tamiya kit an additional boost in detail that is well worth the effort and asking price. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-38J Upgrade Sets (for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Tamiya’s new releases of the P-38F/G then H and later J variants has well-and-truly kicked the Academy kit off the number one spot in 1:48 for the most part, the J having been release in 2022, thereby triggering Eduard’s latest efforts. 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), small Brassin, 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. Interior (491294) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass, plus a small printed piece of acetate sheet. The sidewalls are first relieved of much of their moulded-in detail, to be redecorated with a substantial set of new parts to replace and augment the detail that is there. This includes the throttle quadrant, which has a garden of levers sprouting from both sections, plus more of the instruments that are dotted about the cockpit, and even an insert that is applied to the head of the control column. The gunsight is stripped of its thick clear styrene glass, and is refitted with a PE frame and a piece of acetate cut from the sheet. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and replacement rudder pedals are fitted to the kit panel after removing the original details, with even more instruments and details placed in every nook and cranny. The pilot’s seat is replaced entirely by a new PE unit, which also has a pair of cushions, requiring only a minor alteration to the frame it sits on. Moving to the engine nacelles, the gear bays are upgraded with new ribbed PE parts inside the bulkheads, a two-layered circular grille over the intakes under the prop, and a backing panel that covers the kit detail on the central intake deep inside the boom. Two large radiator fairings on each side of the tail booms are also given two-layer grilles to detail their interiors, with another circular grille and an intake on each side of both nacelles just under the exhaust outlets. The final parts involve removing all of the oleo-scissor links from the three gear legs, and replacing them with folded PE parts, plus additional details on the main gear struts. Zoom! Set (FE1294) 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 (3DL48081) 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. On the PE sheet is a set of pre-painted seatbelts for the pilot, with a comfort pad under the buckles, plus a lot of instrument box faces; rudder pedals; levers for the controls; circular bases for winders that require some 0.3mm rod sections from your own stock to complete. More details for the black boxes and a pre-painted frame for the gunsight glass are also included. The decal sheet has a gorgeous instrument panel replacement, plus stencils and all manner of instrument surfaces to give your cockpit the ultimate in detail. Externally, there are beautiful glossy printed identification lights that you will find four of each in green and red for the port and starboard wingtips, plus four more in blue for the sides of the tail fins, with all the kit lumps requiring removal before you can replace them with these super-realistic decals. Wheels (648782) 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 set includes one nose wheel with separate spoked hub caps to be inserted into the centres along with optional PE discs to hide away all that beautiful detail, which seems a shame. The two main wheels have an outboard hub, plus the same bland disc that covers them if you really have to for accuracy. The nose tyre has oval tread and the main gear a diamond tread, with a small sag at the bottom where they join the casting block, and a set of kabuki tape masks (not pictured) to cut the demarcation neatly between tyres and wheels with little effort. A scrap diagram shows a method for removing the flash between the spoke of the hubs and in the middle of the nose gear wheel, using a cocktail stick or something similar to push it out toward the inside. I use the tip of a #11 blade myself, but it’s time consuming and there will be blood. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1295) 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 crew belts, you also get a comfort pad that sits under the buckles to prevent chaffing of the pilot’s general areas. Masks (EX883) 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 (including the out-riggers), allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX884) Supplied on a larger sheet/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 A great bunch of sets to augment a great kit of a great aircraft that I just happen to be watching a documentary about as I type this. Spooky. