Three German Machine Guns produced by Master Model in Poland. These are a beautiful product with exacting detail and are quite easy to assemble. Below you will find my review of these three guns.

Each of the guns are well presented in attractive packaging and include an instruction sheet for ease of assembly. These are designed to suit 1:32 scale aircraft.

With moderate modeling skills the assembly of these guns should pose no real problems. Some of the PE parts are very tiny and require a bit of deft modeling but nothing that can’t be overcome. I would highly recommend these products to any serious modeler who is looking for superb detail and scale accuracy, Master has produced a brilliant product and hopefully, in the near future, their range will extend to Allied guns.

Spandau LMG 08/15      AM 32-023

Instruction sheet is very clear and easy to understand. I am using the guns from an Avis Fokker E.V kit. There are six major items plus the PE card which is enough for two guns, quality is outstanding.

This shows the comparison between the kit supplied plastic gun and the high quality brass enhancement parts. The details on the PE parts are exceptional and parts are clearly numbered.

I fitted the forward plate to the cooling jacket, to make it easier I held it in place with a narrow strip of Tamiya tape then applied a small drop of CA to each side, clean off any excess glue.

I inserted the barrel through the front plate then fitted the rear plate, make sure the barrel is straight before gluing the rear plate using a strip of tape to hole it in place.

Remove the barrel from the kit gun and sand the cut smooth and flat. Drill a 0.8mm hole into the gun block to accept the brass barrel extension, use CA to hold it in place making sure it is aligned with the gun block.

From the PE fret remove and fold part 5, fix to the gun cooling jacket using CA in the position indicated on the instructions, be sure the legs of the bracket are angled rearward.

PE part 6 is very tiny, remove and fold as instructed. It is too small to hold with tweezers so I threaded a piece of 0.1mm wire through the existing holes, I used this wire to position the part onto a very small drop of CA which has been placed on the forward section of the cooling jacket, hold in place for a few seconds then remove the wire, this is a made a little easier with magnifying glasses.

From the PE set remove part 4 and fold as instructed, part 3 can be fitted at this point if so desired. Holding the gun sight with a pair of tweezers, place it onto the front of the cooling jacket where a small drop of CA has been placed, hold for a few seconds until the glue has grabbed. Clean off any excess glue. The completed (apart from painting) guns look excellent.

Parabellum LMG 14/17    AM 32-025

Very clear, easy to read instructions. There are enough parts here to make one gun with all parts well detailed. Some parts are very small and will require very careful handling.

I will be using the gun from a Wingnut Wings kit. As you can see the PE parts are detailed well and each part is numbered, removal is very easy with a sharp scalpel blade.

The barrel is a very neat fit inside the cooling jacket. Remove the plastic barrel and sand the end of the gun flat, drill a 0.8mm hole to accept the new barrel.

When fitting the new barrel make sure it is aligned properly with the gun. A drop of CA into the 0.8mm hole will hold the new barrel very well.

The remainder of the PE parts are fitted as per the instructions. The tiny PE part 3 requires some deft handling because it is so small. After folding, I inserted a piece length of 0.1mm wire through the existing holes, I used this wire to position the part onto a tiny drop of CA on the forward side of the cooling jacket, hold it for a few seconds to allow the glue to grab, remove the wire and clean up any excess CA.

Parabellum LMG 14     AM 32-024

Instruction sheet is clear and easy to understand with nicely detailed drawings. There are enough parts here to make one enhanced gun.

I will be using the gun from one of the Wingnut Wings kits. Be a little careful handling the cooling jacket for this particular set, it is very thin hence a bit fragile and can be deformed without too much effort.

Making sure the top centre of the cooling jacket aligns with the top of the front plate, use a strip of tape to hold the plate in position so glue can be applied, a very runny CA is ideal. The barrel is inserted from the rear through the front plate.

Remove the unwanted barrel from the gun and drill a 0.8mm hole into the gun, add a drop of CA into the hole and fit the new barrel making sure everything is straight and aligned.

