SPA Modeler

I got a surprise envelope in the mail today. A set of brass 20mm cannon barrels from a company called RB Models. I don't think it is related to Radu's company, RB Productions.

Big difference in the look of those barrels

Oh yeah... they look so much better.

They are a major improvement over the kit barrels.

Very nice!

Pretty affordable too. I paid $7.50 including shipping from a company in Poland called Super-Hobby.com. Worth checking out as they seem to have a good assortment of brass gun barrels from Abe, Master and RB Models. Since these items are so small, they're able to ship in envelopes. Shipped June 10... received on June 28... not bad. In comparison, the new rivet tool that I ordered from China shipped on May 8 and it's been stuck in a shipping warehouse in California since May 21.

I've spent some more time looking at the Brengun detail set and have specifically highlighted the non-cockpit items so that I don't overlook anything. The spring end of the landing gear actuation arm has no attachment point... it's just floating in space. You can also see how I've scrubbed the paint off the wheel hubs and added the PE bits to them.


Brengun supplies a PE attachment point. A small but nice touch and Brengun has thoughtfully added an attachment pin to the part so connection is more positive.



Brengun also offers a replacement for the oil cooler exit flap.


I was especially proud of my efforts to match the curvature of the kit part... .sometimes this kind of thing gives me trouble.


The interior side of the flap has some nice detail. But you really aren't going to see that detail unless you show the flap fully extended. And if you do that, you'd be given a view into where the oil cooler assembly is supposed to be.


But there is nothing there to show.


So... unless I want to add an oil cooler, it will be easier not to use the enhanced flap and just use the kit parts showing the flap closed.


This PE part is not an addition but just a convenient way to cover up some ejector pin marks.



I punched a piece of brass sheet to create some more detail on the drop tank.


And finally, another photo to show some of the additional staining I've put on the tires.

All looking good! That is a very good idea to cover them ejector pin marks since they look to be hard to get to. As always the weathering on your tires is spot on

Thanks Clint! I'm impressed with this Brengun PE set. Very well thought out and executed. I tackled the gun sight attachment, which I thought might be difficult since it involves some of the smallest and most delicate of parts.

The brass set adds the sighting bead and crosshairs. The frame is super delicate and I'll need to be extra careful not to break it.


Here's what a full-size replica of the Type 98 gun sight looks like...


I test fit the windscreen and found that it butts up right against the crosshair so that means the armored glass won't fit.



So I decided to make a modification by shortening the delicate arm holding the crosshair. I did this for two reasons. One is to allow enough room for the armor glass between the gun sight and the windscreen. Two is to strengthen that fragile filament that was holding the crosshair away from the gun sight. I had already knocked on it a couple of times and was afraid that it was just a matter of time before it broke. I carefully snipped off the crosshair and re-attached it on leftover filament. I reinforced the join from the bottom with a bead of CA glue.


The gun sight is a little inaccurate now but it's stronger and I can fit the armor glass.



It took a few tries but I got the tiny frames for the reflector glass mounted on two pieces of clear acetate. I used acetate that was a little thicker than what was supplied with the Brengun set. The edges of one of the elements has been painted clear blue/green and the other element has been tinted.