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-47D Razorback & Bubbletop Update Sets (for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard If you thought you’d missed out on the wave of super-detailed aftermarket parts using new technology for your older kits, you might be right in some situations, but if you have one of Tamiya’s still excellent P-47D Thunderbolts, whether it’s the Razorback, or the Bubbletop with the cut-down fuselage to improve rearward vision, you’re in luck. These relatively old kits still hold up incredibly well given their age, but any styrene instrument panel can be improved by aftermarket that is pre-painted or printed in the correct colours to begin with. Add to that a set of paint masks to keep your canopy in pristine condition, and you’ve got a great way to upgrade your kit relatively quickly and easily. The cockpits of the two variants of the Thunderbolt were subtly different, so both the sets are broadly the same, but with those minimal changes between them, which seems to extend only to the instrument panel, they still build essentially the same. The masking sets are vastly different from the windscreen aft, as you will be able to see in the drawings below. P-17D Razorback & Bubbletop SPACE (3DL48077 & 3DL48078) 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 printed sheet contains the beautiful instrument panel, with copious additional decals for the side consoles, stencils and sidewalls after removing the moulded-in detail, while the PE includes a set of four-point pre-painted seatbelts with comfort pads under the buckles; a raised stand for the floor with a decal with some controls on the floor; wiring loom on the sidewalls linking various parts together; backup ring sight on the gunsight with a bead externally in front of the cockpit, and adjustment ratchets on the rudder pedals, where you are also told to drill holes in the bottom of the foot pedals. Externally, there are a pair of circular mesh grilles for the intakes in the nose; stencils for the main gear legs, and a fuel cap for the flattened fuel tank often carried under the belly. The difference between the Razorback and the Bubbletop extends only as far as the former has a cut-out in the top centre of the panel, while the latter has the notch in the styrene panel covered over with additional informative stencils. P-47D Razorback (3DL48077) P-47D Bubbletop (3DL48078) Tface Masks (EX881 & EX882) 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 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 formation lights, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. P-47D Razorback Tface (EX881) P-47D Bubbletop Tface (EX882) Conclusion It’s great to see these sets coming out to improve the cockpit of these ageing gems of kits that many of us have in our stashes already. I was tempted to get a Tamiya Bubbletop now, even though I built the Academy kit some years ago when Eduard reboxed it. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

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

P-51D Cockpit Sets & Masks (for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Eduard’s new Mustang kits are growing in number, and their recent Weekend edition (84172) is just one of many. If you’ve changed your mind and decided that you want to augment the detail, then now’s your chance. Two sets of mask and Photo-Etch (PE) for that kit, and some new SPACE 3D Printed sets for the -10 and -15+ blocks, which bring the latest technology in 3D printing on decal paper to the fray, coupled with a sheet of PE that complements their detail. P-51D-5 Weekend Zoom! (FE1141) This set contains one pre-painted nickel-plated fret of PE that holds a complete replacement instrument panel as a lamination of three printed parts; a leather(?) pouch behind the pilot’s head armour; a set of four-point seatbelts; a substantial upgrade of the instruments and equipment in the fuselage sidewalls; a grille and splitter for the radiator intake on the exterior, details for the ends of the flaps; patch under the intake; a stay for the cooling flap; openers for the tail wheel well; a template to scribe a panel under the wing; anti-sway braces for the pylons; perforated spacer for the lower lip of the canopy, plus a ring-and-bead sight as back-up for the gunsight. Masks (EX740) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape (not pictured), 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 tail-wheel, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort, as well as masks for the gunsight lens and landing light. P-51D-10 SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48003) Part of Eduard’s new range of combination 3D Printed decals with a pre-painted PE sheet to complement the details. The 3D Printed sheet contains a brand-new one-piece instrument panel with glossy dial faces plus a substantial number of dials, smaller panels and a bunch of small placards. The PE set has a set of four-point seatbelts; levers for the throttle quadrant; ring-and-bead backup sights and sway braces for the wing pylons. P-51D-15+ SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48004) Part of Eduard’s new range of combination 3D Printed decals with a pre-painted PE sheet to complement the details. The 3D Printed sheet contains a brand-new one-piece instrument panel with glossy dial faces plus a substantial number of dials, smaller panels and a bunch of small placards. The PE set has a set of four-point seatbelts; levers for the throttle quadrant; ring-and-bead backup sights and sway braces for the wing pylons. If you’re wondering if you’re reading the same paragraph twice, I can assure you that you aren’t. The difference between the two sets is slight though, with some changes to dials on a couple of parts being the only difference between them. They are different however, and it’s entirely appropriate to have the two sets. Conclusion Excellent detail throughout, and if you have buyer’s remorse about the level of detail in your Weekend kit, those extra sets are going to save your bacon. The 3D Printed panels lend themselves well to the layered look of WWII aircraft, and the end result is realistic, with little effort needed to apply them. