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Hi all, Fresh from the Hellcat STGB is the superb Airfix 1/24 F6F-5 Hellcat, converted to an FAA NF.II using Aerocraft's conversion and decal set. This is the first 1/24 kit I've ever made and it's absolutely spectacular. A really impressive piece of engineering. This is built OOB apart from the conversion and beautiful wheels from Defmodel of Korea. The fit is damn near perfect, the assemblies are complex but everything slots into place very snugly (so snugly that even a thin coat of paint can throw off the placement). The surface detail has to be seen to be believed. It's so well-rendered I decided not to do any weathering as the surface textures provide all the visual interest on their own. The kit is also very accurate, and provides different options for the instrument panel and drop tank, as well as US and British rocket stub patterns. The engine and other internals are perfectly rendered and the massive 75-page, 310-step instruction manual gives excellent clear placement details. All the cockpit placards are provided as decals, though you could also consider the Airscale replacement for additional detail. This is all OOB. Anyway...if you fancy a 1/24 scale model, this is absolutely worth the £100-odd price tag and will build up into a really impressive (and HUGE) display model. I can't recommend it enough. The very nice radar and decals conversion from Aerocraft were just the icing on the cake, it looks very smart in its Glossy Sea Blue coat and FAA roundels 😊 Here's the Hellcat STGB build thread which may help if you have our want one of these to build: Thanks for looking, Alan

Like many I was excited by AZmodels release of the DH Hornet with the promise of an accurate and buildable model. I'd had the Special Hobby F1 kit in the stash since it's release and had heard complaints about it but not really looked at what they were. I'd also built the Magna F3 (Frog clone) many moons ago, so thought I'd get the PR2 boxing from AZmodels. I was disappointed to learn that the PR2 never really went into service, and thought about using the markings from the SH kit. Then I decided I should build them together with AZ kit as an F1 with and the SH wheels up as the PR2. I then added the Aerocraft replacement engine and props into the mix. I ended up using the best bits of both kits to build the F1 as well as I could. In summary AZmodels as F1 used: Aerocraft engines and props SH resin gun trough SH main legs with scratch built oleos and axels SH resin main wheels Additional Details: Fuel dump pipes Hole for gun camera Tailplane tab actuators Landing light Special Hobby PR2 AZ engines and spinners Tail wheel from Matchbox Beaufighter Additional Details: Corrected canopy shape Corrected wing dihedral Corrected cockpit opening (too small!) Camera ports Landing light Replaced incorrect AZ roundels and flash (really?) I followed @David A Collins excellent series of builds of the AZ kit. Personally I still think the AZ kit is a missed opportunity with some indifferent moulding (the legs are awful),many mistakes of the past repeated (panel-lines everywhere) and details missed (actuators). AZmodels as the F1 in 'spurious' Chevron markings but looks cool as... Here is the Special Hobby as the PR2 Here with my now yellowing Manga F3

Hawker Hunter Mk.6 Update set for Airfix Kit. 1:48 AeroCraft Models There was little doubt that once the new Airfix Hunter was released that there would be plenty of additional parts being produced for it. Aercraft have now produced this set for the Mk.6 kit, as always they parts look good and will need only minimal clean up. Hunter Mark 6 Update Set There are new ailerons (these are more accurate than the kit parts with the centre hinge in the correct position)., flaps and an airbrake. The wing needs to have a few small changes made to it but nothing drastic. The Ailerons can also be purchased separately here Review samples courtesy of

Hawker Hunter Mk.4 & 5 Spine Corretions 1:48 AeroCraft Models There was little doubt that once the new Airfix Hunter was released that there would be plenty of options being produced for it. The spine and intakes/vents for the engine are specific to the Mk 6/9 so if accuracy is your passion Ali has created new parts which are a one piece replacement part to correct the fuselage of the Airfix kit. Hunter Mark 4 Spine This allows the Airfix Mk .4 Hunter spine to be built. Hunter Mark 5 Spine This allows the Airfix Mk .5 Hunter spine to be built. Review samples courtesy of

Hawker Hunter Mk.9 Conversion (for Airfix) & 230 Gal Tanks 1:48 AeroCraft Models There was little doubt that once the new Airfix Hunter was released that there would be plenty of options being produced for it. As they are some parts for the Mark 9 in the kit, Ali has now produced the rest of the parts needed and the larger drop tanks. As always they parts look good and will need only minimal clean up. Hunter Mark 9 Conversion Set This allows the Airfix Mk .6 Hunter to be converted to a Mark 9. There are new ailerons (these are more accurate thatn the kit parts with the centre hinge in the correct position)., flaps and an airbrake. The wing needs to have a few small changes made to enable a Mk.9 to be built, so 4 small parts are provided (not shown) to do just that. The first are fitted to the underside of the wing to represent the changes required for the 230 gallon tanks to be carried. The other are the two small aerodynamic blisters added to the top of the wings. Hunter 230 Gallon Drop Tanks These are the larger drop tanks seen on the Mk.9 They are in 3 parts with extra stay braces. Review samples courtesy of