The completed gun (apart from painting) with the sight fitted. A very simple kit to put together with a very pleasing result.

www.master-model.pl

Click any small picture for a larger image

The guns were sprayed with Mr. Metal Color 212 Iron and then polished. I thinned the paint with just s tad of lacquer thinners and sprayed at 25psi, I left the guns for 4 hours before polishing.

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A PE set of beautifully detailed instrument bezels to suit any 1:32 scale WW1 aircraft model. These accessories will enhance any model which lacks proper instrument bezels in the kit supplied instrument panel.

The PE set is presented in a clear plastic bag with the bezels stuck to a black stiff board backing which offers great protection, the sets arrived in perfect condition.

A close up of the bezels show their incredible detail and very clean edges. They are connected to the sprue at only one point and removal is very easy with a very sharp scalpel.

These two photos show the top and bottom sections of the set, the detail can be clearly seen. There is a good selection of different bezels with over 120 included with each set. These are a must have accessory.

Well presented, very well packed for postage, the sprues are protected by a stiff backing card and the sprue is actually stuck to the card to stop any movement within the plastic bag. These are an excellent product which have been beautifully made and I would recommend these to anyone serious about making their 1:32 scale WW1 aircraft very realistic.

To purchase this product please contact John at

sales@aeroclub-models.com

www.airscale.co.uk

Both scales are presented in a zip lock plastic bag containing the product description with the airscale logo, the reverse side gives a detailed list of the instruments plus instructions for use. The bag has one sheet of decals for the appropriate scale plus a sheet of optically clear simulated instrument glass.

The 1:32 scale sheet contains 99 multi coloured instrument decals, they cover the most common used instruments found on most aircraft used during WW1. Each decal is separate and has very little carrier film exposed around the instrument.

The 1:48 scale sheet is the same as the 1:32 scale but naturally, with smaller instruments, but there are 156 individual instrument decals all with the same multi colour and sharp images.

I made a mock-up instrument panel in 1:32 scale to demonstrate the result of using these brilliant decals. I cut each decal from the sheet and immersed it in water, it took less than 10 seconds for the carrier film to break away from the paper backing. I applied a small drop of Mr. Mark Softer to the panel then slid the decal onto the panel, after final positioning I dabbed it with a paper tissue to remove excess water, the decal sat down beautifully and adhered extremely well. I surrounded the decals with Aeroclub vintage instrument bezels (unpainted) to give the decals a proper instrument look. As can be seen by the photo, the instruments have a very realistic appearance and would enhance any WW1 model aircraft. I did not add the instrument “glass” to this mock-up, I wanted to show the instrument decals as they appear straight from the sheet

There has been a void in the market for good quality instruments decals for far too long, that void has now been filled with this outstanding product. The instruments are well detailed with very sharp defined lines, under a magnifying glass the digits can be read quite easily and the graduation marks evenly spaced around the instrument. These decals are extremely easy to apply and adhere well to a gloss surface, decal set solution can be used.

I highly recommend these decals to anyone wishing to make their instrument panel as realistic as possible, this is a brilliant product and will certainly enhance the appearance of any 1:32 or 1:48 scale WW1 model aircraft. Congratulations to Peter at Airscale for having the foresight and the gumption to produce these decals for an ever increasing demand in the WW1 model aircraft market.  

Replacement exhaust to suit 1:32 scale Albatros D.V and D.Va

This product can be purchased from www.tigermodels.com

Item part No. AC-0001

The exhaust was very well packaged and well protected within the box. The box was huge compared to the size of exhaust. Delivery label was clearly marked, a very well presented package

Comparison of the Tiger Models resin exhaust with the Wingnut exhaust from their Albatros D.V.

A noticeable difference are the weld joints on the resin exhaust, beautiful detail.

This shows the  hollow exhaust section of the Tiger Models resin replacement, notice that the Wingnut exhaust is a solid piece which would require considerable effort to remove.

This Albatros D.V. and D.Va replacement exhaust is beautifully made, the inclusion of the weld beads make it a very realistic looking exhaust and the hollowed pipe with very thin walls also makes this exhaust look very authentic. I would recommend this part to anyone building an Albatros D.V or D.Va.