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.I Early & Late 3D SPACE Cockpit Sets (3DL48005 & 3DL48006 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard SPACE Eduard have been busily treating us to new state-of-the-art kits of various types of Spitfire for a while now, with their jump back in time to the Mk.I a welcome addition to the line, and now we have a couple of 3D Printed instrument panels with Photo-Etch (PE) accessories to use instead of either the kit parts or traditional PE. Eduard's new SPACE sets arrive in a flat resealable package, with different branding and a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are wrapped around. Spitfire Mk.Ia Early SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48005) Part of Eduard’s new range of combination 3D Printed decals with a pre-painted PE sheet to complement the details. The 3D Printed sheet contains a brand-new one-piece instrument panel with glossy dial faces plus a number of dials, compass face and a few small placards. The PE set has a quartet of four-point seatbelts with spool; a trigger for the control column; flare rack for the front of the seat; two-part seat armour for the pilot; rudder pedals with straps; canopy opener and rear-view mirror; cockpit hatch operating mechanism, and two tiny indicators on the wings for the pilot to check whether his gear is down or not, to avoid embarrassing belly-flop landings. Spitfire Mk.Ia Late SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Set (3DL48006) At first glance this set is identical to the Early set above, but if you look really hard at the panel, there are a couple of small rectangular items in the mid-right that are a different colour. That’s all I could spot in a side-by-side comparison, but let it not be said that Eduard don't differentiate between the smallest details. You might also have noticed that the PE sheets are the same for both sets. Conclusion 3D Printed panels are very impressive, and Eduard’s 3D Printing method really lends itself to these WWII birds, so the resulting panels are believable, simple and realistic, backed up by the PE extras that give you a little more depth around the rest of the cockpit. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Tornado GR.4 Update Sets (for Italeri) 1:32 Eduard SPACE, Masks & Photo-Etch Italeri have taken the mantle from Revell for the best Tornado in 1:32, which is kind of funny, as the reverse is true of the 1:48 kits, which seems fair. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner, now with the addition of the new 3D printed SPACE range. Get what you want for the areas you would like 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. SPACE Interior (3DL32001) One sheet of 3D Printed decals and one nickel-plated fret of PE are included to give you the best of both worlds in terms of detail and structure. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the 3D printed sheet, with two complete sets of seatbelts for the crew; equipment boxes and clipboard slots; coaming instrumentation, knobs and switches also supplied. Interior Set (33274) Two frets are included, both nickel plated and pre-painted. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the painted set, including the equipment boxes on the coamings and some ejection seat details also supplied. Seatbelts STEEL (33275) 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 hit. 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 leg straps that pull the pilots’ legs in to prevent flail injury in case of an ejection. Exterior (32462) This larger bare brass set contains upgrades to the air-brakes and their bays, which receive a comprehensive improvement, raised panels and strakes in the intake trunking, detail in the small equipment bay and a substantial outfitting of the spoilers with new detailed skins that require a little thinning of those areas of the kit. Undercarriage (32982) This set comprises a large bare brass fret, and a smaller nickel-plated fret of pre-painted PE to give you the best of both worlds in terms of detail and structure. The bays are decked out with copious amounts of detail including skins for the walls, detail for ribs, and equipment boxes, which is where the pre-painted parts come in handy. In addition, there are some small details for the landing gear struts, and a few parts for some of the bay doors to raise the level of detail. Masks (JX269) 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 small masks for some of the other clear parts around the airframe. Masks Tface (JX270) 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 depth and realism. Conclusion That’s a LOT of detail, and the prices are attractive, although some of the sets are out of stock right this minute. It’s a big kit, and large expanses of plastic is going to make it important to fill in the detail gaps left by Italeri. Choose which ones you want from the available list. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 Spacecraft Great Wall Hobby (GWH) 1:48 History During the early part of the 1970's China initiated a space programme, titled "Shunguang-1", with the intention of developing and using their own craft and astronauts for space exploration. The first astronauts were selected in April 1971 but nothing came of it and the project was cancelled. The programme was restarted in 1985 with the intention of building their own space shuttle however, at that time, China did not have sufficient technological knowledge or experience for such an elaborate undertaking and the whole project was abandoned soon after. In order to continue their commitment for an indigenous space programme, China decided to build a spacecraft developed from the Russian Soyuz craft. With Russian co-operation the Chinese spacecraft, to be known as Shenzhou (various derivations but most popular 'Devine Craft'), could be built at a reasonable cost and to less protracted timescales. After long consultations, designs and re-designs, they were finally able to authorise a new project entitled "Programme 921/1" in 1992. The Shenzhou spacecraft was larger than the Soyuz craft but still looked outwardly similar and had some additional features that the Soyuz did not have; namely it would have it's own engines and docking system to allow for independent docking with a space station. the first craft, Shenzhou-1, was launched in November 1999 carried by a two-stage Long March rocket and was an unmanned test flight. Shenzhou-2 was launched in January 2001 and carried animals as part of the ongoing experiments towards eventually attaining manned spaceflight. Following improvements from lessons learned with the previous launches, Shenzhou-3 went into orbit in March 2002 and this time a test dummy was carried. A further launch with a test dummy, plus several onboard scientific experiments, was undertaken with Shenzhou-5 in December 2002. On 15 October 2003 Shenzhou-6 became the first Chinese built and manned spacecraft to be launched into orbit. The craft was crewed by Yang Liwei who travelled 14 earth orbits before returning safely. This was final recognition that China had achieved the status of being only the third country to succeed in their own manned space flight programme, following the USSR and USA. A second manned flight followed in October 2005 with a two-manned Shenzhou-6 craft during a five day mission with Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng as crew. China continued in their advances in technology and aeronautical capability by building and launching a 3 man craft, Shenzhou-7. As with the other launches, this craft was carried atop a Long March 2F rocket and the crew consisted of Zhai Zhiguang as commander with crewmembers Liu Buoming and Jing Haipeng. Although this mission only lasted 3 days it was deemed very successful in that it achieved the first space walk (EVA), undertaken by Chinese astronauts. The stage was now set for China to enter into the realms of building space stations, conducting experiments in space and looking beyond low-earth orbits in their quest for space travel. Two craft were to be built next; one would be a space station and the other a craft to dock and undock with it. The space station was titled Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) and the craft would be Shenzhou-8. The first space station, Tiangong-1 was launched 29 September 2011 and was placed into earth orbit in readiness to be docked with a spacecraft. Shenzhou-8 followed on 31 October and was an unmanned craft, the purpose of which was to test the abilility to automatically dock and undocking of a spacecraft with the space station. The tests went without a hitch and meant that the first manned mission to the space station was able to take place the following year with Shenzhou-9. Of special note for this mission was the first female Chinese crewmember Liu Yang. To bring the Chinese Space Programme up to date, June of this year (2013) has seen the launch and rendezvous at Tiangong-1 by Shenzhou-10. The crew, consisting of commander Nie Haisheng, with Shang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping, are the last astronauts to dock with Tiangong-1 as the space station has accomplished its mission and will now go into orbital decay and eventually make a destructive re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. This is not the end of China's space station programme as two more space stations are being designed and constructed, with developments advancements learned from Tiangong-1, these will be named Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 respectively. They are due to be launched in 2015. Other Information from China is that they also have plans to start projects involving missions to the moon as from 2017 but such timescales currently look to be somewhat ambitious. The kits There are two complete kits in the box, one the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft and the other is the Tiangong-1 space station. The Shenzhou-8 kit is representative of the last development version of the Shenzhou spacecraft and has therefore become the standard design for future Shenzhou craft. This means that the kit can be built as version 8 or, with a few modifications, modelled as the 9 or latest 10 version. The box containing the kits is quite large, which would be expected for two 1:48 models, however there is no spare room within. There are 5 main sprues; two each for the Space Station and Spacecraft and one for the stand. There is also a small sprue containing connecting tubes for the solar panels. All the sprues are produced in a nice, sturdy, light-grey plastic and this review model does not show any signs of flash or warping. Some of the connecting pins/sections to the sprue frame are rather thick and, in some places, are thicker than the component attached to them. This means there is a