Hawker Hunter Underwing Store Pylons (Airfix) 1:48 AeroCraft Models We've got a new Hunter from Airfix, and it's very nice thank you. It does however have a few foibles, as do all models. If you're planning on using the weapons pylons on your build, you might want to know that the kit pylons are a little undersized and have some top and bottom "flanges" missing from out of the box. You can either fix those yourself if you're minded, or pick up a pleasantly inexpensive set of resin pylons from Ali, which should be pretty much a drop-in fit once you've removed the individual casting blocks. They arrive in a small ziplok bag, but if you order for delivery, you'll likely have your purchase tip up in a letterbox friendly card box. There are four pylons supplied, and both pairs are handed as well as marked with letters on the stub. The inner pylons are the larger of the two, with the skinnier ones on the outer station, all of which have the same pin layout as the kit, so they should just fit right in, as should any weapons you want to hang off them. As usual with resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Review sample courtesy of

Hawker Hunter Ailerons, Flaps and Air Brake set (for Airfix) 1:48 Aerocraft We've finally got a new tool Hunter in 1:48, and it's from our local (British) model company too. What could be better? Well, a bit of extra detail is always welcome, especially if you're planning to mess around with the flying surfaces. The kit parts are fine for what they do, but if you're popping them out to "dirty up" the airframe, there's a bit of detail missing. Here comes Ali with a new set to correct just that omission. The set arrives in an unassuming ziplok bag, and inside are five pieces of resin, each on their own pouring block, with a wafer of flash helping to protect the delicate areas like the hinges. The parts are drop-in replacements for the kit parts, and just need removing from their blocks, which should be easy, as they are attached along the thin trailing edges. The new ailerons have the correct outline, while the flaps are detailed inside with rib and stringer details, and finally the air-brake part has had its tricky ejector-pin marks removed from between the ribs, and a little extra detail added that was missing. Overall, a worthwhile addition to your model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.I & Bf.109G-6 Brass Landing Gear (for Tamiya) 1:48 AeroCraft Models Tamiya have retooled their 1:48 offerings of this iconic duo lately (geologically speaking), and Ali at AeroCraft has created a pair of new landing gear legs to strengthen the models substantially so that they stand up to the handling that will doubtless occur if you intend to show off those magnetically-secured removable cowling panels. They will also be useful if you're planning on decking out your Tamiya kit with all the extras that have been coming out from Eduard and the like. Both sets arrive in their own little Ziplok bag with a card that states what they are, and they're usually cocooned within a little bubble-wrap envelope then shipped in a letter box friendly flat box so you don't have to wonder if you'll get them on time. Spitfire Mk.I Undercarriage (Tamiya) The Spit's main legs are moulded as a single part like the kit's legs, but with them being brass they're a lot tougher, and can stand up to the rigours of daily life as a model. The tail wheel is moulded into its yoke and has a long strut that fits into the rear of the fuselage underside. Both parts have a couple of pouring gates that have already been nipped off, and just need a good quality file to remove the residue and flat it back to where it should be. Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 Undercarriage (Tamiya) This set consists of four parts, including the two main wheels, which have a long bar that keeps them at the correct angle in the bay, and at the other end a receiver for the wheel parts. Whatever you do though, don't be tempted to remove the little spigots on the top of the bar, as those are there to help fix the part in place. There are two tail wheel parts to match the two bay options, so be careful to use the correct one. Conclusion Not only are these nicely detailed, but they are also priced keenly to make the transition to tougher brass parts easier on the wallet. Unless you're wedded to 100% OOB, there's not much reason to hold back unless you're flat broke. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sea Fury Engine & Cowling Resin Upgrades (for Airfix) 1:48 AeroCraft As we all probably know, Ali (formerly of AtoZee) couldn't keep away from improving kits, and he's been back for a while now doing good work here and there. This pair of sets are intended for the new Airfix kit, which seems to have a slight issue in the width and fastener placement OOB. There are two sets, one just to improve the cowling, the other to give the modeller the chance to open up the cowling and display the closely packed cylinder heads of the massive Centaurus engine. AeroCraft sets don't come with masses of packaging that you'll end up throwing away, using ziplok bags to keep costs and use of our planet's valuable resources to a minimum. The downside is, we don't have a box top picture! If you order online they will be dispatched in study parcels to ensure they reach you intact, and due to the lack of extra card and plastic, they're much more likely to fit in your kit box until you're ready to use them. As usual with resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Sea Fury Cowling This is a single resin part that replaces the kit cowling, correcting the fastener location issue, and improving the fit with the kit cowling ring. It should be easy to remove from its catsing block, as the location is translucent, so can be removed with a knife blade and tidied up from there. Detailed Engine This set replaces the cowling area, but leaves the kit cowling ring, and adds the closely packed detail of the Centaurus engine and opened cowling panels into the bargain. It has been 3D mastered with assistance from Steve Long, who is a regular on the forums, and has access to the real thing in his hangar. The set we have for review differs from the photos on their site, as Ali has merged the two engine parts into one casting. This inserts into the rear cowling part, with the kit cowling ring at the front. Then the top and bottom fixed cowling panels are placed across the gap, and used as the hinge-points for the four inspection panels that are also provided along with a set of 12 fasteners to add to the cut-outs in the panels. Casting is good, but on my sample there are a few tiny bubbles below the surface, but unless you go digging at them, that won't be a problem. Review sample courtesy of