Tiger Models have indicated they will be producing more 1:32 scale WW1 aircraft replacement parts, if they are anything like their first effort into this field we are in for a treat.  

Albatros DV - DV.a exhaust replacement

WW1 instruments decals in 1:32 and 1:48 scale

Pfalz D.IIIa replacement exhaust

Another brilliant product from tigermodels.com is this replacement exhaust to suit the Wingnut Wings Pfalz D.IIIa kit 32006. This has been designed to fit directly to the Wingnuts kit but it “should” fit all 1:32 scale Pfalz D.IIIa models.

This exhaust is made from resin and boasts thin sidewalls, and as clearly seen in the photo it also has a deep exhaust opening, this eliminates the need to hollow out the exhaust. Another great feature of this exhaust is the accurate weld beads which adds authenticity to the exhaust. A hint of a rust like texture to the surface also adds that touch of realism. Very little clean-up was required to get the exhaust ready for painting.

This is a very well presented and beautifully made replacement exhaust which will definitely enhance the Wingnuts Pfalz D.IIIa kit. The inclusion of the weld beads and a rusty texture makes this one of the best looking and accurate exhaust available, I highly recommend this item to anyone who wishes to make their model stand out from the crowd. As mentioned earlier, this exhaust replacement is designed specifically for the Wingnuts kit, no guarantee is given that it will fit other kits.

I await anxiously for the next product to be released by tigermodels.com to suit the ever increasing range of 1:32 scale WW1 aircraft kits.  

Tiger models excel in their packaging for post, item is well protected in a good sized sturdy box and cushioned inside with foam beads. Item itself is in it’s own clear plastic bag. This is item No.

AC-0003

Tiger models have again produced a brilliant product to compliment their growing range of replacement exhausts to suit 1:32 scale models. This exhaust to suit the Roland D.Via is perfect in every detail with the weld beads very well defined. The exhaust opening is again very well done and eliminates the need for the modeler to hollow it out.

A very small amount of clean-up was necessary but this was very easily done. The photo above shows the exhaust opening with thin exhaust walls, along with the weld beads it all adds up to an authentic looking exhaust.

Designed to fit the Wingnut Wings 1:32 scale Roland D.Via kit this exhaust will certainly compliment the completed model. It has all the details that we expect to see on an exhaust and these have been brilliantly portrayed by Tigermodels. I highly recommend this product.

This is an instrument panel I made to suit the Academy 1:32 Sopwith Camel F.1 kit. As you can see the bezels are brilliant, the black is painted using black printer ink which does not hide any of the beautiful detail, the natural brass is also outstanding, a small drop of CA holds them very well. The instrument faces are decals from airscale, another excellent product and the two products together make for a very realistic and easy to assemble instrument panel

Specialty Products for modeling

E-mail: themicrogroup@yahoo.com

Phone: (253) 854 - 3702

HAND MADE LAMINATED WOOD PROPELLERS IN 1:48 AND 1:32 SCALE

The Micro Group has released a new range of hand made laminated wood propellers in both 1:48 and 1:32 scales. I received four  propellers from the company, three in 1:48 scale and one in 1:32 scale. The propellers arrived in an envelope with the propellers wrapped in bubble wrap, each propeller was in it’s own zip lock plastic bag with a description on the type of aircraft the propeller was fitted to. The 1:32 propeller came as a complete sample, the way the customer would receive the propeller, the other three 1:48 scale propellers came just as a propeller only with no retention plates.

Sopwith Triplane 1:32 ($26.00)

This propeller is a two bladed, square tip consisting of light and dark wood, there are eight wood laminations. The propeller comes with a gloss coat finish but can be dulled off with light sanding or the application of a dull cote if needed.

The first picture shows the complete package as received, next is the contents -  the propeller, the two retention plates, the holder (toothpick) and metal securing pin plus a description of the propeller and a company business card with contact details.