possibility that a clean cut to separate these components may be difficult and require some filing and shaping to get a clean edge. Tiangong-1 Sprue A contains the larger parts of this space station, consisting of two fuselage halves and the solar panels. The surface detail is fair, with wiring and panel sections marked out in raised relief. It must be difficult to get full representation for this model as there isn't that much detail available of the actual vessels. Some of the reasons are that the craft are covered and enclosed on take-off plus, unlike the International Space Station and the Shuttles, there have not been any 'fly-bys' to get photographic details. Most of the images to be found available are mainly cgi drawing and generalised interpretations. The good new is that there are plenty of images available of the inside of the space station which means that this model can be extensively detailed inside if one wishes to do that. The second sprue has the front end plate (docking section); tail end (small rockets) and various booster units and communication antennas. These pieces have some very nice detail on them including the docking approach/guidance panel and capture ring. Shenzhou-8 The first sprue for the Shenzhou spacecraft, marked sprue C for this spacecraft, contains the Orbital Module; Service Module, with its solar panels, and a variety of thruster, booster, camera and antenna units for this spacecraft. The solar panels are modelled in the extended mode and have detailed representations of the small sensor cells on one side and the cabling and connectors on the other side. The panels can be assembled with the ability to be positioned at various angles, as the real thing would be aimed at sunlight, with the use of a connecting piece which runs through the fuselage; a somewhat similar process as connecting a prop spinner of an aircraft kit through fuselage to a retaining ring inside. The last sprue containing spacecraft parts has the Re-entry Module components; docking connector unit, base for the Service Module and its thrusters, plus hatch covers and other antenna pieces. Although the kit parts are sparse internally, it is such a large kit that there is plenty of scope to detail these with a bit of scratchbuilding and looking up images and schematics on the web. This kit comes with a rectangular base and two pedestals to hold the completed model, each craft has a hole for the tops of the pedestals to be set into. The base is a sturdy piece of plastic, as it needs to be for a model of this size and weight. An interesting aspect for this base is that one of the plinths fits into a movable slider and this allows for the plinths to be positioned for best balance when seating the model on the base. There is a small cutout in the centre of the base which holds a very nice nameplate in raised Chinese script. One final sprue contains pieces to make the tubes which are used to interconnect the left and right solar panel arrays, through the fuselage, for both the Service Module and the Space Station. This should allow the solar panels to be positioned at different attitudes rather than just flat out. Decals Three small decal sheets accompany the kit; two for the space station and one for the re-entry module of the spacecraft. Instructions and Colour Details The instruction and colour details are contained in an eight page booklet, with the introductory text in both chinese and english. It has the break down of parts and their assembly laid out in the illustrative method, which means the build process can be recognised internationally without the need to have elements of text translated into many languages. It also has some colourful details to help with markings and colours etc. Conclusion I mentioned before that this is a large kit and it really does look as if it is going to be of sturdy construction when it is completed. The model depicts the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft but, as that craft was the final major design for this, any of the subsequent craft (currently Shenzhou-9 and 10) could be built as they have all docked with the space station Tiangong-1. There is plenty of scope to add plenty of additonal detail internally, if you have that interest to research for the relevant information and images. IPMS members will be fortunate in that they will have received this months subscription magazine which contains an excellent build review of this kit by Keith McNeil. Finally, while checking the web for prices of this kit, I was pleasantly surprised at the retail price for such a large kit which should keep the space enthusiast happy for quite a while. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Buy it Now Kindly mention Britmodeller.com to the supplier when making enquiries or orders

MiG-21MF Cockpit set & Seat Belts (for Eduard kit) 1:72 Eduard Space (72002) Eduard now seem to have joined the 3D printed revolution with these new 3D printed decals in a range they are calling "Space" for some reason. Update Set This set comprises a sheet of decals and a nickel plated colour PE fret. The decals are for all the cockpit panels and the more conventional PE for the ejection seat and canopy rails. All of the raised details will need to be removed from the cockpit panels and them prepared with a glossy surface to accept the decals which are applied in the normal way. For the seat new belts belts and a firing handle are provided. As you will no doubt want to open the canopy to show all the detail off new canopy rails are provided for the underside of the canopy. Conclusion The detail added with these sets will doubtless set your model apart from the rest, though I find the actual printing not as sharp as others on the market; and the colours for the Russian cockpits look a little off, maybe its because of the printing process as their PE always looked better. Review samples courtesy of

