When it comes to enhancing the look of a model, I’ve always felt that nothing can add more impact to the final result than some great looking resin aftermarket accessories. Whether it is a set of wheels, a new prop, control surfaces, a cockpit or a wheel well, resin accessories are often one of the simplest ways to spruce things up and add detail and realism that may not be found in the injection molded part. And in my experience, one of the finest producers of great resin accessories is Ultracast.
Kevin McLaughlin graciously sent some resin accessories for review. All of the parts look great, and have the quality that I’ve come to expect from Ultracast. There are a lot of resin parts out there, from a variety of manufacturers, but Ultracast’s products have always been at the top of the heap in my experience. (I think if I could afford to I would buy their Spitfire and P-40 seats with harnesses by the dozen! :))
1/48th WWII Russian Fighter Pilot, 1939-43
The original figure is sculpted by Mike Good, and the photos of the completed figure were painted by Kevin. I wish my photos did this figure justice- it looks awesome. It is one of the best figures I’ve ever seen. I think what impresses me the most is how realistic the face is. So many figures I see often fall short in the face, but this one looks perfect. (Almost eerily so.) It will look great with any early war VVS subject. Price is $12.95 CDN plus shipping.
1/48th P-51B/C Mustang Shrouded & Unshrouded Exhausts (fits Accurate Miniatures P-51B/C Mustang kits)
I love the Accurate Miniatures series of the early P-51 models. But unfortunately their exhausts were a bit weak. Ultracast has a fix for that! They have a shrouded and unshrouded set available, each priced at $4.95 CDN plus shipping. A simple but great improvement for any Accurate Miniatures P-51B/C.
1/48 Hamilton Standard 11′ 7″ dia. 3-Blade Props & Spinners- Hub 23-E-50 Blade/6353A-18 & Hub 23-E-50/Blade 6477A-0
Many times the props that come with a model aren’t the correct shape for a particular aircraft, or maybe they’re just not shaped very nicely. Ultracast can fix you up- here is a great example. These two prop sets are appropriate for a variety of aircraft.
Set # 48240 is appropriate for the B-17E, B-17F Early, B-24, and the C-47/DC-3. Set #48241 is for B-17F, B-17G, B-24 and C-47/DC-3. Each set comes with two hubs and six blades, so you’ll need two sets for the four-engined aircraft. (Who says you never use math when you grow up? :)) And of course, check your references to help you know which set to use.
The hubs and blades for both of these sets look very good, and they fit perfectly. As you can see, I assembled them right out of the bag- just popped the blades in places and they look great! Each set of two blades is $16.95 CDN plus shipping.
And last but not least…
1/48th Hawker Typhoon Tail Wheel Well (fits Hasegawa kits)
If you’re building Hasegawa’s Typhoon kit, you’ll want to to grab this little gem. The photos speak for themselves- the resin part closes up a big old gaping hole! Price is $.95 CDN, plus shipping.
Thanks again to Kevin & Ultracast for these wonderful items!