The propeller is extremely well made with a very striking contrast in the two timber colours. The eight laminations are very clearly visible as can be seen by the side view and the demarcation lines are fairly crisp. The finish is excellent with very smooth surfaces and the gloss coat has a high sheen, this is perfect for adding makers decals. A breath test revealed the propeller to spin at the slightest puff and accuracy of the centre hole is perfect. The centre hole can be drilled to suit your own specific aircraft application.

These two photos show the beauty of this propeller with it’s two tone wood colour and multiple laminations. The two photos below show the resin retention plates which come with the propeller plus the toothpick holder. The plates are a perfect fit to the propeller boss and once painted will give a very realistic look.

Wood colours

All the propellers produced by The Micro Group are available in three colour selections - all light contrasting woods, all dark contrasting woods and a combination of light and dark wood. Your choice of colour is required when placing an order so you will end up with the colour you prefer.

Gotha V Niendorf ($22.00)

This propeller is a pusher type (reverse pitch) two bladed with two light colour woods, it is in 1:48 scale.

This is a very well made propeller with well defined laminations, even though they are both light coloured woods they contrast well.  

For 1:48 scale this is a very detailed and nice looking propeller with lovely grain pattern and soft hues. The addition of the retention plates and makers decals would turn this into a desirable propeller for the modeler.

Types of Wood

The types of timber used in the construction of these propellers are all hardwoods which include Cherry, Birch, Walnut, Maple, Ash and Mahogany. Coarse grained hardwoods such as teak and oak are not used. A great variety of combinations are possible giving the clients a ‘one of a kind’ hand made propeller. Naturally, the number of laminations will influence the look of the propeller.

Airco De Havilland 2 ($22.00)

This is a one colour wood two bladed propeller with glue lines in 1:48 scale.

This propeller looks different to the others because it shows only the glue lines. It is an attractive looking propeller and would enhance the DH.2 giving it a more realistic appearance. Again the construction is excellent and the finish is superb.

This size comparison gives you some idea of the workmanship that has gone into making this propeller, it is very small and considering it is hand made using real wood is testimony to the dedication of this company to produce excellent products.

Types of Propellers

The type of propeller and availability varies though a selection of propellers is available, this includes - German Axial, Garuda, Jaray, the American Curtis JN4c, Thomas Morse Scout, DH.4 and the British Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, Bristol F2b and Dh.2.

The Micro Group will also make propellers to order, if a customer needs a propeller for a particular aircraft they will make it and send it out, it usually takes about four days to make a special order propeller.

Airco De Havilland 2 ($30.00)

Another propeller in 1:48 scale but this time a 4 bladed, 2 light colour woods with glue lines.

This propeller shows the glue line again similar to the previous propeller, the colours are excellent and gives the real wood look. With the retention plates and decals this would be very realistic propeller. The size comparison shows the small size of this 4 bladed propeller, it is tiny.

Side by side, the two and four bladed propellers both for the De Havilland 2.

I fixed the retention plate to the 1:32 scale propeller, I also applied some propeller decals. Just to give an idea what this propeller looks like on a model. I have mounted it to my Hansa Brandenburg W.29, not the correct propeller for this aircraft but it gives a good indication of just how good it looks.

Review findings

The propellers that were sent to me arrived in very good condition but a piece of card with the propellers taped to it would help prevent any damage during transit, we all know what the postal services are like. Postage costs are very low, it would be $2 or under for anywhere around the globe. I have found these propellers to be of excellent quality, extremely well made and very accurate in terms of scale and technical precision. With the clients having a choice of colours and the number of laminations this will certainly appeal to a lot of modelers, also having the ability to have a specific propeller custom made will be a great benefit to many modelers. The propellers will enhance the appearance of any WW1 aircraft model and being real wood adds authenticity, nothing beats the look of real timber. This company is truly dedicated to producing only top quality products, they have assembled the necessary equipment and skills to do so,  so I have no hesitation in recommending these propellers.

Prices quoted are correct at the time of posting this review (04/01/2012)

For a complete list of products and price list please email The Micro Group or phone them on the number below.

(there is no website available at this time)

E-mail   themicrogroup@yahoo.com

Phone   (253) 854-3702

My thanks to The Micro Group for giving me the opportunity to review these excellent products.