Launch Tower & Space Shuttle with Booster Rockets Revell 1:144 Following the demise of the Saturn/Apollo programme, which ended with the Apollo/Soyuz Test Program (ASTP) in 1975, NASA moved on to a new era in space flight; that of the Shuttle Programme. The intention was to design, build and launch a manned vehicle that could carry a crew and cargo payload into low earth orbit, deliver its cargo, and then return to earth, land like an aircraft, and be reusable for future launches. The requirements for the Shuttle were to be that, unlike the Saturn/Apollo system which progressively discarded everything on the way to the Moon and return only with the manned crew capsule; the whole transporter vehicle (the Orbiter) would need to launch, deliver, re-enter and land safely back on earth in a controlled fashion. Two solid booster rockets (SRB's) would also be recoverable for refurbishment and re-used which left the external tank (ET) as the only disposable component. Although the Launch Vehicle would be a completely new design, NASA wanted to minimise the work and costs required for the launch pads (LC-39A and LC-39B) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. Methods used were to modify the existing Crawler/Transporter (CT) and Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) hardware. The MLP would need the existing single flame trench opening to be filled in and the dismantling of the 36 storey Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT). The Shuttle system, comprising of the Orbiter, two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB's) and a large External tank (ET) required multiple flame trenches to be cut/built into the refurbished MLP's and the finished design provided for 3 rectangular cut outs to be incorporated for this purpose. The launch pad foundations did not require a great deal of re-work as the existing approachways, flame channels/trenches etc., could be re-used in their present condition; however the supporting structures did require a totally new support system for the Shuttle and was quite different from the Saturn/Apollo technology. In the Apollo era, the manned capsule was sat atop a massive 330ft (100m) Saturn launch vehicle and needed an even taller support tower in the form of the LUT to service it ready for launch. The new Shuttle was only 122ft (37m) but required access to virtually the whole length of the Orbiter and the access to all this had to be in a clinically clean environment. The solution was to have a two part launch tower consisting of a rigid tower; called the Fixed Service Structure - (FSS) which was mainly the vertical tower gantry, and a movable structure; titled the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) which swung around to totally encompass the Shuttle when it arrived at LC-39 from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). NASA was also able to recycle the top twelve of the original platform levels from the LUT and this became the new FSS Tower thereby reducing time and costs in some of the design and build of the new launch tower facility. The Kit(s) This is a re-release of the kit which was first seen in the shops in 1986. There are three major components to be found in the box; the tower complex, which comprises the tower (FSS/RSS); the transporters (CT/MLP) and the Shuttle stack (Orbiter, ET & SRB's) and altogether makes quite a complex construction. Let's get some important scaling issues dealt with at the outset. Although the box art description quotes 1:144 scale, only the Shuttle stack is to this scale. The RSS/FSS scales out at 1:168, which is nearer the international 'N scale' and the CT/MLP is a demure 1:200 scale. The aim of this review is to highlight the contents of the box, its component sprues and materials used etc. As this is a re-issue of an almost 30 year old production it is not the intention of this review to go into any long-winded and irrelevant history of how and why these differing scales came to be brought together or used all those years ago. Launch Tower Gantry Complex First thing that we cannot ignore is that it is a big kit, the box it is supplied in measures a massive 30in x 20 x 5in (75 x 51 x 13cm) and contains 27 large sprues. The breakdown is generally 19 sprues for the FSS, RSS, CT and MLP and the remaining 8 are for the Shuttle, ET and SRB's. That's an impressive 292 individual parts, broken down to 194 for the tower complex and 98 for the Shuttle. How the model should look can be seen by the close-up photo details which are posted in the Walkaround Section titled: NASA Kennedy Space Centre Launch Pad 39A. As already mentioned, the tower complex consists of two main components; the FSS and the RSS and these together can be built as a stand-alone model, just as the launch pad has stood for most of it's 33 years - the various shuttles only occupied the pads collectively for a total of approximately 10% of that time. These sprues are quite large and the first section in the instructions refer to the FSS, comprising the tower gantry, platforms and central lift shaft. There are two sets of sprues for the tower gantry below and these provide the four sides plus the base platform and lift machinery house. Another pair of sprues of similar size, as seen below, are those for the internal lift shaft unit. They also have parts for the gantry supports and lighting posts. There are two different sprues containing the platforms, one platform for each level on the FSS; one sprue has six standard platforms whilst the second has six different platforms each depicting various items of equipment in position. The standard shapes are for levels 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9; with the remainder being specific to levels 4, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 The gantry supports also have the vertical support arm for the RSS and this is a tubular section where the RSS is attached to the FSS and is the point where it rotates towards the CT, MLP and Shuttle stack in order to protect the shuttle whilst being prepared for launch. There is so much framework, gantry and crane elements that the kit looks just like one big mesh of girders and tubing and this can be seen in the sprue below which holds much of the overhead crane unit and other tower items. The overhead crane is a free-rotating unit and the kit has a spindle to pass through locating holes in the base of the crane and the top of the gantry platform; much like the facility used to connect free-rotating propellers to the fuselage of a model aircraft. Next we come to the sprues for the RSS. This is the large moving element of the Launch Tower which travels on a curved piece of railway track and brings the RSS up to the Orbiter. The main elements for this are the large cylindrical housing unit, the box-like holding frame, and the rotating gantry framework. Shuttle Stack and launch platform The shuttle stack comprises the main re-usable spacecraft, known as the Orbiter; two solid fuel booster rockets (SRB's) and a large external tank (ET), the latter items detach from the orbiter once their fuels are expended with the SRB's returning to earth under controlled methods whilst the ET is destroyed during its re-entry fall to earth. The Shuttle Stack is also from the original 1986 kit offering, although possibly with updated decals, and shows signs of age with flash evident on many of the sprue parts. Four main sprues contain the Orbiter and payload components with a further five having the combined Mobile Launch Platform and Crawler Transport (MLP/CT); SRB's and the ET. All the parts are produced in a glossy white plastic and these appear to show more flash and mould-wear than the Launch Tower components. Each of the first two sprues hold one half of the orbiter fuselage, two pieces to which form the upper and lower planes of the wing, the trap-door type hatches for the payload compartment, and the engine exhaust mounts etc. To assist in the positioning of components and colour schemes, close-in detail photos can be found in the Walkaround section titled Rockwell International Space Shuttle/Orbiter. The next sprue has the Orbiter payload bay base and side frames, the outer hatch deployment covers, and their inner linings. There is also an astronaut with a length of umbilical cabling so that it can be positioned in a space-walk setting. The fourth sprue has the payload assembly which consists of two satellites and their holding components within the payload bay. A choice here can be that they are positioned inside the Orbiter together; or just one, or neither depending on the mission scenario chosen to be built. The remaining kit parts are for the Canada arm and this can be assembled in various positions such as folded, short pickup (V shaped) or fully extended and, possibly even with one of the satellite units attached, ready for deployment. The next sets of sprues hold the external fuel supply units; the ET and SRB's, with their connecting components for attachment to the Orbiter and the MLP/CT for the whole Shuttle stack to sit on. In the top left corner of the sprue below can be seen two items, with two little lugs projecting below them. These are stabilising stands to hold the model of the Orbiter vertical on the MLP base but these items would not be found on the real Shuttle stack or launcher unit. The tractor units, of which there are eight, are the components for the CT and are attached directly underneath the MLP to become a single integral unit in the model. In reality they would be two separate vehicle and launch pad components. Interestingly, the pieces for the Tail Service Masts below appear to be at the correct scale of 1:144 even though they attached to the 1:1200 MLP. Probably as they sit either side of the Shuttle stack and give the setup a better perspective. Decals This kit comes with a comprehensive set of decals, with different sized markings - for Atlantis, Enterprise, Discovery and Endeavour pre-1998 and also for Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour post-1998. Additional to those, there are various ational and commercial emblems; such as "USA" and "NASA" motif's, again depending on which era of the Shuttle program you may wish to depict. Other decal items consist of colour demarcations for the ET, SRB's, MLP and the gantry. A point to note here is, on a quick check of decal placement, that a few of the decal numbers for some components do not appear to match those on the instruction sheet. I would recommend checking with the instructions, and any available photos, for clarity. Conclusion This is a very large and complex looking kit and should be a great build, especially for those who enjoy detailing the insides of models; such as the insides of tank turrets, ship superstructures or aircraft cockpits etc. The difference here is that the whole thing won't then be lost to the eye, (when normally a fuselage, turret or hull is assembled) when it is all closed everything inside! There is some minor flash present on some of the sprues but nothing of great issue, especially for moulds which are almost 30 years old. One recommendation I would put forward is to pre-paint as much of the inner workings of the launch tower gantry, especially the lift shaft area and the insides of the gantry units as I suspect that it will be quite difficult to get a paintbrush into some of the deeper recesses once the kit is built. I understand that this kit has been on some modeller's waiting lists for a long time; as seen by some on-line sales forums having had the original listed, with some quite elevated prices, over the last decade or so and therefore I suspect that this will be a popular model to get and build. The most popular setting for the completed model would to represent the short period just prior to the launch of a Shuttle, however the Launch Tower itself stood without the shuttle for approx. 90% of it's existence and that is how most people would have seen it for real; therefore I would recommend perhaps to also consider an alternative diorama - of the tower in a stand-alone setting, as the photo at the top of this review depicts. Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit or

The final category of kit that I believe the GB has not as yet covered is 'Space. (Nimrod54's excellent Angel Interceptor covers the 'TV and Film' category). Having really lost my senses this time, I put out a call in the 'Wanted' section to see if I could lay my hands on one of Airfix's Space kits, the smaller the better. My prayers were answered with the 1/72 Apollo Lunar Module from 1970. Let's pause to drool over the 'Red Stripe' packaging and box art...... All the bits were there - someone has looked after this extremely well.... You even get an additional leaflet on the Apollo missions - this is excellent reading for me now, never mind when I was 10! Instructions are comprehensive. Wait a minute - it came with a small note! Yes, indeed, it was no lesser a person that 'our' Heather that got in touch with this kit which could have continued to 'appreciate' nicely ready for a bidding war but which she has generously passed on to me to build for this GB - Heather will let you know the background in due course. No pressure then to make a good job of this one and finish in time - I am really looking forward to it!

Hi all After putting out some dustbin stuff this morning i looked in the recycle bin ,and the light bulb came on,I'll include some pics of the kinda stuff i found even a old t bag some drink lids various other rubbish old pegs you see what a mean . so what to build from this pile of stuff i like ww2 mainly but this after some tea and thought will go one of many ways may even find other items that stick out to me this will be updated once or twice a week once i decide on what it will be thanks todd8137

The Spine Booster Pack for my eagle is now complete. I think It has turned out quite well and it fits on to the Eagle spine perfectly. The finish is Halfords White Primer over coated with Halfords matt lacquer. Details are picked out with red-brown, gloss orange, extra dark sea grey and blue. Decals are some spares from the bit box and some specific markings were printed on white paper and glued in place and lacquered. I also used some Humbrol weathering powders to add a little dirt but not much. The Booster pack clipped on to the Eagles spine frame Eagle meet Eagle meet... er.. Volvo T5? Two generations of Eagle; the LEM of our first Moon Landing and the space:1999 Eagle. I added the Volvo to give some sense of real world scale. The Volvo is actually 1/43 scale; my eagle is somewhere between 1/43 and 1/48 and the LEM is 1/48. I wonder what the Astronauts are thinking... Hope you like it. A link to the Build is here Space:1999 1/48 Scratch Built Spine Booster Pack A link to the Eagle build is here Scratch Build - 1/48 Eagle Transporter (Space:1999) Karl

Hi Everyone This is one of my earlier builds that I made years ago of the original Star Trek ship and added lights to. The electrics are quite basic but I achieved the effects that I wanted. I found it quite easy to do as there was plenty of space for the wiring, etc, and after looking on the Internet it seemed that strobe lighting had not been invented when they created the model for the series, so I just used basic Led's. There is a video that I made HERE and some pictures of how I added the lighting in the WIP forum. Thanks for viewing.

This is how I added lights to my build of the Enterprise many moons ago. The lighting is quite basic and should be a fairly easy project to do for anyone wanting to get into lighting their kits. As the original series model of the ship was quite basic with its lighting effects, I used some poetic justice while still trying to keep some of the effects from the TV series. Thanks for viewing and I hope it encourages others to have a go. There is a video of the finished kit HERE